HGS Family History Groups

Many of our groups will run virtual meetings, using Zoom, so please check the individual group pages for details.

If you are interested in attending a talk offered by any of the groups, please feel free to contact the appropriate group organiser to be added to the invitation list.

Please check back regularly for updates.***

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 13 active groups – our newest being Winchester! All groups meet in the evening with the exception of the Fareham 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.

HGS Group Locations

Click on a pin for the address and directions.

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

If you are interested in attending a ZOOM talk offered by any of the groups, please contact the appropriate group organiser to be added to the invitation list.
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• September 23, 2020 - Basingstoke Group: Getting your stuff in order: Documenting your Family History - Jane Fox - via Zoom
• September 24, 2020 - Fareham Evening Group: The Lloyd George Domesday (Valuation Survey) 1910-1915 and the National Farm Survey 1941-1943 - Gill Blanchard - via Zoom

  Discover where to find records and how to use the Inland Revenue Valuation Survey as a house history, local history, and family history research tool. Compare and contrast with the National Farm Survey taken during WWII.

• October 5, 2020 - Portsmouth Group: Droughts, Deluges and Dust-devils: 350 years of Weather - Ian Currie

  Several centuries of weather with particular reference to SE England. From 7 metre high snowdrifts, cricket ball sized hail, blazing summers to violent tornadoes or devastating floods.

• October 5, 2020 - Romsey Group: Family Legends, Part lll: Pubs & Publicans – Kay Lovell - via Zoom
• October 8, 2020 - Andover Group: Sold, Separated, Divorced - Ian Waller - via Zoom

  Throughout history marriages have always broken down having a significant effect on the family. Not everyone divorced but there are records recording desertion, wife sale, separation and divorce some of which needed an Act of Parliament.

• October 8, 2020 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: Members’ Only: ‘An Aircraft was Lost – The POW Survival of Flt/Sgt Kenneth E Kimberley at Stalag VIIIB/344 Lamsdorf’ - Jonathan Cantelo-Jones - via Zoom

  The story of Jonathan’s wife’s late father who was shot down over Holland in 1943 in WW2, his life in Stalag VIIIB Lamsdorf and the Death March towards the end of the war prior to liberation.

• October 13, 2020 - Fair Oak Group: Members’ Evening - via Zoom
• October 14, 2020 - Gosport Group: Members’ Evening
• October 15, 2020 - Winchester Group: Getting the most from a visit to the National Archives - Les Mitchinson - via Zoom
• October 21, 2020 - Fareham Afternoon Group: Crime and Punishment in the 19th Century - Colin Moretti - via Zoom

  The talk touches on crimes and the system of punishment at the end of the 18th century and then addresses the major reforms to sentencing policy and the prison system that took place in the 19th. Portland Prison is covered at length as an example of the reformed system.

• October 21, 2020 - Ringwood Group: Members' Evening - The Meaning of your Surname?
• October 22, 2020 - Fareham Evening Group: Members' Evening - 'Roast Moose anyone?': How reliable are church registers? - Dennis Bill - via Zoom
• October 28, 2020 - Basingstoke Group: Members’ Presentations - Newspaper Findings
• November 2, 2020 - Portsmouth Group: Maps - Les Mitchinson

  Maps are valuable to family historians seeking to locate their ancestor’s property or to place them in a particular location.

• November 2, 2020 - Romsey Group: Members’ Evening – Military Ancestors - via Zoom

  With November being the month of remembrance, and with 2020 being the 75th anniversary of the end of WW2, this meeting will focus on those who served in the military forces. It will be an opportunity for our members to share stories of their own ancestors and relatives.

• November 10, 2020 - Fair Oak Group: The Lady in the Yellow Caravan - Jane Glennie
• November 11, 2020 - Gosport Group: U-boat Enigmas - Tony Babb
• November 12, 2020 - Andover Group: Members’ Evening with a War Theme
• November 12, 2020 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: Hampshire History through Ten Objects – Tony Cross - via Zoom

  From fossils and flints, buckles and belts, through pistols and Spitfires to Victory and history.

• November 18, 2020 - Fareham Afternoon Group: Members' Afternoon - A Criminal in Your Family? - via Zoom

  Following on from Colin Moretti's talk last month, we will share details of our criminal ancestors. Maybe they were a vagrant, didn't have a dog license, masterminded a robbery or they were a murderer! What was their punishment?

• November 18, 2020 - Ringwood Group: Families Divided by War - Paul Radford
• November 19, 2020 - Winchester Group: Suffering Suffragettes - Jane Glennie
• November 25, 2020 - Basingstoke Group: Christmas Function
• November 26, 2020 - Fareham Evening Group: TBA - Neil Littleales followed by an American Buffet
• December 7, 2020 - Portsmouth Group: Christmas Evening
• December 7, 2020 - Romsey Group: Christmas meeting with ‘at home’ refreshments + British Christmas Traditions – Kay Lovell - via Zoom
• December 8, 2020 - Fair Oak Group: Christmas Social
• December 9, 2020 - Gosport Group: Members’ Evening
• December 10, 2020 - Andover Group: Christmas Meeting
• December 10, 2020 - Fleet & Farnborough Group: Members' Only Christmas Party - via Zoom
• December 16, 2020 - Fareham Afternoon Group: Members' Afternoon - Christmas Function - via Zoom
• December 16, 2020 - Ringwood Group: Christmas Festivities
• December 23, 2020 - Basingstoke Group: ** No meeting in December - Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year!