Wargrave Local History Society
(Founded 1981)
The Society's Books |
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A copy of the Booklet describing four Historic Village Walks can also be downloaded free from Dropbox as a PDF file by clicking on the cover image below: ![]() |
Reports of Recent Meetings:
Reports of
previous meetings are held in an Archive
Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month starting at 8pm at the Old Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Wargrave. RG10 8BG
(Click for a map)
The committee have decided that with the relaxation of COVID 19 regulations it is now
appropriate to resume our normal meeting arrangements.
However, at this stage, we think it is prudent to limit the numbers
attending, so that the chairs can be spaced further apart than we have
done in the past.
We would ask that anyone who plans to come to the meetings now
to please request a place
(on a first come, first served basis) no
later than the preceding Tuesday, by emailing
The Secretary
which will give us time to let you know
if there will be sufficient room for all those who wish to attend.
If not, we will not be making the meeting available to non-members.
Subscriptions: The 2022-2023
programme.
Chalk, Caverns and Commandos
Windsor's Medieval Hospital Jackson's of Reading The Annual General
Meeting
Family £18 Individual £12
Visitors are welcome - £5 per meeting
2022
April 12
Richard Marks
Arrival of the Railways in Reading
Brunel's Great Western Railway from London to Bristol reached Reading in 1840, whilst the London and South Western and the South Eastern railways also served the town. Richard will tell us of their early history, and their impact on the locality.
May 10
Rodney Annetts
Wargrave Fire Station The Annetts family came to live in Wargrave in the 1930s, and several were long serving members of the village fire brigade, and Rodney will share some of his memories of village life with us.
Wargrave Village Festival
Details for both these events will be found in the Village Festival programme, and tickets will be available on Festival ticket sales day, April 2nd.
June 11
Local history exhibition, in the Woodclyffe Hall from 10am - 5pm June 12
Historic Wargrave Walk, from Mill Green starting at 2.30pm
July 12
Local History Visit
Visit to the Kennet and Avon Canal at Hungerford
We will have a peaceful afternoon trip from Hungerford along the canal on the Rose of Hungerford to Wire Lock and back, with a cream tea served on board.
September 13
Rob Wallace
Rob will tell us of 100 million years of Reading's underground history, from the creation of chalk in the area, to the opening of Emmer Green chalk mines in the 18th century, and the later uses of these underground chambers.
October 11
Dr David Lewis
Having enlightened us about Old Windsor, David returns to tell us about the oldest known hospital in Berkshire. This little-known institution was a royal foundation, and linked to a medieval hospital that stood at Cemetery Junction in Reading.
November 8
Thomas Macey
Jackson's Corner was famous as the location of the last family-owned department store in Reading. Former employee and company archivist Thomas will recall its past, with examples from their archive.
December 13
Christmas Party
Christmas Party.
2023
January 10
Joy Pibworth
Jane Austen's Schooldays in Reading Jane Austen's family had several connections to the parish of Wargrave, whilst she and her sister Cassandra were educated at a school in Reading's Abbey Gateway. Joy returns to tell of this period, and how it influenced Jane's novels.
February 14
Dr Margaret Simons
Suffragettes
Having told us about Reading in World War 1, this time Margaret will tell us about the campaigns over half a century to enfranchise women in Britain, culminating in The Representation of the People Act just over 100 years ago, in 1918.
March 14
A G M