Reading has more than a thousand years of history. It was one of the most important religious communities in medieval England and Parliament met there on many occasions. Besieged in the Civil War, it was also the site of the only battle of the so-called 'bloodless revolution' of 1688. More recently, the canal, the railway and the motorway have, in turn, provided the foundations for the town's growth and prosperity.
This book draws upon the prolific and wide-ranging pictorial evidence of Reading's history, starting before the days of the camera, when it was already a major centre pof trade and industry. With the coming of photography the town was particularly fortunate in that the great pioneer, W.H. Fox-Talbot, set up his business there, leaving behind one of the earliest photographic records ever made of any town. He was followed by many others, professional and amateur, who documented in detail the dramatic changes of the past century and a half. Vivid images of Victorian Reading reveal constant change and pictures record many of the landmarks and scenes that have been lost within living memory, as well as many that will be familiar to Reading people today.
The author makes skilful use of a superb selection of carefully captioned pictures to illuminate his concise, narrative account of the town's history. His book provides a fascinating record of the everyday life of Reading people, in peace and war. It will be as popular with the town's many visitor's as with the Reading folk of today, whose heritage it reveals.
Contents:
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Reading Before the Camera
Earliest Images: Fox-Talbot
Lost Landmarks
Seen From Above
Reading Street Scenes
Transport
Industry and Commerce
Seats of Learning
Inns
Reading Women
Occasions
Rich and Poor
Rivers and Canals
Reading at Play
The Great War
1930s Reading
Reading at War: 1939-45
Caversham
Tilehurst
Select Bibliography
