Top-hatted Portsmouth cyclist with a bike slung over his shoulder
An unusual shot of Broad Street, Old Portsmouth here (love the spelling of the city's name).
It was posted on the Portsmouth Nostalgia: Pictures from the Past Facebook page by Stephanie Sutton who was not sure of the year.
Stephen Pomeroy dated it to after 1901 and before 1914 – electric trams were introduced in 1901 and the school on the right closed, he says, in 1914.
Mark Chadwick’s eagle eyes spotted a paddle steamer at the end of the road and adds: ‘If you look closely, the bloke on the bike is carrying another bike over his shoulder which has a sort of tail attached to it. The cyclist also seems to be wearing a top hat.’
And immediately below is a smashing colour picture of the old Guildhall Square in all its glory, possibly in the early 1960s. I love this shot because it makes the area look more like one of the grander parts of London.