20th Century 1900-1999
1921 Census – Watch the video now!
February 4, 2022
Members can now watch our recording of FindMyPast’s presentation “Introducing the 1921 census of England & Wales” with Paul Nixon (FMP’s Content Licensing Manager). You’ll find it in the Members’ Area under Members’ Only Data Then choose ‘Group Zoom Presentations’. If you watched it live (on 1st February), you may wish to see it […] – read more…
Online VE Day event
May 4, 2020
Wessex Film and Sound Archive / Hampshire Archives and LocalStudies VE Day online event. We hope you are keeping safe and well during the current situation, and have enjoyed 100 Days of Film and our social media posts. In common with many organisations, we are moving our planned VE / VJ Day event online, with […] – read more…
Spanish Flu: 1918-1920
May 4, 2020
I have been inspired to share this story now because, at the time of writing, the world is in the grips of another pandemic: Coronavirus (Covid 19). In UK, we are in lock-down and there seems to be no end anytime soon. The fact that much of the world was suffering from similar circumstances a […] – read more…
Knowle War Memorial
January 2, 2019
Knowle Hospital was open in 1852 as the Hampshire County Lunatic Asylum. The asylum was renamed Knowle Mental Hospital in c.1923 and following the 1948 introduction of the National Health Service Act, became Knowle Hospital. At the beginning of the 20th century, Knowle Hospital was home to over 1000 patients and staff and was a self […] – read more…
RIP Private Herbert Frank French
December 14, 2018
Herbert Frank FRENCH was born on 21st April 1884 at 11 Hyde Close in Winchester, the illegitimate son of Emily. On 18th January 1908 he married Sarah Ann (Annie) BIGNELL in Meonstoke and then settled in the village to raise their daughters Emily and Ivy. Herbert was initially in the Territorial Army then when WWI […] – read more…
Can you help
November 23, 2018
We have recently been passed a copy of a photograph with a request for more information, maybe the location or the purpose. A comment with the photo says that the men were in training but didn’t say what for. – read more…
RIP Gunner William Talmage
October 29, 2018
William TALMAGE was born in 1884 in Ramsbury, Wiltshire, and married Ellen Maria KNIGHT in Medstead in 1910. They had a butcher’s business in West Horsley, Surrey, but when the First World War started William was one of the many who volunteered and joined the Army. – read more…
Odiham School Teacher
February 26, 2017
Teacher at a private school in Odiham around 1900 Ellen Valentine James HGS member Peter GODWIN’s Great Aunt was Ellen Valentine JAMES. She was the youngest of three sisters and was born on St. Valentine’s Day 14 February 1869 in Notting Hill. Her parents were Henry George JAMES who had married Ellen MOREY in the […] – read more…
Hampshire Centenarian
November 12, 2016
Born in Meonstoke in 1916 and shortly to celebrate her 100th birthday Edith Cavell SMITH Edith a twin was born on 17 November 1916 in Meonstoke and was baptized there in St Andrew’s church on 14 January 1917. Her twin brother was Lloyd George. They were named after the WWI nurse Edith CAVELL and Prime […] – read more…
Uncle Tom of Portsmouth
October 7, 2016
Looking through old bits and pieces can prove rewarding Gordon Brine Many older HGS members will remember my husband Gordon BRINE who unfortunately died on 8 May 2007. As often happens at these times documents, photos and other memorabilia get put away. These tend to become forgotten over the years. Sorting through some of Gordon’s […] – 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…
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…
Old newspaper articles and research
May 22, 2013
Snippets from old newspaper articles can add interesting detail to your family history project. HGS researcher Roy Montgomery shares a story he unpicked connecting Hampshire and the Anglo Boer War. – read more…
Commonwealth War Graves Commission at Portsmouth & Southampton Memorials
March 6, 2013
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission have erected new plaques at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial – read more…
A Hampshire picture mystery
February 27, 2013
Hampshire family history society, the HGS, would like help in tracking down the whereabouts of a picture, painted at the turn of the C20th of Middle Farm Havant. – read more…
A Delightful WWI Artefact
February 8, 2013
WWI artefacts include personal letters, messages, and embroidered gifts made by Belgian and French women sent home from the front by our soldiers. – read more…
A Hampshire History of Immigration and Emigration
February 8, 2013
Did your family emigrate to Canada, America or Australia through the port of Southampton Hampshire? If so, then let Hampshire Genealogical Society help you to connect with your Hampshire heritage – read more…
Railway Records
February 5, 2013
Railway ancestors, a talk given by George Yalden to Fair Oak HGS Group, gave some excellent guidance as to how to go about finding out more about our ancestors that got Britain rolling – read more…