Kenneth Roberts inherited a passionate interest in archaeology and local history from his father Betton. Together they would walk miles in search of earthworks and in visiting churches, and young Kenneth compiled four volumes of notes and sketches recording these encounters. His survey of the cross-dykes at Leydene secured his election to the Hampshire Field…

A Benedictine monk of St Swithun’s Priory, Winchester, he is included as an example of one the medieval chroniclers whose works happen to have survived. His proper place is amongst those like Leland and Campden who recorded events and places of their age. He was writing at a time when Winchester was at the centre…

The transformation of the inland village of Milford to an up-market seaside resort (incorporating parts of Hordle parish) left an architectural heritage of houses designed by William Ravenscroft. Although many of these primarily Edwardian properties have now fallen victim to the bulldozer and developer, many still remain, including Ravenscroft’s own residence, Briantcroft, in Barnes Lane.

W F Rankine was a Scot who spent much of his time in Surrey.  He was at school in Dorking, and taught for many years at Badshot Lea, near Farnham. His interests were wide, covering birds, wild plants, fossils and archaeological remains, and he had ‘the rare gift of instructing and enthusing others’ in these…

Thomas Stopher was an architect and surveyor (for Winchester College, St John’s Hospital and others), a prominent municipal leader (Mayor of Winchester 1876, 1883, and 1893, Freeman of Winchester, 1910) and antiquarian. He published little, but indirectly did much to foster heritage and local history. Also, as one who often saw old buildings being developed…

Born in Biel, Switzerland, Studer’s  higher education was undertaken at the Universities of Neuchâtel, Berlin and London. Between 1908 and 1913 he was Professor of French at Hartley College (later the University if Southampton). From 1913 until his death in 1927 he was the second holder of the chair of Romance Philology at the University…

Heywood Sumner was born at Old Alresford where his father was Rector. He came from a prominent ecclesiastical family.  A great uncle was Archbishop of Canterbury, his grandfather Bishop of Winchester and his father became Bishop of Guildford. His mother, Mary Heywood, became famous as the founder of the Mothers’ Union.

The Very Reverend Norman Sykes was an academic historian and an Anglican priest  He held a succession of distinguished academic posts concluding with being the Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History at the University of Cambridge from 1944 to 1958. His most important contribution was to bring an academic objectivity to the history of the Hanoverian…

Born in 1865, eldest son of Rev John Poulett Sykes, Perpetual Curate of Rathmell, near Settle, West Riding. William attended Giggleswick School, was an Exhibitioner at Christ’s College, Cambridge, graduating in 1886, and followed his father into the church, being ordained in 1889. William’s early appointments were in Yorkshire. In 1895 he was appointed curate…

According to the 1911 Census return, Laurence’s father, Alfred Edward, was a ‘match, starch and grocery buyer’. At the time the family were living in Forest Gate, Essex, where Laurence had been born seven years earlier.