Newsletter No. 83 - September 2005

Chairman's Corner

By the time you read this most people will have had their annual holiday. I hope all of you are refreshed and ready for the restart of your local societies' activities and to carry on researching the history of your locality or subject of particular interest.

In the last few months both the Secretary, Margaret Yates, and I have received several messages which we wanted to pass on immediately to many of our member societies for information. But, in almost every instance, although the information has also appeared on our website, we have been hamstrung by our lack of ability to send it directly to you quickly, easily and cheaply via e-mail.

My plea to societies, therefore, is that even though many of you do not wish to publicise your e-mail address in the back pages of the Newsletter, you send it to either myself or our Secretary (chairman/secretary@blha.org.uk) for internal use only. When renewing memberships for 2006 will all members please notify the Membership Secretary (Kerr Kirkwood) of any changes, including e-mail addresses (which, if a society, please indicate if you agree to their general circulation).

I was pleased to represent the BLHA at a reception given by the Berkshire Record Office (BRO) on 27 June to celebrate the culmination of cataloguing the Methodist records of all Circuits from pre-1974 Berkshire. The earliest records date from 1824 and include all the splinter groups of the original church which were subsequently reunited - see Issue 32, Summer 2005 of the The Berkshire Echo. Incidentally, do you all receive a copy of the BRO Newsletter, which is issued four times a year? I think it is particularly important that all societies should formally request a copy be posted to them, so they can be displayed at meetings and read by as many folk as possible. The cost is £1.00 per annum, payable by cheque to Reading Borough Council (who act on behalf of all the current local authorities).

Cliff Debney, Chairman, BLHA

Words from the Editors

It seems no time at all since the editorial team were cutting their teeth on the 82nd edition of the newsletter and we would like to thank all those who have sent words of encouragement. We hope that you enjoy the September issue.

On this note, you will see in this edition the return of some regulars from previous years whose contributions are most warmly received. Now that we have re-established contact it is hoped that news from our museums, libraries and the Berkshire Record Office will once again become regular features. To those of you who have not contributed this time please would you let us know what you are doing (in no more than 400/450 words), for our January issue.

I would like to draw your attention to a number of inserts that we have included for your information and action in this edition. Firstly, we are experimenting with a "Dates for Diary" insert rather than embedding this information in the text, as has previously been the case. We hope it will be useful and may even appear on your notice boards! Secondly, a form for members to fill in if they wish to attend the all important "Hoskin's Day", please see "Notice Board" entry. Finally, a number of you have contacted us with corrections/changes and as it is important to keep our records up to date, we are including a form for you to fill in. This form will be included periodically, and a similar version will appear on the website for you to complete at any time, and especially after your AGMs.

Call for research information. In a future issue it is hoped that we may be able to include a section on the research activities of our members. If you or any of your members our carrying out particular projects please let us know.

Enjoy your autumn programmes.

Margaret Simons

In Memory of Bobby Johnson

CONDOLENCES to Peter Johnson, Treasurer.

It is with great sadness that I have to announce that Bobby (Barbara Jean) Johnson, our immediate past Chairman's wife, died on 2 August and was cremated on Tuesday 9th August during a private committal. They had been married for over 50 years. I have been given to understand there may be a memorial service in her memory at a later date.

While Peter was Chairman our committee meetings were held in his home and we got to know Bobby well. She was a lovely, kind and motherly lady and, despite our protestations, always served a magnificent spread of sandwiches, etc. with tea or coffee towards the end of our Committee meetings, which meant they always had a very pleasant social end. In addition, whenever the BLHA held an open meeting, such as the AGM, Bobby always insisted on doing the catering and it was only with the greatest difficulty she would accept any help or contribution towards the cost.

I am sure you will join with myself and my wife, Jean, in offering Peter and his family our sympathy and condolences at this time of great sadness.

Cliff Debney

Henry Lewis - Both Peter Johnson and Kerr Kirkwood attended the funeral of Henry at the beginning of August. Henry had printed three editions, 79-81, of the Newsletter for us and had lost his wife Iris only last year. Iris, many of you will remember, had been both secretary and Newsletter editor for the association.

Margaret Simons

Requests for Information

Responses to Emily Tarrant at webdesigner@blha.org.uk or by post to Emily Tarrant, 17 Anna Pavlova Close, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1TF.

A request from Jerry Cross. I am researching my grand uncle Leonard William Gylby who died in WW1 and whose name appears on the Lambourn War Memorial. I was wondering if your association had any information regarding his life in Lambourne before he went off to fight or could you point me in the right direction to find out more about my grand uncle?

Information is required about a possible Berkshire artist. Stuart Henderson has in his possession a watercolour by A.Wragge, entitled Streatley on Thames. I have no other information, but wondered if he was a locally renowned artist. The painting came from my father's estate, but how it reached Aberdeen, I have no idea. It is a riverbank scene showing a young woman carrying a bunch of flowers, standing by a countryside ford. If you could help with any provenance on this I would be most grateful.

My name is Admas Habte, and I am a photojournalism student at the London College of Printing/Communication. I am doing a photography project on works of architecture that were started but never finished. What I am looking for are buildings/structures that still exist in some sort of unfinished form. Are you aware of any examples in your locality? Or any suggested reading/sources of information?

Alice Fuller from Sydney Australia is researching the history of the Gate Lodge at Government House (Sydney) for the purposes of its restoration by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust. This building was built in 1846-8 to a design by the Colonial Government Architect Mortimer Lewis. It is, however, thought to be identical to the Forest Gate Keeper's Lodge at Windsor Great Park. What I am trying to establish is, if this building is still standing and if there is any information relating to it. Do you know anything about this building or can you point me in the right direction? I appreciate your assistance. Any information please contact Alice at Weir + Phillips Architects and Heritage Consultants Level 2 134 Broadway, Broadway NSW 2007. Ph (02) 9212 5458 Fax (020) 9212 0335

Notice Board

The making of the Berkshire landscape:
A celebration of WG Hoskins

To remind you that this is an important date for your diary. SATURDAY 12th NOVEMBER 2005 9.45 am to 4.30 pm. The event will be held at The New Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Road, Reading. An application form to attend this day has been included as an insert in this Newsletter. Please make sure your members take a copy of the form if they wish to attend and return it to the address shown with the appropriate payment.

Berkshire Local History Association
Annual General Meeting
11th March 2006

We are letting you know the date for our next AGM now in the hope that by reducing the risk of double booking, more of you can attend than were able to this year. We will let you have more details nearer the time.

Special Feature

Shaw House Restoration Project

Shaw House, an Elizabethan manor house on the edge of Newbury, is currently undergoing a £6million restoration programme supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

After making his money in the cloth trade during the early 1500s Thomas Dolman from Newbury made the move to invest in land and property as the industry fell into decline in the mid 16th century. He bought estates in the Cotswolds and in 1554, the manor of Shaw. These purchases enabled the family to gain a foothold amongst the landed gentry. Within fifty years of the purchase of Shaw their wealth and education projected them into the Court's innermost circles; by the early 1600s Shaw House was sufficiently impressive for the King and Queen to stay there.

On his death in 1575 Thomas Dolman left the manor of Shaw to his second son Thomas. After a dispute with his elder brother over the will Thomas finally acquired Shaw in 1577 and began building a new manor house soon after. The date 1581 is inscribed in Roman numerals in the south porch and is repeated on a rainwater head on the east front. This date has been confirmed by recent tree-ring analysis of the roof timbers. There is no identifiable earlier fabric within the present building suggesting that the house was built on a new site. Recent research has indicated that the medieval manor house was north-west of the present house and that some of these earlier buildings survived until the 20th century. That Shaw House was built in a relatively short, single campaign of work and on a new site explains why the brick house of the 1580s has such unity of design. This marks it out as an extremely important surviving house of its period.

The house passed through many owners until 1939 when it was requisitioned for military use. In 1943 following the destruction of the Newbury Senior Council School by a German bomb, Shaw House was adapted to provide alternative accommodation. Shaw House School developed in the grounds and the house itself remained in school use until 1985 when it was thought to be structurally unsafe.

The ownership of Shaw House transferred from Berkshire County Council to West Berkshire Council in 1998. After a lengthy process of developing plans, undertaking archaeological research and recording and extensive local consultation to support grant applications, the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded the project a grant of £4.195 million in 2004. The project is also supported by £1million from Vodafone. Work started on site in January 2005 and the house is due to open in Autumn 2006. It will be open to the public and pre-booked school and adult groups for over 100 days a year. It will also be used for civic marriages, teacher training and other Council and community functions.

More information about the project and the results of some of the recent research is available on the project website, www.shawhouse.org.uk.

Amanda Loaring, Special Projects Manager, West Berkshire Council

Society News

Bracknell and District Historical Society

In April, the last meeting of our Winter Season, we held our A.G.M. Bernard Slatter after three years stalwart chairmanship retired and Jeff Wood was elected in his place. After the business of the meeting, Ciara Canning, Heritage Online Project Officer for the Bracknell Forest Borough Council, gave a short talk about the website which will act as a central resource for the heritage of Bracknell Forest - past and present.

During the Summer break we try to arrange visits of historical interest. On May 3rd members visited Nuffield Place, former home of Lord Nuffield founder of Morris Motors. Everyone said how they enjoyed touring the house as they were allowed to wander at will. They spent so much time in the house I do not think many were able to visit the bluebell woods.

In June we had a local outing to Moor Close, Binfield (Newbold College). Following a talk by Dr Harry Leonard about Newbold College in September, we were invited to pay a visit to the house and gardens. Oliver Hill re-modelled the house in 1910 and also designed the garden for C. Birch Crisp and his family. After the war Newbold College moved down from London and took over the house and grounds, and have been there ever since, greatly extending the accommodation. Dr Leonard is now restoring the garden to the original plan, an awesome task. We were shown the main ground-floor rooms of the house, which were lovely. The whole place had a very happy atmosphere, we all remarked on it.

Sheila M. Hasted

Goring and Streatley Local History Society

In January Joan Dils gave us a talk on local communities in the 16th/17th centuries, a time when the UK was not unified. There were similarities and differences from area to area and she compared four large parishes in the Midlands and South of England. Hearth Tax returns revealed large differences in prosperity but agriculture was still the primary occupation, especially for the poorer classes.

We held our Annual lunch in February at Streatley golf club, when 34 members enjoyed a pleasant occasion; a successful raffle boosted the Society's funds.

Dr, John Wilson from Cogges Farm Museum was the speaker at our March meeting; his subject was "Early Photography and the local historian". He guided us through the development of illustration from the engravings and daguerreotypes of the 18th and early 19th centuries to the introduction of the photographic process, which meant that images could now be fixed and reproduced. He brought a wide selection of early-illustrated books and pointed out that careful study of early photographs could reveal much interesting detail. In April Ann Cole gave a talk on local place names, which often indicated the presence of local topographical features such as woods and streams.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII our Members' Evening in May took the form of personal reminiscences of the War. These included sailing in arctic convoys, RAF service in India and the Far East, work as a Bevin Boy in Yorkshire, schooldays in Northern England and training as a wireless operator.

The Annual Outing in June was to Dyrham Park, a National Trust property near Cirencester, fine weather made for an enjoyable day.

At the AGM in July, Ray Carter was re-elected as Chairman. Our Treasurer reported a satisfactory financial position and subscriptions will remain unchanged for a further year.

A.J. Simpson

Goring archives on the move

In 2001 the Goring and Streatley Local History Society re-housed its collection of archives in a room in the Goring Community Centre. Prior to that the Hon. Archivist had kept everything in her own home, but when she relinquished the post another site had to be found, and luckily the room it now occupies became available. Having equipped it with the necessary filing cabinets, cupboards, shelving and a photocopier, as well as a table and chairs the archives moved and I took over as Hon. Archivist with Angela Hall as Assistant Archivist.

As we were very unfamiliar with the collection we have spent the years since then looking at every item it contains and are still compiling a detailed card index, which will complement the existing catalogue. It's a bit like painting the Forth Bridge for no sooner do we think that the end is in sight than we are given some more treasures. And we still have not done the books. During these last few months we have been given major collections from two of the Society's members. Over many years they have done a lot of research and have both generously given all their outstanding work to the Society. This is valuable, not only for the completed work but also as it points the way to further research on some of the topics they did not complete.

A major project which was started towards the end of 2004 and which is now nearly completed has been the digital scanning of the photographic collection (approximately 1200 items) and transference of them to discs. There are now two sets of discs, to be kept separate from each other and also the original photographs, thereby safeguarding the images. Before the scanning started all the photographs were checked against the existing catalogue and stray ones were rounded up. A new numbering system was introduced as the original one had been overtaken by the many photographs that have been acquired since 1966 when the Society was founded and the collection began.

Working in teams of two, the majority of the photographs are now scanned, apart from some very recent additions and a few large ones which are presenting a bit of a problem. At the Society's recent AGM a short presentation of about forty pictures was made taking advantage of the new digital system. The theme was a walk down Goring High Street from 1870 to 2005. The latest picture was a shot of the devastation at the Goring HSBC bank whose front wall was partially demolished when the cash point was stolen. The 1870 picture shows a more peaceful village scene.

Jenny Emmerton Hon. Archivist

Mortimer Local History Group

Our April meeting was well attended to hear a talk by a local villager, Derek Herbert, on accommodation provided throughout the country for factory workers since the Industrial Revolution. This was Derek's second visit and, once again, he entertained with his lively and informed talk, which he illustrated with slides.

Our AGM in May was also well attended. The officers were re-elected, all being willing to continue for another year. After the official business we had a general spirited discussion on Changes in Mortimer.

In June, Stephen Burt, one of our members, showed us two books he had compiled and privately published on his family history, one with the family tree and the other on his relatives. His extensive research has resulted in many world-wide contacts.

We had a very entertaining Members' meeting in July in which we spoke for a few minutes each on interesting relations. These ranged from a bare-knuckle fighter with a taste for whiskey to life in a Welsh vicarage. As this was so successful it would be a useful subject to repeat at short notice if we do not have a speaker.

At our A.G.M. it was decided at that meeting that we should hold an exhibition at the end of the year and since then we have made progress in its organisation. I will report more on this later

June Woodward

Project Purley

In April our Chairman Jean Debney gave a talk explaining the Manorial system existing in Purley in times past. As mentioned in the Domesday Book there were three Manors in Purley, namely Purley Magna, Purley Parva and Purley La Hyde. Jean explained in detail the complications of the Manorial system and together with a wealth of maps and documents made this a most interesting evening.

Sitting in the ancient Barn, members were reminded of the re-enactment of the Court Baron of 1786 given in the Barn at the millennium AD 2001. The Court Baron, being part of the Manorial authority of Purley Magna, was originally held in the Red Lion public house in Purley. Sadly, the exact location of the Red Lion has never been established despite much research by various members of the Society.

Our Summer programme began in May with the annual walkabout, exploring the Englefield Estates. A group of thirty members assembled and spent a pleasant evening in the extensive gardens, enjoying the variance of shrubs and flowers. There was much wild life to be seen, including the herd of deer nearby. It was possible to visit the beautiful estate Church and to see the nave which dates from 1190AD. There were many ancient memorials to be seen, referring to past generations of the Englefield family. This was an interesting visit enjoyed by all.

In June some twenty members visited Nuffield Place, the home of William Morris, Lord Nuffield, who founded Morris Motors. After coffee, and a brief talk on the life and times of Lord Nuffield, members were invited to tour the house and gardens. The house is delightful, a rare survival of a home still of the 1930's period, and with a most lived in atmosphere. The gardens are extensive and beautifully maintained. An interesting visit was rounded off with a delicious lunch at a nearby Inn.

Our summertime activities ended in July with the popular event, the Barbecue. Again held in the delightful garden of Dorothy and Ben Viljoen. Blessed with a warm summer's evening members forgathered, and amidst the lavender and rosemary, tucked into delicious food and drink. Much chatter and laughter ensued until the shadows lengthened and the candles had been lit. But then, regretfully it was time to end, and we raised a last glass to our hosts in recognition of their hospitality, and said our farewells until we meet again.

Milly Bordiss

Sandhurst Historical Society

Our meetings are held at The Community Hall, usually on the last Thursday of each month, commencing at 7.30pm.

If you are interested in history why not visit us. Visitors are always welcome and you will find that we have interesting speakers and outings.

In June we had an evening at Eagle House School when some of the pupils gave us very interesting accounts of their visits to the war graves in France and, in July, we had an outing to Bletchley Park which was enjoyed by all who went.

Our book "Sandhurst during the Second World War" has now been published and is on sale price £4.50. By all accounts this book is proving to be very popular and selling well. Our current programme includes a talk by Edna Millington on "The Seymours of Elvetham" which will be on the 25th August.

Should require further details please ring Zoe Travers on 01252 375579.

Our meetings always find time for a cup of tea, biscuit and a chat. We also have a library of historical type books available for member to borrow.

We are worth finding out more about!! Do come and join us.

Janice Burlton

Sonning & Sonning Eye Society

September sees the Society celebrating its first birthday, and to mark it we will be putting on Henry Woodyer in Sonning on Sunday 11 September, which we are organising under the auspices of Heritage Open Days. The day will highlight the significance of this High Victorian architect, whose work makes quite an impact on our historic village.

Henry Woodyer, 1816-1896, worked extensively in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire. Mostly known for church restorations and building schools and vicarages, he is also associated with Houses of Mercy, institutions for fallen women, several of which can be found in and near Windsor (Robert Palmer of Holme Park was a member of the Council at Clewer). Sonning offers a variety of buildings demonstrating Woodyer's highly individual style, including more unusually a mansion, a building type with which he was little associated.

The following will be open from 12 noon - 5.00 pm and entrance will be free:

• St Andrew's Church:
  Tower open 2.00 - 4.00 pm - Special tours available at 1.30 pm, 2.30 pm and 3.30 pm.
• Reading Blue Coat School, Sonning Lane:
  Exterior and three interior rooms - Special tours available at 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm
• North Lodge, Sonning Lane & Masters, Thames Street: Exteriors only
• Exhibition, Pearson Hall, Pearson Road (also in St Andrew's and Blue Coat School):

A complementary exhibition of photographs puts Woodyer in context and relates his work at Sonning to his other significant buildings locally (e.g. Christchurch in Reading, St Paul's in Wokingham, St John the Evangelist in Woodley) - Refreshments from 2.00 - 5.00 pm.

Car parking will be available at 1) The Mill Theatre and 2) The Reading Blue Coat School. All vehicle owners will be asked to pay £1.00 to park, which will entitle them to use both car parks. Car parking for disabled visitors is available at all venues except Masters and Pearson Hall.

Our summer issue of bridge may be of interest to local historians for its article on the Bishop's Palace at Sonning and a story about a cricket team photographed at Holme Park immediately before the First World War. Since publication we have established, thanks to a former employee, that the team were all employees of Suttons Seeds. Our contact sounds to have an interesting archive, which we will follow up after Heritage Open Day Weekend. You can view back copies of bridge at: http://www.sonning.org.uk/publicity.html.

Forthcoming Events include an autumn walk The Stones of Sonning, which will be led by Professor Bruce Sellwood, University of Reading, and restricted to members only. Open to all, however, will be a talk on Friday 27 January 2006 by Nick Siney, Bricks from yesteryear still manufactured for today and tomorrow. This will take place in The Pearson Hall, Pearson Road at 7:15 p.m. for 7:30pm

Twyford & Ruscombe Local History Society

At our March meeting we celebrated our 28th AGM, members agreed to a small rise in subscriptions due to rising expenses and a glass of wine afterwards was most acceptable.

A return visit from Brian Boulter in April was a lecture on the 'Stage Coach Era'. Previously travellers had suffered bumpy and cold journeys by horse and cart. The first coaches carried 8 passengers - four inside and four on top. The inside seats were reserved for women and sick children.

The first coach to depart from London was pulled by four horses and probably went as far as Windsor or Maidenhead. In 1700 the Turnpike Trust was formed and Toll Gates were installed to protect the roads. Of course wealthy families owned their own coaches adorned with crests and later Mail Coaches were used to carry mail. Later Mr. Pickford produced a fleet of wagons for goods transporting - these being of a wooden construction and covered in a similar manner to the American Covered Wagons.

The railways in 1841 and the G.W.R. line to Bristol put an end to coach travel in spite of the higher cost of train journeys. In May Ron Smith, a wonderful lecturer, was due to attend, but sadly was unable to come due to ill health. Paddy Derry held the fort with a talk featuring slides of Twyford's past village personalities.

David Embling's June lecture on the 'History of English Furniture' was most enjoyable. The beginning of his talk dealt with furniture of the 13th Century when noble men travelled with chests made of hollow log bounded with iron. Those chests developed into six planted boxes with legs to lift them off damp floors. Coffee stalls were used in churches as coffin stands and in large houses as coffee tables. The oak table was the forerunner of the leaf table in Henry VIII's reign. In Stuart times life was reflected in furniture which became lighter and more decorated. We look forward to Mr Embling's second part of his lecture on furniture in later years.

In July a visit to view Wren's churches in London proved to be most interesting and later in the month members enjoyed a ploughman's lunch in fine weather.

Betty Cossey

Wargrave Local History Society

For Wargrave Local History Society's April meeting, Jean Debney spoke about the meanings and derivations of surnames, illustrated with examples taken from member's surnames. She explained that people haven't always had surnames - and the name today may be a variant of the original spelling. The Norman's had a need to determine which 'John', say, had paid the taxes, owned a piece of land, etc. The clerk who recorded names wrote what he heard. Deducing derivations 1000 years later, therefore, involves considering 'possibilities', not identifying a 'definitive meaning'. The influences on names were many:- Viking traditions to the north-east of a line from the Mersey to the Thames, Anglo Saxons names of Germanic origin to the south-west, whilst in Wales and Cornwall, Celtic traditions dominated. The Normans brought Gaulish names, and also 'Frenchified' many others. There were also dialect affects - eg some areas tended to 'drop the H'. Initially surnames were for the upper classes - only later did those of lower classes adopt them. More names were formally recorded with the introduction of parish registers in 1538, whilst civil registration from July 1837 tended to stabilise their spelling.

Michael Bayley's subject in May was "The Survival of Lowland British Words and Phrases" - the language of local farming people derived, he suggested, from Celtic languages. Research shows that the Saxon invasion of Hengist and Horsa was about 200 men in 3 ships, and that of Cedric and Cynric was only 5 ships and 350 men. It is improbable that this tiny Saxon force 'captured' Britain, and therefore elements of the Celtic language survived - and old words of the British language can still be found is in field and place names. Michael explained many examples -- such as 'Ruddles Pool' near Dorney, and 'Cuckoo Weir', close to Eton College.

As part of the Wargrave Village Festival, the Society conducted 'Historic Village Walks', looking at the places and hearing of the people and events that have shaped our village over the past 900 years, whilst at the Festival Fete, the Society displayed a number of newly acquired photographs and copies of recently found documents.

On the afternoon of Tuesday, July 12th the Society's annual 'summer visit' was to the fascinating Milestones Museum, at Basingstoke.

All are welcome to our meetings, which normally begin at 8 pm in the Hannen Room, Mill Green, Wargrave.

Peter Delaney

Wokingham History Group

In April, the "First Reading Air Pageant" was well illustrated by Ken Hussey. Organised by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Flying Club, and thanks to Arthur Russell who persuaded his mother to let them use Swallowfield Park as an airfield, this display took place in the rain on 27 October 1928. Wokingham's Winifred Spooner was the first arrival and later, with other early aviators, displayed her skills in various air-borne feats. The Pageant ended with an evening Ball. One hundred spectators enjoyed this inaugural event; ten thousand attended the 2nd Pageant at Woodley aerodrome.

In May, after a brief history of photography, we were shown how to home in on clues to identify and date old photographs by Tom Doig, a social historian at Cambridge University. Images on paper started in 1857 and subsequently evolved in format with changing fashions. This periodical element, (eg. a revival of the Egyptian influence in the early 1880's), is a dating aid. Another major clue is that there was always a reason for a photograph to be taken; such souvenirs were very expensive. Look for the central focus of attention; objects like a wedding ring or medal, or a uniform. However, clothing cannot be conclusive evidence as people would wear their best outfit for this event. Except for those rich enough to afford the latest fashion, clothes were usually out-dated and often second-hand.

Also in May, as part of Local History Month, we mounted a display in Wokingham library and, together with their staff, held a joint evening event which was quite well attended. Trevor gave a talk on sources available in the library for research, after which members were on hand to assist with enquiries.

In June, Dennis Wraight, a former member of the Sealed Knot and founder of "17th Century Life and Times", illustrated "Aspects of the Civil War" with artefacts. Wearing a simple black Royalist's outfit, which many of us first thought was Parliamentarian, he dispelled many romantic myths. There was no standard army, nor uniform. Black clothing faded to grey, red and green according to its dye and quality, which led to confusion over colours. Aspects of ordinary life, such as leather shoes made to fit either foot, were brought back to life. After the talk we saw and handled many objects; an 18 foot pike, a musket and shot, canon balls, heavy helmets, a foot-man's coat and hat etc. Also in June we had guided tours over Bearwood College.

After our brief July AGM, "Secrets of the Box" were revealed by Tony Weston. He inherited a beautiful writing desk, which had been in his family since the early 1900's. At restoration, by a specialist in Caversham, a secret compartment was found holding bundles of bills, receipts and letters dating from 1820. Research identified the family of Thomas Scales of Nottingham, whose linen factory had supplied the Royal Household. Their hidden documents gave a valuable insight into a 60 year period of family life.

Barbara Young

Other News

Heritage, Family History, Museums and Libraries

Berkshire Family History Society

Our HQ & Research Centre, with a Bookshop having the best selection in the County of Berkshire Books, CDs & Fiche, is at Yeomanry House, 131 Castle Hill, Reading, RG1 7TJ, Tel. 0118 950 9553. Opening hours:- Tues. Wed. Thurs. 10am-4pm, Tues 7-9.30pm and 2nd & 4th Sunday each month 11am-4pm. Parking available.

Also six branches:
Bracknell and Woking Branch - Priestwood community Centre, Priestwood Court Road, Bracknell, 7.15 for 7.45pm. Meetings 3rd Friday each month.
Computer Branch - the Oakwood Centre, Headley Road, Woodley 7.15 for 7.45pm. Meetings 3rd Wednesday each month.
Newbury Branch - St Mary's Church Hall, Church Road, Shaw, Newbury, 7.30 for 7.45pm. Meetings 2nd Wednesday each month.
Reading Branch - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, Church End Lane, Tilehurst, Reading, 7.15 for 7.45pm. Meetings 4th Thursday each month.
Vale of White Horse Branch - Long Furlong Community Centre, Boulter Drive, Abingdon, 7.15 for 7.30pm. Meetings 2nd Monday each month.
Windsor, Slough and Maidenhead Branch - Christ Church United Reformed Church, William Street, Windsor, 7.30 for 7.45. Meetings 4th Tuesday each month.
Branch programmes on the website.

Branch meetings are open to all members and visitors but the Research Centre charges visitors £2.00 per day
The website, www.berksfhs.org.uk, includes our Bookshop holdings which are available by electronic order, or MailOrder from Berkshire FHS at the above address - make cheques out to BerksFHSBooks.

Berkshire Maps - 6 ins to1 mile 1st edn OS Maps for the whole of pre-1974 Berkshire. The survey commenced in 1867 and was published from 1881 on 51 maps. Scanned from the set in the BRO and includes an index of towns, villages and hamlets with bookmarks for each map; CD-ROM priced at £10.50 incl. p&p in U.K, £11.95 o/s.

Berkshire Burial Index 3rd Edition - An index of over 353,000 burials (so far) from the registers of 166 parishes, plus cemeteries & non-conformist places of worship in pre-1974 Berkshire. List of the places and dates covered are on the above website; CD-ROM priced at £14.50 incl. p&p U.K, £15.95 o/s. This is a continuing Project.

1851 Berkshire Census - A fully indexed transcript by Berkshire FHS combined with the MACH 2 (Mapping & Analysis of Census Households) software make this a very useful tool for family, local and social historians; £23.00 incl. p&p U.K, £24.10 o/s.

Transcribed Parish Registers available on CD are: Barkham, Burghfield, Clewer, Combe, Compton, East Ilsley, West Ilsley, Swallowfield, Theale, Tilehurst. Prices, date range & much more on the above web site or write for a booklist.

Cliff Debney

Berkshire Record Office

Forthcoming events
Further dates have been added for our introductory visits to the Office. These are: 10 October; 23 January 2006; 10 April 2006. All visits begin at 2pm. Numbers are limited so please book by contacting the Office.

We will be hosting a display on Berkshire church architecture on the evening of 7 September. This event is in conjunction with St Mary's church in Reading, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. The display will follow a service at St Mary's, to which all are welcome.

We will also be open for the annual Heritage Open Days on Saturday 10 September. We will be providing you with a chance to see inside the strongrooms. Again, numbers are limited, so please book in advance by contacting the Office.

Medieval documents trace history of Warfield Park
Warfield residents have a new source available for researching the history of their area, as we have acquired a collection of hundreds of property deeds for Warfield Park spanning the 13th to the 19th centuries.

John Walsh purchased the Warfield Park estate in 1765 on his return to England from India. Walsh had been in the employment of the East India Company, and became Private Secretary to Lord Clive of India in 1757. At the time he bought the estate he was the MP for Worcester. He rebuilt Warfield Park house in 1766.

Walsh's heirs, the Lords Ormathwaite, then added to the estate during the 19th century, buying up further lands in Warfield and Winkfield.

The estate was sold after the death of the 3rd Lord Ormathwaite in 1939 to Archie Maclaren, the famous Victorian cricketer. The house, neglected for many years, was taken over by American troops in the war and was destroyed by a fire.

The collection now available for research comprises property deeds for purchases made by John Walsh and the Ormathwaites from 1765-1866, though the earliest documents in it date from the 13th and 14th centuries.

Bare-faced Methodists preferred in Victorian times
In late June we celebrated the completion of a project to list Methodist church records. We held a reception at the Record Office in Reading in the presence of Lady Elizabeth Godsal, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Berkshire, for local councillors and societies (including the BLHA), representatives of the Methodist church and other faiths.

Over 2700 items have been listed during the course of the project, and these have made available a wealth of information for the history of Methodism (and its community work) across the county from 1803 to the present day. Records have come from over 100 individual churches as well as the higher-level circuits which administer them.

At the reception guests were treated to a display of highlights from the collection. Amongst these was a minute book for the church in Maidenhead High Street, with the following:
'5 July 1864: Brother White suggested that we ought not as profession Christians to allow persons who wear a moustache to address our Sabbath School, as it may have a baneful influence upon the boys and young men of the school. This practice was spoken of in language of detestation especially by the fair sex, and all allowed that a Methodist especially, or in fact any Englishman, could not be too 'bare-faced.''
Lady Godsal delivered a speech of thanks to the Record Office staff for their efforts to make the archives available for research. Dr Peter Durrant, County Archivist, also spoke about the collection.

Funding secured for County mental health archive
We are delighted to announce that the Wellcome Trust has generously awarded us £22,000 for a project to list and repair the historic archive of Fair Mile Hospital in Cholsey. The Hospital was previously the Berkshire County Lunatic Asylum and has a rich collection of records dating from 1870 that detail the management of the Hospital as well as life for the patients and staff. Work on the collection will start in the autumn and it should be available for research next spring.

The Berkshire Echo, the quarterly newsletter of the Record Office, is available from the Office or on the news page at www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk.

Mark Stevens

Bracknell Forest - Heritage Online

New resource enables residents to take a 'virtual' walk through the history of Bracknell Forest...

Established by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and supported by The Heritage Lottery Fund, Bracknell Forest Heritage Online is a new website dedicated to bringing together the history, memories and people of Bracknell Forest Borough- past and present.

Vast redevelopment planned for Bracknell just 50 years after it was transformed into Bracknell New Town has created a period of uncertainty for many local residents. This coupled with the absense of a dedicated museum or heritage centre led to the councils wish to provide borough residents with a forum to tell their story and express their views about the rich heritage which exists in Bracknell Forest. This exciting project has resulted in the creation of a dynamic, interactive and easily accessible website which focuses on how the borough's history has and continues to be shaped by the people who live there.

Working in partnership with local organisations and societies a vast amount of historical information has been gathered. In addition, local residents were interviewed for the web site, providing their own perspectives on Bracknell Forest's past.

Special features of the site include a stunning interactive map with links that take you to historical photographs, stories and even audio clips of the memories of local people. Visitors can find out about Bracknell Forests' famous brick industry, trace events that led to Bracknell becoming a New Town and much more.

The 'Noticeboard' provides up-to-date information about heritage events happening in Bracknell Forest, while the 'Links' section details other interesting history websites and institutions.

The website will continue to expand and develop over time as residents are invited to contribute their own memories, stories and photographs. The website will become a treasure trove of fascinating information which can constantly be added to and updated thus enabling the memories and stories of Bracknell Forest to be shared with other people and future generations.

To visit the site, go to: www.bfheritage.org.uk

For more information please contact
The Heritage On-line Project Officer
Telephone: 01344 351754
email: bracknell.heritage@bracknell-forest.gov.uk
Website: www.bfheritage.org.uk

Ciara Canning

Maidenhead Heritage Centre

The Centre welcomes visitors to its new premises in the centre of the town. There are displays on local history topics, a popular browsing table, and the best selection of local books and gifts in the town. A new list of talks for groups has been issued, contact us for a copy.

Brian Boulter

Milestones, Hampshire's Living History Museum

Offer a special discount rate for local history group members to various daytime events. The next is Tuesday 27th September at 1.00 pm Mrs Marguerite Patten: lunchtime talk on rationing and food shortages during 1940-1950.
www.milestones-museum.com

New home for the Museum of English Rural Life

Update

The Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) has now completed its move to a new site in Redlands Road. The project to rehouse the nationally-recognised object, archive and library collections has been many years in the planning and has been partly funded by a £5.17 million grant from the Heritage Lottery fund, with the remainder of the £10.5 million overall cost coming from the University of Reading and from fundraising efforts.

The new Museum is on the site of the former University hall of residence, St Andrew's Hall. The building has three elements. At its core is the house previously known as East Thorpe, which was designed in 1880 by the eminent architect Alfred Waterhouse for Alfred Palmer of Huntley and Palmers. The house was given to the University, which in 1911 constructed an extension wing for student accommodation. St Andrew's Hall continued as a hall of residence until the summer of 2001, when it was closed and construction work began. A new wing has now been added to house the exhibition of the object collections, while the original house and 1911 wing have been restored to house the library and archives. A more detailed look at the history of the house is available on the MERL website at www.merl.org.uk: follow links to the Museum and then to information about the new building project.

The library and archive reading room opened to the public on May 3rd and has already attracted readers from around the globe: a bottle of champagne was presented to our first visitors, a couple from Australia researching their family history. The reading room provides space for sixteen readers, with catalogue and photocopying facilities, and an on-demand service for fetching requested material. Many of the library's books and journals can be browsed by visitors. In addition to the history of farming and the countryside, the archive and library collections contain records, books and photographs which relate to the Berkshire area and are often used by local researchers. The reading room is open to all, but we do recommend researchers make an appointment in advance, so that we can ensure that material is available.

The exhibition of the object collections is now open, although work will continue and enhancements will be added over the coming months. Opening hours for both the exhibition and the reading room are Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm. Admission is free. The Museum will be piloting a programme of events and activities during the coming Autumn term before launching an annual events programme in 2006. For more information please contact us on 0118 378 8660, or see the website, www.merl.org.uk. We can also be contacted by email at merl@reading.ac.uk.

Bridget Andrews

Reading Central Library

August will be a busy month in the Library.

After nine years on the top floor, the Local Studies Collection is having a move-round, and at the same time, the room is being re-decorated.

The result will be a lighter, more open and inviting area in which to search for books and information, and to study. The improved lay-out and signage will make it easier to find your way round the classification scheme.

There will be more books on open access (i.e. not locked in glass cases), and as far as practicable, the distinction between "oversize" and "ordinary-sized" books will be abolished, with both being filed in a single sequence.

As previously, it will still be necessary to store some of the stock elsewhere in the Library, but nothing will be leaving the building.

Obviously, the changes in location will mean a lot of work to bring the catalogue up-to-date, and the aim is to complete the cataloguing of all local studies books at the same time, removing the need for the old sheaf catalogue. This will take some time to complete.

Also during August, the Library will introduce a new electronic catalogue and circulation system. This will mean that it will be possible to search the whole of the library catalogue, or just a part of it - for instance, you'll be able to search just the local illustrations collection, or just the local studies book collection, or both together.

Work on cataloguing and scanning the illustrations continues, and all the loose photographs classified as Reading street-scenes can now be searched for and viewed. The next images to appear will be those from the Library's collection of lantern slides and glass negatives. The catalogue, which gives access to the illustrations, is at www.readinglibraries.org.uk

David Cliffe Local Studies Manager

Reading Museum Service

These are just some of the exhibitions and events that may be of interest to BLHA members. For details of all our forthcoming events and exhibition details please go to www.readingmuseum.org.uk/news

Why not join our free mailing list, fill out a form at the museum shop or call us on 0118 939 9800.

Exhibitions:
Must-Have Toys 6 August - 27 November, Museum of Reading See favourite toys from the last 100 years, together for the first time, in the most comprehensive collection of desirable toys ever seen in the UK.

Reading 1945 13 August - 4 December, Museum of Reading An evocative selection of photographs taken in 1945 to document daily life in Reading as the Second World War drew to a close.

Their Past Your Future 18 October - 25 November, Museum of Reading A national touring exhibition from the Imperial War Museum exploring how the Second World War changes the people and the landscape of the UK forever.

Events:
Behind the Scenes - Taste of the Collections Friday 9 September, Off-site Store Explore behind the scenes at the museum store in South Reading, led by the curators. See a wide range of objects from prehistoric hand axes and Roman pots to decorative tableware, and bones to biscuit tins - all on the theme of food in history. For adults 2.00pm - 4.00pm Free but numbers are limited so phone 0118 939 9800 to book your place.

Lunchtime talk - Archaeology in Reading and Beyond, Wednesday 5 October, 1-1.30pm, Museum of Reading, Free, drop in

Egyptian Fun Day, Saturday 19 November, Museum of Reading Join members of the Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society for a special fun day of Egyptian activities, including objects that are not normally on display. 10am-12pm and 1-3pm. Free, drop in. All ages.

Matthew Williams Senior Curator

Courses

University of Reading's School of Continuing Education

History courses and day schools taking place from October 2005 at the University's London Road campus unless otherwise stated.

Certificate of Higher Education in History
Place The University, Whiteknights Campus or Newbury College, Monks Lane Campus
Date Reading: from 5 Oct 2005 Newbury: from 26 Sep 2005
Time Reading: Thu 7.00pm-9.30pm Newbury: Tue 6.30pm-9.00pm
Fee £216 per module Credits 20 per module
Autumn term

Ten credits are earned for morning, afternoon and evening courses, the cost of which is £72 (£40). Day schools cost £28 (£23).

Morning courses

C01 Everyday life at the Tudor Court
Start Tue 4 Oct 2005 (10 meetings)
Time Tue 10.00am-12.00pm
C02 Victorian Britain
Start Fri 7 Oct 2005 (10 meetings)
Time Fri 10.00am-12.00pm

Afternoon courses

C04 Poverty in Britain 1700-1950
Start Thu 6 Oct 2005 (10 meetings)
Time Thu 1.30pm-3.30pm

Evening courses

C06 The last kings of Anglo-Saxon England
Start Thu 6 Oct 2005 (10 meetings)
Time Thu 7.30pm-9.30pm

Day schools

C07 Nelson and Trafalgar
Date Sat 15 Oct 2005
Time Sat 10.00am-4.30pm
C08 Gunpowder, treason and what?!
Date Sat 5 Nov 2005
Time Sat 10.00am-4.30pm
C09 The making of the Berkshire landscape: a celebration of WG Hoskins
Place Museum of English Rural Life
Date Sat 12 Nov 2005
Time Sat 9.45am-4.30pm
C10 Pirates or privateers? Buccaneering in the Irish Sea 1763-85
Date Sat 19 Nov 2005
Time Sat 10.00am-4.30pm
C11 Churchill: soldier and statesman
Date Sat 3 Dec 2005
Time Sat 10.00am-4.30pm

C12 Archive sources for family and local history: probate records
Place Berkshire Record Office
Date Sat 3 Dec 2005
Time Sat 10.00am-4.30pm
Please note that pencils only may be used in the Record Office

For further information on any of these courses you can check the website on www.reading.ac.uk/ContEd or call 0118 378 8347. An enrolment form can be downloaded from the website or found in the School's Public Courses prospectus.

Report from BLHA Website

The 'hit counter', gives the overall total hits as 6415

Unique Visitors*

* Unique visitors means it is not counting when a visitor returns to the site.

Geographical Breakdown (of last 100 visitors)

The statistical analysis shows that the most popular pages on the website, (apart from the home page) are the Links page and the Journal.

Queries received through the website

From June 2004 to August 2005 the total number of enquiries via the website totals 24.

Emily Tarrant, webdesigner@blha.org.uk