Year: 2014
Portsmouth police gas explosion in 1855
December 13, 2014
This account of an explosion in a Portsmouth dockyard police station in 1855 should serve as a cautionary tale of the dangers of mixing gas with a naked flame. – read more…
Who was Sweet Fanny Adams?
October 20, 2014
The phrase ‘sweet Fanny Adams’ is still used today, but where did it originate? The story of the brutal murder of 8 year old Fanny from Alton is told here by a descendant of one of Fanny’s cousins. – read more…
Hardship cases in a Portsmouth court
October 19, 2014
After the Napoleonic wars many suffered hardship that often resulted in lawbreaking and people being taken to court. William ATRELL and John CHAMBERLAIN were two such cases reported in the Hampshire Telegraph in 1817. – read more…
Useful family tree information from Portsea will
July 28, 2014
Family trees can benefit greatly from genealogical information contained in wills.
This Portsea Will of John BIGGNALL written on 8 February 1684 is a good example, with the large number of names and relationships of the beneficiaries he included. – read more…
Solent tragedy of Gosport men 1810
April 14, 2014
An 1810 Hampshire newspaper carried an appeal for information by the wives of two Gosport men who drowned in a Solent tragedy. Who were these men? – read more…
Italian immigrants in Hampshire in 1861
February 23, 2014
Could your Italian ancestors be among the immigrant musicians and entertainers residing in C19th Portsmouth? Use National Archive records to trace them. – read more…
Early cremation of a Portsmouth man 1900
February 17, 2014
In 1900 the body of a Portsmouth man was taken to Woking by train to be cremated in the first crematorium in the country. – read more…
Memories of World War II Southampton
January 27, 2014
Childhood Memories of World War Two Southampton, Thornhill, Romsey, daytime dogfights and sleeping in a Morrison Shelter. – read more…
Destitute woman transported by Portsmouth court – 1810
January 13, 2014
This destitute Portsmouth woman stole and sold a coat and was punished with seven years transportation. – read more…