Our Story

1933

Victory Housing Society

The Admiralty was approached about the purchase of a plot of land at Tipner which was jointly owned by the Admiralty and the War Office. No naval funds were available to support the scheme but they agreed to sell the land for a nominal sum. A committee of management consisting of retired officers and ratings was formed and was called the Victory Housing Society; the Commodore RN Barracks was the ex-officio Chairman.

The Canteen Committee of HMS Victory loaned the Victory Housing Society £6,000 free of interest and building operations started at Tipner; to complete the building of all the houses, a further £34,000 was borrowed from the Public Works Loans Board through Portsmouth Corporation repayable over 50 years at the prevailing rate of interest.

Altogether 132 houses were built plus a shop and a post office with two flats over it. The houses were described as five-roomed non-parlour type, consisting of three bedrooms, sitting-dining room and kitchen. Each house also had a lavatory, bathroom, coal house and shed with a sizeable garden in front and back. The rent was 12s 6d per week, which was only marginally different than the going rate, but the standard of housing was much better.

1950s/60s

Victory Housing Society

There was a shortage of naval married quarters which persuaded Senior Rates who could afford to do so to purchase their own houses and, thus fortunately for them, an early entry into the property market.

Late 1960’s

As married quarters became more available this led to a decrease in the demand for Victory Housing properties to rent. Therefore, it was decided to review the objectives of the Victory Housing Society. The committee looked towards the future particularly to the housing needs of elderly retired RN ratings and RM other ranks and decided to dispose of the Tipner estate and to use the money raised for building sheltered housing on a plot of land which formed part of the Bridgemary Estate. Sitting tenants in the houses owned by the Victory Housing Society at Tipner bought their homes with the help of mortgages from the Portsmouth Building Society at a fixed rate of 7%.

1977

Neptune Court

With the aid of a Housing Association Grant and funds raised from the sale of the houses at Tipner, the first sheltered housing project, Neptune Court, was completed and officially opened by Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The court consisted of 36 self-contained apartments with communal facilities including lounges, launderette, extensive gardens and a guest room for visitors, all under the supervision of a resident Scheme Manager.

1988

Cornwell Court

Cornwell Court with 40 apartments in Haslemere Road, Southsea was opened by Admiral Sir Julian Oswald.

1994

Somerville Court

Somerville Court with 25 apartments in Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville was built on land purchased from the RN and RM Children’s Home and opened by Admiral Sir Julian Oswald.

2012

Cornwell Court

Cornwell Court was extended on land bought from three neighbouring properties, providing a further 15 apartments and the Scheme Manager’s flat. This extension was opened by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band. The Secretary of the Association renamed the Chief Executive Officer.

2016

Wellbeing Assistant

Commenced a trial of a full time Wellbeing Assistant and introduced Wellbeing Rooms into some courts. Ceased all cash transactions and all rent now paid by Standing Order.