Local Studies Centre at Gosport Discovery Centre

The Local Studies Centre is housed in the former Gosport Museum, just across from the main Discovery Centre. It has been refurbished in its original Art Nouveau style. It offers a dedicated centre for local research covering Gosport including Lee-on-the-Solent, plus general Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

You can find out more about your home, your ancestors, your old school or your local community. We have helpful reading lists on local topics such as Gosport railways, illustrations, fortifications. A wide selection of local publications is also available for sale.

You will find a wide range of local history resources including

Newspapers and Periodicals

• Hampshire Telegraph 1939-76 (incomplete)
• Hampshire Magazine (complete file)
• Local newspapers and magazines from 1968, arranged by subject.
• Press cuttings 1938-1968. A subject index is available.
• 19th century newspapers online - Hampshire/Portsmouth Telegraph 1800 - 1900

On microfilm

• Gosport Standard 1976-86 (incomplete)
• Gosport Journal 1958-1964
• Hampshire Telegraph 1803-1862
• Portsmouth Telegraph 1799-1802

Directories and Registers

• Microfiche extracts from Hampshire directories from 1783-1920
• Gosport Kelly's directories 1930-1958 (incomplete)
• Local telephone directories 1979 to date
• Electoral Registers for Gosport from 1972 to date.

Maps and photographs

• Large-scale Ordnance Survey maps of Gosport and surrounding area, plus various incomplete series of historical OS maps, indexed by date, street and notable public buildings
• Goad maps for the High Street in the last decade
• Geological maps of Hampshire.
• A complete set of Admiralty charts for the UK, together with a small selection of European and international charts
• 400 illustrations including photographs, postcards and images on CD.

Census and International Genealogical Index

• Gosport and Alverstoke census records 1841-91. A comprehensive street index has been compiled, and a name index to the 1851, 1881 and 1891 censuses is available.
• The International Genealogical Index (Mormon Index) for Hampshire and surrounding counties (Surrey, Sussex, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Dorset).
• The British Genealogical Index ("The Big R") 1994 edition.

General (on CD)

• Selection of film (on DVD) and sound (on CD) recordings concerning Gosport, including War Memorial Hospital films, 1921 and 1923, and footage of D-Day exercise at Stokes Bay, 1944
• Selection of Gosport photographs, digitised as part of the Hampshire Photographic Project
• Maps, plans and prints of Gosport
• Alverstoke Manor court book, 1724-1819
• Report on Gosport Bridewell, 1817
• Minute book of the Gosport, Bishops Waltham, Wickham and Chawton Turnpike Trust, 1856-1878

Cemetery registers (on microfiche)

• Alverstoke cemetery registers of burial, 1855-1953
• Crofton cemetery registers of burial, 1864-1960

Non-conformist registers (on microfiche)

• Alverstoke Children's Home, register of baptisms, 1898-1924
• Gosport Methodist: Little Church, Anglesey Rd, registers of marriages, 1939-1984
• Gosport Methodist Circuit: registers of baptisms, 1865-1939

Parish registers (on microfiche)

• Alverstoke, St Faith Mission Church: registers of baptisms, 1902-1956
• Alverstoke, St Mary: registers of baptisms, 1559-1995, marriages, 1559-2000 and burials, 1559-1975
• Crofton, Holy Rood: registers of baptisms, 1838-1989, marriages, 1871-1971 and burials, 1838-1940
• Gosport, Christ Church: registers of baptisms, 1881-1992 and marriages, 1913-1992
• Gosport, Holy Trinity: registers of baptisms, 1696-1983, marriages, 1696-1992 and burials, 1696-1902
• Gosport, St Francis Mission, Forton: registers of baptisms, 1917-1938
• Gosport, St John, Forton: registers of baptisms, 1840-1983, marriages, 1841-1990 and burials, 1841-1879
• Gosport, St Luke's Mission, Forton: registers of baptisms, 1900-1940
• Gosport, St Matthew: registers of baptisms and marriages, 1846-1950
• Gosport, St Thomas, Elson: registers of baptisms, 1845-1977, marriages, 1846-1981 and burials, 1846-1927
• Lee-on-the-Solent, St Faith: registers of baptisms, 1930-1981, marriages, 1933-1992
• Rowner, St Mary: registers of baptisms, 1583-1995, marriages, 1583-1988 and burials, 1583-1952
• Rowner, St Matthew, Bridgemary: registers of baptisms, 1968-1987 and marriages, 1969-1988

School records (log books on microfiche, admission registers on CD)

• Alverstoke National/C of E School log books,1862-1965 and admission registers, 1857-1945
• Bridgemary County Infants School log book and admission register, 1921-1939
• Brockhurst Junior School log book, 1929-1962
• Brockhurst Senior Girls School log book, 1929-1964 and admission registers, 1946-1959
• Central Senior School log books, 1927-1958
• Clarence Square Boys School log books, 1900-1947
• Elson Junior School log books, 1862-1967
• Grove Road Infants School log books, 1912-1939 and Senior School log book, 1904-1936
• Holy Trinity Boys School log books, 1872-1900
• Leesland Infants School log book, 1930-1962, and admission registers, 1934-1958
• Newtown National/C of E School log books, 1879-1964
• Privett Senior School log book, 1939-1963 and admission registers, 1939-1957
• St Matthew's Girls School log book, 1913-1938
• Stone Lane Infants School log book, 1910-1940

Town and Market administration (on CD)

• Proceedings of the Gosport Town Trustees, 1763-1876
• Minutes of the Proprietors of Gosport Market House, 1811-1957
• Minutes of the Trustees of Gosport Market House, 1811-1886
• Poor rate books, 1838-1849
• Register of licences for alehouses, beer houses and off licences, 1925-1939

RAF Gosport

• RAF Form 540, official daily record of activities at Gosport RAF base January 1929 to July 1945