The Hampshire Family Historian | Vol.48 No.1 | June 2021

Local Group Programmes

Forthcoming Meetings:

Dad's Army: Fact and Fiction Steve Roberts Steve will look at the real Home Guard, its portrayal in the popular TV series.

10th June

Contact: Marilyn Lovett

Gosport Meetings are normally held on the second

Tel: 02392 585194 Email: gosport@hgs-online.org.uk

Wednesday of each month in the Scout Hut, Clayhall Road, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hants, PO12 2BY from 7.30-9.30.

Reports by Elayne Kenway (January) Birth & Death - Discover The Hidden Secrets Of Registration – Antony Marr, www.chalfontresearch.co.uk Antony gave us a highly informative talk via Zoom. He has an extensive knowledge of Registration Offices and General Registration. His talk focused on interesting points to remember when looking at Birth and Death certificates. It was very useful to have this information and several of our members had relevant questions for Anthony. Most of us did not realise that certificates could be corrected at a later date. As an example, one of our members, Sue, shared her experience of finding the re-registration for her father. “My grandparents married 3rd May 1930. My Dad’s 1930 birth certificate is hand written by the Registrar who recorded his birth in 1927. The ‘when registered’ column states - 27th May 1930 on the authority of the Registrar General. My Dad didn’t know until he was about 40 years old that his parents weren’t married when he was born. He was told by his father’s sister who hadn’t realised that he didn’t know. Obviously, a bit of a shock. My eagle-eyed Mum, had noticed the discrepancy in his date of birth and date of registration but they had always assumed that the certificate of birth had been lost and this was a replacement. I started doing my family history about 20 years ago and when I read about the Legitimacy Act realised that it should be possible to get that first birth certificate for my Dad. I remember having a conversation with a man at the GRO about why Dad and I wanted to get it as it wouldn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know”. This talk was very informative for experienced and beginner genealogists alike (February) Tales of a Seadog – U Boat Enigmas – Tony Babbs After receiving a lot of cards, photos and information from his mother-in-law Tony was intrigued to start an investigation into her father, John Foulkes’s, war history and uncovered a wealth of information regarding his service during the First World War with the Salvage Department of the Navy.

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