The Victoria County History marks its 120th anniversary in 2019. Originally dedicated to Queen Victoria, the VCH is an encyclopaedic record of places and people in each county of England. The original Victoria County History of Hampshire was completed in 1912 in five volumes but these Red Books included only the leading families, the Church of England and charities in each parish.
These parish and urban histories are available at www.british-history.ac.uk
The New VCH Hampshire was established in 2008 and is managed by a steering group representing Hampshire County Council, Hampshire Archives and Local Studies, Hampshire Field Club, Hampshire Archives Trust, the University of Winchester, University of Portsmouth and the Historic Environment Record of Hampshire. The project is financed by fundraising, grants, donations and book sales.
The New VCH Hampshire is using volunteers, working with professional historians, to write parish and urban histories of the county in modern VCH style, which includes economic and social chapters focusing on the lives of ordinary people as well as leading families. Religious history involves the study of Nonconformity and Roman Catholicism as well as the Church of England. Work began in the Basingstoke area and four individual parish and urban histories (Shorts) have been published. One volume: Penton Mewsey is in the process of publication. Others including Basingstoke 1800-1925; Herriard; Dummer; and Newnham and Up Nately, with Hook and Nately Scures will appear in due course.
VCH Website (Free access for all)
Draft text of parish and urban histories intended for publication in Red Books or Shorts can be found on the Hampshire section of the VCH website:
https://www.history.ac.uk/research/victoria-county-history/county-histories-progress/hampshire
Short articles and transcribed sources (wills, inventories, census) for general use are published on VCH Explore:
https://www.victoriacountyhistory.ac.uk/explore/
VCH Hampshire volunteers research,as individuals or in groups, topics covering settlement, landscape, buildings, population, manors and families, economic, social and cultural history, religious life and government from the Middle Ages to the present day in Hampshire Record Office, The National Archives, The British Library, the estate archives of Oxford colleges and other record repositories.
Other skills which we welcome include editing, fundraising, organising, IT, publicity and marketing. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Dr Jean Morrin, jean.morrin@winchester.ac.uk
New VCH Hampshire Publications
To purchase any of these books contact jeanmorrin@winchester.ac.uk
