Four Liverpool boys with hair down over their eyes

We have recently catalogued the papers of Muriel Longhurst of Wokingham, a teacher, which form a fascinating collection (D/EX2840). A gardener’s daughter born in Ascot in 1936, she was educated at Cheapside CE School, Ascot, 1941-1944; Binfield CE School, 1944-1947; and The Holt School, Wokingham, 1947-1954; and then trained as a teacher at Salisbury Diocesan Training College, 1954-1956. She taught various subjects, mainly French and English, at St Frideswide’s School, Didcot, 1956-1959; Edgbarrow County Secondary School, Crowthorne, 1959-1966 (where she was one of the founding members of staff); and then out of the county. She lived with her mother and sister in Binfield until 1958, when they bought a house in Woosehill Lane, Wokingham. When Muriel’s career took her to other parts of the country, she lived in rented rooms and came home to Wokingham for holidays. After taking early retirement from teaching, she worked as a self-employed educational consultant. Her papers cover all aspects of her life and career.   

A highlight is a set of copies of her letters to a friend in Singapore which chronicle the ‘Big Freeze’ of the early months of 1963, read more about it here. She also mentions a new teacher at Edgbarrow who had come from Pakistan; comments on the proposed new CSE (Certificate of Secondary Education) examination, January 1963; and describes Reading as 'not a cheerful town at the best of times'. Still in her mid 20s, she was just too old to be impressed by the musical revolution of the era; a letter of 7 December 1963 refers to 'The Beatles. Have you heard of them? They are four Liverpool boys with hair down over their eyes - and a fan club consisting of at least 90% of all English adolescent girls'. We have also added to a second collection of Muriel’s records as a pupil at the Holt School, Wokingham (D/EX2480).  

Dealing in drink

The records of Hunt & Co, wine and spirit merchants of Speenhamland, Newbury, n.d. [1890s]-1894, include a large number of invoices from their suppliers (D/EX3021).  We have also been given a copy of a printed guide to Whitbread tied pubs, produced in the mid 20th century (D/EX2672). It includes a map showing the location and descriptions of each pub with accompanying photographs. We have also been given a nice set of plans of Messrs H & G Simonds’ Brewery, Bridge Street, Reading, 1886-1975 (D/EX2996). 

Wallingford Town Council

We have catalogued the extensive records of Wallingford Town Council, which was established in 1973 in light of the forthcoming abolition of the old Wallingford Borough Council as part of local government reorganisation. It had the status and powers of a civil Parish Council, but inherited some property from the old Borough, and continued to play an active part in local life (CPC138). We have also received additional material from Datchet Parish Council, 2005-2019 (CPC200). 

Coroners 

Our ongoing project listing the records of coroners’ inquests has continued with those for Maidenhead District (COR/M), Reading District (COR/R) and Reading Borough (COR/RB) now having been completed up to 1949. 

You can find out more about all these records by searching the RBA online catalogue. Enter the collection reference given above in the Catalogue Reference field.