PLAY UP POMPEY: Field Marshal Montgomery with the Division One championship trophy with Mr Chinneck to the right
An eagled-eyed member of staff snapped up a surprise find at a jumble sale – an old photo showing her firm’s owner, war hero Montgomery and a classic Portsmouth FC side.
Property management secretary Sandra Harris from Portsmouth estate and lettings agency Chinneck Shaw spotted the historic picture in Chichester.
She promptly bought the fantastic photo and took it into the firm’s offices in Copnor, Portsmouth, to the amazement of colleagues.
Amazing Portsmouth FC
It shows firm owner James Steele Chinneck sat next to Field Marshal Montgomery at Fratton Park with Portsmouth FC’s championship winning side of 1948 to 1949.
Mr Chinneck was chairman of the club, while ‘Monty’ was president and still in his pomp after his decisive role in D-Day and the Allied victory in the Second World War.
Chinneck Shaw director Neil Shaw said: “It was an incredible find and a real blast from the past.
“As a firm with such a long history and heritage in the area, it’s nice to keep that alive and we’ll make sure the photograph takes pride of place in the office.
“It was a particularly timely discovery as we reach an exciting end to the football season and is a reminder of Portsmouth FC’s glory days of years gone by.
“Our greatest thanks go to Sandra for spotting the picture and bringing it in.”
Sandra added: “I was delighted to find the picture. I recognised Mr Chinneck immediately and then realised what a historic photograph it was.”
In another amazing link, one of Chinneck Shaw’s clients is the nephew of a vice-chairman in the photograph: Alderman John Privett, who is third from the left in the front row.
The years under Mr Chinneck and Montgomery are considered as the glory days by many Portsmouth fans. The club went on to claim the Division One title for a second consecutive season in 1949-1950 as well as the Charity Shield in 1949.
Mr Chinneck was a descendant of original founders of Chinneck Shaw in 1883. Field Marshal Montgomery was president of Pompey from 1944 to 1961.
The business is one of the longest established estate agents, lettings agents, property managers and chartered surveyors in the area.
Based in Portsmouth, it has offices in Milton Road and Tangier Road in Copnor, covering an area reaching out in a 25-mile radius from Southampton to Petersfield and Chichester.
Chinneck Shaw is also part of a consortium at Portsmouth Property Association (PPA) which holds shares in Portsmouth FC.
Contact account director James Tourgout on 07827 806400 and james.tourgout@deepsouthmedia.co.uk for more details.
