Tilehurst memories
Here are memories of Tilehurst and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Tilehurst or a Tilehurst photo.
Pincents Hill
I remember Pincents Hill and surrending area in the 1950s. We would walk up through the city and down Pincents Hill, past the farm with a small pond. On the left was a long gravel avenue that was lined with poplars down to Calcot. At the bottom was a gravel footpath that went all the way to the bottom of Sulham Hill, by the church. Also at the bottom of Pincents Hill, somewhere down where Sainsburys is now, there was an hotel. I think it was called the White Hart. That took us to Theale, but that is for another time.
Memories
We also loved to go mushrooming at the searchlights. This was at the top of Dark Lane. Saturday morning pictures at the Rex cinema was a treat too, Flash Gorden, The Lone Ranger, and many others. The interlude was good too, with an accordian player whose name was Trevor Rackley (I think).
16a
Hazel, was no 16a above a bank? Because in 1948 I'm sure there was a family called Bibbins living there. Maybe this was before or after you were there.
All of Tilehurst
I moved to 17 Norcot Road in 1948 when I was 6. Along with a crowd from Norcot Road we roamed all over Tilehurst. The clay pits, across country to Purley, Sulham woods was a particular favourite. I went to the Thames via the Roebuck with my dad fishing. I first went to the Laurels, School Road, then Park Lane. At the age of eleven I went to Ashmead School in Northumberland Avenue. My uncle ran Wedlocks butchers in School Road. My dad was a milkman for Job's. Our house had a monkey puzzle tree in the front garden, as did our neighbours. Their names were Fred and Ada Rogers and they kept pigs at the rear of their back garden. After leaving school I went to Pulsometer Pumps. Leaving there I joined the R.A.F. When I was demobbed, I went to R.O.F Burghfield for 28 years.
PETRY STORES - SCHOOL ROAD, TILEHURST
I was born in Westwood Road and my grandfather worked for Francis Bros which was located just around the corner from here. My mother also worked at Petry Stores when she was 18 until she got married. Her name was Eunice Arthurs at the time. I have many memories of playing football in the recreation ground opposite. I left Tilehurst in 1979 but still go back to visit my family who still live in the area.
Old Times
My name is Simon, born in Francis Street in Reading, moved to 30 School Road at 1 year old. My dad ran the shop at number 30 School Road next to the Methodist church, Petry Stores. I was just wondering if anybody has any memories of it as I remember it always being busy, my dad cooking hams in the back room and carving them, and boxes of broken biscuits that came from Huntly and Palmers. I went to the Laurels and then on to Park Lane School.
Memories of Tilehurst
Pincents Hill / Pincents Farm / Turnhams Farm - Calcot /Tilehurst border - West Reading Berks Does anyone have any memories of: Pincents Hill, Pincents Farm, Turnhams Farm, between Calcot and Tilehurst. Pincents Hill: Ancient Historic site, Roman Relics found near here. This area is under threat from development and we are keen to record any memories. Thank you.
Running The Bear!
I am Jane and I was landlady of The Bear with my husband Roger for 2 years. Roger died in 2005. We really loved our time there, with our 24 staff and all our patrons, including the darts teams. I grew up in Tilehurst and have many happy memories of my life there with my family and in The Bear Inn. Does anyone remember me? (Surname - Pitkethly.)
My Memories Of Tilehurst
I was born in Theale but my parents moved to Tilehurst when I was 3 years of age where we lived at 16a Norcot Road with my grandparents Edith and Harold Goddard and other siblings to my mother Audrey Parsons, my father was Bill.
I attended Park Lane School from age 5 to 11 years when the Headmistress was Miss Clamp, two other teachers were Miss Norris and Miss Williams . At 11 I attended Norcot School, Tilehurst and the teachers I remember are Mr Saul who was the Headmaster, Miss London, Mr Turner, Mr Drake and Mr Ayres. The team houses in the school were Waltham, Niblett, Deverall and Hellyer,each with their colours of red, blue green and yellow. I was in Niblett which was green.
During my schooldays we played and watched football matches in the Rec' on the corner of Armour Road and Kentwood Hill, there was a pub on the opposite corner named The White House and on the corner of School Road and Armour Road... Read more
Tilehurst 1960s
I was born at 4 Juniper Way, Tilehurst 1962. I lived there until I was 9. I have such warm memories of that time although my memories appear more like snapshots as I was so young
I remember some sounds of that time that have stayed with me. The electric motor and clinking of milk bottles from Job's Dairy, the wushing sound of the coal man filling our coal bunker with coal from the sack across his shoulder and the, what appeared, constant sound of light aircraft from a nearby airfield. These planes were always red as I remember.
Reading Speedway was at least 3 miles away but once a week there would be that distintive strained engine sound from motorbikes sliding around the speedway circuit. My last sound memory which may have been in the early 70s was was a thumping bass sound from the annual Reading Festival in August.
I lived at the top of the road which dropped away into quite a steep hill, I remember... Read more
Birds Nest
I was about 5 or 6 and my dad was a school groundsman visiting schools in the Reading area cutting the grass and generaly keeping the grounds tidy. He would sometimes take me with him on a Saturday or during the holidays, always by bus no car in those days. I remember going with him to the school at the end of this road towards the trees on the left of the photo. The school caretaker took delight in lifting me up to look into a birds nest with baby birds in it. Nearly 60 years on this is still a memory that I have kept.
Tilehurst
Tilehurst was the first name given to a Federation cottage built in Cecil Street,Fairlight near Manly,NSW c1915 presumably by its Berkshire-born builder or first owner.It was quickly renamed Heatherbrae by its new Scottish-born owner.
A short history of Cecil Street and many other Manly streets can be found on the web or via Manly Library Local Studies Collection.
Terry Metherell(October 2007)
Memories of Berkshire
Good Times
I went to live in Winteringham Way in Purley when I was 4 years old until I was 8 years old, and twice a twice every year we were flooded out. I remember having to stay elsewhere like the Memorial Hall, and it was very exciting staying at The Priors big house, eating my breakfast at a big long table, with my mum and older brother, we also had to move sometimes, into another house, in Brading Way. The area still looks very much the same. I still think about the times, that we went pea picking, my older sisters would come down from London to earn extra money, I loved it, they were good times, the farmer was MrBucknell.
Halycon Days
As a young child, these were good days, we had very little but so did everybody else, Mum had a few chickens, and we lived in a little house on stilts, brick piers, my Dad was working for the Thames Valley, and when the floods came, he had to row the first few hunred yards to get to the hill, which would carry him over the railway and up to the main road to catch the bus in Reading. Joyous days by the riverbank nearby and fun at the local school where my teaching was a Miss Wallington. We were good friends with Beryl Webb who lived in a converted railway carriage and we all shared what we had together. Great days with happy memouries.
River Gardens.
I have so many happy memories of Purley on Thames. My older sister lived at No 1 River Gardens in the latter part of the 1960s until the middle of the 1970s. As kids, my brother and I spent many, many happy days playing in the large garden there and along the river bank from the stile right up to Mapledurham Lock. I also remember swimming in the Thames there, and the night we swam across to the island almost opposite my sister's house and camped there. I often recall how we used to hire a small wooden boat called 'Ada' from a lady who lived a few houses along from my sisters. It cost one old shilling for an hour to hire and we had many happy hours paddling along the river between the lock and the Roebuck Hotel jetty. I don't remember the name of the lady, I think it sounded like a German name. So many, many happy memories I could go on and on.
19 Colyton Way
A friend of the family introduced us to Purley. My father John Dighton, took over management of the grocery shop at 19 Colyton Way in 1952. I remember the water was from an outside type pump in the kitchen, and electicity from a huge noisy generator in a large shed at the back, and the floods every winter. My two brothers and I learnt to swim in the river. The house on stilts was freezing in winter and there was a bathroom but it was too cold to use (in winter). An old sailor called Cally, organised a fete on the river..we, all dressed as pirates ..fireworks let off and boats sunk in mock sea battle. Trainspotting ..last of the steam trains. When it snowed, we sledged down from the railway embankment thru the farm field and under the barb wire fence at the bottom..Great times!..We gave up the shop in about 1956 and moved to Caversham but my sister Mary, still lives in Purley. Tony Dighton
Great Great Grandfather
According to the 1871 census my Great Great Grandfather Thomas Downing was the miller. In the census he is living there with his family including his daughter Elizabeth who became my Great Grandmother.
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