89-534: The SeaCity Museum is a museum in Southampton , England, which opened on 10 April 2012 to mark the centenary of RMS Titanic' s departure from the city. It is housed within a part of the Grade II* listed civic centre building which previously housed the magistrates' court and police station . The museum contains two permanent exhibitions, one dedicated to Southampton's connection with RMS Titanic , and
178-404: A non-metropolitan district (i.e. with lower-tier local government functions only) within a modified non-metropolitan county of Hampshire (Bournemouth and Christchurch were transferred to the neighbouring non-metropolitan county of Dorset ). From this date, Hampshire County Council became responsible for all upper-tier functions within its boundaries, including Southampton, until local government
267-403: A "bold architectural addition" which signalled "the presence of a new important cultural attraction within the city". Oliver Green, writing for Museums Journal described the shape of the pavilion as echoing the "prows of ocean liners cutting through art deco waves". The completed museum provides 2,000 m of exhibition and learning space. The museum opened on time on 10 April 2012, marking
356-561: A bath house. Clausentum was not abandoned until around 410. The Anglo-Saxons formed a new, larger, settlement across the Itchen centred on what is now the St Mary's area of the city. The settlement was known as Hamwic , which evolved into Hamtun and then Hampton . Archaeological excavations of this site have uncovered one of the best collections of Saxon artefacts in Europe. It
445-578: A county borough with responsibility for all aspects of local government. On 24 February 1964 Elizabeth II, by Letters Patent, granted the County Borough of Southampton the title of "City", so creating "The City and County of the City of Southampton". This did not, however, affect its composition or powers. The city has undergone many changes to its governance over the centuries and once again became administratively independent from Hampshire County as it
534-404: A four-year term, so there are elections three years out of four. The Labour Party has held overall control since 2022; after the 2023 council elections the composition of the council is: There are three members of Parliament for the city: Darren Paffey (Labour) for Southampton Itchen , the constituency covering the east of the city; Satvir Kaur (Labour) for Southampton Test , which covers
623-501: A heritage centre." Councillors from opposition Liberal Democrat and Labour camps described the proposed sale as a "betrayal of public trust" which would damage the reputation of the city's museum. Alan Whitehead , MP for neighbouring Southampton Test described the proposed sale as an "outstandingly bad idea", which would discourage future donations and bequests to the city and destroy the national standing of its gallery. Labour politicians proposed borrowing funds as an alternative to
712-484: A lack of space. With the magistrates' court having left the building in 2001, this would leave an entire block of the civic centre vacant. And so the civic centre became a candidate to host the heritage centre, and by 2007 was considered the front runner. Plans were unveiled for the civic centre heritage centre in 2008. The original plans included a 3-storey extension to the building, and a water feature running from nearby Watts Park, both of which were scrapped to reduce
801-619: A large portion of those walls remain. A Royal Charter in 1952 upgraded University College at Highfield to the University of Southampton. In 1964 Southampton acquired city status , becoming the City of Southampton, and because of the Local Government Act 1972 was turned into a non-metropolitan district within Hampshire in 1973. Southampton City Council took over most of the functions of Hampshire County Council within
890-765: A loan of artworks scheme. And if these efforts were to fail, the council stated that any shortfall would be met through borrowing. A charity, the Southampton Cultural Development Trust was formed in 2010 to raise funds towards the project. The museum further received a grant from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in conjunction with the Wolfson Foundation , and another from the Garfield Weston Foundation . Southampton City Council appointed
979-601: A major commercial port and industrial area. Prior to the Invasion of Europe , components for a Mulberry harbour were built here. After D-Day , Southampton docks handled military cargo to help keep the Allied forces supplied, making it a key target of Luftwaffe bombing raids until late 1944. Southampton docks was featured in the television show 24: Live Another Day in Day 9: 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Some 630 people died as
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#17327805100841068-723: A regular transatlantic service to New York from the city. Southampton is also one of the largest retail destinations in the South of England. Southampton was heavily bombed during the Second World War during what was known as the Southampton Blitz . It was one of the major embarkation points for D-Day . In the Middle Ages Southampton was where troops left England for the Battle of Agincourt . It
1157-478: A result of the air raids on Southampton and nearly 2,000 more were injured, not to mention the thousands of buildings damaged or destroyed. Pockets of Georgian architecture survived the war, but much of the city was levelled. There has been extensive redevelopment since World War II. Increasing traffic congestion in the 1920s led to partial demolition of medieval walls around the Bargate in 1932 and 1938. However,
1246-453: A water supply system in 1290, which carried water from Conduit Head (remnants of which survive near Hill Lane, Shirley ) some 1.1 mi (1.7 km) to the site of the friary inside the town walls. Further remains can be observed at Conduit House on Commercial Road. The friars granted use of the water to the town in 1310. Between 1327 and 1330, the King and Council received a petition from
1335-730: Is Alan Spencer Southampton City Council has developed twinning links with Le Havre in France (since 1973), Rems-Murr-Kreis in Germany (since 1991), Trieste in Italy (since 2002), Hampton, Virginia , in the US, Qingdao in China (since 1998), Busan in South Korea (since 1978), and Miami, Florida , also in the US (since 14 June 2019). The geography of Southampton is influenced by
1424-468: Is Councillor David Shields Southampton is one of 16 cities and towns in England and Wales to have a ceremonial sheriff who acts as a deputy for the mayor. Traditionally the sheriff serves for one year after, which they will become the mayor of Southampton. Southampton's submission of an application for Lord Mayor status, as part of Queen Elizabeth II 's Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition 2022,
1513-505: Is a port city and unitary authority in Hampshire , England. It is located approximately 80 miles (130 km) southwest of London , 20 miles (32 km) west of Portsmouth , and 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Salisbury . Southampton had a population of 253,651 at the 2011 census, making it one of the most populous cities in southern England. Southampton forms part of the larger South Hampshire conurbation which includes
1602-496: Is from this town that the county of Hampshire gets its name. Viking raids from 840 onwards contributed to the decline of Hamwic in the 9th century, and by the 10th century a fortified settlement, which became medieval Southampton, had been established. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, Southampton became the major port of transit between the then capital of England, Winchester, and Normandy . Southampton Castle
1691-596: Is located between the two rivers. Town Quay is the original public quay, and dates from the 13th century. Today's Eastern Docks were created in the 1830s by land reclamation of the mud flats between the Itchen and Test estuaries. The Western Docks date from the 1930s when the Southern Railway Company commissioned a major land reclamation and dredging programme. Most of the material used for reclamation came from dredging of Southampton Water, to ensure that
1780-549: The 1888 Local Government Act , Southampton became a county borough within the county of Hampshire, which meant that the Corporation in Southampton had the combined powers of a lower-tier (borough) and an upper-tier (county) council within the city boundaries, while the new county council was responsible for upper-tier functions outside the city of Southampton. The ancient shire county, along with its associated assizes,
1869-669: The 1979 general election , Whitehead stood as the Labour candidate in New Forest , coming third with 19.7% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MP Patrick McNair-Wilson and the Liberal candidate. Whitehead stood in Southampton Test in three successive elections, 1983 , 1987 , and 1992 . In 1983 with 28.1% of the vote behind the incumbent Conservative MP James Hill . He came second again in 1987 with 33.3% of
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#17327805100841958-537: The 2016 Labour Party (UK) leadership election . From October 2016 to April 2020, Whitehead was Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change. Whitehead was one of the 52 Labour MPs who defied Jeremy Corbyn and in February 2017 voted against triggering Article 50 . He claimed that triggering Article 50 without clarity on what would be done was not in the UK's best interest, and he was not prepared to stand by and allow
2047-587: The Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the ringleaders of the " Southampton Plot "— Richard, Earl of Cambridge , Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham , and Sir Thomas Grey of Heton —were accused of high treason and tried at what is now the Red Lion public house in the High Street. They were found guilty and summarily executed outside the Bargate . The city walls include God's House Tower , built in 1417,
2136-531: The British Medical Association for accepting McDonald's sponsorship. Whitehead, who was the goalkeeper for the UKPFC, fully declared the sponsorship in his register of members interests. He also pointed out the trip was part of a long-standing fundraising campaign between the UKPFC and McDonald's that raised over 20,000 euros for local charities. In September 2006, Whitehead voted against
2225-761: The Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006 , sponsored by fellow Labour MP Mark Lazarowicz . In June 2006, the UK Parliamentary Football Team ran a charity match in Portugal against the Portuguese Parliament, which coincided with part of the 2006 FIFA World Cup . The match and the trip were sponsored by McDonald's as part of their Football in the Community Programme. The UKPFC was criticised by
2314-499: The Heritage Lottery Fund , with Southampton City Council and Southampton Cultural Development Trust providing the remainder. The council had planned on selling works from their municipal art collection to fund the museum, but backed down after encountering significant opposition from both within and outside the city. Plans for a heritage centre in Southampton began to emerge in 2002, with the city council's formation of
2403-705: The Iraq War on the basis of the mission not receiving endorsement from the UN. Also in September 2006, Whitehead criticised the results of the Energy Review, and was the co-author of EDM 2204 which states 'the case for nuclear has not yet been made' and urges the government to 'recognise the enormous potential for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by energy efficiency and conservation, greater use of combined heat and power, and rapid investment in
2492-528: The Titanic Brewery , jigsaw puzzles and many other such kitsch that SeaCity scoured the internet to find. Catherine Roberts, reviewing Southampton's Titanic Story for Culture24 described the comparison between the height of the civic centre and the height of the Titanic as inspired. She praised the graphics for making the story digestible for children and adults. And while she mentioned that
2581-574: The Titanic Engineers' Memorial in East Park, built in 1914, dedicated to the ship's engineers who died on board. Nearby is another Titanic memorial, commemorating the ship's musicians. Southampton subsequently became the home port for the transatlantic passenger services operated by Cunard with their Blue Riband liner RMS Queen Mary and her running mate RMS Queen Elizabeth . In 1938, Southampton docks also became home to
2670-413: The flying boats of Imperial Airways . Southampton Container Terminals first opened in 1968 and has continued to expand. Southampton was designated No. 1 Military Embarkation port during World War I and became a major centre for treating the returning wounded and POWs . It was also central to the preparations for the Invasion of Europe during World War II in 1944. The Supermarine Spitfire
2759-595: The 1940s. The port was the point of departure for the Pilgrim Fathers aboard Mayflower in 1620. In 1642, during the English Civil War , a Parliamentary garrison moved into Southampton. The Royalists advanced as far as Redbridge in March 1644 but were prevented from taking the town. Southampton became a spa town in 1740. It had also become a popular site for sea bathing by the 1760s, despite
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2848-594: The BIIT charity, where he was also a director. Whitehead was the Leader of Southampton City Council from 1984 to 1992 and a professor of Public Policy at Southampton Institute . As leader of Southampton City Council in 1986, Whitehead proposed that the city council take measures to become a 'self sustaining city' with regard to energy generation. One such measure was the conversion of Southampton Civic Centre to being heated by local reservoirs of geothermal energy . At
2937-480: The Chipperfield bequest to raise funds towards a capital project is not advisable and, indeed, not in the spirit of the bequest." The Art Fund , which had previously provided funding towards the acquisition of Bridget Riley 's Red Movement (2005) by the city, expressed concern at the proposed sale, wary that it would "set an uncomfortable precedent, stretching the sector's guidelines and effectively sanctioning
3026-530: The Cinque Port men to damage Southampton, a flourishing port in the fourteenth century. When King Edward III came to the throne, this petition was given to the king and his mother, Queen Isabella , who was in charge of the town, and the country at this stage likely organised the writ of trespass that took any guilt away from the community at Southampton. The town was sacked in 1338 by French, Genoese and Monegasque ships (under Charles Grimaldi , who used
3115-616: The Empire . In his 1854 book The Cruise of the Steam Yacht North Star John Choules described Southampton thus: "I hardly know a town that can show a more beautiful Main Street than Southampton, except it be Oxford. The High Street opens from the quay, and under various names it winds in a gently sweeping line for one mile and a half, and is of very handsome width. The variety of style and color of material in
3204-591: The French. The town experienced major expansion during the Victorian era . The Southampton Docks company had been formed in 1835. In October 1838 the foundation stone of the docks was laid and the first dock opened in 1842. The structural and economic development of docks continued for the next few decades. The railway link to London was fully opened in May 1840. Southampton subsequently became known as The Gateway to
3293-637: The Green New Deal. In January 2022 Whitehead announced that he would be standing down at the next general election . Whitehead married Sophie Wronska in 1979, and they have a son and daughter. He is a member of the Saints Trust and plays in the UK parliamentary football team. After looking at the possibility of being the first MP to install a wind turbine installed on his constituency home roof in Highfield, Southampton, Whitehead installed
3382-504: The Heritage Working Group to explore options and to outline the way forward for such a scheme. In 2004, the following locations were shortlisted as potential sites for the then named "Story of Southampton" heritage centre – All of the shortlisted sites were deemed too costly and unworkable. Following these developments, in 2006 Southampton Police announced their intention to vacate their civic centre headquarters due to
3471-532: The Port of Portsmouth; this tax farm was granted for an annual fee of £200 in the charter dated at Orival on 29 June 1199. The definition of the port of Southampton was apparently broader than today and embraced all of the area between Lymington and Langstone. The corporation had resident representatives in Newport, Lymington and Portsmouth. By a charter of Henry VI , granted on 9 March 1446/7 (25+26 Hen. VI, m. 52),
3560-661: The Regions from 2001 to 2002. Alan Whitehead was born on 15 September 1950 in Isleworth , London , and attended Isleworth Grammar School. He studied Politics and Philosophy at the University of Southampton , where he became President of University of Southampton Students' Union and received a PhD in Political Science. From 1979 to 1982 he was Director of OUTSET charity, then from 1983 to 1992 he worked for
3649-579: The area has been inhabited since the Stone Age . Following the Roman invasion of Britain in AD ;43 and the conquering of the local Britons in AD 70 the fortress settlement of Clausentum was established. It was an important trading port and defensive outpost of Winchester , at the site of modern Bitterne Manor . Clausentum was defended by a wall and two ditches and is thought to have contained
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3738-559: The buildings affords an exhibition of outline, light and colour, that I think is seldom equalled. The shops are very elegant, and the streets are kept exceedingly clean." The port was used for military embarkation, including the Crimean war and the Boer War . A new pier, with ten landing stages, was opened by the Duke of Connaught on 2 June 1892. The Grand Theatre opened in 1898. It
3827-571: The centenary of RMS Titanic' s departure from the city. Work on the SeaCity Museum attracted positive attention from industry bodies. The Institution of Structural Engineers shortlisted Ramboll 's structural design work for their 2012 Structural Awards ; Architects' Journal shortlisted Wilkinson Eyre and interior fitters 8build for their 2012 Retrofit Awards . There are three exhibitions at SeaCity, all of which were designed by Urban Salon . Two permanent exhibitions are housed in
3916-745: The city and its future success." Southampton City Council forecast that the museum would receive over 150,000 visitors per year, but these numbers were only achieved in the first year, and annual totals have subsequently fallen consistently. Over its first two years of operations income was £468 thousand (23%) lower than expected. Visitor numbers were 10 thousand lower than expected at 240 thousand. Visitor numbers have continued to fall in subsequent years raising concerns over ongoing funding and long term viability. The 2018 Pevsner Architectural Guide to Hampshire:South described it as "notably short of objects or artworks". Southampton Southampton ( / s aʊ θ ˈ ( h ) æ m p t ə n / )
4005-488: The city in April 1997 (including education and social services, but not the fire service), and thus became a unitary authority . In the 2010s several developments to the inner-city of Southampton were completed. In 2016 the south section of West Quay, or West Quay South, originally known as West Quay Watermark, was opened to the public. Its public plaza has been used for several annual events, such as an ice skating rink during
4094-614: The city of Portsmouth and the boroughs of Havant , Eastleigh , Fareham and Gosport . A major port, and close to the New Forest , Southampton lies at the northernmost point of Southampton Water , at the confluence of the River Test and Itchen , with the River Hamble joining to the south. Southampton is classified as a Medium-Port City. Southampton was the departure point for the RMS ; Titanic and home to 500 of
4183-463: The construction. To raise the rest of the £15M, in 2009, Southampton City Council proposed selling off works from their municipal art collection. The council selected two works to be sold, an oil painting by Alfred Munnings , After the Race (1937), and one of two bronzes by Auguste Rodin , either Eve (1880) or Crouching Woman (1882). The council believed that these works were not core to
4272-461: The cost by £10M to £28M. The project was split into two phases. The focus of phase one was to be Southampton's Titanic connection, and the Sea City name was attached. Phase one had a budget of £15M and a completion date due in 2012. Southampton City Council sought Heritage Lottery Funding towards the museum; it was awarded £0.5M in 2009 for the development phase, and a further £4.6M in 2010 for
4361-532: The council. Edward Chaney , then Professor of Fine and Decorative Arts at the Southampton Institute (now Solent University ), appeared on BBC South and published articles warning of reputational damage to the gallery and the consequent threat to future bequests. Nonetheless, the council voted to proceed with its plans, and in September 2009, they formally approached Baroness Scotland of Asthal , then Attorney General for England and Wales to approve
4450-434: The country to go down what he regarded as a potentially very dangerous path. At the snap 2017 general election , Whitehead was again re-elected with an increased vote share of 58.7% and an increased majority of 11,508. Whitehead was again re-elected at the 2019 general election , with a decreased vote share of 49.5% and a decreased majority of 6,213. In March 2020, Whitehead was appointed Shadow Minister for Energy and
4539-523: The design team in July 2009, naming Wilkinson Eyre as lead. A year later, Kier Southern were named as main contractor . Despite reservations over the appearance of the new pavilion, English Heritage gave their approval for the designs, and final planning permission was granted in September 2010. Work began in October. There were some obstacles to the build, contractors discovered significant corrosion to
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#17327805100844628-639: The disposal of works of art from publicly-owned collections to support other areas of public sector cultural provision". In November 2009, due to the strong opposition, Southampton City Council placed the proposed art sale on hold to re-evaluate their funding possibilities. By February 2010, the council had cancelled the proposed art sale. The council stated that movements in the property markets had allowed it to consider selling off assets that were previously seen as unviable for sale. The council also looked to other organisations to provide funding, such as partnerships with neighbouring Hampshire County Council through
4717-431: The first purpose-built artillery fortification in England. Over the years it has been used as home to the city's gunner, the Town Gaol and even as storage for the Southampton Harbour Board. Until September 2011, it housed the Museum of Archaeology. The walls were completed in the 15th century, but later development of several new fortifications along Southampton Water and the Solent by Henry VIII meant that Southampton
4806-486: The former police station and magistrates' court . The pavilion plays host to temporary exhibitions. The first, to coincide with the Titanic centenary, is Titanic: The Legend which explores the public's enduring fascination with the ship through its portrayal in popular culture . The exhibition hosts screens playing scenes from films such as 1912's In Nacht und Eis and 1997's Titanic . Titanic memorabilia collected include Steiff "mourning bears", beers from
4895-416: The full range of renewable technologies, including microgeneration'. Due to the high concentration of houses in multiple occupation in Southampton, in May 2007 Whitehead proposed changing planning regulations which would mean a landlord would be required to apply for planning permission if they wanted to convert a family home into an HMO housing more than four people. The proposal was considered as part of
4984-406: The gallery's focus on British modern and contemporary 20th and 21st century art. Due to space constraints at Southampton City Art Gallery, only 200 of the 3,500 works in the collection can ever be displayed there at one time; the council believed that the sale of the two works would allow space to be created in the new museum for the display of 100 further works from the collection. It was hoped that
5073-399: The governance and regulation of the town and port which remained the "constitution" of the town until the local government organisation of the later Victorian period when the Local Government Act 1888 set up County Councils and County Borough Councils across England and Wales, including Southampton County Borough Council. Under this regime, "The Town and County of the Town of Southampton" became
5162-423: The government's current review of the private housing sector, to report in October 2008. Whitehead rebelled in October 2009 against a government 3-line whip on the renewal of the UK Trident programme . His rebellion was put down to the fact that he was a historical supporter of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament , having paid a subscription to Southampton CND in 1982. At the 2010 general election , Whitehead
5251-412: The lack of a good quality beach. Innovative buildings specifically for this purpose were built at West Quay, with baths that were filled and emptied by the flow of the tide. Southampton engineer Walter Taylor 's 18th-century mechanisation of the block -making process was a significant step in the Industrial Revolution . The port was used for military embarkation, including during 18th-century wars with
5340-466: The mayor, bailiffs and burgesses of the towns and ports of Southampton and Portsmouth became a County incorporate and separate from Hampshire. The status of the town was changed by a later charter of Charles I by at once the formal separation from Portsmouth and the recognition of Southampton as a county. The formal title of the town became "The Town and County of the Town of Southampton". These charters and Royal Grants, of which there were many, also set out
5429-514: The motif of following several crew members through the story never quite pans out, she concluded that it was a well-conceived exhibition and that "there can be no better place than Southampton to remember both those who died and those who survived the Titanic' s first and final voyage." Oliver Green, writing in Museums Journal welcomed the new building, comparing it favourably to Southampton Maritime Museum's former home at The Wool House, which he described as being "completely unsuitable for telling
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#17327805100845518-406: The motte and bailey castle, only a section of the bailey wall remains today, lying just off Castle Way. In 1447 Henry VI granted Southampton a charter which made it a county of itself, separate for most purposes from the county of Hampshire. The town was granted its own sheriff , which it retains to this day. The friary was dissolved in 1538 but its ruins remained until they were swept away in
5607-410: The original building's steel frame which had to be repaired. Adding the necessary security elements to cover museum exhibits in a listed building also proved challenging. Features from the original building were preserved in the design, the former prison cells were kept intact and used as toilet facilities, and a court room was preserved as an exhibition space. By August 2011, contractors had reached
5696-406: The other to the city's role as gateway to the world. A third space for temporary exhibitions is housed in a purpose-built pavilion extension to the civic centre. Further phases of development may yet add to the exhibition space. The museum was designed by Wilkinson Eyre with Kier Southern serving as the main contractor . The budget for the museum was £15M, approximately £5M of which came from
5785-510: The people of Southampton. The community of Southampton claimed that Robert Batail of Winchelsea and other men of the Cinque Ports came to Southampton under the pretence that they were a part of Thomas of Lancaster 's rebellion against Edward II . The community thought that they were in conspiracy with Hugh le Despenser the Younger . The petition states that, the supposed rebels in the Despenser War 'came to Southampton harbour, and burnt their ships, and their goods, chattels and merchandise which
5874-429: The people who perished on board. The Spitfire was built in the city and Southampton has a strong association with the Mayflower , being the departure point before the vessel was forced to return to Plymouth . In the past century the city was one of Europe's main ports for ocean liners . More recently, Southampton is known as the home port of some of the largest cruise ships in the world. The Cunard Line maintains
5963-487: The plunder to help found the principality of Monaco ). On visiting Southampton in 1339, Edward III ordered that walls be built to "close the town". The extensive rebuilding — part of the walls dates from 1175 — culminated in the completion of the western walls in 1380. Roughly half of the walls, 13 of the original towers, and six gates survive. In 1348, the Black Death reached England via merchant vessels calling at Southampton. Prior to King Henry's departure for
6052-456: The port can continue to handle large ships. Alan Whitehead Alan Patrick Vincent Whitehead (born 15 September 1950) is a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Southampton Test from 1997 to 2024 . He served as Shadow Minister for Energy Security, previously Green New Deal and Energy, from 2015 to 2024. He served as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and
6141-418: The proposed sale, but the ruling Conservative faction dismissed this plan, arguing that it would lead to either cuts in front-line services, or increases in council tax, to cover interest and repayments. Opponents formed the "Save our Collection" group to campaign against the proposed art sale; they protested outside the civic centre and handed a petition with over 2,500 signatories opposing the proposed sale to
6230-441: The sale would generate £5M towards the museum. The proposed sale of the artwork had backing from the local paper, the Daily Echo , which had campaigned for three years for the deaccessioning of pieces from the "overflowing" municipal collection. There were voices of dissent from within the city however, in spite of Alec Samuels, the then Conservative council leader's assertion that, "If we don't sell some paintings we don't get
6319-433: The sale. Criticism also came from the Museums Association which stated that the proposed sale would be in breach of the association's code of ethics as Southampton City Council had not fully explored alternate sources of funding. The Munnings forms part of the Chipperfield bequest to the city, over which the Tate held an advisory responsibility. They joined in the criticism, stating that "the sale of works acquired through
6408-522: The sea and rivers. The city lies at the northern tip of the Southampton Water , a deep water estuary, which is a ria formed at the end of the last Ice Age and which opens into The Solent . At the head of Southampton Water the rivers Test and Itchen converge. The Test — which has a salt marsh that makes it ideal for salmon fishing — runs along the western edge of the city, while the Itchen splits Southampton in two—east and west. The city centre
6497-472: The story of 20th century Southampton". Green praised the use of multimedia as "creative but restrained", and highlighted their careful integration with the museum's collections. He finished his review on a hopeful note, eyeing the still undeveloped spaces available in the civic centre building for further expansion. He concluded that it would be "a real shame if the project were to falter at this stage", and that further phases of expansion "must surely be good for
6586-400: The top of the pavilion, and a topping out ceremony was held. The pavilion was designed as three interlocking bays to negotiate the irregular site upon which it sits, which rises two metres from South to North. Stone aggregate was used on the pavilion's exterior to maintain consistency with the original civic centre building's portland stone exterior. Wilkinson Eyre described the pavilion as
6675-451: The vote, again behind James Hill. In 1992 he again came second behind James Hill, with 42.4% of the vote. At the 1997 general election , Whitehead was elected to Parliament as MP for Southampton Test with 54.1% of the vote and a majority of 13,684. He was re-elected as MP for Southampton Test at the 2001 general election with a decreased vote share of 52.5% and a decreased majority of 11,207. From June 2001 to May 2002, Whitehead
6764-489: The west of the city; and Caroline Nokes (Conservative) for Romsey and Southampton North , which includes a northern portion of the city. The first mayor of Southampton served in 1222 meaning 2022 was the 800th anniversary of the office. Early mayors of Southampton include: The first female mayor was Lucia Foster Welch , elected in 1927. In 1959 the city elected its sixth female mayor, Rosina Marie Stonehouse, mother to John Stonehouse . The current mayor of Southampton
6853-534: The winter season, and a public broadcast of the Wimbledon tennis championship . Two new buildings, the John Hansard Gallery with City Eye and a secondary site for the University of Southampton's Nuffield Theatre , in addition to several flats, were built in the "cultural quarter" adjacent to Guildhall Square in 2017. After the establishment of Hampshire County Council, following the passage of
6942-458: Was Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. Whitehead was again re-elected at the 2005 general election with a decreased vote share of 42.7% and a decreased majority of 7,018. Whitehead's Private Members Bill was 'talked out' by Conservative backbenchers in 2005, but many of its most important aspects were incorporated into
7031-468: Was again re-elected with a decreased vote share of 38.5% and a decreased majority of 2,413. Whitehead is an outspoken supporter of action on anthropogenic climate change , and in September 2013 called debate by members of parliament who reject the scientific view a " flat earth love-in". Whitehead was again re-elected at the 2015 general election , with an increased vote share of 41.3% and an increased majority of 3,810. He supported Owen Smith in
7120-446: Was built in the 12th century and surviving remains of 12th-century merchants' houses such as King John's House and Canute's Palace are evidence of the wealth that existed in the town at this time. By the 13th century Southampton had become a leading port, particularly involved in the import of French wine in exchange for English cloth and wool . The Franciscan friary in Southampton was founded circa 1233. The friars constructed
7209-471: Was demolished in 1960. From 1904 to 2004, the Thornycroft shipbuilding yard was a major employer in Southampton, building and repairing ships used in the two World Wars. In 1912, the RMS Titanic sailed from Southampton. 497 men (four in five of the crew on board the vessel) were Sotonians, with about a third of those who perished in the tragedy hailing from the city. Today, visitors can see
7298-637: Was designed and developed in Southampton, evolving from the Schneider trophy -winning seaplanes of the 1920s and 1930s. Its designer, R J Mitchell, lived in the Portswood area of Southampton, and his house is today marked with a blue plaque. Heavy bombing of the Woolston factory in September 1940 destroyed it as well as homes in the vicinity, killing civilians and workers. World War II hit Southampton particularly hard because of its strategic importance as
7387-472: Was in them, and carried off other goods, chattels and merchandise of theirs found there, and took some of the ships with them, to a loss to them of £8000 and more.' For their petition to the King somewhere after 1321 and before 1327 earned some of the people of Southampton a prison sentence at Portchester Castle , possibly for insinuating the king's advisor Hugh le Despenser the Younger acted in conspiracy with
7476-477: Was itself raided by French pirates, leading to the construction of the fortified town walls , many of which still stand today. Jane Austen also lived in Southampton for a number of years. In 1964, the town of Southampton acquired city status , becoming the City of Southampton. Some notable employers in the city include the University of Southampton , Ordnance Survey , BBC South , Associated British Ports , and Carnival UK . Archaeological finds suggest that
7565-458: Was known as the County of Southampton or Southamptonshire . This was officially changed to Hampshire in 1959, although the county had been commonly known as Hampshire (and previously Hantescire – the origin of the abbreviation "Hants.") for centuries. In the reorganisation of English and Welsh local government that took effect on 1 April 1974 , Southampton lost its county borough when it became
7654-401: Was made into a unitary authority in a local government reorganisation on 1 April 1997, a result of the 1992 Local Government Act . The district remains part of the Hampshire ceremonial county . Southampton City Council consists of 51 councillors, 3 for each of the 17 wards. Council elections are held in early May for one third of the seats (one councillor for each ward), elected for
7743-550: Was no longer dependent upon its own fortifications. During the Middle Ages , shipbuilding had become an important industry for the town. Henry V 's famous warship Grace Dieu was built in Southampton and launched in 1418. The friars passed on ownership of the water supply system itself to the town in 1420. On the other hand, many of the medieval buildings once situated within the town walls are now in ruins or have disappeared altogether. From successive incarnations of
7832-405: Was once again reorganised in the late 1990s. Southampton as a port and city has had a long history of administrative independence of the surrounding County; as far back as the reign of King John the town and its port were removed from the writ of the King's Sheriff in Hampshire and the rights of custom and toll were granted by the King to the burgesses of Southampton over the port of Southampton and
7921-548: Was successful. Once the Letters Patent were published, the current Mayor (Councillor Jaqui Rayment) became the first Lord Mayor of Southampton. The Princess Royal presented the Lord Mayor with the Letters Patent in February 2023. The town crier from 2004 until his death in 2014 was John Melody, who acted as master of ceremonies in the city and who possessed a cry of 104 decibels . Southampton's current Town Crier
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