My Reading

Hi Steve – I think your mum made my school dresses. They caused a stir at school, as I wanted a trendier style, but when I got to school the school Head Mr Tuggey liked them and told the school they could get the same style as mine made if they wanted to, and I’m told quite a few did so as well. He had me stand in assembly in the dress to show the girls and said they could get them made like mine. Great seamstress.

Hi Marcia, I used to go down those steps on roller skates, you may remember I don’t know. Sue Henderson used to hold up the traffic so I could zoom over towards the river. Mum went b…..nuts. we both got a good telling off.

Hi Geoff. Robbie Wicks’ mum would make me sit on her front doorstep and eat 2 bowls of bread pudding, because she thought I was so thin. Mind you I didn’t put up much resistance. Last time I saw Robbie he was riding along on his pushbike along the Oxford Rd. He lives off the Overdown Rd. The cross keys was later purchased by Laurie Sanchez and Dennis Wise and turned into a restaurant.

Hello Robert – I remember yourself and brother. The fish and chip shop was run by Gerry Allerton, who I later worked with at Reading Telephones or BT as it is now. I also worked with Bob Wicks on BT for many years, who you would know, he lived in Field Rd. We both went to Coley School in the same class. Spring Gardens Band was a Reading Band, named after Spring Gardens at Whitley Pump area – Pangbourne also had a brass band. Anyway, we practised above the Cross Keys on the corner of Gun St and St Marys Butts, and also in the old Simmonds Canteen in Bridge St.

Yes Steve at the bottom of Coley steps. Robin had 2 brothers and a sister Paul is the youngest Lyn is the name of his sister. Still trying to remember his other brother’s name. When I moved to Ringwood RD. Robin’s family moved to Oxford Rd exactly opposite my back garden. If you go up to School Rd. there’s a great possibility you will bump into Marcia. My family all went to Katesgrove.

Hi Robert – I remember the Sayers from Dover Street, we used to go to Coley School in Wolseley Street together in the 50’s. I think Robin had a brother Paul and sister Lyn, though could be wrong due to bad memory,lol. Do you remember when we used to build a bonfire in November on the old wasteland in Wolseley Street and everyone turned up on the 5th and lit their fireworks. we also baked potatoes in the fire and sold lemonade to make a few pennies.

Hi Steve. I lived at 27 Dover Street, my best mate was Robin Sayer who lived at 11. I moved to Tilehurst in 1961 and lived in Ringwood Road, my brother Cyril still lives there, I moved out of Ringwood Road when I got married in 1967 and moved to Dee Park Estate in 1968 and have been there since. My wife passed away in 2011 after we were together for 46 years.
I remember karting down Stony Hill and like you glad the railings were there to stop us going in the brook.
The house I was born in was pulled down and a playground was built on the site.

Hi Robert – I lived at number 1 Dover Street untill we moved to Wolseley Street in 1956.
I got married in 1985 and moved to Tilehurst also, I now live in Romsey Road.

and Hi Marcia – I remember sledging down Stoney Hill in the winter too, we never stopped untill we hit the railings by the Holy Brook.

Hi Steve, Thanks for your info, my two elder brothers were teddy boys and I remember them buying trousers and taking them to your mum who took them in to 14″ widths. We moved from Dover Street in 1961, to Tilehurst, my mother passed away 2 years later in 1963 she was only 48. My father died in 1992.

Hi Robert.

The lady you are thinking of who did the trouser alterations was my mother. We lived at 127 Wolseley Street and her name was Irene Mills. She was married to my father Alfred who used to like a tipple in the Blue Lion now and again.
My mother passed away sadly in 1967 and my father in 2005.

regards,
Steve.

Hi Marcia. Do you remember the Beardmore family?  I think they lived next door to the Jenkins, but I’m not sure. Cheryl used to frighten the life out of me, coz I always thought she was going to smack her head on the floor. When my grandson went to Denefield, Ken Jenkins, Christine’s elder brother, had a daughter going there as well and I used to chat to him whilst waiting for the kids to come out.

Hi Pauline, you are right of course, it was Pam, Joan is her elder sister. Their dad, my uncle, was G.H. Marshall who had the oil fired central business in Carey Street. I also have another brother called Cyril, who is 2 years younger than Alan, he also went to Katesgrove.
I believe one of the Winterbourne girls was called Margaret, but Marcia Tegg will confirm it for me.

Hi – I was born in 1956 in Reading, my mum was from a Reading family, her name was Rita Cook who married my dad Raymond, always known as John Chapman. They will both be celebrating their 80th birthdays this year. My mum’s family was from Stockton Road in Reading – her mum and dad were Mary and Albert Cook. She had 4 brothers, 2 of them Alan and Ray were stepbrothers with surname of Harris. Alan emigrated to Canada and Ray married a German girl called Ruth – they had 4 children – 2 girls called Rita and Sue and 2 boys Billy and Michael. They lived in Southcote and I remember my sister Dawn was a bridesmaid at Billy’s wedding. Michael unfortunately died in an accident I believe in the early 70s. Although both our families were very close after my grannies Mary died in 71 or 2 there was a dispute in family and been no contact since. Does anyone know of the Harris family?  It would be good to make some kind of contact again. My dad’s family is a mystery to me – I know he had 2 sisters who lived in Reading – one older and one younger. He also used to work in the Gasworks, I remember going there when very young, and also worked at Blundells in Castle Street. Be good to contact anybody who knew or remembers these families .

Yes Robert – your brother was at school with me – I thought the head girl was Pam Marshall. My husbands auntie lived next door to that corner shop in Field Rd, and she was married to my father-in-law’s brother, so she was a Winterbourne,but whether she had that sweet shop before I married Terry I don’t know.

Hi Robert – I remember those steps – yes there were 52 and those bars – Cheryl Fowler used to go over and over on those holding her ankles and Laurie Fowler went from top to bottom of Stoney Hill on his feet in the snow and ice with someone at the bottom of the hill watching for traffic. They are alive and still living in Southsea. Christine Jenkins has retired and gone to live down Bournemouth way – Marcia

Hi John,

My father Leonard Fullbrook cannot remember Geoff Weller, and he was with Spring Gardens Band from soon after the war in mid 1940s and throughout the 1950s. He remembers playing in national comps in London and Belle Vue Manchester. Also the Forbury, Prom, Elm Park and Corpus Christi procession in Reading. He played solo horn. He does not remember Bertie House.

Regards
Carole

To Pauline Winterbourne – my brother Alan was a Prefect at Katesgrove and my cousin was head girl – her name was Joan Marshall. Alan was born in 1939. We all lived in Dover Street No.27. Also – were you related to the Winterburns who had the corner shop on Garnet st. and Field Rd?

To Geoff Weller – my Dad was the percussionist in the Reading Military Band, they would play at alternative venues to you. If you played at Elm Park on the Saturday, Reading Military would play the Forbury on the Sunday. Your band was based at Pangbourne whereas Dad’s practised at the H & P social club in Gas Works Rd.

To Marcia Tegg – the Chapmans I believe lived up St Saviours Rd. by Coley Park.

Note from John Cummings – I think that is correct – Horace and Betty Chapman lived in St Saviours Road opposite the Rec – my mother was very friendly with Betty. I have found a Betty Chapman living in Tilehurst and have tried to ring her but there is no reply. If anyone knows where Betty is I would love to know.

To David Wiffen – Dover Street was at the top of Stony Hill, which had 52 steps up one side. The fish and chip shop you mention on the corner of Garnet Street and Field Rd., was called Gerry’s. The other 2 corners of Garnet Hill and Field Rd had a sweet shop owned by the Winterburns and on the other corner was a grocer shop owned by Mr Matthews, who was a Methodist and attended the Methodist church on the Oxford Rd. between Howard and Zinzan streets. My family attended the Baptist church in Carey Street.

These memories are amazing to read 🙂 It’s hard to believe this community spirit existed in Reading once upon a time. You’ve done a great job in pulling people together here on your website 🙂

Hope all is well in Aus.

Best, Juliet

My Dad Bertie House who lived at 72 Wolseley St also played for the Spring Gardens band with Ted and George Watkins. Do you remember him? In the band he used to take us to the Forbury Gardens on Sundays to listen to the band and later George Watkins was the school band master at Ashmead school where I learned to play the cornet and tenor horn and played at the Reading Town Hall and most of the local school fetes.

I have just found a photo of Coley School Coronation Celebrations in 1953,  where we are dressed as Elizabethans.  Back row from left –  Veronica Pyke, Ann …., Wendy Smith, Pamela Hathaway, cant’ remember, Janice Watkins, my Sister Wendy Weller,  don’t know.  Front row from left – myself Geoffrey Weller and Derek Watkins dressed as trumpeters.  I think there is another John in the centre.  Does anyone know the other names I have forgotten?  I think Jayne Grainger is in touch with Veronica Pyke, or Carole maybe.


Note: The reason the photo is in twice is because I have fiddled with it to make it larger and therefore easier to see without losing too much resolution. So the first photo is Geoff’s original and the second is my rehash of it.