The Hampshire Family Historian | Volume 51 No.4 | March 2025

Local Group Programmes

(January) The ancestor I would most like to have a One-to-One with and Why Members Evening Whilst it is relatively easy to find out basic facts about our ancestors it is often much harder to find out why they did the things they did. Among the contributions, one member wanted to ask an ancestor who had drowned whether he had committed suicide or been pushed. Another wanted to talk to his Grandfather about his WW1 experiences, his time in New Zealand and his complicated family life. Another question was why was a nurse sent from Wales to Basingstoke and where was the Cottage Hospital that she worked in. Lots of different “whys” were aired and thoughts exchanged on how to perhaps find some answers. Forthcoming Meetings:

Drop-in Clinic, Basingstoke Discovery Centre(Library)

March 11th 10am

For later meetings please check on our website.

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

(August) Summer Evening Walk – South Stoneham and Mansbridge – Eric Reed. As usual our guide for the walk was HGS member Eric Reed who managed to take us around places which many of us never knew existed. Eric explained that from 1837 to 1927 South Stoneham would appear on many certificates as the parish covered a large area. We met by the old Ford Transit factory which previously was the site of Cunliffe Owen factory which during WW2 made parts for the Spitfire. On the 11 September 1940 it was bombed by the Luftwaffe, killing 52 workers. The adjacent South Stoneham cemetery has a Roll of Honour to those who died. South Stoneham cemetery contains the grave of R.J.Mitchell , the chief designer of the Spitfire. We also saw the graves of two Belgians who had died of wounds in WW1. From there we visited Mansbridge Reservoir which once supplied water to Southampton but is now a large pond. Close by is the south end of what was once the Itchen Navigation. From there we went to the River Itchen and the site of a single span masonry arch bridge. This bridge was a major bottleneck on the A27 until the construction of the adjacent concrete bridge. From here we went to the parish church of St Marys, parts of which are 11th century. It now appears to be surrounded by Southampton University buildings, notably Connaught Hall. A short walk took us to South Stoneham House which dates from the early 1700s. One owner was William Sloane who, in 1770, had the garden landscaped by Capability Brown. It was acquired by the University in 1920 as a hall of residence but

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