NOSTALGIA: Derelict farm on estate that became Leigh Park
The picture above is a little grainy but it shows Poplar Farm on the north-west corner of Stockheath Common which is now part of Leigh Park.
The photo was taken from Riders Lane and the modern flats seen in the background face on to Purbrook Way.
Mind you, at this time Purbrook Way was then called Botley Drive.
When the road was extended to Barncroft Way, Botley Drive became a junction where it is today.
Poplar Farm belonged to Sir George Staunton who owned most of the Leigh Park estate.
In 1874 the smallholding consisted of 11 acres with the rights for the farm stock to feed over Stockheath Common.
At the time there were many farms on the Leigh Park estate but when Portsmouth City Council purchased the estate for housing after the Second World War most were compulsorily purchased and demolished.
In the ‘today’ picture we see that Poplar Farm has disappeared under lush grass and the oak tree seen in the former photograph has matured.
The flats are now 65 years old.