A Timeline of Gosport

By Tim Lambert

c. 1204

A new port is founded at Gosport. Many of the townspeople are fishermen.

1545

Haselford Castle is built

1642

During the Civil War guns at Gosport fire at Portsmouth

1645

A royalist army sacks Gosport

1677

King Charles II decides to fortify Gosport

1696

The Church of the Holy Trinity is consecrated

1717

Gosport has 3 weekly markets and 2 annual fairs

1753

Haslar Hospital opens

1759

A fort is built on land purchased from Jane Priddy

1763

A body of men are given powers to pave the streets of Gosport

1777

Gosport has a population of about 5,000

1796

Gosport gains its first theatre

1807

Forton Barracks is built

1821

Gosport has a population of 10,342

1834

Gosport gains gas street lighting

1841

The railway reaches Gosport

1848-1849

Cholera stalks Gosport

1851

Gosport has a population of over 16,000

1858

Gosport gains a piped water supply.

1870

Horse drawn trams run in Gosport

1887

Smallpox strikes Gosport

1891

Gosport Park is laid out. Gosport gains its first public library.

1894

The main gate and parts of the ramparts around Gosport are demolished

1900-1904

A network of sewers is dug under Gosport

1903-06

Gosport trams are converted to electricity

1910

Gosport gets its first cinema

1922

Gosport becomes a borough

1923

Gosport War Memorial Hospital opens

1929

The last trams run in Gosport

World War II

In Gosport 111 people are killed by bombs

1966

A new Town Hall is built. A precinct is built off South Street.

1972

A new bus station opens

1975

Gosport Museum opens

1978

Fort Brockhurst opens to the public

1979

The South Relief Road is built

1987

Gosport Sixth Form College opens

1993

Haslar Marina opens

A view of modern Gosport

21st Century Gosport

2005

Gosport library re-opens as Gosport Discovery Centre

2009

Haslar Hospital closes completely