Welcome to Hampshire Archives Trust
The Hampshire Archives Trust (HAT) is a member-led charity that works to support and promote Hampshire’s rich archival heritage.
We deliver this work by giving grants, through education and events, and developing local history networks – preserving memories for the future.
HAT works closely with and supports the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester, the Southampton Archives and the Portsmouth History Centre which between them hold archive collections dating back over 1000 years from across Hampshire.
You can help to save important local archives by applying to us for a grant to fund your project, becoming a HAT member or making a donation.
The Perfect Gift
Want to buy an exciting and thoughtful gift for someone? Why not buy them a Hampshire Archives Trust membership? It’s so easy.
= figures below relate to grants awarded since January 2019 to February 2024
Grants Awarded
Projects Funded
Success Rate
Upcoming Events
Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery plus historical Walk Around the Town
2025Jul16 This is an opportunity to view the results of a £10,000 grant that the Hampshire Archive Trust provided to Petersfield Museum towards the project to preserve the Don Eades archive of 107,000 photographic negatives. Ryan Watts from the Museum is also offering to provide us with a historicalwalking tour around Petersfield, town that started as […]
Our News
Grayshott Wartime Memories
This is a history of Grayshott during WW2, with a collection of contemporary and current villagers’ memories and stories, and based on Grayshott Heritage archive
WINNERS of the 2025 Hampshire History Competition for schools announced
The winners of this year’s History competition for schools have been announced. The winner of the Years 7-9 Group prize is Moyles Court. The winner
Report on the Archives Survey
Following our chairman, David Livermore’s, initiative for HAT to take a more proactive approach to fulfilling its mission of making Hampshire archives more accessible to
House histories project, Bishops Waltham
Bishop’s Waltham Society is to create and spread information about the history and architecture within the civil parish of Bishop’s Waltham. The Bishop’s Waltham Museum
Captain Swing and Hampshire 1830
HAT has awarded £2000 towards an exhibition RIOTS ON RECORD The Story of the Captain Swing Riots of 1830 in Hampshire as revealed by records
Find out how Southampton prepared for the Armada in 1588
HAT has awarded £500 of funding to the Sarah Siddons fan club to help with the costs of staging Southampton events 3-5th August 2025 culminating
Gift
Make a Financial Gift
By making a financial gift to the HAT you are directly funding the preservation of valuable local history archives for future generations. The HAT awards grants to local history projects which are judged to be of particular historical value in Hampshire. Whether you’d like to make a one-off donation, leave a legacy in your will or make a regular donation, it is very straight-forward.
Stories from the Archives
Series 4: Episode 1 – The British Association for Local History and Supporting Local History Across the United Kingdom
In this episode, Daniella is joined by Dr Paul Dryburgh and Joe Saunders of the British Association for Local History. Paul and Joe discuss the work that the British Association do to support local history societies across the United Kingdom, their resources, outreach and digital engagement initiatives, and ways that people can become involved in what the British Association for Local History do.
‘Placing Jane’ in the Heart of Southampton: A Day of Tea, Talks and Timeless Tales
Saturday 3 May 2025 saw Southampton transformed into a buzzing hive of bonnets, books, and brilliant minds as literary and history lovers descended upon the
Celebrating Preservation: A Day of Archival Discovery and Historical Appreciation
Members of the Hampshire Archive Trust (HAT) recently enjoyed a special visit to the New Forest Heritage Trust, marking the successful completion of a significant
Placing Jane
As part of the programme of events marking the 250th Anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, the author’s former home of Southampton hosted a sellout study
Railway 200 in Hampshire
Hopefully it won’t have escaped your attention that 2025 is being marked as ‘Railway 200’, cast as the 200th anniversary of the birth of the
Series 3: Episode 10 – Women Writers in Eighteenth-Century Hampshire
This episode is about the work of Legasee Educational Trust, which Daniella finds out about from Martin Bisiker, who set up this educational charity. Martin discuss the types of materials available on the Legasee Educational Trust website, the stories of veterans, giving examples from Hampshire, and some of the exciting projects that Legasee Educational Trust has been involved in.