Wokingham, Berkshire

Growth of Wokingham

When my parents moved to Wokingham in 1950 I understand that it had a polulation of 5,000 and my memories are of a sleepy market town. I gather the poulation is now about 60,000 and it certainly shows when I return - it seems very built up and very busy. We lived in Easthampstead Road and I see that... [more]

Grosvenor School

At the time this photograph was taken the building in the background on the right housed the Grosvenor School. At some stage it became a surgery for a local doctor but I don't know when? By the 1950s it had grown to a surgery with several doctors, including a Dr Merrick.

A hazy glimpse of times gone past

Where the houses come out, by the bus was a shoe shop owned by two sisters, a really old fashioned one that looked like time stood still when you went in, coming back the other way, if you walked along, was the blacksmith, this was Dick Francis, the author's father, then across the road (the one leading to the cinema) coming... [more]

Home Farm Bearwood

It was the year President Kennedy was assassinated. My two sisters and I lived with my Grandparents, Bob and Katie Myram at Home Farm, Bearwood. My mum was ill in the U.S. and we stayed for the year with my grandparents. We attended Bearwood County Primary School and Mr. Sparrow was my beloved teacher! I have such... [more]

My great grandparents house

My great grandparents lived in one of the houses you can just see at the right hand side right at the end, they are lovely black and white houses and are still there, offices now I think.

Hot summer days

The group of three boys on their bicyles reminds me of hot summer days riding back from the Forest school to my home in Wokingham. We would often stop here - outside the hardware shop (Husseys?) and have a last chat before going our separate ways - clearly there was not much traffic about! In fact I could well... [more]

California  holiday park

I can remember going sancing in the  park. I was stationed at Bailiol Camp, Arborfield and we used to go there in a 3 ton army lorry. I can't remember how often we used to go there, after all it was 60 + years ago. I went back to Arborfield Camp a couple of years ago with the REME assn.... [more]

California in England

This holiday camp was known as California in England and was owned by the Cartledge family.  Mr Cartledge ran the holiday camp and Mrs Cartledge ran the Red Puppet cafe in Wokingham's Peach Street for some time, where a group of boys from the Forest school and girls from the Holt would meet for coffee on the way home from school.... [more]

Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories

Opened in June 1860, the Town Hall cost £3,505 to build, and provided space for the County Police Station, with cells and an exercise yard, a courtroom and council offices. By this date, the Fire Brigade were also housed here and operated a steam powered fire engine.

Berkshire Photographic Memories

Wokingham's triangular market place is the town's focal point; it is dominated by its red brick Victorian town hall, which is triangular in shape and replaces a 17th-century timber-framed building.

Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories

Looking in the direction of the town, the Holt estate lay behind the trees on the left. Two large gas lamps flank the lych-gate to St Paul's church on the right. There appears to be a hard path across the road in line with the gate, presumably laid to protect pedestrians from the dust and mud of the road.