Instead of our usual coach outing, this year a small group of us took the train to Portsmouth where we were met by local guide David Baynes.Our purpose was to seek out the Portsmouth connections of two literary luminaries, Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Both spent very little time there but they certainly left their mark and Portsmouth is very proud of them. Sadly, due to World War Two bombing and subsequent redevelopment, very few of the original buldings were left. In their place were plaques extolling their work and lives in the town.
We visited the city museum which has a very comprehensive Sherlock Holmes collection which is well worth a visit. Our walk ended in Guildhall Square with a visit to the library and its Conan Doyle collection and a look at the recently unveiled Dickens statue.
Our guide also introduced us to the almost forgotten children’s writer, Percy Westerman as well as non literary figures such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Lord Montgomery of Alamein. Altogether a very interesting day out.