MEET THE CENTRE
After almost 25 years based at what is now the Havant Academy, we have moved to the under ground floor of St Francis church above. This gives us the chance to meet in the daytime as well as evenings as the need arises. So who and what are we? Well, during our life we have done our best to keep growing with technology and so have a very wide range of research material.
It is often thought by the description of the word 'Meeting' implies that we are the same as any other Family History Society, but that is a long way from the truth in many ways. We have strong records for the Havant and Portsmouth areas together with Hampshire and Sussex and the Isle of Wight,but we go wider afield than that and cover a lot of the United Kingdom and even the rest of the world.
We are, in fact, a Record Office with microfiche readers and online computers. We have an incredible number of microfiche and CDs including the IGI for the whole world. We welcome visitors at any stage of their researches and we can also give one-to-one instruction and help if needed. There is a lot more we could say, but why not pop in and see us and find out for yourself
At the moment we are open on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday evenings of every month from 7.30pm and, of course, 24 hours for Emails. Parking is free and there are always refreshments available.
We have the minimum of rules, all members voting on occasions when decisions have to be taken. The day-to-day running of the Centre is undertaken by four elected members and these are:
Our Leader is Phil Hammond
Treasurer is Ernie Oliver and
Publicity Officer/Librarian is Sue Renault
Our Internet Network Manager is Ben Fletcher
One of those subjects that always comes up but which cannot be ignored. As we have expenses the same as everyone, our annual subscriptions will be abolished as from next January and replaced with a straight £1 per attendance at any or all of our 23 meetings, but will give access to all the equipment, records, microfiche, CDs and free use of the Internet, Reference Books and all other records that come in regularly. We have over 100 Hampshire parish records that we have transcribed. If you want help, that too can be provided, even one-to-one if you wish, to help you to use the computers and databases.