Hot off the Press!

Do you remember a Chapel on the corner of New Road and Grange Road in the 1950s?

One of my contacts, Dorothy Clarke (Shared Stories A - D) shared her childhood memories of visiting her

Aunt and Uncle who lived at Arthur Terrace, New Road during the 1950s.  She recalls Aunt Florrie going up to

the "Chapel" on the corner of New Road and Grange Road. 

I've so far not come across any other reference to a Chapel at that location. I've trawled through

most of the major Newspaper archives looking for any mention of a chapel without success.

Looking at my various village maps dated around 1943 - 1960, I can see a large corner plot (unnamed)

on the same side of the road as the Jubilee Hall.  It is much bigger than the house plots alongside.

My records show that Dr Foster had the (original) Blackthorn Surgery there, possibly in the 1960s?

Does anyone remember what was there before the Surgery? 

Could this have been where the Chapel was?

Please let me know by clicking on Netley Military  Hospital page to complete the Contact Me form. 

Thank you. 

-o0o-

John Critchley and Frederick William Hine

I've finally combined the Critchley and Hine Family story into one "pod" 

on Shared Stories A - D.

-o0o-

The 1939 Register for the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley

I submitted a Research Enquiry online form a week or two ago to The National Archives asking if they

held a copy of the 1939 Register for RVH Patients.  I explained that we already held the details for the

medical staff, civilian staff, family members and contractors but to date we hadn't been able to find

the records for Hospital Patients.  I said I was happy to buy a copy.

An Update from The National Archives!

One of their Researchers replied on 14 October 2025 to say:

"I have had a look at the entries for the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, and it does not look to me as

if the details of patients were documented at Netley. I believe that when hospitals were enumerated

as part of the 1939 Register, only the staff were included.

This was on the basis that only the staff were resident, and I believe that patients (except those

in long-term residential establishments) should be recorded in their usual place of residence.

This does not always seem to have happened, but looking at the entries for Netley, that does seem to

have been the case here."

I'm not convinced that her conclusions are valid. 

Completion instructions issued for the 1939 Register fell in line with that of previous Censuses,

ie that everyone present at a specific address on the recording date must be included, regardless of

whether that is their place of residence or not. 

Several of the hospital medical staff who were recorded on the 1939 Register (because they were on duty

at the time) were not residents at the Hospital; they lived in Netley Abbey Village. 

Also, Julie (Green) found an alternative explanation on why the patients were not included on the

1939 Register courtesy of Google AI

I'm going to do a bit more research aka digging on this ...

In the meantime, however, if you think your relative could have been at the Hospital in or around

September 1939, please still let us know -   we may already have their details on the Database! 

Please get in touch via Contact Me  found on the Netley Military Hospital page. 

-o0o-

Wanted - Photos please!

Please let me know using the above Contact Form if you have any photos you're happy to share

on this website of the following -

Village Folk:

Pennington Family - William, Mary Jane Owen, Georgina Louise, Blanche Jacintha, Ada

Downie Sisters - Charlotte Isabella and Anita Florence

William Edginton

Properties on Lost but not Forgotten:

Leigh Grange

Oakhurst

-o0o-

I've refreshed and added some new articles and photos to the Chapters of the

History of Netley Hospital.

I have added the following 5 new stories:

Reverend William A C Chevalier to Village Folk

Private Septimus Willis Barnes to Shared Stories A - D

Private Thomas William James to Shared Stories E - L

Private William John Scully to Shared Stories R - W

and I've added the Summerfield Family story to Shared Stories R - W

despite waiting for further information and a couple of family photos.

-o0o-

Whilst checking through good, bad and sometimes ugly/messy files from my old laptops

before setting up my new Apple laptop, I've stumbled across family stories for the 

following which will be added to the Shared Stories on this website soon -

Lionel Overington

Osborne Parry

-o0o-

Wanting to get in contact with me?

Click on Contact Me to transfer you to the Netley Military Hospital page and complete the form.

The website will forward your message immediately to me and I aim to reply within 5 - 7 days

at which time I will give you my direct email address for any future correspondence/attachments.

-o0o-

"Tug" Wilson has just sent me a photo of the Class of 1958 at Netley Infants School.

His youngest sibling Heather was there. 

Check it out by clicking Shared Stories R - W.

Please let me know, via Contact me, if you recognise anyone and have a story which you are happy to

share with us all. 

-o0o-

This Homepage will continue to let you know what new articles, photos etc have been added where 

in the last 3 - 4 weeks. Simples.

If you see this image on any of the other website pages, clicking on the symbol should return you to

this Homepage to let you see what else is new so you can go exploring again!

If clicking on the symbol doesn't work, please can you let me know? 

-o0o-

More help needed!

One of my website contacts, Colin D is the current owner of the Yacht "Seran". 

He is sure that the "Seran" was berthed in the local Netley/Southampton Water area in the

late 1920s into the 1930s and was involved with the Netley Regattas during that time but

as yet has not found any definite proof of this. 

He is asking if anyone has perhaps old photos of past sightings of the Yacht in the local area? 

It was built in 1926 for its owner C C Regnart.  Its Skipper was a local Netley man,

Captain Ben Chaplin.  His story can be found in Shared Stories A - D.

If you think you can help Colin, please let me know and I'll forward the details to him. 

Thank you.

Please note that whilst I am an independent researcher with no direct connection to any

of the Local History Societies, I share research with Julie Green and/or the

Royal Victoria Chapel Team at RVCP from time to time.

The contents and design of this website have been researched and created by me,

including finding the sources stated and as such are subject to copyright. 

It's fine to share my research elsewhere but please do the right thing and credit this website

as one of your sources.  Thank you.

The majority of the newspaper articles are courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive/FMP.

Sources are in black print, underlined, beneath the relevant article

If a word or phrase is in this colour, you should be able to click on it and it

will open on a new tab and let you return to the previous one when you're ready!