Lionel Williams charts the years from the railways’ inception to the British Rail era. The talk looks at Brunel’s forward-thinking ideas and the legacy that he left, enabling the GWR to be one of the most progressive railways of its age

Peter, the archivist for the Thames Valley and Great Western Omnibus Trust - who is also the society secretary - recounted the history of Royal Blue - from horse drawn carriages to the express coach services which ran to the holiday areas of the south and west of England

Originally part of Reading’s Franciscan Friary, the church building has had a ‘chequered’ career, including being town hall, poor house and a prison. Starting with the medieval foundation, Malcolm Summers told the story of one of Reading’s oldest buildings

In July, Wargrave Local History Society members made a visit to a place of local history interest, and this
year this was to the Chiltern Open Air Museum, near Chalfont St Giles

The June meeting of the Wargrave Local History Society was William Reid’s presentation on Wycombe
Unmasked. William is a trustee of The High Wycombe Society, and he enlightened us about many aspects
of the town’s past

Set in the Castle Hill area of Reading, Yeomanry House was previously home to the Berkshire Family History Society and the Berkshire Register office. Katie Amos revealed the origin of its name, links to a school, the military and weddings

Jane gave an overview of the CWGC from its founding and principles to the present day. She illustrated this by showing the sites cared for in the UK and internationally and explained how to find out where relatives are buried

The Society's AGM and review of the year, followed by a “Bring and Tell”

Having told us about Reading in World War 1, this time Margaret will tell us about the campaigns over half a century to enfranchise women in Britain, culminating in The Representation of the People Act just over 100 years ago, in 1918

Jane Austen's family had several connections to the parish of Wargrave, whilst she and her sister Cassandra were educated at a school in Reading's Abbey Gateway.
Joy returned to tell of this period and how it influenceed Jane's novels.

Christmas Party followed by a presentation "From the Archives"

The impact of the river Thames on the people living in the area was the subject of an illustrated
presentation by the society's chairman, Peter Halman