GOSPORT SOCIETY NEWS & UPDATES
14th DECEMBER 2024
Dear Gosport Society Members,
Having arrived back in Gosport for Christmas from Scotland, we can confirm the hardy Scots continue to go sailing despite snow on the mountains. The photo was taken close where my youngest daughter and family live at Rhu.
Social Get Together after Christmas! RSVP!
We are arranging the meet at ‘The Vine’ Stoke Road Gosport, on Wednesday 15th January 2025 at 2pm.
The Vine has recently opened for Tea, Coffee and Cakes! So come and join us, it would be an opportunity for an informal chat and get together. Costs are very reasonable.
We would be grateful if you could confirm your attendance (or not), so The Vine can make necessary arrangements.
We look forward to your response and seeing you in the New Year, 2025.
Gosport Speaker Meetings
Our next Speakers Meeting is in the New Year 12th February 2025. At The Community Hub Brune Park School. Military Road Gosport.
Speaker – Jeremy Prescott – Ionic Memorials of the fallen.
Enquiries received by Acting Hon. Secretary.
Slaughterhouse Project Support.
The Sustainable Conservation Trust has contacted us for support of their application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for a three-year grant to breathe new life into this long- vacant Grade 2 listed building.
The aims are as follows.-
*Providing affordable spaces to sole/ micro business, entrepreneurs and creatives.
* A multi open space for community use, rehearsals & exhibitions.
* A Heritage Skills Centre providing heritage construction skills, training & workshops.
(There are no approved Heritage Skilled Building Companies in Gosport, this would be an opportunity for local trades to be trained.
* Shared services of kitchen, WC’s and changing rooms.
On behalf of Gosport Society, we are forwarding our written support for this venture, we regard this building as one of Gosport’s major assets, which has had neglected use for many years.
Hampshire Archives Trust.(HAT)
Louis Murray forwarded a copy of an email from HAT, regarding stage 1 of a survey being undertaken by HAT. A response is being returned with current contact information for Gosport Society.
Enquiry from David Smith.(Stoke on Trent)
Enquiry regarding the 1348 Plague that devasted Gosport! David was enquiring if Gosport Society has any information, how many died etc?, have we any plague pits?
My brief research on the internet, states the plague probably entered via Titchfield, being more important than Gosport at that time, apparently over a third of the population died.
Appeal from The Historic Diving Museum. The former Air Wardens Building in The Avenue, (known as ‘The Bunker’). Alverstoke PO12 2JU.
Volunteer Gardener(s) Wanted. – Michael the current volunteer is leaving and a replacement is needed to keep the gardens tidy.
Contact details for volunteering – info@divingmuseum.co.uk or Tel 07548 327532.
Gosport Society Website – www.gosportsociety.co.uk
Progress in redesigning our Website is well under way, content details have been forwarded to the design company (nettle of Fareham) who have been appointed through GBC. A Government grant is being taken advantage of for the redesigning of our ageing Website, all for FREE!
We hope to have details of our first attempt in January 2025.
Thinking about the future. (repeated from Novembers Update)
Although our AGM is not until June 2025, all Executive Posts will be up for election.
Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, Membership Secretary, Social Secretary and members for our Planning Team. Also, Trustees are required. We are actively seeking new active members to assist with the administration of our Society. Please give the matter serious consideration, any member of the current Executive Committee would be only too pleased to have an informal chat with you or you may possibly know of a new member to introduce.
Help as a Researcher Volunteer was received!
As requested in Novembers news update, Terry Rhodes has contacted Gosport Society, regarding a former Gosport Resident Jessie Meriton White/Mario, who spent most of her life in Italy. Jessie was a nurse, writer and philanthropist who had a close relationship with Met Garibaldi and the unification of Italy.
Our thanks to Sue Courtney and Robert Whiteley, who kindly responded with very useful information.
Sue Courtney had also notes passed on from Mary Duly, with research information, which has been forwarded to Terry Rhodes.
. Mike Williams has researched the following about Jessie Meriton White/Mario
The Gosport Society received an enquiry about an extraordinary woman born in Gosport but who made her name in Italy. She spent little time in Gosport so few readers will have heard of Jessie. To give her full name at birth she was Jessie Jane Meriton White, the daughter of Thomas White and Jane Teage Meriton of Gosport. Her family were boat builders on Isle of White but moved to Elson. Born into a strictly religious and well-educated family on 9th May 1832. She died 5th March 1906 in Florence, Italy – by then she was famously known as “Hurricane Jessie” in the Italian press.
Not allowed to train as a doctor because she was a woman, so instead her interests turned to politics and later to nursing. She met Giuseppe Mazzini an Italian politician who was advocating for the unification of Italy. Like many European countries Italy was divided into several small states.
In 1857, Mazzini went to Genoa, Jessie followed him and there they were part of a long and revolutionary struggle to unite Italy. She quickly became a celebrated author and speaker for Mazzini’s cause. But it was not with risk – she was sentenced to four months in prison in Genoa for her efforts to protect Mazzini. In prison she met her husband to be, Alberto Mario. They married in December 1857 at her family’s home in Gosport.
In 1860 Jessie and Alberto returned to Alberto was on Garibaldi’s staff and Jessie was nurse to the wounded, doing whatever was needed. And continued care for the wounded in several other conflicts in Italy. (you may perhaps know that Garibaldi contributed to Italian unification).
Jessie made her living writing. Jessie’s career as a journalist had started in England writing for British newspapers in Britain and abroad and some considered the first female journalist.
If we can find her home in Elson she ought to have a blue plaque celebrating ‘Hurricane Jessie’.
Edited by Michael Williams, 2024.
Thanks Mike for the interesting information.
On behalf of the Gosport Society Executive Committee, we would like to wish you and your family & friends a very merry Christmas, a happy and healthy New Year 2025.
Dated 14th December 2024