GOSPORT SOCIETY NEWS & UPDATES FOR YOUR DIARY- 14th May 2024
Dear Gosport Society Members,
The 2023/24 season is drawing to a close, the Gosport Society AGM will be our next meeting on 12th June 2024.(7pm for 7-30pm prompt start).
The venue is at our usual meeting place at The Maritime Building at Bay House. Please note that the official name has been change to:
The Kings Academy at Bay House. (formally Bay House School).
We are looking forward to our forthcoming Mayor, Cllr. Richard Earl presiding at our AGM.
Gosport Society financial accounts have been audited, and together with the AGM documentation, these will be distributed shortly. May I remind members, to enable you to vote, membership annual fees must be fully paid. (£15.00pn, due 1st April 2024). If membership fees have not been paid after the AGM, we assume you do no longer wish to be a Gosport Society member.
Events and Speakers Meetings.2023/24.
The meetings and events have been very well received, the visits to
Institute of Naval Medicine.
QinetiQ
Huhtamaki Ltd.
HMS Sultan and Grange Airfield Museum.
All have been very informative, giving Gosport Society Members an insight into not only the local history of these institutions, but of the current operations that take place and employment opportunities within our Borough.
It will be a hard act to follow next season, especially if nominations for Vice Chairman, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, and Social Secretary are not forthcoming.
However, we commence the 2024/25 season to the arranged visit to Royal Haslar on June 5th, it is not too late to reserve a space if you have not received details of this visit.
Another forthcoming visit is to Bastion No1, we wish to organise this on Sunday 1st of September 2024. We have spoken to Portsmouth Society and wish to hold a combined event, Portsmouth Society are a very sociable group, but in the past, this has not been the case.
In 1642, Royalist Gosport Bombarded Portsmouth, a cannon ball is still embedded in Portsmouth Cathedral! The bombardment took place over several weeks.
However, Parliamentary Portsmouth returned to Gosport in 1645, broke into the Town Gates, ransacked the Town, burning down 24 houses.
I am not aware that we signed a ‘Peace Agreement’ with Portsmouth? So, have invited Portsmouth Society to take part and correct this outstanding issue!
Hopefully, Gosport Society Members will attend in numbers, the thought of Portsmouth Society out-numbering us would be concerning, we do not wish for a reptation of 1645! Joking apart, it will be a chance to meet our neighbour’s and have a sociable time together, and to show off Gosport’s new ‘open space’. More details will follow.
Visit to Micheldever, 7pm Saturday 22 June.
Please see your email dated 13th May 2024, for invitation from University of Winchester.
Captain Swing’s Message to Micheldever. A follow on from our article in Gosport Society’s Spring Newsletter dated Feb 2024.
Gosport Society Hon. Secretary Enquiries
Hampshire Field and Archaeological Society Society
We researched our Archive records for information regarding Dr Leonard White, a founder member of Gosport Society, you may recall we requested members contact us for any information of Dr White.
We approached Ian Jeffery and subsequently Dot Bedenham of the Gosport History Group, who referred me to Gosport Records No 8, an appreciation of Dr White is written by H. Trevor Rogers.
Together with a copy of the letter donated by our late Adrian Knight, which invited Adrian to the Formation Meeting of Gosport Historical Records and Museum Society. (subsequently renamed as Gosport Society), we have been able to furnish The Hampshire Field and Archaeological Society with further information of Dr White.
In due course we have been promised a copy of the profile of Dr. White, of their Hampshire Historical Authors Project.
Philippa Dickinson, Philippa has now relocated to Suffolk, we wish her well in her new home. Philippa remains a member of Gosport Society, but has donated all her records relating to Gosport Society collected over the years. We sincerely thank Philipa for these details.
Whilst handing over the documents, we discussed Philipa the possibility of Digitally recording all the Gosport Records No 1 to 19, Philippa had suggested this some time ago. I confirm that the Executive Committee has agreed to investigate this possibility.
De Gomme c1678 Plan of New Fortifications of Gosport
Portsmouth Society have been donated sets of historic plans of Portsmouth and Gosport. Graham Newcombe, Chairman of Portsmouth Society recently handed over printed copies by Portsmouth Central Library of ‘s New Fortifications dated 1678.we have photographed (I‘m afraid, Duchess of Cornwall quality) of the print as below. An original will be on show at the AGM.
We will be selling copies of the print to all GS Members initially, and at The Michaelmas Fayre in September. The cost to GS members will be at a discount rate. (size is approx. 18” x 16”).
Portsmouth Society’s kind donation will enable Gosport Society to raise funds to help our financial situation.
Gosport Society’s Guide to Historical Gosport.
You may recall that Fiona Meridith (a recent new member from N. Wiltshire) arranged for her former U3A Club to visit Gosport. 55 U3A Members arrived in Gosport, initially stopping off in Hardway, where Diane Furlong greeted them, and spoke to them about the history of Gosport and its military involvement in D-Day.
As Fiona recently moved to Gosport, we providing a quick tour of Gosport, complete with a quickly drawn map. The visit was extremely successful despite the poor weather, many will be returning to explore Gosport.
This idea of a Map listing our Historical sites has resulted in expanding the idea for distribution to GS members and visitors to Gosport.
We are continuing to develop the idea, and may have the booklet available for sale at The Michaelmas Fayre. The Useful Tour Guide will be of A3 size, folded twice, with a map and listed historic sites, with Post Codes, Bus Transport information and What3words code.
Again, we hope to raise finances for future GS Projects, such as resurrection of Gosport Society Green Plaque Awards.
We are always pleased to receive your comments, contact us on 07542-515014 or secretary@gosportsoceity.co.uk
We look forward to your continuing support, don’t forget to complete and return those nomination form, you help would be much appreciated.
Kind Regards,
Richard Cook Chairman Gosport Society.