ABSTRACT
As a consequence of the industrial revolution, the major centres of Britain's urban population experienced an unprecedented and sustained growth throughout the nineteenth century. This chapter shows Portsmouth's population growth between 1801 and 1881. Because of its strong naval and military links Portsmouth tended to stagnate during times of peace but expand and prosper in times of war or a perceived threat of war. At the start of the nineteenth century the vast majority of Portsmouth's population was confined to the Southwest tip of Portsea Island adjacent to the entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. The inhabitants were divided into the distinct townships of Portsmouth and Portsea, each surrounded by a system of fortifications. Both had already experienced a significant development to their infrastructure. Portsmouth's meeting statistics alone suggest an unenthusiastic response to their problems. The early Portsmouth Act preserved the householder's right to ownership of their domestic refuse because of its economic value.
