THEY all had one thing in common - their name.

About 50 members of the Hampshire-based Tyrrell Family History Society staged their annual get together in the New Forest.

The reunion is always held at the famous Sir Walter Tyrrell pub, near Brook.

It is named after the archer who killed King William II, nicknamed Rufus, during a hunting expedition in the Forest in August 1100.

Members of the society meet at the pub every August to mark the anniversary of the king's death.

Their annual Rufus Day gives people with the same surname a chance to meet up and study documents that could help them compile their family tree.

The society was founded in 1978 after John Tyrrell, of Gosport, contacted all the 1,300 Tyrrells listed in the UK phone directories.

A spokesman said: "Since those early days much research has been carried out and sent to the society, which maintains a large archive of books, records and photographs.

"The collection of data recorded on computer is growing daily and has proved to be of considerable value to other genealogists around the world."

The Sir Walter Tyrrell was saved from closure last year after businessman John Hughes bought the landmark building from a property company that wanted to turn it into a house.

Mr Hughes has recently gained planning permission to modernise and extend the pub.