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We meet monthly to discuss the opportunity 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? 

• You can attend meetings of any of our 14 active groups – our newest being Winchester! All groups meet in the evening with the exception of the Afternoon Group – see page via Groups Menu for details.
• Visit their pages via the Groups Menu to see their monthly programme of talks, news and articles.  Contact a Group Organiser using the form at the bottom of each Group’s 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.

Why go to a HGS Group meeting?

If you are curious, then check out this article

HGS Family History Group and Society Events for the next 3 months

• August 21, 2019 - Ringwood Group: Members' Evening - Skittles
• August 22, 2019 - Fareham Group: Members’ Evening - Memorial cards, newspaper reports, obituaries
• August 28, 2019 - Basingstoke Group: Summer Function. Members only visit to the Mayor’s Parlour.
• September 2, 2019 - Portsmouth Group: The French Church: Responses to Immigration in the sixteenth century - Cheryl Butler

  The history of the chapel of St Julien and the lives of the Walloon and Huguenot refugees who fled persecution to find a welcome in Southampton …. Or did they?

• September 2, 2019 - Romsey Group: Members’ Evening – “My Genealogical Journey” by Phil Brown

  If time, “What’s Your Problem?” – a chance for members to help each other with their research.

• September 9, 2019 - Alton Group: Members’ Evening: Problems and Successes
• September 10, 2019 - Fair Oak Group: Stroppy Women - Cheryl Butler
• September 11, 2019 - Gosport Group: Researching my Grandfathers - Alan Petrie
• September 12, 2019 - Andover Group: Dating Old Photographs - Jane Fox
• September 12, 2019 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: Members' Evening - Wills & Beneficiaries' Project
• September 13, 2019 - New Milton & Christchurch Group: To Russia without 007 - Audrey Vincent.

  And no doubt a lot safer!

• September 16, 2019 - Southampton Group: Tracing Your London Ancestors - Jane Fox
• September 18, 2019 - Afternoon Group: Speaker - TBA
• September 18, 2019 - Ringwood Group: Black Sheep: There's one in every family - Colin Moretti
• September 19, 2019 - Winchester Group: Dead, but still things to tell us - Ann McKenzie
• September 25, 2019 - Basingstoke Group: Members' Evening - Newspapers Online and how to search them
• September 26, 2019 - Fareham Group: What happened to Lucy? - Ian Waller

  Before 1927 and legal adoption what happened to the unwanted child? Even after 1927 children were exploited, although supposedly cared for by institutions and well caring organisations. This talk looks at the plight of adoptees, foundlings, orphans and the Empire children (Child Migrants), essentially through the 19th & 20th centuries.

• October 7, 2019 - Portsmouth Group: Heads of households, alternatives to the census - Colin Moretti
• October 7, 2019 - Romsey Group: Searching for Surnames: Challenges, Pitfalls and the Downright Ridiculous – Kirsty Gray

  With increased indexing and transcription of records, often linked to digitised images on free and commercial websites, searching for an individual or collecting references to everyone holding a particular surname is much easier now, isn't it? Using a variety of sites to try to discover details about those elusive ancestors, creative searching is a must and this talk will uncover some of the investigative methods needed as well as the more challenging transcriptions the genealogist has to work with, whilst still being enormously grateful that they are available to us online!

• October 8, 2019 - Fair Oak Group: Members’ Evening
• October 9, 2019 - Gosport Group: Members’ Evening
• October 10, 2019 - Andover Group: DNA Testing - Laura House
• October 10, 2019 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: How our Ancestors Died - Simon Wills

  A vivid picture of the hazards our ancestors faced. Revealing how life and death have changed over the centuries.

• October 11, 2019 - New Milton & Christchurch Group: WW1: The great railway war - Tony Babb

  Another aspect of that great conflict.

• October 16, 2019 - Afternoon Group: Members' Afternoon - TBC
• October 16, 2019 - Ringwood Group: Research in the 20th Century - Ian Waller
• October 17, 2019 - Winchester Group: Members' Evening - The biggest mistake in my Family History research
• October 21, 2019 - Southampton Group: My Genealogical Journey - Phil Brown
• October 23, 2019 - Basingstoke Group: Basingstoke Workhouse - Barbara Large

  Local historian and writer Barbara Large will give a talk about the Basingstoke Workhouse, revealing details of the lives of the poor and the staff who lived and worked in the most feared of institutions. Barbara was a volunteer researcher for the revision of the Victoria County History, Hampshire, and designed the VCH Hampshire Newsletter, as well as being an active participant in the Basingstoke Talking History project, run by the Basingstoke Archaeological & Historical Society.

• October 24, 2019 - Fareham Group: Members’ Evening - Our missing children

  Following Ian Waller's talk, members stories of children who have gone missing in their families - or children you were surprised to find.

• November 4, 2019 - Portsmouth Group: Family History Quiz, Family History Miscellaneous, Society Pop-up Bookshop

  An opportunity to test your knowledge of your favourite subject! Bring along an interesting fact you have discovered, or a poem that talks about family history, anything that you believe the group will find interesting.

• November 4, 2019 - Romsey Group: Family Legends, Part II: A Family of Soldiers – Kay Lovell

  In her second talk based on stories passed down, this time through her husband’s family, Kay tells of three generations of Army ancestors. She tells the stories of their personal lives as well as their military experiences. Her research supports the family tales of people long since gone and, by recording it all, she hopes to preserve the legends for future generations!

• November 8, 2019 - New Milton & Christchurch Group: The sad story of Harriet Anstey - Barry Jolly

  Will Barry have us all in tears?

• November 12, 2019 - Fair Oak Group: My Genealogical Journey - Phil Brown
• November 13, 2019 - Gosport Group: Animals of WW1 - Tony Babb
• November 14, 2019 - Andover Group: Vagrants and Paupers: the history of poverty and poor relief from medieval times to the Welfare State - Jan Smith