From the Parish Magazine - Eton Wick History Group - 100 Years 1897 -1997 Queen Victoria's Jubilees

Frank Bond introduced the April meeting of the Group with a request for suggestions for marking the Millennium; he thanked the donors of the raffle prizes and also those kind members who provide the refreshments for every meeting. Mr. Bond gave a special welcome to Eddie Wilkes; it was "lovely to see him back again"; also, he drew the members attention to the copies of Norman Oxley's book about Arthur Young Nutt, who fulfilled a period of service at Windsor Castle from 1867 to 1912, engaged initially as a draughtsman and attaining the position of Surveyor to the Dean and Canons of St. George's Chapel, Custodian of the Royal Mausoleum and Head of the Office of Works at the Castle. 

Examples of A.Y. Nutt's work were to be seen in the photographs and illustrations of the talk which followed Mr. Bond's introduction: John Denham spoke of "100 Years 1897-1997 (Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee)" In fact, the talk drifted back even further to 1887 and covered Queen Victoria's Gold and Diamond Jubilees when Eton and Eton Wick both joined with Windsor for the celebrations. 

The Jubilees provided a wealth of proof of the tremendous loyalty and enthusiasm which the public held for Victoria and the Royal family, and the ingenuity of people like Mr. Nutt with his ceremonial arches at the College end of Eton High Street and on Windsor Bridge, the parties, the processions, the military bands and the street decorations. 

Mr. Denham was also able to entertain with anecdotes about more local everyday matters, such as the savings bank, which was introduced for local children in 1897, their increasing numbers which resulted in pupils being refused from Boveney Newtown; the licensing for marriages of Eton Wick Parish Church and its first marriage between Ann Deverill and Alfred Seymour. 

Eton Wick's Football team's game against the Eton Temperance team on 20th November 1887, when Eton Wick lost 2-0: We heard how Toddy Vaughan had planted the oak tree on the green in Common Road - this could have been in either 1887 or 1897 and the History Group are going to fix a plaque to the tree, with due celebration, later on this year. 

We look forward to our next meeting, scheduled for 25th June, when the topic for discussion will be °THE IINFLUENCE OF ETON AND ETON COLLEGE ON ETON WICK", 

Perhaps those who have not yet returned their questionnaire to Mr. Bond could do so before that meeting.