Place:Farnborough, Hampshire, England

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source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Farnborough is a town in north east Hampshire, England, part of the borough of Rushmoor and the Aldershot Urban Area. Farnborough was founded in Saxon times and is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is formed from Ferneberga which means "fern hill".

The town is probably best known for its association with aviation - Farnborough Airshow, Farnborough Aerodrome and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

History

the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

Name changes: Ferneberga (11th century); Farnburghe, Farenberg (13th century); Farnborowe, Fremborough, Farneborough (16th century).

Tower Hill

Tower Hill, Cove: There is substantial evidence that many years ago a large accumulation of Sarsen stones existed upon what later came to be known as Tower Hill. To this day well over 1,000 of these stones remain, sized from one or two ton down to loaf size, scattered, reused for many different purposes, but still within a short distance of their probable original site.

Farnborough Abbey

The town is the home of St. Michael's Abbey. The Imperial Crypt there is the resting place of Napoleon III (1808–1873), Emperor of the French, and his wife, Eugénie de Montijo, (1826–1920) and their son, Napoléon, Prince Imperial. The crypt of St Peter's Old Parish Church is also believed to house the remains of many of the Earls of Anglesey. Since 2007 the Abbey has been the home of the Catholic National Library.

River Blackwater

The River Blackwater on the Hampshire/Surrey border was the location of the first international prize fight between Tom Sayers and John C. Heenan, which took place near the location of the Ship Inn pub.

Samuel Cody

Closely associated with Farnborough Airfield, situated between Farnborough and Fleet, is Samuel Franklin Cody. Cody, or Col Sam Cody as he was known, was one of the early pioneers of aviation. He died when he crashed his plane on Ball Hill, a site which is now within QinetiQ's Technology Park.

RAE

Farnborough Airfield is the site of the historic Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE).

Sir Frank Whittle

Sir Frank Whittle conducted much of his research into jet aircraft at the RAE. A replica Gloster E.28/39 (based on his prototype) is sited on a roundabout along Ively Road in tribute to its inventor.

The Tumble Down Dick

An inn, The Tumble Down Dick Pub has been present on the A325 Farnborough Road since the 17th Century, with reputed connections to Richard Cromwell, and being the central focus of the town before its 19th century refocus toward North Camp and the town centre proper's 20th century development. The pub closed in 2008 and has remained so, now being rumoured to have a sale agreed to McDonald's restaurants, who, it is expected will demolish the property to build a drive-through. It has also been revealed that Whitbread Brewery have also agreed to purchase nearby Firgrove Parade to build a new Beafeater restaurant with budget hotel above.

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