Hermitage
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Hermitage books (10 available)
Hermitage memories
Read and share memories of Hermitage and Berkshire inspired by Frith photos
My uncle aunt and cousins lived here
My uncle and aunt lived here from roughly 1948 to 1958. We lived on Oare Common and visited them at the Castle regularly.
In the living room was a large hook and apparently someone in the past was hung from the hook and has haunted the castle ever since. Another aunt lived at the top of the Castle, she was deaf and dumb. I remember lots of adders around the grounds.
Berkshire memories
My uncle aunt and cousins lived here
My uncle and aunt lived here from roughly 1948 to 1958. We lived on Oare Common and visited them at the Castle regularly.
In the living room was a large hook and apparently someone in the past was hung from the hook and has haunted the castle ever since. Another aunt lived at the top of the Castle, she was deaf and dumb. I remember lots of adders around the grounds.
I lived in Hampstead Norris from 1945 to 1962
I lived in Hampstead Norris as it was known in those days from 1945 to 1962 when I departed for greener pastures(I thought). I have had this longing for a while now to get in touch with people I went to school with in the village and at Compton. If you know my history you may or may not want to contact me. I would really like to hear from anyone who lived in the village at those times. I remember John Smith, Michael Wheeler, Chris Cannings, Angela Jefferys, Frank Ballard, the Simmons family, the Painter family, John, Reg, Roy and Anne Wheeler, Violet Marshall, I think the list is endless when I think about those days and of course my ...read more here
A memory of Hampstead Norreys contributed by David Street
fear of wells
The well incident at yattendon scared my father. We had heard about it through relatives and we lived in east tytherley at the time. I remember my father spending a weekend tapping floors and trying to lift flag stones in our kitchen because he was convinced that there was a well under our home- there wasnt.
A memory of Yattendon contributed by joy milligan
Extracts From Hermitage & Berkshire books
Viewed across a new orchard is the mansion of Moore Close. The original house, built by Mr Hutchinson Brown,
was bought by Charles Birch Crisp who, in 1910, commissioned newly-qualified architect Oliver Hill to enlarge the
house and design the gardens. Newbold Missionary College moved to the site in February 1946.
An extract from from"Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories".
From its depot in Reading, having stopped at Shinfield, Arborfield, Eversley and Yateley, a Thorneycroft J Type bus operated by the Thames Valley Traction Company has yet to make a pick up in Derby Green before continuing through Blackwater, to its destination in Camberley. It seems a fitting picture to conclude this selection of photographs and illustrate the pace of life in days gone by.
An extract from from"Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories".
The Hope and Anchor, seen here on the right, has changed little in the present day, but now includes the small
gabled building on its left, which had been a blacksmiths for many years. Today the British Legion hall will be found
to the rear of the next building along, which in this photograph bears the name ‘Wokingham Ex-Servicemen’s Club’.
An extract from from"Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories".
The 15th-century building in the foreground has had a variety of uses, including that of a public house named The
Cricketers which ran from the mid 19th century until its closure in 1909. This picture shows it as a fish and chip shop.
In recent years it has doubled as a tailor’s workroom with private accommodation above. The tall narrow building
immediately to the left was at one time home to James Seaward, who was reputedly the inspiration for the character of
Tom in Charles Kingsley’s book ‘The Water Babies’. Beyond is a fine run of 15th- and 16th-century buildings.
An extract from from"Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories".
Opened in June 1860,
the Town Hall cost
£3,505 to build, and
provided space for
the County Police
Station, with cells and
an exercise yard, a
courtroom and council
offices. By this date,
the Fire Brigade were
also housed here and
operated a steam
powered fire engine.
An extract from from"Wokingham and Bracknell Photographic Memories".