My Mum has been working on arranging for my Grandad’s name to be put onto a plaque in Portsmouth – to remember the Portsea Mudlarkers from years gone by. Well today we got to see the statue and the latest addition of names, including my Grandad’s and his brother’s. Sadly, he isn’t here to see today but we took my Grandma so that she could see his name set in stone – under the guise that we were going down to see the boats.
Margaret Foster, local councillor in Portsmouth, was the force behind the statue being created and raised money so that it could become possible. She’s written a book about the Mudlarks as well and money raised goes to local causes. Margaret was there today and had gathered a small crowd. The plaque was a new addition to the statue which had been placed there in 2010, looking out over the Portsmouth mud flats with an eye on the Spinnaker Tower and HMS Warrior.
The statue celebrates parts of Portsmouths heritage and the fascinating history of the children that used to work in the mud in the very spot that it now sounds. Mudlarking was a form of begging back in the day and involved children diving, frollicking, crawling and rolling in the mud for coins that were often thrown to them by passing people entertained by their antics. My Grandad was one of them, over eighty years ago, working hard to earn a few bob to take home.
“E ah guv stick a penny in the mud,
A “penny or two won’t break yer,
We take all your rusty silver,
We loves you lady, we loves you lady,
But we loves your money the best.”
After seeing the statue, it seemed fitting to spend some time enjoying the views across Portsmouth and the place where my Grandad grew up. The views were breath-taking and as the sun went down, it was the perfect end to a very important and poignant day.
If you’re ever in Portsmouth and visiting the Historic Dockyard, take a minute to pause outside the entrance and enjoy a little bit of History. You won’t regret it.
Kathryn Dawson Photography 
Amazing photos. What an emotional day but perfectly reflected in these photos. Thank you.
That was lovely but I was never a MP a local Councillor for twelve years but lost my seat in May but still work and enjoying helping local people. The Statue looks over to the part of the Harbour where we used to Mudlark. The Statue is sited where Jerrys Stand up Cafe was , our local beach was at the back of the few buildings that stood there my aunt Msbel had the fruit shop then Jerry had the stand up. . Lovely photos taken today and I loved meeting and talking to your family.
love the monument,show my children and explain what we did for money,i was not a very good mudlarker but had a go.Now live in the USA,proud to have been a portsea mudlarker. LAURA BACHE GREEN.
Brilliant presentation of photos and lovely words , could not have said better myself , the Council agreed on one more plaque after the over whelming response after the article went into the News Twenty more names can be added to another New plaque. Fifteen has already gone so that’s how quick people has come forward plus I have sold lots more Mudlarkers books which I’m very pleased about because the money will be in the bank for the School summer holidays when the Adventure play centres go on camping trips and need money to help towards it
Thank you to every one that attended the opening of the last plaque added and I really hope we have another good turn out for the next Plaque the last one that will be added.
Margaret, thank you for the time and effort for the mudlark plaque.glad to hear another one is in the works,my dad was also a portsea mudlarker.