Wargrave Local History Society
The Annual General Meeting - 2007
AGM - 2007
13 March 2007
A-000090
The March meeting of the Wargrave Local History Society began with the AGM, when the past years activities were reviewed, the committee for the coming year elected, and details of the 2007-8 programme given to members. For the rest of the evening, members were able to see part 2 of the Wargrave Then and Now presentation. This used a mixture of restored old photographs and modern views to illustrate some of the changes that have taken place in Wargrave - taking in the southern end of the High Street, School Lane, Dark Lane and Victoria Road areas of the village. One notable feature was the way in which the extensive gardens of several of the larger houses had been developed, the greenhouses making way for modern housing. The changes in shops was also apparent - there having been several grocery stores, for example, in the village, where there is now only one. Other businesses were little changed, such as the public houses, whilst Bushnells boatyard remained on the site of the earlier Butchers premises, but Easterlings builders yard had also been replaced by housing. Photographs also showed how the station had changed - from two platforms each with its own building in 1900, to a single track in 1961, and then demolition to make way for a bus shelter type structure. Changes to the village fire station and its schools were clearly seen. On the Recreation Ground, given to the village by Mrs Smith, were not only a Pavilion and Groundsmans house, but also the Scout Hut (Wargrave being one of the oldest troops in the country), Guide Hut, Youth Centre, and Bowling Green. The Woodclyffe Allotments nearby were also given by Mrs Smith to the village. The presentation then looked at the various ways to approach Wargrave - showing old cars and telegraph poles that are no longer to be seen.