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On Sunday 14 April, Geoff Watts took 21 people and 1 well-behaved dog on our Sunday Titanic Walk. The conditions were pleasantly cooler and the very wet mud was now just soft. Geoff began inside the former Non-Conformist chapel, now – thanks to SCC – FoSOC’s base. He thanked Val for arranging the walks and for the display in the room. Geoff dedicated his walk to four people, all no longer with us: Brian Ticehurst who had helped us so much, Vicky Green for dedicated research and knowledge at Southampton Local Studies Library, Genevieve Bailey for her lifelong, passionate interest in Titanic and our Vice President, Bernard Lavell, a talented artist, some of whose drawings Geoff showed on the way round.  Geoff’s walk on Sunday 14th was exactly 124 years after the fateful day Titanic encountered an iceberg. Both in … Continue reading →

The first Titanic walk for 2024 was held on Saturday 13th April at 11.00am with a group of 18 people and 4 well behaved dogs. For once the weather was very kind to us …it was sunny and warm. Pervious wet weather was a concern to FoSOC’s guides due to the pathways becoming very muddy. But the weather for two days earlier having no rain, the mud was soft but firm for walking on. On this walk there was a volunteer helper call Mischa who is doing her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award on the Old Southampton Cemetery. On guide Graham Linecar’s walk, a descendant of a victim of the disaster from Southampton, a Mr William Mintram, a fireman who lost his life on the Titanic. She was able to see where his memorial was on the walk and later … Continue reading →

The crab apple tree nearly a year on and its blooming lovely! Photos taken by Bruce Larner

Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery (FoSOC) were honoured , on the evening of 28 March , to host a charitable event for the Lord Mayor, Cllr Valerie Laurent in the Non-Conformist Chapel in the Old Southampton Cemetery. Inge Foster from Southampton Tourist Guides Association (SGA) did the honours by introducing the Lord Mayor & speaker for the night. STGA were co-helping the Lord Mayor’s charities. This was the first time such an event was held in the Non-Conformist Chapel, and we shall be looking at having more. Geoff Watts (FoSOC Committee & a Founder member of the group) was the speaker for the event. He spoke of only a few of the many Mayors who are buried in the Old Cemetery & how each Mayor contributed to the history of Southampton. The Lord Mayor thanked Geoff for his talk & she … Continue reading →

A beautiful photo of a kestrel seen in the Old Cemetery in the last couple of weeks. If or where they are nesting , at the moment that is unknow but do keep looking. Photo taken by FoSOC member James Oliver

These lovely Christmas ‘Baubles’ in the Old Cemetery were taken by another FoSOC member Alison Parsons……many thanks.

Just a few photo of the ‘baubles’ starting to be hung on the tress in the Old Cemetery. These were taken a few days ago, so by now there could be more, they do look lovely! Many thanks from the FoSOC group to whoever does this, much appericated. Photos taken by Bruce Larner

On Remembrance Sunday, 12 November, we welcomed distinguished guests, led by the Lord Mayor of Southampton, Cllr, Valerie Laurent, to our annual afternoon commemoration. We gathered, beforehand, in the former non- Conformist chapel – now home to FoSOC thanks to the city council – where Val had assembled a most informative display from our Archives. We then proceeded to the Cross of Sacrifice for the opening part of the Commemoration. There, FoSOC’s Geoff Watts, welcomed everyone, the weather conditions not being very favourable. He gave the following apology from our President, Professor James Stevens Curl and his wife Dorota. ‘We send our apologies, and warmest good wishes: we are very proud and pleased to be associated with such a fine group of people.’ Geoff stressed the very great interest they have always taken in FoSOC, its progress and work at … Continue reading →

FOSOC had a walk in the old cemetery yesterday afternoon at 2:00 in conjunction with the ‘free Heritage weekend’ this was a Titanic walk. This walk had been fully booked for some time however a few dropped out before the start, making it a group of 22 instead of 25,, some came from Portsmouth. Val Ferguson and Lizzie O’Sullivan were the guides and Bruce Larner was the photographer. However, Val and Lizzie managed the walk which is one of the longest that FoSOC does in what was very humid and HOT weather. By all accounts the group enjoyed the walk – Val and Lizzie were very surprised that many of the group stayed due to the very HOT weather. Many thanks to Lizzie and Bruce for their help. Val Ferguson

Today (Saturday 9th September) was my second walk of the year and it was a HOT, sunny afternoon and luckily most of the route was under cover of the trees.  The walk started with thirteen people, and we left the non-Conformist chapel, going up one of the more “rural” paths in the cemetery then cutting across the top of the cemetery, coming back along the yew tree pathway, and ending just outside the Jewish cemetery.  The group heard the stories of sixteen unfortunate people who died by various means in their own home. Here are just three. Norman Oscar Thomas (January 1899) was the son of Oscar a bandsman in the Hampshire Rifles.  Norman lived with his family in Fanshawe Street in Newtown, The family had a maid, called Kate who looked after Norman during the day.  Norman had been … Continue reading →