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Just Catalogued January 2025

Posted in Behind the Scenes on 09 Jan 2025

Gritting the roads

A school orchestra, Ashbury, ref. D/EX1837/1/2/4/4

We have recently catalogued the papers of a number of local historians and collectors, including some wonderful photographs and other original records. The papers of Ashbury local historian Peter Knott (D/EX1837) include a charming advertisement, maintenance instructions, and details of spare parts for the Ashbury Road Gritting Machine, which was invented in the parish. You can discover more about the inventor and their inventions in the January 2025 highlight. There is also a variety of photographs and other records relating to Ashbury and Shrivenham.

Putting the fox in the henhouse

Particularly interesting is the collection of the late Ruth Timbrell, relating mostly to the Ascot area (D/EX2766). It includes records of Fifield Village Mission, a non-conformist group of churches, and the Tomlinson family, who were staunch members of the White Waltham chapel, 1876-1938; some atmospheric 19th and early 20th century photographs of scenes in Ascot, Bracknell, Winkfield and area; and sale particulars for properties mostly in Ascot and Winkfield, 1926-1963. Particularly intriguing is a large photograph of the Rag Hospital, Swinley, Winkfield. This was an impromptu hospital for cholera patients from London housed in tents in the 1890s. It later became the site of Martins Heron Tesco supermarket. Ruth Timbrell added a note, ‘Had I this photo when Tesco's wanted to build I think it would have put the fox in the hen house!'.

Two people sit playing what appears to be chess outside, 19th century, ref. D/EX2766/1/12/4
Another fascinating item in this collection, although sadly badly damaged by damp and hence not currently available for consultation, is the scrapbook of photographs and printed ephemera kept by Miss Evelyn Foster (1876-1942) of Clewer, 1898-1909, before and after her marriage to the Marquess of Downshire in 1907. It reflects the active social life of a wealthy young lady at the turn of the century, including her active involvement in upper class amateur theatricals. It also includes photographs of scenes from the Boer War, sent home by Evelyn’s brother Eddie.

Views and executions

A man pulls a cow along through a flooded cattle market, 1947, ref. D/EX1569

The papers of Peter Southerton include a large number of (mainly copies of) old photographs, many of which he used in his two books of views of Reading (D/EX1569). They include some very atmospheric images of the town, its buildings and its people between the 19th century and 1977, reflecting the many social changes of the period. He also made a photocopy of the register of executions at Reading Prison, 1742-1846, which is in (unidentified) private hands; and collected a few original printed items, 1791-1989.

A man is transported on a trolley stretcher, c.1916 ref. D/EX1569/1/5/123

Researching the history of Reading

Records of the History of Reading Society, 1977-2012 (D/EX2955) shed light on members’ interests and various aspects of the town’s history. An interesting small collection of papers relating to St Laurence’s Church, Reading, 1804-1896, appear to have been gathered by a local historian (D/EX2559).

Poster for a talk by Adam Green, County Archivist of Berkshire Record Office, at Reading Abbey Ruins, 1984 ref. D/EX2955/2/2/7/40

We have also catalogued the records of the Reading branch of the Historical Association, 1949-2023 (D/EX1700). Rather more specialist, but of great interest, are the records of the Friends of Reading Abbey, formed in 1984 (D/EX2337). These include a small collection of photographs and other views of the Abbey ruins dating back to the late 19th century and also showing restoration work in later years.

Restorations on Ready Abbey Ruins, 1984, ref. D/EX2337/6/1/1

All about Ascot

A small collection of papers relating to Ascot, 1970s-2019 (D/EX2917), includes records of the Valley Gardens Action Group's campaign to prevent the fencing off and charging for access to the Valley Garden in Windsor Great Park by the Crown Estate, 2005-2006.

Dancing in the New Year

A small artificial collection includes papers relating to the Powys family’s Blewbury Estate, 1870-1910, and Colonel Archer-Houblon’s Welford Estate, 1886-1913; and photographs of an Army New Year's Dance at Didcot, 1946 (D/EX2976).

People stand by a long table with food laid in buffet style, 1946, ref. D/EX2976/3/1
Wartime romance

We have been given the menu for a ‘Welcome Home’ dinner held by Frosts (Reading) Ltd for staff members who had been demobbed from the Armed Forces in 1947 (D/EX2342). This copy had belonged to Bill Pickett, a delivery salesman for the firm, who had met his wife, Frances Silman, at the main offices when she collected his weekly takings that the salesmen tendered.   

In pictures

We have received some copies of photographs of Donnington Lodge, Shaw-cum-Donnington, used in the 20th century as a residential home for children with learning difficulties (D/EX2872). Finally a small new collection consists of photographs of Caversham Road, Reading, during the major floods of 1894, and Broad Street, Reading, c.1908 (D/EX2936).

You can find out more about these records by searching our online catalogue. Simply enter the collection references given above in the Catalogue Reference field.