Sonning Common memories
Here are memories of Sonning Common and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Sonning Common or a Sonning Common photo.
KENNYLANDS CAMP SCHOOL
My best friend and I attended Suttons Secondary Boys School in Hornchurch Essex, and both of us were fortunate to be chosen to attend a two month summer term at Kennylands, situated at Sonning Common Berkshire. Actually we were both lucky twice and attended two years in succession. The Camp was beautifully laid out in two seperate halves, divided by a central dining hall and a flag pole. I didn't realize until I arrived at camp that the 'other half' of the camp was for girls.
No entry to the girls' half was permitted under the threat of being expelled. The only exceptions were to attend church on Sundays and when parents visited. We were required to attend ballroom dancing lessons each week and many of us lads would likely never have learned to dance properly without these lessons taught by Mrs Gibbs the headmistress. We played all kinds of sports and also did normal school work. The community living taught us many values that would come in handy later... Read more
Memories of Berkshire
Tudor & Mills Family Roots
I have always loved Highmoor; my father, John Tudor Mills, was born there, at Satwell, in 1924, his mother Doris Tudor having been born opposite St Paul's church in Highmoor in 1900; her parents, George Tudor, of Cowhill, Gloucestershire,and Annie-Marie Smith, of Kingsclere, moved to Highmoor circa 1898 following their marriage (his second). George Tudor was a local "Excavating Road Contractor", and worked in partnership with the Frouds of Assendon. George's sister, Hannah Davis, nee Tudor, was already living in the area (Ipsden) with her family; when Mr Davis died, she moved to Bix, circa 1901, living at Bix Brand farm; her daughter married Horace Froud,and their descendants still live at Laurences Farm, Bix,to this day. My grandfather, William "Billy" Mills, was born in Lyminster, Littlehampton, but moved to Rotherfield Greys when his father, John Mills, became a farm bailiff there some time between 1900--1911; John lies buried in Rotherfield Greys churchyard, William at Fairmile Cemetery. George Tudor had been married previously, having already fathered 12 or so children before Doris... Read more
Star Brush Factory
We lived in a council house adjacent to the Star Brush factory where my father worked for some years before we moved to Peppard. While our house was very modern by some standards, we had no electricity for some years, but we did have flush toilets. I remember the beech trees being hauled into the factory for cutting up for making the backs for brushes which were then sent to London to be shaped and the bristles fitted.
There was quite a successful cricket team in the village in which my father played as a bowler and opening batsman.
I can still remember the petrol pumps at the local garage with the price at one shilling and one pence a gallon!
During the Second World War we were kept awake by the aircraft from Benson airfield going out to bomb Germany and were woken up in the morning when they returned.
Our neighbour was Tom Clark who was the village baker at the village stores before he was called up... Read more
School Days
Before becoming the home of George Harrison of the Beatles, Friar Park was run as a school by sisters of the St. John Bosco order. This was my first school and I remember having to walk all the way to the main door along the winding drive each morning, passing by the huge rhododendron bushes which lined each side. As I approached the large arched entrance door, shown in the photograph above, I could see the gargoyles dotted around the building, they seemed so frightening and I would always hold my head down until I could ring the large door bell and then would stand and wait for one of the sisters to come and welcome me in for the day. The first step took me into the porch which then opened into the great hall, there were many doors and a set of grand stairs leading to the balconied upper floor where the classrooms were.
One door led to the chapel where mass was held and in... Read more
Perfect School Days
I was also a pupil at Friar Park from 1955 to 1962. I have nothing but wonderful memories of this amazing school. As a little girl the endless drive with rhododendron bushes eventually opening into this huge circle where an Edwardian Gothic mansion stood, will always be etched in my memory. The incredible sweep of the lawns on the West Terrace leading down to carefully contrived pools and bridges which hid amazing caves and tunnels that eventually led back into the school itself, were like a Gothic fairytale. At the Christmas Fair the nuns used to open these faintly lit caves, and around each corner you always expected to see at least a goblin sitting with his legs crossed!
I can remember the nuns making all of the costumes for the Christmas plays which were performed in Henley Town Hall. The memory of classical music drifting through the doors of their large workrooms as they sewed it seemed all hours of the day before opening night. If you... Read more
The Convent School
We lived at the Lodge at the bottom of the drive and I was allowed to start school at the age of 4 because the Sisters had known me from birth. We had the whole of the grounds to play in so it was very exciting growing up there.
Great memories were of when the tractor came to cut the grass and we had the bales to play on.
It was a great school and I have nothing but happy memories.
I remember the Holy Shop as well. It was a treat to see inside it.
There was a very small dining room joining on to the main hall where we had our dinner when I first started school. My abiding memory of the conservatory was swinging on my chair with a spoon in my mouth. The chair slid away from me and the spoon went straight through my tongue! I was taken off to the War Memorial Hospital but they couldn't do anything because I had just eaten... Read more
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