History of Lee-on-the-Solent

Lee-on-the-Solent has a relatively recent history compared with the ancient settlements of Chichester and Portsmouth nearby. Unlike most English coastal towns, which grew gradually from fishing villages or harbour settlements, Lee-on-the-Solent was a deliberate creation, planned and developed as a Victorian seaside resort. Its story spans just over a century and a half, but in that time it has been shaped by speculation and tourism, by war and defence, and latterly by regeneration and community identity.

The Robinson Vision, 1884

The history of Lee-on-the-Solent as a town begins with the Robinson family. In 1884, Charles Edmund Newton Robinson and his father purchased land on the Hampshire coast at Lee with the intention of creating a seaside resort. This was the height of Victorian leisure culture: the railways had made coastal holidays accessible to the growing middle classes, and towns like Hastings, Worthing, and Southend-on-Sea were expanding rapidly. The Robinsons recognised the potential of the Solent coast and began a comprehensive plan to develop Lee into an attractive destination. They laid out roads, created building plots, and began promoting the location to prospective residents and holiday visitors. The town was deliberately designed with a seafront promenade, residential streets following a planned layout, and facilities to attract Victorian holidaymakers.

The Railway Years, 1894 to 1931

A crucial moment came in 1894 with the opening of the Lee-on-Solent Light Railway, which ran from Fort Brockhurst to Lee Pier. This transport connection transformed the town's fortunes. Visitors could now reach Lee easily from Portsmouth, Gosport, and beyond. The railway brought day-trippers at weekends and summer visitors seeking accommodation. The resort developed rapidly during the Edwardian and interwar periods, with hotels, guest houses, and a growing residential population. Lee-on-the-Solent was never a massive resort in the manner of Blackpool or Brighton, but it became a respectable destination for the south coast middle classes. However, the railway that had enabled the resort's growth proved uneconomical in the interwar years. The Light Railway was closed in 1931, marking the end of the resort's railway-fuelled expansion. Despite this loss, the town retained its character as a seaside community and continued to grow through private motorised transport.

Lee Tower and the Resort Era

In 1935, an ambitious new entertainment complex was built at Lee-on-the-Solent, the centrepiece being the iconic Lee Tower. This Art Deco structure, standing 120 feet tall, housed a cinema, ballroom, and dance hall. The tower became the social hub of Lee-on-the-Solent, attracting visitors and residents for shows, dances, and entertainment. It represented the ambition of the 1930s to create a modern leisure destination, and it was a symbol of the town's prosperity during the brief decade before the Second World War. For generations of Lee residents, the tower and its associated facilities were the beating heart of the community.

The War Years, 1939 to 1945

When war came in 1939, Lee-on-the-Solent's role changed dramatically. On 25 May 1939, HMS Daedalus was commissioned as a Royal Naval Air Station. The airfield, which had been developed on former land at Lee, became a centre for naval aviation and pilot training. During the Second World War, the station operated with various aircraft types, including Spitfires, Typhoons, and other fighters. Lee-on-the-Solent was transformed overnight from a quiet seaside resort into a military installation. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, HMS Daedalus was the busiest operational airfield on the south coast, with 435 sorties flown in a single day by Canadian Typhoons, RAF Mustangs, and other aircraft. The air station was central to the defence of southern England and the support of the Normandy invasion. The Second World War left its mark on Lee-on-the-Solent, not least in the strategic importance it gained as a forward airfield and the many service personnel who were stationed there.

Post-War Lee

After 1945, HMS Daedalus continued as an active naval air station. The focus shifted to helicopter operations and training. The town experienced the typical challenges of post-war Britain: building materials were scarce, housing needed to be rebuilt and expanded, and the seaside resort model that had sustained Lee was less relevant in the age of cheap foreign holidays. The community rebuilt itself gradually, retaining its character as a seaside town with a naval connection and a growing residential population. The High Street developed with shops and cafes serving the local community. Lee Tower, though damaged during the war, remained an important social venue. The sailing culture, always present in a Solent town, developed more formally with the establishment of the Lee-on-the-Solent Sailing Club. The town became less a destination resort and more a place to live, drawing residents who valued the seafront setting, the sailing opportunities, and the close-knit community.

Lee Tower Lost, 1971

By the 1960s, the Lee Tower complex had begun to decline. The cost of maintaining the aging Art Deco structure was high, and the economics of entertainment had changed. In 1971, the decision was made to demolish the tower and the associated facilities. For many residents, particularly those who had spent their youth there in the 1930s and 1940s, the loss was profound. The tower had been an iconic symbol of Lee-on-the-Solent's identity. Its demolition marked the end of an era, the passing of the seaside resort as a dominant model for the town's character. In its place, utilitarian housing and commercial developments were built, reflecting the changing needs and values of the 1970s. The community mourned the loss of the tower for decades, and nostalgia for it remains a feature of local conversation.

Modern Lee-on-the-Solent

The late twentieth century saw HMS Daedalus gradually shift from a primarily naval establishment. Helicopter operations continued, but fixed-wing flying operations were wound down. In 1996, HMS Daedalus was decommissioned as a naval air station, bringing to an end nearly 60 years of continuous naval aviation presence. However, the airfield did not close entirely. It was redeveloped as a civilian operation, Solent Airport, and has become home to business aviation, helicopter operations, and aviation support services. The Hovercraft Museum, which had been in the process of development for years, was finally opened in the former air station, becoming a centre for the preservation and exhibition of the world's largest collection of hovercraft. The Solent Enterprise Zone, established on the former military site, has attracted diverse business, research, and technology firms. Lee-on-the-Solent thus transitioned from a primarily naval site to a mixed-use location with civilian aviation, heritage tourism, and modern business activities.

Lee-on-the-Solent Today

The Lee-on-the-Solent of today is a quiet, established seaside community with deep roots in its aviation heritage and seafront character. The sailing club remains active and central to community life. The High Street retains a collection of independent shops and cafes. New housing developments have expanded the town, though many of the period properties from the Victorian and Edwardian eras remain. The waterfront and promenade continue to be the focus of community leisure and identity. Local heritage initiatives document and celebrate the town's history, particularly the naval aviation period and the loss of Lee Tower. Compared with the rapid expansion of the Victorian and Edwardian periods, or the intensity of wartime activity, Lee-on-the-Solent now moves at a gentler pace, but with a strong sense of place and community identity that persists across generations.