Newtown Common, Berkshire

Shops in the Broadway

I believe this picture is of the local post office/deli next door to the clock tower inn pub, affectionately known as the 'Clocky'. I grew up in this pub between 1956 and the early 1970s.

When I lived here the mayor of Newbury was Mr A W Luff and he owned the post office/deli next door. His son David... [more]

The Kennet.

The river is the Kennet and this view shows the junction of the Kennet river (from low level bridge on the right) and the Kennet and Avon Canal (towards the locks straight ahead). The tributary to the left is towards the West Mills flour mill (water powered). The view is upstream (West).

I lived in No 68 from 1983 to 1985

Of course they had been nicely re-furbished and with all mod cons like running water and electricity. It was a nice experience living in a thatched house and, believe me, they aren't full of spiders and not as much of a fire risk as you would think. We had a very big fireplace in a tiny sitting room and I am... [more]

I live here

I've lived in the two cottages on the right of the picture since 1994. Two cottages? They were knocked into one in 1973 when the entire row was sold to a developer and refurbished.

Stockcross - The Cricketer's Inn

The Cricketer's Inn, Stockcross

There used to be a pub called the Cricketer's Inn at Stockcross. The publicans were good friends of my father Pat Gallagher (who ran the Clock Tower Inn in the broadway in Newbury).

Harry and Trixie Hewitt ran the Cricketer's at this time and they had 2 daughters Sue and Sally.

I used... [more]

Allen family at Stockcross

What did they put in the water at Stockcross?  

I am just wondering as my great-grandad George Allen was born at Stockcross in 1831. He was a gardener but astonishingly he married three times and even more amazing he celebrated his golden wedding with his third wife.

The family story is that he didn't like children... [more]

The Old Carved Mantlepiece

The name carved on the old oak mantlepiece is that of my great great great uncle Charles. It reads "C. Hyde Esq. 1799". He must have carved it when a teenager. The beam was offered to my father in 1961 as a momento by the then owner, Mr Pettit but because of its weight and size, we couldn't transport it home!... [more]

Mullins

This memory relates to the time I was at boarding school in Hyde End House just down the road.

We used to spend our pocket money in this village shop with its characteristic smell of bacon and tea.

Of course first we had to get permission to leave the school grounds to 'go up to Mullins'. Amongst... [more]