Welcome to Our Past
This is a shared site for both groups.
Lymington and District Historical Society
Milton Heritage Society
Lymington and District Historical Society and Milton Heritage Society both welcome you to our combined website.
We’re voluntary organisations dedicated to the promotion and study of our fascinating local history. Please have a look around the web-pages for both societies, where there is a huge amount of information, images and personal reflections.
If you would like to contact the chairs please use one of the following email addresses:
- Lymington and District Historical Society: Email: Robert Amis
- Milton Heritage Society: Email: Nick Saunders
How to join us:
Single Membership
£15.00 per year
Lymington and District Historical Society
Single Membership
£15.00 per year
Milton Heritage Society
Joint Membership
£25.00 per year
Lymington and District Historical Society and Milton Heritage Society
Single Meeting
£5.00
Lymington and District Historical Society and Milton Heritage Society
If you have any questions about our membership, or would like to join,
please email, Membership enquiries: sue.mayes@icloud.com
Our Upcoming Meetings:
Choose your society:
Lymington & District Historical Society 75th Anniversary
To celebrate our 75th year we will have two talks:
The first will be a talk selected from one of those given in the early days and read by Roy Jones.
The second RAF Lymington an American Airfield in the New Forest by Marc Heighway uncovers the remarkable story of RAF Lymington – a temporary wartime airfield that became home to the USAAF for just three pivotal months during World War II. Marc Heighway traces the journey of the American airmen from their departure in New York to combat missions flown from the fields of Lymington. With rare photographs and gripping tales of bravery, hear how P-47 Thunderbolt pilots launched from this rural corner of the New Forest to support the D-Day invasion. A powerful and little-known chapter of local history brought vividly to life.
Meetings are held at 7.15 pm on the last Friday of the winter months (except December) in the Fuller Hall of the Lymington Community Centre.
Visitors are always welcome.
Refreshments are served from 6.45. We look forward to seeing you!
Illustrated talks from MHS members
New Milton Post Office
by Nick Saunders | Chairman of Milton Heritage Society
The Postal Sorting Office at the southern end of Station Road was built in 1933. It is one of the few buildings with a date stone. When it opened this was the third post office in New Milton. The talk will briefly discuss the earlier post offices and then look at the history behind this building.
New Milton Water Tower
by Philip Benstead
Water towers provide a reliable source of clean water to the local population, usually for the first time. Prior to that, water was drawn from the very rivers waste was disposed into. Human and animal waste littered the streets. Principal diseases were cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis and typhoid fever. The leading scientists of the day had refused for many years to acknowledge that disease was spread by water; when they did, water towers were built across the country.
New Milton Station and Stationmaster’s House
by Janet Beith
In the 1880’s the London and South Western Railway extended their line from Southampton to connect to the Victorian seaside resorts of Bournemouth and Weymouth. 1886 saw the building of the Milton railway station and the railway commenced operations in 1888. Within just a few years New Milton was born, and the Stationmaster’s House (adjoining the station) has recently been dubbed ‘No. 1 New Milton’ as the first building constructed in New Milton.
St. Mary Magdalene Church Hall, Church Lane, Old Milton BH25 6QN
All talks start at 7.00pm – Doors open at 6.40pm – Free admission for members – £5.00 for non-members