Registered Charity No 1000447

Recent achievements by the Society include the following:

Stories of Basingstoke exhibition – April 2011

The Society mounted a month long exhibition in the Community Gallery of the Willis Museum describing the people who gave us our Heritage. A substantial number of wall panels were supported by a large collection of exhibits relating to the people featured. Visitors to the exhibition included descendents of John May, Alfred Milward, the Mussellwhite family and one of the WW1 soldiers who are buried at South View under a Commonwealth War Graves headstone.     

Blue Plaque in memory of Arthur Attwood

Unveiled on 8 December by the Mayor of Basingstoke on the site of the Gazette Printing works in Church Street. See below for Press Report on Arthur Attwood Plaque  

Replacement Information Board provided for the Bronze Age Burial Mounds at Buckskin

Installed in November. See below for Press Report on Buckskin Burial Mounds  

Blue Plaque in memory of Sir Harold Gillies

Unveiled on 1 October by the Mayor of Basingstoke on the Clock Tower Building at Limes Park, Rooksdown

See below for further information about Sir Harold Gillies, known as the father of plastic surgery. This information is taken from the Society Newsletter for October 2011 and from a letter to the Gazette from the Society Secretary.

Eastrop House Coach House & Stables Block

 Succeeded in having application for demolition of these historical buildings rejected

The Soldiers Return Public House

Succeeded in having application for partial demolition rejected. See below for Press Report on Arthur Attwood Plaque  

Blue Plaque at Audleys wood in memory of Viscount Gavin Turnbull Simonds

See extract below from Society web site on Audleys Wood

Norn Hill Footbridges plaque traced and re-erected

This plaque which was erected in 1992 to record the construction of the Norn Hill footbridges was removed and “lost” by Network Rail as a result of some work they carried out on the bridges over the railway. After extensive pressure from the Society the plaque was re-located, refurbished and re-erected on the site.   

Thornycroft Crane Gantry

Morrisons Supermarket is on the site of the famous Thornycroft vehicle construction factory. The previous owner of the site (Safeway) had a picture display regarding the site which was removed by Morrisons. The display has now been located and Morrisons have agreed to re-exhibit. Further Morrisons have agreed to label the moveable crane gantry displayed at the entrance to the site off the Ring Road.   

Refurbishment of Blue Coat Boy statue in Cross Street

The brickwork was re-pointed and the explanatory panels with faded wording replaced