The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 51 No.1 | June 2024

Local Group Programmes

(March) Members’ Evening The subject of Interesting Deaths proved to be really ‘interesting’ and not too gruesome. Ray told us about a relative who disappeared in Melbourne, Australia in 1907 and was found drowned 3 months later, only identifiable by his boots. Sarah told us about her ancestor who hanged himself in 1849 in Jackson’s Copse, Overton. The main conundrum was why he was described as a labourer on his death certificate when he had been a grocer and a property owner in earlier records. Davey said that his grandfather had been run down by a car in 1953 whilst drunk. At the inquest a lady turned up professing to be his wife and she had the certificates to prove it. A complete shock to his family! We heard about death by bicycle (Mick), bus (David), car and also by horse. Garry cited his Great-Great Grandfather, a carter, who was kicked by a horse and died in the 1860s. An entertaining evening when we all discovered how informative and useful newspapers are. The Group does not meet in December. Forthcoming Meetings:

Drop-in Clinic, Basingstoke Discovery Centre (Library)

June 13th June 26th 9th July 9th

The Re-Invention of Basingstoke

Bob Clarke

Drop-in Clinic, Basingstoke Discovery Centre (Library)

Staff and how to find them

24th July

Members’ Evening Members’ Evening

Historic Houses Around Basingstoke

August 28th

September 10th Drop-in Clinic, Basingstoke Discovery Centre (Library)

Contact: Keith Turner Email: fairoak@hgs-online.org.uk

Fair Oak

Meetings are normally held at 8pm on the second Tuesday monthly at St Thomas’ Church Hall (attached to the church) Mortimers Lane. Doors open approx 7.30pm (February) Ideas for Researching Non-Conformist Ancestors . – Jackie Depelle. Jackie explained what is meant by Non-Conformist. It referred to those Protestant Christians who did not belong or ‘conform’ to the Church of England. It also applied to English subjects who belonged to a non-Christian religion. Non-Conformist groups included English Moravians, Quakers, Congregationalists, Baptists, Calvinists, Methodists, Unitarians and Plymouth Brethren. The 1753 Marriage Act required that all marriages to be legal had to be celebrated in an Anglican church and celebrated by an Anglican clergyman. Jews and Quakers were exempted from the Act. This applied until the Marriage Act 1836 allowed marriages to be legally registered in buildings belonging to other religious groups.

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