My Britain: Southampton

The port city of Southampton is perhaps best known as the departure point of the RMS Titanic, but can also lay claim to being the home of the Spitfire and many famous former residents, including Jane Austen, Benny Hill, Craig David and Ken Russell.

The city has had a significant role to play in the history of Britain—it was where troops left England for the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, was the major embarkment point for D-Day, andwas heavily bombed during the Second World War. But there's more to this city than its fascinating history. Modern Southampton is a busy metropolis, with a prosperous retail industry, two high-profile universities and countless museums and galleries attracting visitors to its recently developed Cultural Quarter.

We spoke to two long-term residents of this bustling port city to get a flavour of life in one of Britain's southernmost points.

Nigel Philpott is the Chairman of See Southampton and a volunteer on Southampton's heritage steamship, the SS Shieldhall. He has lived in Southampton for nearly 20 years.

I left Northampton in 2003 to manage the commercial side of Exbury Gardens and Steam Railway in the New Forest, a beautiful woodland garden. It is full of colour and scent, especially in the months of April and May when the Rothschild Collection of rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias is at its peak. I’d say there is no finer garden in the world at this time!

Southampton's heritage steamship, the Shieldhall, is a member of the National Historic Fleet. She started life as a humble sludge boat on the Clyde in the mid-1950s, but today welcomes passengers from all over the world for summer cruises on the Solent and further afield. She’s a real survivor. You can access all areas, including the Bridge, Engine Room and Boiler Room, where temperatures can reach in excess of 100 degrees—you’ll feel the burn!

Shieldhall is today managed by a set of very proud volunteers, including me. I enjoy giving commentaries on the sights and sounds of Southampton Water and the Solent—an area rich in history and interest.

As Chairman of See Southampton, I keep Southampton’s maritime heritage alive by organising a series of guided walks around the town walls and visiting the city’s many towers and vaults—a legacy of a time when Southampton was a leading importer of wine and a key defensive position on the south coast of England.

The spirit of the Southampton people was reflected in 1914 at the unveiling of The Titanic Engineers Memorial, when over 100,000 residents attended its unveiling—the population of Southampton at the time was only 120,000. The Titanic tragedy saw 550 Southampton crew lose their lives, and there are many memorials spread across the city.

Residents also had to recover from the bombing raids of the Second World War—Southampton’s Port and Spitfire Factory were major targets. During the conflict 630 lives were lost and nearly 4,000 buildings destroyed. The resolve to push on and make Southampton a better place to live and work is ever present and evident at every turn.

My favourite place in Southampton is the QEII walk, which extends from the top of the High Street to Town Quay, punctuated halfway by the town's most important monument, The Bargate. Anything to the North is "Above Bar", anything to the south "Below Bar". But if walking "The Mile", allow time to explore the adjacent parks—especially Mayor Fred Perkins' half mile-long Lime Tree Avenue, planted in 1862. It’s shady, on the flat and there’s always something on!

Events director Chris Reeves, 36, was born and raised in Southampton and has lived all over the city.

I was born in Southampton and I love all the outdoor activities on offer here. I learned to ski, sail, kayak and rock climb right here in the city!

We are very quiet and proud here in Southampton. There is a huge amount of opportunity right here in the centre of it and it is a very supportive environment to work in.

The spirit of the place really comes alive when big events are on and I think the ABP marathon particularly highlights and showcases this as residents come out and cheer on all the runners!

I love that our location on the south coast gives us great variety—from huge parks and green spaces to being out on the water! I love my sailing and water sports so my favourite thing to do in the city involves being on the water. Sailing or kayaking in Southampton water where you can see the city from a totally different perspective—that's where I like to be!

I set up my first company when I was 18 years old, and now my business ReesLeisure organises the largest sporting events in the city. We have swim schools, triathlon events for first timers and national cycling and running events too!