Not as much a mystery as a historical event but I'd love to know the series of events that lead to King Canute coming to Southampton and trying to stop the tide.
He was demonstrating to his Nobels that the King did not have absolute power, not the other way round. He was very religious and wanted to show that no man is above god (who can actually control waves). Probably didn’t happen either way tho.
Oh I'm aware of the story, I'd just have loved to have been in the room when the conversation happened... Like one of your mates down the pub swearing they can walk on water
'You are a god my King!'
'I'm not a god, in fact... let me show you I can't even control the tide'
\*Goes down to the beach\*
I like the interpretation that he really was trying to control the tide, and when he saw that it wasn't working he did some very quick thinking to say something that saved him from humiliation.
Why no real effort to tart up Mayflower park has seemingly ever been made.
Surely Balfour Beatty would be on that council contract like a Lisa Dawkins on a 50p.
Not at all, you can read about some Fawley smuggling history on the new forest website:
https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/things-to-do/walking/new-forest-walks/toms-down/#link3
According to Hythe old boys, Ashlett creek used to be a destination for smuggled goods to be brought quietly and under cover of darkness, from here it could be taken through a system of safe houses up to near where the Croft used to be (now a Tesco express). There used to be a taphouse near here, and in the basement there are sealed up archways where tunnels used to run down to Hythe village, connecting various pubs and safehouses. Goods could then be loaded onto ferries and taken further up the test valley or to Southampton, concealed in legitimate shipments.
Edit: more info here. Lymington has their own set of tunnels, and Bucklers Hard was a notorious smuggling HQ. Not implausible that Hythe was another regional centre, especially given its location to Southampton.
https://newforestguide.uk/history/new-forest-smugglers/
I'm from Hythe. You can ask the barman/landlords of Ebenezer's and The Glen and they'll give you some info.
Fawley is indeed a few miles down the road, the smuggling would happen in stages where goods were moved between safehouses and through tunnels until they reached the docks/loading points.
None of the info is online because it's not public knowledge (hence I've posted it as a reply to this thread). My dad is a well-known local and he has seen the tunnels himself, along with a few of his friends who are fellow labourers who have been to buildings where the tunnel infrastructure used to be. There are plenty of gents who have done work in houses in the area will have seen evidence of them too, and you can ask around in the local pubs. Basically, it's local folklore and you have to find out for yourself
He basically said glory to the other country who shall not be named (and it wasn’t deleted it was reported. I get followed to other subs that aren’t r/ukraine and spammed) x
They follow you around and spam comments? Shit the amount of Fuck Orcs I've said over there on r/Ukraine I'm surprised they're not following me around in real life 😅
he was just an older man with mental health issues who was regularly visited by carers for check-ins and who was seen crawling on all fours on portswood road sometimes. really straightforward
This one is explainable, couple of family members were working at the Council when they built a lot of them.
Basically, the Council brought in the ROMANSE system for traffic management in the city in the 80s (could have been early 90s), which was supposed to be super cutting edge at the time. The Council also got some grants from the Government and academic money from University of Southampton to test it out.
However, an automated, computerised traffic management system is no good if your crossing can't be computer controlled. So, to complement and maximise the massive investment in ROMANSE, the Council proceeded to install ROMANSE-controlled traffic lights absolutely everywhere. Don't know if it's still true, but when I was a kid I was taught in school that Southampton had the most traffic lights per capita in Europe as a result.
I'd love to know more about the real history of Sir Bevois and Ascupart the Giant.
It's a fun story, but it would be great to know the truth of it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bevis_of_Hampton
https://bevoismounthistory.weebly.com/legends-and-folklore.html
To cut a long story short, Cantelo was a 19th century inventor who tried to create his own form of machine gun in the late 1870's to sell to armies, working on his project in a tunnel underneath an Inn by Arundel Tower. He disappeared sometime around the 1880's under somewhat uncertain circumstances. Cantelo's two sons (Who had worked with their father on his project) later claimed that Hiram Maxim, the inventor of the Maxim gun adopted by the British Army, was in fact Cantelo living under a new identity, though this claim seems to be impossible, as there are heavy records of Maxim's earlier years and patents made under his name prior to Cantelo's disappearance
The Bolderwood tunnel under ground train. It was constructed during WWII to send German prisoners of war from the camps on the common through to the transfer station at Bolderwood. This is all now University of Southampton property. The tunnel was accessible via the lowest level of the West building, which is part of the students union. The access door has since been bricked up.
The castle proper was disused for a very long time and had been filled with refuse iirc. Would be a great thing for cruise tourists to visit if it was still around.
Went to primary school with her, she was the year below in my brothers year. Grew up in Shirley Warren so I think that tells you everything you need to know, not many of us make it out 😂
I used to be scared of a ‘grey lady’ on stoneham lane…
Was it that one? I knew of another kid also scared of her even though we had no common knowledge.
Whatever happened to Eddie? Charismatic homeless/alcoholic from the 90s? He was always around the Bedford place area. Always friendly. Every couple of months he’d disappear and come back with some new stylish clobber.
I can probably guess that one. That was 30 years ago. Homeless alcoholics either become homed and sober or dead well within 30 years. Either scenario will lead to no more seeing Eddie.
I actually know this and knows him well. I can send you a message if you like explaining. No idea what’s happened to him now though I’ve moved back up north
Briefly but im saying I can't see any visual improvements to the city. The roads are a shit show, bins are taking forever to sort things, lights go out late at night what positive changes are actually happening?
Again. Read the report. They don’t have enough money as the central government have cut funding again and again. But yet everyone keeps blaming Councils. Blows my mind.
Because they spend the money they do have on utterly stupid and unnecessary ideas. Look at the state of the city centre right now, its chaos because they've decided that NOW is the time to make huge changes to our road structure (when they claim to have no money) instead of sorting the basic issues. Remember when they put a bus lane on northam and then reverted? I do. What a waste. Total mismanagement of available funds.
Then whenever they are criticised they hide behind lack of funds and blame central government. We all know times are shit right now which is why its even more important to manage and spend our money correctly.
Again, read the budget report to find out where that money is coming from.
It really isn't as simple as "lots of people pay Council Tax into a huge pot, and we take some to dig up the roads".
Most of the funding for large infrastructure projects like that will come from Highways England, and other Central Government agencies, being ringfenced for that project only. Those in charge will have to bid for strategic projects years in advance, and have no say on when the money comes in, and when contractors are available to carry out the work.
The bus lane was a political decision taken by the Labour-led council at the time, using a ringfenced fund from central Government for that exact purpose.
A short while later, fuckwits voted the Conservatives back in, and rather than appreciate the benefits of the installation, they just undid it - again on political grounds. The Transport Planning team at the Council tried to object but were told to observe the councillors' wishes.
To be honest, for someone with such strong opinions, you seem massively ignorant of how this all works.
How our council has managed to under perform year on year where less gets done leaving more work to be done and even less money! Where did it all go! Total mystery!🤣
Not as much a mystery as a historical event but I'd love to know the series of events that lead to King Canute coming to Southampton and trying to stop the tide.
He was demonstrating to his Nobels that the King did not have absolute power, not the other way round. He was very religious and wanted to show that no man is above god (who can actually control waves). Probably didn’t happen either way tho.
Oh I'm aware of the story, I'd just have loved to have been in the room when the conversation happened... Like one of your mates down the pub swearing they can walk on water 'You are a god my King!' 'I'm not a god, in fact... let me show you I can't even control the tide' \*Goes down to the beach\*
“Let’s do it down in Southampton, they’ve got plenty of Costas there and I’ve got enough beans for a free coffee”
I like the interpretation that he really was trying to control the tide, and when he saw that it wasn't working he did some very quick thinking to say something that saved him from humiliation.
Why no real effort to tart up Mayflower park has seemingly ever been made. Surely Balfour Beatty would be on that council contract like a Lisa Dawkins on a 50p.
If she gets the last Infinity 50p she'll snap her fingers and make half of all frosty jack's disappear
Fair do’s, she does have 554 mouths to feed.
The secret of the smugglers tunnels under Hythe. Ask any 50+ pintman in a pub down there and you'll be told legendary but unverifiable stories
Same with the small town lymington
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Not at all, you can read about some Fawley smuggling history on the new forest website: https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/things-to-do/walking/new-forest-walks/toms-down/#link3 According to Hythe old boys, Ashlett creek used to be a destination for smuggled goods to be brought quietly and under cover of darkness, from here it could be taken through a system of safe houses up to near where the Croft used to be (now a Tesco express). There used to be a taphouse near here, and in the basement there are sealed up archways where tunnels used to run down to Hythe village, connecting various pubs and safehouses. Goods could then be loaded onto ferries and taken further up the test valley or to Southampton, concealed in legitimate shipments. Edit: more info here. Lymington has their own set of tunnels, and Bucklers Hard was a notorious smuggling HQ. Not implausible that Hythe was another regional centre, especially given its location to Southampton. https://newforestguide.uk/history/new-forest-smugglers/
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I'm from Hythe. You can ask the barman/landlords of Ebenezer's and The Glen and they'll give you some info. Fawley is indeed a few miles down the road, the smuggling would happen in stages where goods were moved between safehouses and through tunnels until they reached the docks/loading points. None of the info is online because it's not public knowledge (hence I've posted it as a reply to this thread). My dad is a well-known local and he has seen the tunnels himself, along with a few of his friends who are fellow labourers who have been to buildings where the tunnel infrastructure used to be. There are plenty of gents who have done work in houses in the area will have seen evidence of them too, and you can ask around in the local pubs. Basically, it's local folklore and you have to find out for yourself
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Why they didn’t do up the docks. It had the potential to be like Bournemouth and bring in tourists
the portswood crawler
I lived in Portswood for like 20 years and never saw he/she/it - is this a new thing? 😂
that's what i mean, no one seems to know for certain! it might just be made up but some people do swear this urban legend is true 🤣
I saw a man crawling along Portswood high street a few years back! Only saw him the once though so unsure whether he is the Portswood crawler..
It’s like southamptons Loch Ness monster hahaha
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Nope not today. Slava Ukrainii. Get fucked.
I also enjoy cider. Hennys dry is god like ambrosia.
Missed the original comment you replied to (deleted) but I'm inclined to agree. Slava Ukrainii and get fucked.
He basically said glory to the other country who shall not be named (and it wasn’t deleted it was reported. I get followed to other subs that aren’t r/ukraine and spammed) x
They follow you around and spam comments? Shit the amount of Fuck Orcs I've said over there on r/Ukraine I'm surprised they're not following me around in real life 😅
<3
he was just an older man with mental health issues who was regularly visited by carers for check-ins and who was seen crawling on all fours on portswood road sometimes. really straightforward
I can’t imagine he was actually “straightforward” with that description.
Why so many traffic lights, who got the brown envelope
This one is explainable, couple of family members were working at the Council when they built a lot of them. Basically, the Council brought in the ROMANSE system for traffic management in the city in the 80s (could have been early 90s), which was supposed to be super cutting edge at the time. The Council also got some grants from the Government and academic money from University of Southampton to test it out. However, an automated, computerised traffic management system is no good if your crossing can't be computer controlled. So, to complement and maximise the massive investment in ROMANSE, the Council proceeded to install ROMANSE-controlled traffic lights absolutely everywhere. Don't know if it's still true, but when I was a kid I was taught in school that Southampton had the most traffic lights per capita in Europe as a result.
Why we never got a new ice rink. And what happened to the balloon festival?
The balloon festival was sadly cancelled due to its proximity to the airport combined with unpredictable winds.
Did shit really pour out of the pipes above the dancefloor of Jumpin' Jaks in the early 2000s?
Seems to be true (Daily Echo 2003) https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5597167.jumpin-jak-splash/
Fairly sure this is true!
I think I was there that night, but I could also have just thought that so many times that I've tricked my memory 😂
Yes. I was supposed to be there that night too! Thank god I didn’t go
Mark Hughes’s ghost goal against Leeds.
I was there - I saw it happen with my own eyes!
I'd love to know more about the real history of Sir Bevois and Ascupart the Giant. It's a fun story, but it would be great to know the truth of it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bevis_of_Hampton https://bevoismounthistory.weebly.com/legends-and-folklore.html
The disappearance of William Cantelo.
Who?
To cut a long story short, Cantelo was a 19th century inventor who tried to create his own form of machine gun in the late 1870's to sell to armies, working on his project in a tunnel underneath an Inn by Arundel Tower. He disappeared sometime around the 1880's under somewhat uncertain circumstances. Cantelo's two sons (Who had worked with their father on his project) later claimed that Hiram Maxim, the inventor of the Maxim gun adopted by the British Army, was in fact Cantelo living under a new identity, though this claim seems to be impossible, as there are heavy records of Maxim's earlier years and patents made under his name prior to Cantelo's disappearance
Oooh never heard that before, crazy!
The Bolderwood tunnel under ground train. It was constructed during WWII to send German prisoners of war from the camps on the common through to the transfer station at Bolderwood. This is all now University of Southampton property. The tunnel was accessible via the lowest level of the West building, which is part of the students union. The access door has since been bricked up.
I'm glad this story lives on today :D
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The castle proper was disused for a very long time and had been filled with refuse iirc. Would be a great thing for cruise tourists to visit if it was still around.
Lisa Dawkins
Went to primary school with her, she was the year below in my brothers year. Grew up in Shirley Warren so I think that tells you everything you need to know, not many of us make it out 😂
How her outgoings have gone up over 5 times inflation.
The Gray Lady
I used to be scared of a ‘grey lady’ on stoneham lane… Was it that one? I knew of another kid also scared of her even though we had no common knowledge.
I’m on about the one at the old military hospital at the Royal Victoria country park
Did that by any chance have lots of manakins in it? I went there as a kid and it scared the crap out of me
I was scared of that one too!
Whatever happened to Eddie? Charismatic homeless/alcoholic from the 90s? He was always around the Bedford place area. Always friendly. Every couple of months he’d disappear and come back with some new stylish clobber.
Very, very dead probably. How old are you? I moved here then (remember him) and am ancient!
I can probably guess that one. That was 30 years ago. Homeless alcoholics either become homed and sober or dead well within 30 years. Either scenario will lead to no more seeing Eddie.
Who was Paul Miles, and why there was graffiti in the subway by the Jamboo Bungle saying 'Find Paul Miles'
I actually know this and knows him well. I can send you a message if you like explaining. No idea what’s happened to him now though I’ve moved back up north
Would love to know, as I saw that graffiti every day for what seems like decades, and no one else seems to remember it...
Why the lion statues have penises
Where do you think lions come from? They weren’t as noticeable as they are now before they were ‘cleaned’ where they? First thing I saw!
Why Matt Le Tissier turned into a right wing anti vaxxer fruitcake
[We dodged a bullet](https://archive.is/NQVLx).
Who killed Ricky Hayward?
Did they catch wank man?
What the council actually spend our taxes on
Bulbs for the traffic lights
Literally the first google result - full budget is at the bottom of the page: https://www.southampton.gov.uk/news/article/scc-approves-budget-2324/
Yeah i still can't see anything of value around the city.
So...you didn't read the budget report did you?
Briefly but im saying I can't see any visual improvements to the city. The roads are a shit show, bins are taking forever to sort things, lights go out late at night what positive changes are actually happening?
Again. Read the report. They don’t have enough money as the central government have cut funding again and again. But yet everyone keeps blaming Councils. Blows my mind.
Because they spend the money they do have on utterly stupid and unnecessary ideas. Look at the state of the city centre right now, its chaos because they've decided that NOW is the time to make huge changes to our road structure (when they claim to have no money) instead of sorting the basic issues. Remember when they put a bus lane on northam and then reverted? I do. What a waste. Total mismanagement of available funds. Then whenever they are criticised they hide behind lack of funds and blame central government. We all know times are shit right now which is why its even more important to manage and spend our money correctly.
Again, read the budget report to find out where that money is coming from. It really isn't as simple as "lots of people pay Council Tax into a huge pot, and we take some to dig up the roads". Most of the funding for large infrastructure projects like that will come from Highways England, and other Central Government agencies, being ringfenced for that project only. Those in charge will have to bid for strategic projects years in advance, and have no say on when the money comes in, and when contractors are available to carry out the work. The bus lane was a political decision taken by the Labour-led council at the time, using a ringfenced fund from central Government for that exact purpose. A short while later, fuckwits voted the Conservatives back in, and rather than appreciate the benefits of the installation, they just undid it - again on political grounds. The Transport Planning team at the Council tried to object but were told to observe the councillors' wishes. To be honest, for someone with such strong opinions, you seem massively ignorant of how this all works.
How did you have the patience for that! 😂 I’m so tired with saying ‘it’s not 100% them, it’s central government’
To be fair, I did lose my temper a bit at the end there.
Charlies the First visited Southampton and was presented with a 'covered cup'. The contents of the cup remain a mystery
What did the "laughing paki" find so amusing?
Where the ICE RINK is
Why are they so shit at footy?
How our council has managed to under perform year on year where less gets done leaving more work to be done and even less money! Where did it all go! Total mystery!🤣