Wargrave Local History Society

(Founded 1981)

The Object of the Society is to provide a common meeting ground for the study and discussion of, and research into, history in general, and of the local area in particular.

Please note that this website has moved from www.wargrave.net/history and is now located at www.wargravehistory.org.uk

 
  • President - The Lord Remnant
  • Chairman - Peter Halman
  • Vice Chairman - (Vacant)
  • Treasurer/Membership Secretary - Richard Lloyd
  • Secretary - Tel: 0118 940 3121
  • Programme Secretary - Helen Perry
  • Committee members:-
    • David Ball
    • Sandra Foster
    • Lynda Mills
    • Mary Owen
    • Wendy Smith
We are happy to try and respond (in our own good time!) to requests for information about people and places in the history of Wargrave parish. Please email us at:

Please send any queries regarding this website to Email :

The Society supports the work of the Wargrave Heritage Trust
 
The Society is affiliated to the Berkshire Local History Association. and is a member of the British Association for Local History. We are also linked to the BBC's Legacies Local History Project   
 BLHA BALH    BBCi Legacies for Local History


  

"The Second Book of Wargrave" was published by the Society in 1998
and a reprint of "The (first) Book of Wargrave" in 1999.

Read a Potted History of Wargrave
and then
Read about and order the books here.

Also, we have a Booklet on
Historic Wargrave Walks

The "Bird Collection" of Postcards

The Society has acquired the 'Bird Collection' of postcards of the village. This collection, assembled by lifelong Wargravians, Derek Bird, the Society's first Chairman, and his mother Ruth, shows many aspects of the village over the 20th century. As part of the Society Archive, it is now secured for posterity for the village.
The Harriette Cooke Smith Photo Albums
We have also in 2009 acquired three albums of photographs which feature (inter alia) scenes of Wargrave from the 1870s belonging to Harriette Cooke Smith - see some images here. 

We are always interested in adding to our collection of pictures, documents, books, maps etc relating to Wargrave, so if you have anything that you think may be of interest, please contact us.

Reports of Recent Meetings:

Unless noted otherwise, meetings are at 8 p.m. in
The Hannen Room, Mill Green, Wargrave,
(Click for a map)

Subscriptions: Individual £7; Family £10; Concessions £6     Visitors are welcome - £2 per meeting

The 2009-2010 programme.

2009
April 14 Angela Spencer-Harper The Old Place
Angela returned to tell us this time about historical artefacts found in south-east Oxfordshire, as recorded in her latest book.
May 12 Stephen Loyd Ruscombe Wood
Stephen told us about the natural history and conservation work being done in Ruscombe Wood.
June 14/27 Village Festival The Wargrave Village Festival
The Society again providied an Historic Walk of Wargrave , on June 14th, and took part in the Village Festival fete day.
July 14 Local History Visit Milton Manor House This year we have an exclusive visit to an elegant 18th century house built by Inigo Jones for Bryant Barrett, lacemaker to King George III. The house is set in a splendid garden location with two lakes and enjoyable woodland walks, and we have arranged for a special guided tour and tea for Wargrave Local History Society.
September 8 Martin Bishop Bats, Balls and Biscuits
The Huntley and Palmer's biscuit factory cricket team is the focus of this look at the social and economic history of the company workers, and the development of cricket locally.
October 13 Sarah Charlton Berkshire Manorial Records
Berkshire had over 350 manors, and records survive for over 250 of them - a useful source for family and local history of the communities over which their landowners had legal control. Sarah is the project officer indexing the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire manorial documents and told us about them and how to locate them.
November 10 Bill Bookless Wargrave Scouts
The Wargrave Scout Troop was formed in 1909 (one of the earliest in the country), and so is celebrating its centenary this year. Bill nad Nigel Board spoke on some aspects of its history and current activities.
December 8 Christmas Party Christmas Party
2010
January 12 Ted Fox My Life as a Countryman
Ted has worked in the countryside all his life and shared some more of his memories with us.
February 9 Dick Bush The Work of a Parish Council
Dick is chairman of the Wargrave Parish Council and will give an insight into its work.
March 9 A G M The Annual General Meeting