What the Dickens!

Squeezed between the M275 and the council tower blocks is a small part of a Victorian street that gives you a glimpse of what Portsmouth was like, before it was bombed and the hideous post-war buildings were put up. It is still a cobbled street with tram tracks leading nowhere. This is Old Commercial Road, the main road into Portsmouth for hundreds of years. Thankfully, one of these Victorian terrace buildings that survived Hitler's bombs is the where, on 7 Feb 1812, that Charles Dickens was born. Although he left when he was 3 that still makes Portsmouth the city of hs birth. Today the museum was free and there were performances in the St John's Ambulance hall opposite. The residents had organised the day and even provided free food. One of our friend's children said she didn't like the performance as it made her wish it was Christmas. I told her Dickens is for life not just for Christmas.