Annie was born in Paddington and appears to have resided for most of her life in this part of London. Her death was recorded in Hampstead. She never married. Nothing has been discovered about her education or what stimulated her interest in history, beyond noting that at some point she was awarded a BSc. In…

G.H. Blore was a student (1882-89) and schoolmaster (1902-1930) at Winchester College. Much of his historical research and writing came after his retirement from the College in 1930. He was an inaugural member of the Friends of Winchester Cathedral (FOWC) in 1931 and editor of the annual Winchester Cathedral Record from 1935 until he handed…

Apart from the fact that he was the Clerk to the Chapter of Winchester Cathedral during the Civil War, and his wife is buried in the chancel of St John’s church in the Soke, virtually nothing is known of John Chase. Yet he is one of the heroes of the world of archives, for minimising…

George Boon was one of the leading Roman archaeologists of his generation.  His excavations, principally at Silchester in the north of the county, as well as on sites in Wales, were complemented by his comprehensive knowledge of Roman artefacts and coins.

Melville Child was a native of Appleshaw, a village located just to the west of Andover, and a former Andover Grammar school pupil.  He spent most of his working life teaching classics at Kettering Grammar School but on retirement, was able to devote his time and energy to exploring the local history of the area…

The ‘first historian’ of Alresford, Robert Boyes, was a native of the town, born to John Boyes and his wife Mary (nee Russell).  Educated at the Free Grammar School, he was elected its master at the age of 21. Taking up residence in the schoolmaster’s house at 60 West Street, he was joined by Ann…

Herbert Chitty was educated at Winchester College from 1876 to 1882 and then went on to Balliol College, Oxford to read Classics. He was a barrister at Inner Temple from 1889 and worked on the Western Circuit. In 1903, he was appointed Secretary to the Warden and Fellows of Winchester College. He held this job…

Born at Newport on the Isle of Wight, Brannon initially followed his father’s profession of printing and engraving. Moving to Southampton, in about 1845 he set up his own business. Subsequently, his interests widened to include architecture and engineering. Relocating to Shanklin in 1863, by the mid 1870s he was settled in London. Like many…

Chaloner was the eldest son of William Lyde Wiggett who took the surname Chute when he inherited the Vyne Estate situated in the parish of Sherbone St John, just north of Basingstoke. Chaloner was ‘educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford; gained the Ireland University Scholarship in 1860; took his degree with first class classical…

Born in the Southampton Parish of Holy Rood, Bullar lived his whole life in the town. A schoolmaster for nearly four decades, he taught many of those who were to become the town’s civic leaders. As it was put in an obituary published in the Southampton Times “The life of Mr Bullar is in fact…