Restoring punch to that fluffy engine

Reading’s motor business is represented by the records of several local garages, 1948-2023 (D/EX2957).  Perhaps one of the most interesting is East Reading Automobiles (Hamilton or Hamilton Road Garage), 1924-1963 (D/EX2143). This business was a garage for the repair and washing of private customers' cars, and also sold new and used cars, petrol, oil and motoring accessories. The records include a circular letter to customers suggesting they have their cars overhauled after a period of disuse when petrol rationing finally ended in c.1948. The garage advised, 'of course you are looking forward to the time when you can use your car again. But standing in your garage will not restore punch to that ''fluffy'' engine, correct that erratic steering or those unreliable brakes'. A complete overhaul was recommended and no wonder - no MOT was required in those days, and we can only assume that many cars must have been thoroughly unroadworthy!

One of their local rivals was Jarvis Motors, founded in 1911, which at various dates included a taxi firm, car sales, and a service station. It merged with Reading Garage Ltd (which had undertaken vehicle repairs and servicing from 1919) to form the Penta Group (later Pentagroup) in 1976. The enlarged business also took over Julians of Reading, a car dealership founded in 1910. We have acquired some nice photographs of this business, 1948-2023 (D/EX2957).

Public transport is represented by the research papers of bus enthusiast Derek Bradfield relating to Berkshire coaches and buses, n.d. [c.1920s]-2016 (D/EX2590). Our holdings of Translines (magazine of the Newbury and District Transport Group) now go up to 2024, the last couple of years in digital format, so you will need to book a PC for these (D/EX2951).

Saving The Mansion House

Concern for local heritage is represented by the papers of the Mansion House Appeal campaign to save Prospect Hill House, Reading, 1987-2006 (D/EX2301). Prospect Hill (originally Prospecthill) House, and popularly known as 'The Mansion House', is a Grade II listed building in Prospect Park, Reading. Built in c.1759-60, and rebuilt in c.1800 for J E Liebenrood, it was purchased by Reading Borough Council in 1901, primarily for use of the grounds as a public park. Unfortunately, the house itself fell into disrepair.

The Mansion House Appeal was set up by Reading Civic Society in December 1986 to raise funds for its restoration and conversion into an arts centre and gallery, supported by the council. Sadly, the appeal failed to raise sufficient funds for the project to be realised, and although the building was saved from demolition, it was eventually converted into a restaurant. The money raised was used instead to commission a bronze statue of Frances Child, nee Kendrick, 'the Berkshire lady', whose widower Benjamin Child had Prospect Hill House built in her memory. 

Best left undescribed…

We have also received magazines and programmes from Windsor Boys’ School, c.1946-1957 (D/EX3042). Particularly interesting are an account of a cycle trip to France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands by two boys in August 1948. The lads describe French beer as 'foul and very weak'; but, accustomed to rationing at home, they thoroughly enjoyed 'a lunch of the interminable ''bifteck'' given us, a wonderful meal at 5s. a head and quite impossible to find in England', and a visit to the Folies Bergere, 'which is best left undescribed'. They marvelled too that 'bananas are on unrestricted sale in most towns in France', milk chocolate was unobtainable but sweets unrationed, and 'coffee is rationed, but not tea, for a Frenchman drinks as much coffee as we drink tea'. The teenagers also happily smoked and bought cigarettes. One of the 1949 issues includes a photograph of the 1948 Olympic torch passing through Windsor as shown above.

And finally…

We have acquired a poor law settlement certificate for the French family (dad John, mum Mary and their six sons and two daughters) of Hampstead Norreys, 1776 (D/EX2995). We have been given the notification to Mrs Charlotte Ann Ottley of the Elephant & Castle, Oxford Road, Windsor, that her claim for an Old Age Pension had been refused due to her means exceeding the statutory limit (D/EX3043).

There has also been an addition to the records of the Berkshire County Officers' Branch of the trade union National and Local Government Officers' Association (NALGO), this was for employees of Berkshire County Council, 1952-1988 (D/EX1677). We have also listed a small collection of mainly printed miscellanea relating to Reading borough, schools and charities, 1865-1994 (D/EX3012).

 You can discover more about these records by searching our online catalogue. Simply enter the collection references, given in the blog above, into the Catalogue Reference field.