Portsmouth’s teeming thoroughfare is the city’s main shopping precinct and is now home to many of the UK’s biggest retail brands.
While the retail sector is unrecognisable from decades ago, Commercial Road has always been the hustle and bustle of the city centre in Portsmouth – as shown by these rare photos below.
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We’ve had a look back through the archives to find some of our favourite photos from 1906 to the 1960s.
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![Easter Parade along Commercial Road circa 1906.We are looking south along Commercial Road with the Monarch pub on the corner of Charlotte Street.](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjgwY2UyMzU2LTJjM2MtNDdhZi04OTk2LTgyYzc2ZmZjNjRmMTpkMTdlNDZiMC04MmZhLTQwMTgtYmQ2ZS1kZDUwMzFkMDQxNTI=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=640)
37. Commercial Road
Easter Parade along Commercial Road circa 1906.We are looking south along Commercial Road with the Monarch pub on the corner of Charlotte Street.Photo: The News archive
![Commercial Road shortly after being made into a precinct in 1972.](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmRhZWNlNTVjLTA2OGYtNGZlOC1hMjg1LWVmNDEzMzhhM2MyNjo4OTUyOTQxNy1hN2VhLTQwNmItYTQyNi05M2I4NzAyZjUxZjY=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
38. Commercial Road
Commercial Road shortly after being made into a precinct in 1972.Photo: The News archive
![Looking south along Commercial Road ten years after the blitz on the city. Arundel Street coming in from the left.](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjU5ZGU1ZTFhLWM1NjYtNDgzNy04NWZmLWQ5MGUzZTg0MzVjNTplNjZmY2I4MC1iMjIxLTQ5YTItOTMyNy03MTQ2NjA3Mjg0NGQ=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
39. Commercial Road
Looking south along Commercial Road ten years after the blitz on the city. Arundel Street coming in from the left.Photo: The News archive
![Commercial Road on a busy 1964 day. A marvellous memory of when Commercial Road was the place to be on a Saturday.](https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjI2ZTUxODMyLTI3MjgtNDdkNi05YWJlLWU2ODU2OGQ2ZDQwZDo5MTBhNTMxZS1lMDhhLTRhMGYtOTY2Mi05ZTUwNDI5MTI3NTY=.jpg?crop=3:2&trim=&width=800)
40. Commercial Road
Commercial Road on a busy 1964 day. A marvellous memory of when Commercial Road was the place to be on a Saturday.Photo: The News archive