In this blog, we round up all the items and collections that have recently been catalogued at the BRO and are now available to view - catalogue references are given in brackets. You can use our online catalogue to find out more about these and other items in our collections.
Free vaccination!
We have catalogued the minutes of Wokingham Joint Isolation Hospital, 1913-1923 (J/H1). The hospital was actually in Barkham, and run jointly by Wokingham Rural District Council and Wokingham Borough Council. It was used on an ad-hoc basis for smallpox cases using temporary accommodation such as tents. Smallpox was incredibly infectious, and often fatal, was was feared by everyone, so quarantining patients in this way was vital. Amongst the minutes was a poster advertising free vaccination in 1923 to encourage people to get protection against smallpox.
No free firefighting
We have received some important parish records from Harwell, including vestry minutes, 1833-1845, overseers’ accounts, 1827-1835, and surveyors’ accounts, 1801-1826 (D/P67). In the same volume as the accounts of the parish surveyor, who was responsible for keeping the parish roads in repair, are minutes of a vestry meeting in 1844 agreeing that in case of a fire, ‘all reasonable expenses should be paid for conducting the Engines sent from the Parish of Wantage’. This was because the parishioners of West Hendred had received a notice from their counterparts in Wantage expressing ‘their determination not to allow them the use of their Engines without the above named expences [sic] being paid’. Another interesting inclusion in the overseers’ accounts is a note of the loans of spinning wheels to six named women in 1832, presuambly to help them to support themselves. The parish vestry also agreed to support hired servants if they fell ill while in Harwell.
Our aviation heritage
We have recently been given a rather charming postcard showing the locally manufactured Miles 'Marathon' aeroplane (D/EX2814). The Marathon was an aeroplane designed by Miles Aircraft Ltd c.1944-1945 to carry up to 14 passengers, and went into full production in 1950 by their successors, Messrs Handley Page at Woodley Aerodrome.
Bound for Virginia on the good ship Recovery
Amongst a collection of miscellaneous Berkshire deeds and papers, 1584-1918, are some papers of the Berkshire clients of London lawyers, Longbourne & Co (D/EZ39). Some relate to the Stevens family of Bradfield, including the marriage settlement of Henry Stevens and Ellen Mary Powell Halhed, 1878, and a 1885 lease of the Bradfield Gas Works, with the gasometer, retorts and other machinery and fixtures on the premises. In the same collection, are deeds and other records of the Bowyer family estate in Kennington, Radley and Sunningwell, 1802-1879; and the Vansittart and Pole family estates in Shottesbrooke, Waltham St Laurence and White Waltham, 1586-1867.
Interestingly, in 1586 the manor and advowson of Shottesbrooke were held for an annual rent of a gilt spur or the sum of 3s 4d. One of the bundles of deeds includes a settlement of a house in White Waltham by Martha Rowse on herself for life, with the remainder on her death to the children of her son Robert Winch, 1640 (with Martha's seal and mark); and the probate of Elizabeth Winch of London, spinster, one of her granddaughters, 'now bound for Virginia ... in the good ship called the Recovery of London', 1671 (the will, and hence the voyage, was made in 1659).
A tenancy agreement from Benjamin Dayne to the Revd Henry Pole for a mansion house and premises in White Waltham,1835, includes the milk from two milk cows on the premises in the property. A covering letter mentions arrangements for replacement of broken china and glass, and asks for no pictures to be hung up or shrubs or trees cut down. The collection also includes a drainage report and plan for a house called Foxcote, Bolton Avenue, Windsor, 1918; and deeds of houses in Wokingham, 1829-1881.
Beer and dust
We have recently catalogued records from the Abingdon breweries belonging to the Morland family, 1760-1948 (D/EX2846). One of these, the Abbey Brewery, got its name because it was originally built on part of the Abingdon Abbey ruins, although it later moved to Ock Street. The records comprise deeds, plans, and accounts of barley purchases and malt dust sales by John Francis Spenlove, an earlier owner of the Abbey Brewery, 1790-1823. By coincidence we have also purchased a small collection of papers relating to Spenlove’s personal property, 1809-1837. These include deeds of a messuage formerly called the Magpie and then the King's Arms public house in West St Helen's Street, Abingdon, 1809 (D/EZ210).
New for house history
Our colleagues at Oxfordshire Archives have passed on to us the ‘Domesday Book’ or schedule of owners and occupiers associated with the Land Valuation maps of 1910-1915 for Shellingford (P/DVO6). We have also received rate books for Langford, formerly a detached portion of Berkshire, 1919-1922 (G/F); and for Garford, 1902-1904 (D/EX2882).
A hitherto unknown court roll has been discovered for Charney Manor, 1738 (D/EHA/M1). We have purchased the rent roll of quit rents in Reading and Whitley belonging to the heirs of Sir William Temple, 1 January 1729/30 (D/EZ208). This property included Whitley Farm and Pepper Farm. We have also been able to buy the sale agreement for the mansion house Farley Hall, Swallowfield, 1874 (D/EZ212).
We are pleased to be able to purchase Berkshire related archives to help us to preserve Berkshire's history, but would not be able to do so without our Documents Purchase Fund which consists of donations. You can find out more about the fund and even make a donation on our Donate page.
New parish registers
Earley St Peter: marriages, 2009-2019; banns, 1987-2003; and burials, 1996-2018 (D/P191).
Reading St John and St Stephen: banns, 1962-2006 (D/P172).
You can find out more about any of the records mentioned here and more, by searching our online catalogue. Simply enter the collection references mentioned above into the Catalogue Reference field.