Editing Emsworth (section)

===Modern===
By 1901 the population of Emsworth was about 2,000. It grew rapidly during the 20th century to about 5,000 by the middle of the century. In 1906 construction began on the [[Post Office (United Kingdom)|post office]], with local [[cricket]]er [[George Wilder (cricketer)|George Wilder]] laying an inscribed brick. The renamed Emsworth Recreation Ground dates from 1909 and is the current home of Emsworth Cricket Club, which was founded in 1811. Cricket in Emsworth has been played at the same ground, Cold Harbour Lawn, since 1761.

In 1902 the once famous Emsworth [[oyster]] industry went into rapid decline. This was after many of the guests at mayoral banquets in Southampton and Winchester became seriously ill and four died after consuming oysters. The infection was due to oysters sourced from Emsworth, as the oyster beds had been contaminated with raw sewage.<ref name=oyster1>{{cite web |title=Emsworth Oysters |publisher=Emsworth Business Association |date=3 February 2016 |url=http://www.emsworth.org.uk/news/emsworths-oysters-video-now-online |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203191517/http://www.emsworth.org.uk/news/emsworths-oysters-video-now-online |archive-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Bulstrode|first=H. Timbrell|title=Dr. H. Timbrell Bulstrode's report to the Local Government Board upon alleged oyster-home enteric fever and other illness following the mayoral banquets at Winchester and Southampton, and upon enteric fever occurring simultaneously elsewhere and also ascribed to oysters|publisher=HMSO|location=London|year=1903|page=1|url=https://archive.org/stream/b24914812#page/n0/mode/2up|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707184812/https://archive.org/stream/b24914812|archive-date=7 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Fishing oysters at Emsworth was subsequently halted until new sewers were dug, though the industry never completely recovered.<ref name=oyster1/> J D Foster, an oyster merchant, who had for many years been in occupation of the oyster beds sued Warblington Urban District Council (the owners of the sewers) for nuisance. This was a [[Test case (law)|test case]] as he could not prove title to the land. However, the Court of Appeal held that Foster had a right to sue, as exclusive occupier of the oyster beds, whether or not he had acquired an interest in the land itself.  The judges view was that: {{blockquote|"..the contest arises, in my view, between the person who is in occupation of a portion of the foreshore and a wrongdoer [Warblington Urban District Council]. Whether the plaintiff would be able to resist the claims of the owner of the foreshore, whoever he may be, or the owner of a several fishery, if such fishery exists, or of a member of the public exercising a right of fishery, if there be such a right in the present case, seems to me immaterial for the purposes of this case . ."<small>''(Judge Stirling LJ)''</small>|source={{cite web|author=David Swarbrick|title=Foster v Warblington UDC [1906] 1 KB 648 |url=https://swarb.co.uk/foster-v-warblington-urban-district-council-ca-1906/|publisher=David Swarbrick|date=2023|access-date=4 August 2023}} }}
Foster went on to win his case.<ref name=timeline/>

Recently, Emsworth's last remaining oyster boat, ''[[The Terror (boat)|The Terror]],'' was restored and is now sailing again.<ref name=terror1>{{cite web|url=http://www.conservancy.co.uk/out/terror.asp |title=Terror – Emsworth Oyster Boat |access-date=2007-05-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070205001243/http://www.conservancy.co.uk/out/terror.asp |archive-date=5 February 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> But the oyster industry is again under threat, because the reproductive rate of the oysters has plunged, as they now contain microscopic glass spicules that are shed into the water from the hulls of the numerous plastic fibreglass boats in Chichester Harbour.<ref>{{cite episode|title=Chichester Harbour|series=Countryfile|station=[[BBC1]]|date=26 July 2020|location=52m|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000lbh4/countryfile-chichester-harbour|url-access=limited|access-date=27 July 2020|archive-date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727130500/https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000lbh4/countryfile-chichester-harbour|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:A soldier from 101st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment prepares for D-Day by reading his French handbook at a camp near Portsmouth, 29 May 1944. H38831.jpg|thumb|A soldier from 101st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment prepares for D-Day by reading his French handbook at a camp in Emsworth, 29 May 1944]]

During the [[Second World War]], nearby [[Thorney Island (West Sussex)|Thorney Island]] was used as a [[Royal Air Force]] station, playing a role in defence in the [[Battle of Britain]]. The north of Emsworth at this time was used for growing flowers and further north was woodland (today Hollybank Woods).<ref name=wood1>{{Cite web |url= http://www.hollybank-woods.hampshire.org.uk/the_woodland.html |title= Hollybank Woods |publisher= Woodland trust |access-date= 2 November 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20151208052747/http://www.hollybank-woods.hampshire.org.uk/the_woodland.html |archive-date=8 December 2015 }}</ref> In the run up to [[D-Day]], the [[Canadian Army]] used these woods as one of their pre-invasion assembly points for men and materiel.<ref name=ddaym>{{Cite web|url=https://theddaystory.com/markers/d-day-marshalling-area-camp-a2-emsworth-common/|title=D-Day marshalling area camp A2, Emsworth Common|publisher=D-Day Museum|access-date=2 November 2015|archive-date=5 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205145738/https://theddaystory.com/markers/d-day-marshalling-area-camp-a2-emsworth-common/|url-status=live}}</ref> Today the foundations of their barracks can still be seen. In the 1960s large parts of this area were developed with a mix of bungalow and terraced housing.

For a few years (2001 to 2007), Emsworth held a food festival.<ref name="Food Festival">{{Cite web|url=http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/dead-as-a-dodo-emsworth-food-festival-bites-the-dust-1-1255740 |title='Dead as a dodo' Emsworth Food Festival bites the dust |publisher=The News, Portsmouth|access-date=24 December 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224125646/http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/dead-as-a-dodo-emsworth-food-festival-bites-the-dust-1-1255740 |archive-date=24 December 2016 }}</ref> It was the largest event of its type in the UK, with more than 50,000 visitors in 2007. The festival was cancelled due to numerous complaints of disruption to residents and businesses in the proximity.<ref name="Food Festival"/>

A Baptist church was constructed in North Street in 2015.<ref name=Bailey259 />

The harbour is now used for recreational sailing, paddle boarding, kayaking and swimming. The town has two [[yacht club|sailing clubs]], Emsworth Sailing Club (established in 1919) and Emsworth Slipper Sailing Club (in 1921), the latter based at Quay Mill, a former tide mill. Both clubs organise a programme of racing and social events during the sailing season.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="155px">
File:Elegant bus shelter in Emsworth Town Centre - geograph.org.uk - 805167.jpg|Emsworth town centre
File:Quay Mill, Emsworth, West Sussex (geograph 5803415).jpg|Quay Mill, Emsworth
</gallery>