Port of Southampton

Sheltered by the Isle of Wight, Southampton has for centuries been a trading port. It was in 1838 that expansion of the port from a small series of wharfs began in earnest. Still under development today, the Port of Southampton grew to being the biggest passenger port in the UK. Today, it is still busy and is the biggest cruise ship terminal in the UK with over 250 visits per year. Cargo has played an important part in the growth of the port too and cargoes as varied as bananas and frozen beef have passed through. Ships called from all corners of the world. Today, the cargoes are cars and containers, with oil at Fawley refinery. This collection of photographs will hopefully bring back memories of Southampton's port to those who have sailed through or worked there. Many of the images are published here for the first time and they cover all aspects of the docks from shipbuilding to disasters and the ferries, cargo and passenger ships that have used the port since the dawn of photography.