Newsletter
We come across lots of interesting bits of information and stories, some of which end up in our twice-yearly FREE Newsletter. We also cover news and information about our activities. It is distributed to libraries and archives in Spring and Autumn and by email by request.
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Spring 2025 (25)
Announcing the launch this summer of our most ambitious book to date, Basingstoke Reinvented 1800 to 1925 (see below). Followed by our contribution to the celebration of Jane Austen’s birth with some interesting and unusual peices about the locality and her life in Hampshire.
Autumn 2024 (24)
A more long-form style this time, and previewing our major new VCH Short to be published early in 2025: Basingstoke Reinvented 1800 to 1925: From Agricultural Town to Manufacturing Centre.
Spring 2024 (23)
Introducing our new website, details of our publishing activities this year, followed by our theme, ‘Aspects of Village Life’ around Basingstoke.
Autumn 2023 (22)
VCH Outstanding Contributions Award, our second this year. Group outing around Basingstoke’s buildings. Retail and Shopping, early markets to 1920s. Ellisfield parish, first chapter (with link).
Spring 2023 (21)
New VCH Short, Dummer and Kempshott, launched, and a VCH Outstanding Contributions Award. Pubs and breweries in Basingstoke, from temperance to town redevelopment.
Autumn 2022 (20)
The death of Queen Elizabeth II. Forthcoming publication. Our exhibition at the Heritage Open Day at Hampshire Record Office, Winchester. Royal visits and activities in history in the Basingstoke area.
Spring 2022 (19)
Celebrating Basingstoke’s historians, Baigent and Millard, George Willis, Arthur Attwood and more.
Autumn 2021 (18)
Summer group outing to Sherfield on Loddon, particularly visiting historic buildings. Notable Local Personalities, including Molly Gourley and John Arlott.
Spring 2021 (17)
Online resources for historians in difficult times (links). Popham Census research (with link), following from our last newsletter. Outings, excursions and trips in the 19C.
Autumn 2020 (16)
Sad loss of two VCH volunteers. VCH Hampshire on Zoom and Lockdown Reflections: various serendipity. Including introduction to Pophan research and HRO ‘Hands on History’ project (with link).
Spring 2020 (15)
120 Anniversary of VCH, celebrated with the Red Box Project in London: details of Hampshire’s Red Box and the visit (with link). Basingstoke in 1900, celebrating Queen Victoria, a new Infirmary, a railway and more.
Autumn 2019 (14)
Family and Local History Day at Basingstoke DC and exhibition on the history of Wymering in Portsmouth. Hampshire Courts before 1800 and early Courts in action.
Spring 2019 (13)
New VCH Short, Cliddesden, Hatch and Farleigh Wallop, launched in Cliddesden village. Crime and Punishment in the Basingstoke area.
Autumn 2018 (12)
Publication news and pieces on Childhood and Adolescence in Basingstoke, workhouse children, apprentices and more.
Spring 2018 (11)
Publication of VCH Short, Basingstoke: A Medieval Town, c1000-c1600, launched in Church Cottage. Medical matters in Basingsoke, from a typhoid outbreak to the Cottage Hospital.
Autumn 2017 (10)
Group walk seeing buildings in Dummer. Clubs and societies in and around Basingstoke, including the Mechanics’ Institute, social activies at Park Prewett Hospital, bell ringers and a choir.
Spring 2017 (9)
Publication news and an exhibition at the Discovery Centre. Literary Basingstoke, Jane Austen and others.
Autumn 2016 (8)
Two events: Book launch in Steventon, and a large exhibition of our work at Hampshire Record Office. Religious diversity in Basingstoke around 1900, including churches and statistics, newspapers and the Railway Mission.
Spring 2016 (7)
Announcement of forthcoming Steventon book launch. Wrong telephone boxes, and Transport Around Basingstoke: the canal, railways and the M3 (with some archaeology).
Autumn 2015 (6)
Sad loss of two volunteers, Barbara Applin and Stan Waight. Public Utilities and Failures, sanitary conditions in 1866 to gas lighting.
Spring 2015 (5)
Generosity of an ex-patriate donor in the USA, Professor Jim Wilkes, and the appointment of a new patron for the VCH Project. A variety of subjects, school absenteeism for harvest, river pollution, traditional farming and sheep stealing.
Autumn 2014 (4)
Donations news, details of the Wills Reading Group. A parish walk around Newnham, Robert Cottle and important 18C gentleman, “a man of many parts”, a churchwarden’s account and WW2 austerity.
Spring 2014 (3)
VCH at the Family and Local History day, BDC. Including Fairs, markets and shops, Basingstoke Inns with some statistics.
Autumn 2013 (2)
Summer walk to Farleigh Wallop, The Blue Coat School, Basingstoke Poor Law Union and Workhouse, The Bungling Burglar and 19C links with South Africa.
Spring 2013 (1)
Our First book, Mapledurwell, and our First newsletter, with details of the project. A walk around Cliddesden, Thomas Burberry, two contrasting pictures of the Town Hall, Jane Austen and Steventon. Thanks for support from various donors and Hampshire County Council.