HGS Family History Groups
Although most HGS group meetings are in-person meetings, some are held via Zoom, so please do check to see the type of meeting.
For meetings that are held via Zoom only, please contact the appropriate Group Organiser no later than 24 hours prior to the talk to be added to the invitation list. Remember to include your membership number or indicate if you are a guest.
If you plan on travelling to an in-person meeting where you are not already on the Group Organiser’s contact list, we suggest that you contact the Group Organiser to let them know: this way, if the meeting is cancelled (e.g. due to speaker unavailability) they will be able to let you know, saving you an unnecessary trip.
We meet regularly to share, learn, exchange ideas and information, as well as to help us each further explore our family history projects. Why not come along and see for yourself?
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- You can attend the meetings of any of our 9 active Hampshire-based groups.
- The International Group meetings are held every two months via Zoom: these meetings are on alternate months to the National Group meetings.
- The National Group meetings are held every two months via Zoom: these meeting are on alternate months to the International Group meetings.
- Visit a Group’s page (via the menu on the right) to see their programme of talks, news and articles. Contact a Group Organiser using the form at the bottom of their Group page.
- Come and meet like-minded people. HGS Group Meetings are free to members and prospective members.
- They are a good way to gain some new insights on how to further explore your family history.
- Whether you are a beginner or an expert, with a family from within or outside of Hampshire, you will always be welcome and find someone who has something new and interesting to share.
HGS Group Locations
Click on a pin for the address and directions.
HGS Family History Group and Society Events for the next 3 months
To attend a Zoom talk offered by any of the groups, please contact the appropriate group organiser no later than 24 hours prior to the talk. Please include your membership number or indicate if you are a guest.
- May 8, 2024 - Gosport Group: The Percy Topliss Affair - Paul Stickler
- May 9, 2024 - Andover Group: Members’ Evening
- May 9, 2024 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: The Victorian Pharmacy (kill or cure?) - Judy Hill
The development of health care when illness was managed rather than cured.
- May 14, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Basingstoke Discovery Centre Library - Drop-in Clinic
Experienced HGS volunteers are on hand to offer help and advice on all things family history related and have the use of Ancestry and Findmypast during the sessions.
- May 14, 2024 - Fair Oak Group: What did you do during the war, Mum? - Dave Allport
- May 15, 2024 - Ringwood Group: Four Centuries of Stories from the Bankes Archive - David Beardsley
Stories are told about items from the archives that are now in Dorchester Record Office from Corfe Castle to Kingston Lacey when the estate was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1981.
- May 16, 2024 - Winchester Group: Bursledon Brickworks - Richard Newman
- May 22, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Members’ Evening - Transport: Life before the motor car
- May 23, 2024 - Fareham Evening Group: Jane Austen’s Best Friend - A Talk by Jane Glennie
Travel back in time to Southampton 1809 and meet Martha Lloyd as she gossips about the Austen family.
- June 5, 2024 - International Group: [BST] The New Forest: a landscape shaped by the ancient tradition of commoning - Suzanne Kempe
From the times of William the Conqueror this beautiful area has been grazed by commoners’ livestock with the result that it is home to one of the most important heathland, ancient woodland and mire landscapes to be found in Europe. This is a fully illustrated talk, using Suzanne’s own spectacular photographs, looking at the New Forest throughout the seasons of the year and features how the livestock are vital for the survival of many rare species - both flora and fauna. In particular we learn about the importance of 'commoning' and other traditional methods of maintaining this very special landscape.
- June 11, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Basingstoke Discovery Centre Library - Drop-in Clinic
Experienced HGS volunteers are on hand to offer help and advice on all things family history related and have the use of Ancestry and Findmypast during the sessions.
- June 11, 2024 - Fair Oak Group: Shopping in the High Street in the 1940s & 50s - John Pitman
- June 12, 2024 - Gosport Group: Members’ Evening
- June 13, 2024 - Andover Group: The Search for Great Grandmother’s Farm (In Germany) - Brian Margetson
- June 13, 2024 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: The Selborne & Headley Workhouse Riots – John Owen Smith
Why did the riots take place? A look at the dramatic events of two days in November 1830 and their aftermath.
- June 19, 2024 - Ringwood Group: The magnet of the Cod - Mary Baldwin
The story of Ringwood`s connection to the Newfoundland cod trade.
- June 20, 2024 - Winchester Group: Portsmouth Part 2 - Andrew Negus
- June 26, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: The Re-Invention of Basingstoke - Bob Clarke
- June 27, 2024 - Fareham Evening Group: Op Overload - D Day Landings - Jeremy Prescott
This presentation commemorates the 80th Anniversary in 2024 of Op Overlord ; the context and time line leading to the invasion, senior commanders of all nations involved, the plan, deception of the invasion, rehearsals, logistics (Mulberry Harbour, Pluto pipe), the invasion and its aftermath.
- July 3, 2024 - National Group: Everything you wanted to know about heraldry – but were afraid to ask! - Chris Broom
- July 9, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Basingstoke Discovery Centre Library - Drop-in Clinic
Experienced HGS volunteers are on hand to offer help and advice on all things family history related and have the use of Ancestry and Findmypast during the sessions.
- July 9, 2024 - Fair Oak Group: A History of Hampshire in 10 Objects – Part 4: Delving Deeper - Tony Cross
- July 10, 2024 - Gosport Group: To be confirmed
- July 11, 2024 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: From Post To Person – The results of our postcard project of 2023
The longer talks that have come out of the 2023 project.
- July 17, 2024 - Ringwood Group: English Civil War: local places, local people - Neil Mclocklin
- July 18, 2024 - Winchester Group: Susan Spain-Dunk FRAM: A woman composer, conductor and musician in the first half of the twentieth century - Dave Gibson
- July 24, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Members’ Evening - Staff and how to find them
- August 3, 2024 - International Group: [BST] The Rise and Demise of Union Workhouses - Sally Gardiner
This talk covers the pre-history of the workhouse system from the 16th Century, describes its structure and life within Union workhouses through to their demise in the early 20th Century.
- August 13, 2024 - Fair Oak Group: Guided Walk – South Stoneham & Mansbridge - Eric Reed
- August 14, 2024 - Gosport Group: ** No meeting in August **
- August 21, 2024 - Ringwood Group: Cream tea in the afternoon - time/venue to be decided
- August 28, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Members’ Evening - Historic Houses Around Basingstoke
- September 4, 2024 - National Group: Annoying Ancestors - Gay Evans
This is an anecdotal tale of what to look for, and the pitfalls to avoid, when researching your family. We consider how our ancestors can unknowingly be annoying as they put obstacles in our way.
- September 10, 2024 - Basingstoke Group: Basingstoke Discovery Centre Library - Drop-in Clinic
Experienced HGS volunteers are on hand to offer help and advice on all things family history related and have the use of Ancestry and Findmypast during the sessions.
- September 10, 2024 - Fair Oak Group: Strangers and Aliens: French Nick, Mrs Read the Saracen and Mrs Holmes’s Blackamoor - Cheryl Butler