Author: Richard Martin
New President for the Hampshire Genealogical Society
October 15, 2019
We are pleased to formally announce the appointment of Dr Nick Barratt as President of HGS. As required by the Society’s Constitution the Executive Committee approached Dr Barratt to ask if he would take on the role and we were immensely pleased that he said he would be honoured to do so. In September our […] – read more…
Beverley Babes turn 80!
October 7, 2019
Who are the ‘Beverley Babes’? At the start of the Second World War, the Portsmouth based Royal Naval and Royal Marine Maternity Home moved to Beverley House, Southwick Road, Wickham. Beverley House was to remain in operation as a naval maternity home until mid-1946. The babies born at Beverley House are affectionately known as […] – read more…
Help from Memorial Inscriptions
August 30, 2016
Why look at memorial inscriptions?
Often overlooked are details on memorial inscriptions. These can provide information not found elsewhere. – read more…
“Lost” an Ancestor before 1837
August 30, 2016
Have you an ancestor you cannot find before 1837? Have you thought that they may be non-conformists? Ancestry have scanned the non-conformist registers handed to the authorities in 1837. – read more…
Death notices in old Hampshire newspapers
November 17, 2015
Death notices in old Hampshire newspapers can reveal useful information about the deceased. Among the deaths listed in the Hampshire Advertiser of 22 December 1855 were several interesting announcements of deaths home and abroad. Combine the details with information from HGS parish indexes and a personal story emerges. – read more…
West Meon infanticide 1830
November 10, 2015
On 28 January 1830 Frances MARCH aged 32 drowned her infant child Amelia and then herself. The drowning occured in a tub of water usually used as a foot-bath. Her husband Lancelot Foquett March and mother-in-law Mary March were absent at the time. – read more…
Greywell re-marriage in 1855
June 15, 2015
Francis FREEMAN and Sarah Ann ROGERS from Odiham, Hampshire had legally married in 1854. The Hampshire Advertiser reports how they were then induced by their local curate in Greywell to a re-marriage in 1855. – read more…
Hampshire Murder in Swanwick, 1899
March 1, 2015
The 1899 Hampshire murder of young Dorcas HOUGHTON resulted in nationwide publicity.
Eighteen year old Dorcas was killed in Swanwick by her jilted boyfriend Charles MAIDMENT aged 22. Despite a plea of insanity Charles was found guilty and hanged 3 months later. – read more…
HGS Hampshire Monumental Inscriptions index
February 28, 2015
What are Monumental Inscriptions and why do they help your research? HGS researcher Roy Montgomery explains all using examples illustrating just how useful the HGS Hampshire Monumental Inscriptions index is. – read more…
1855 Portsea hospital bed shortage
February 22, 2015
An 1855 Portsea Hospital bed shortage raised concerns when a man who was turned away later died. – read more…
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…
Portsmouth bigamy intrigue
October 22, 2013
Bigamy cases can be very interesting but are more intriguing when the accused is a woman. On this occasion the offending marriage took place nearly thirty years before coming to court. – read more…
Bignell Family Bible
September 22, 2013
A family bible that records an interesting sequence of events illustrating how useful these volumes are in tracing family movements. – read more…
English man dies in Newburgh New York – 1850
August 26, 2013
The death was reported in 1850 in Portsmouth local newspaper of George Burton, an English immigrant living in New York. So, who was George Frederick Burton? – read more…
Family Tragedy in 19th Century East Tisted
July 16, 2013
See how HGS resources were used to research the EAMES family of East Tisted who were affected by a series of tragic events that began in 1810. – read more…
Punishment in Hampshire Quarter Session Courts – 1800
July 9, 2013
Criminals were often sentenced to whipping in Hampshire Quarter Sessions courts. Here are some examples from the 1800s. – read more…
Portsmouth couple married in India, 1899
June 20, 2013
A couple from Portsmouth married in Bombay in 1899. The announcement was in a Hampshire newspaper nearly three months later. Who were they and why were they in India? – read more…
Quarter Sessions Court Report 1817
June 6, 2013
Online newspaper articles can be a valuable research tool that when linked with HGS indexes can provide remarkable details. – read more…
National Archives Immigration Records Online
June 6, 2013
The National Archive have made available for search and download the records of thousands of C19th immigrants. HGS would be interested to hear from anyone with ancestors who migrated and settled in Hampshire. – read more…
How wills can help your family history research
June 6, 2013
Wills are a valuable resource for family historians. See how HGS researcher Roy Montgomery used an old will to reveal new information about a Hampshire shopkeeper. – read more…
Death of farmer Budd Hampshire – 1800
May 23, 2013
Yeoman farmer of Medstead, William Budd met an untimely death when thrown from his horse. Reported in an old Hampshire newspaper in 1800, there is a puzzle about his death and burial date. – read more…
Membership Handbook
May 22, 2013
When you Join HGS Online your Membership Handbook is sent as a link on your email confirmation. The allocation of your Membership number confirms that your application has been processed and payment verified. The HGS Constitution is contained within the handbook and may be subject to change from time to time. – read more…