The Hampshire Family Historian | Vol.49 No.1 | June 2022

Local Group Programmes

Meetings Some groups are having their meetings online or as hybrid with people at the venue and via Zoom. To join these please email the group leader for details. Please check the HGS Website for latest details of where / how the meetings will take place. Some groups are not reporting meetings so there are some ‘gaps’.

Contact: Jane Hurst – 82, The Butts, Alton, Hants GU34 1RD Tel: 01420 86701 Email: janehurst1@gmail.com

Alton Meetings are normally held monthly on the second Monday at 7:30 p.m. in All Saints Church Hall, Queens Road, Alton.

Over the last few months, the group have been meeting as normal at All Saints Church Hall. As we are a small group, we have been able to distance and it has been refreshing to share our problems and successes. Topics covered have been maps, manorial records and family postcards. (March) The Life of Brookwood Cemetery – Kim Lowe Kim Lowe came to the Alton Group to tell us about Brookwood Cemetery. She started with an explanation about why the cemetery was needed and then followed its history through the years. We were shown pictures of all the different areas and some of the interesting graves that are scattered amongst the lovely scenery. The topic had attracted quite a few guests who, together with members, enjoyed a very interesting and informative evening. (April) Woodland Industries – Tim Winter Tim told us all about the Woodland Industries that took place in Southern England - which may have been followed by many of our ancestors. Tim started by talking about the collection of bark from, mainly, oak trees which happened near to us in Alice Holt Forest. The bark was allowed to dry and then ground to be used in leather tanning. Another job that took place in woodland was charcoal burning and we were shown pictures of both occupations. Items made from local wood included clogs, hop poles, sheep hurdles, walking sticks, besom brooms, fencing and hoops for barrels. All these activities were illustrated by photographs taken from Tim's large postcard collection. A very informative talk that showed the lives of many 'ordinary people'.

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