New for house history
We are pleased to report the culmination of many years’ work, namely the completion of cataloguing of the sales catalogues and particulars produced by estate agents Messrs Nicholas & Co of Reading, 1918-1970 (D/ENS). A handwritten copy of the catalogue had been available for many years, and this was typed up by staff working from home during the Covid-19 closures. It has now been put onto our online catalogue where you can easily search for individual properties. They range from stately homes and estates to tiny cottages and modest terraced houses, and cover much of Berkshire.
The records of Lloyd Enterprises (later Stoneking Construction) of Hermitage and Newbury, builders and developers, cover the period 1804-1989, and include deeds of sites they developed (D/EX2884). We have also received a small collection relating to the Westland Peak Development, Highworth Road, Faringdon, 1870-1971 (D/EX2750).
We have received deeds for various properties in Lambourn, 1651-1961 (D/EX2296); Earley and Reading, 1831-1925 (D/EX3007); Faringdon, 1876-1947 (D/EX3018); Faringdon and Shrivenham, 1663-1756 (D/EX3017); Fernham and Shrivenham, 1808-1816 (D/EX3008); Hermitage and Oare, 1809-1889 (D/EX3047); Letcombe Regis, 1760 (D/EX3019); Reading, 1766-1969 (D/EX2543; D/EX2885; D/EX2900); Twyford, 1873-1936 (D/EX2587); Wargrave and other parishes, 1555-1879 (D/EX406); Windsor, 1702 (D/EX3055); and Wokingham, 1929-1970 (D/EX3001). We have also listed sales particulars for houses in Tilehurst, 1966-1977 (D/EX2959); plans for alterations to Walnut Tree Cottage, Ashampstead Common, 1937-1964 (D/EX3033); and 21st century copies of plans and surveys of the Old Rectory (later Caversham Court) and Caversham Court Gardens, Caversham, c.1899-2006 (D/EX3009).
Adopted or illegitimate?
Some deeds for property in Upton, 1710-1880, include an unexpected revelation of an unconventional family setup. The will of Anthony Parsons of Bagnor, Speen, gentleman, 1780 (proved in 1783) divided his estates equally between his brother Thomas Parsons and his 'adopted & acknowledged son Francis Parsons alias Jennaway, the youngest son of my House Keeper Mary Jennaway'. If you think that all sounds a bit suspicious, you would be quite right, as a few years later in his own will, Francis referred to Anthony Parsons as his ‘reputed father’ (D/EX3003). Mary was more than just an employee!
Newspapers and more
The records of Berkshire clients of a London solicitor comprised a very mixed bag (D/EX699). The most interesting relate to the Reading Newspaper Company and its predecessors, 1750-1918. In the mid 18th century the Reading Mercury was controlled by John Newbery, a London-based bookseller famous as the first publisher of books for children, who had married the widow of the paper’s former owner William Carnan. Some of the records here relate to Newbery’s sale in 1750 of his half-share in the business to Charles Micklewright, the printer who had actually produced the paper since 1743, in return for an annuity of £75 a year, and an agreement that Micklewright would advertise and sell medicines and books sold to him by Newbery at a set discount, and not advertise any similar medicines, or print any other newspaper within 30 miles of Reading. The majority of the collection, however, relates to the acquisition of the paper and the Berkshire Chronicle by the recently formed Reading Newspaper Company in 1914.
The collection also includes leases of Tidmarsh Manor House, 1908-1912; family and property papers of Mary Havart, née Davy, formerly of Reading, 1836-1873, and the Planner family of Sunninghill and Sunningdale, 1858-1885; photographs and papers of the Tagg family of Reading and Australia, 1823-1899; and papers relating to the marriage settlement of Charles Thwaites and Mabel Emily Mathew (1907) and the will of Thomas Tredwell of Reading, contractor, 1909-1920.
Coincidentally, we also now hold a large collection of back copies of the Reading Mercury, Berkshire Chronicle and Reading Chronicle newspapers, 1770-2012; plus the Newbury and Thatcham Chronicle, 1996-2012; and the Bracknell News, 1959-2004 (D/EX2475). However, many are in poor condition, so the first recourse should continue to be British Newspaper Archive online and the microfilms at local libraries. Our holdings of Caversham Bridge newspaper now go up to 2024 (D/EX1758); the last few years are born-digital so you will need to book a PC.
Council governance
Finally, we were delighted to receive the Windsor Borough byelaws and ordinances, 1682/3-1686 (WI/AL2/6). More modern, but of long term value, are the minutes and agenda papers of Slough Borough Council, which we now hold up to 2014 (DC/S).