Welcome to the International Group!

This Group has been created to cater for HGS members worldwide and our aim is to provide online talks and presentations to inspire and help you with your research.

Wherever you are in the world, if you have Hampshire roots, this is a chance to join us online and get to know us better. Our speakers will be able to tell you more about the places where your ancestors lived and worked as well as covering a wider range of topics relevant to any family historian researching ancestors in England and Wales.

Joining this group will provide an opportunity for you to meet online with other people who share the same enthusiasm for their Hampshire ancestry. Skills and expertise can be shared during discussions and, whilst perhaps helping others break down ‘brick walls’ in their research, you may have some help with your own.

If you have ideas or requests for talks or discussion topics, please do get in touch to let us know.

Group Events & Meetings

Meetings are held on Zoom every two months, alternating between one on a Saturday morning at 10.00 am and the other on a Wednesday evening at 7.30 pm. We will be online 15 minutes before the start of each presentation. The timings are GMT or BST (British Summer Time), depending on the time of year, and are to enable members from all parts of the world to participate in one or the other.

If you are not already a member of this group but wish to attend a meeting, please contact the Group Organiser by completing the form on this page and specifying exactly which meeting you wish to attend. You will then be added to the invitation list. Remember to include your membership number or indicate if you are a guest.

• June 5, 2024, 7:30 pm: [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.

• August 3, 2024, 10:00 am: [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.

• October 2, 2024, 7:30 pm: [BST] Beyond Parish Registers: Tracing your Anglican Ancestors - Dr Nicholas Dixon

  The majority of the English population belonged to the Church of England from the Reformation until recent times. However, discussions of the role of religion in family history tend to focus on membership of smaller nonconformist denominations. Hence genealogists can overlook the many ways in which ancestors might have participated in Anglican activity beyond the basic facts of being baptised, married or buried according to Anglican rites. This talk will discuss the varieties of Anglican commitment over the centuries, including confirmation, receiving communion, Anglican schooling, Anglican societies and parochial ministry. It will also offer advice on finding records of such activities in county and diocesan record offices as well as online resources.

• December 7, 2024, 10:00 am: [GMT] Christmas food and drink through the ages - Simon & Silvia Fowler

  Enjoy this entertaining talk which will prove that everything you knew about seasonal food and drink is probably wrong!

The Group Organiser is Kay Lovell. She can be contacted using the form below.