My Home Town 1947 1969

A Memory of Reading.

I was born in Liebenrood Road Maternity Hospital Reading in 1947 and for my first 5 years I lived in Salisbury Road, moving to Whitley until I left in 1969.
I remember as a young child having many photographs taken at Jeromes in Broad Street. I spent many Christmases queuing to see Father Christmas in Heelas underneath a silk parachute that was suspended from the ceiling and it fascinated me and kept me quiet until I reached Father Christmas’ Grotto.
My schools were Oxford Road Infants, Whitley Park Infants & Juniors, George Palmer Seniors moving to Southlands in 1960, a new school, after it had been built with Miss Hutchinson as Headmistress.
Other things I remember were the trolley buses and the Bus station in, I believe, Mill Lane, where the flyover is now situated. As a very small child I vividly remember being shut in the doors of a new type of automatic door. Luckily my mother, who had got off the bus first and turned round to lift me off, had the presence of mind to put her arms in and jam the doors to stop them closing on my neck. She pulled and the doors shot open and closed abruptly as she pulled and they caught my legs. She managed to pull me free but told me afterwards that she was a nervous wreck. She believed the driver couldn’t see me and saw the doors were jammed from the light on the dashboard so he opened and closed them again.
Places I remember were the Wimpey Burger Bar opening in West Street, The White Hart Inn on the corner of St Mary’s Butts & Oxford Street. The Tin Box factory, another two dance halls [the names escape me] and the Honey Bear Coffee Shop [the first time I’d seen an Italian coffee machine and drank from Pyrex cups, all in Silver Street, many happy hours dancing at the Majestic near Reading Station where in the 1960’s I saw amongst others Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames and the early Rolling Stones. There was a small meeting place in Gunn Street where the Beatniks hung out. Dancing was held down in a cellar next to the Ship Inn on Duke Street. I learnt ballroom dancing on Duke Street too. Also there was Suttons Seeds on the outskirts.
There was The Doll’s Hospital on the corner of St Mary’s Butts & Bridge Street and Simmonds Brewery also on Bridge Street with the Cooperage opposite where they still made wooden barrels for the beer until the metal ones took over. I loved seeing the horse drawn drays full of beer barrels navigating ‘The Butts’ as I waited for my bus after walking through St Mary’s Churchyard.
I worked in Huntley & Palmers offices training as a Comptometer operator until they became part of Associated Biscuits. I started in the Post Room in 1962 and spent many happy hours delivering the post to all parts of the factory. I saw Chocolate Olivers, Iced Gems, Digestives and many others being made. A trip to the Bridal Cake Department was a real treat. In a display case at the entrance was a huge beautiful, delicately iced replica cake probably done by Jack Bryant. I joined the Recreation club, which enabled me to learn fencing.
In summer lunchtime was spent in the ruins of the Abbey and Forbury Gardens.
After Huntley & Palmers I joined The Prudential in The Forbury as a Comptometer operator in the mid 1960’s. It was a new building then. I remember being sat at my desk when news of the Aberfan Disaster reached us. Then I then moved on to The Co-Operative Jam Factory offices at the side of the Kennet Canal just off Berkeley Avenue and is now where the A33 Relief Road is situated.
I left Reading in 1969 upon my marriage and my mother still lives there but, sad to say, I would not return as it has changed beyond all recognition for me but my youthful years were fun.