Photographic History of Eton Wick and Eton - Community Organisations and Social Life - The Shoestrings

The 'Shoestrings' The Eton Wick Variety Group were reformed in 1962 as the 'Shoestrings' to raise funds for the Village Hall extension. They staged variety shows annually until 1971, some of them skits on contemporary T.V. shows, including 'That Was the Wick That Was’, 'Christmas Crackers' (1964), 'Licence to Laugh' (1965), 'Through the Rainbow' (in 19n-with ex Victoria Palace Black and White Minstrels Penny Rigden and Alan Hollidge 'Summer Interlude' (1967), 'It's here' (1970) and finally 'Starella Fantasy' in 1971. 

The group performed in many venues. Comedy sketches were written by Albert Bond, Sid Eyre and Sid Gomm. 

In this picture from 'Through the Rainbow' in 1966 are, back row, left to right: Kay Thompson, Sandra Ling, Rene Thompson, Sandra Wells, Jacquie Tickle (daughter of Francis in the photo of the Eton Wick Unity Players), and Caryl Cullum. In the middle are Jane Harper and Gail Groves. In the front: Susan Bond, Leslie Chadd, Jillian Bowyer and Denise Fogarty. 

This article was first published in A Pictorial History of Eton Wick & Eton.

Photographic History of Eton Wick and Eton - The Eton Players

The Eton Players drama group was formed in the 1960s by Mrs Alice Burrow. The group presented a number of plays, performed in the Eton Church Hall and the Parish Church. Most of the costumes were designed and assembled by Mrs Peggy Payne of Eton High Street and local jumble sales provided the materials. 

In the photograph, from left to right are: Pauline Evans (wife of David A N Evans, Vicar of Eton), Sylvia Collier, Brenda Herriot (wife of the Headmaster of Porny School), Ivy Bowyer, Mary Pyke, Rita Pidgeon and Barbara Herriot. The play was 'The Six Wives of Calais'. Eton Parish Church Fete.

This article was first published in A Pictorial History of Eton Wick & Eton.

Eton Wick Youth Football Team 1962-63

 

Back row left to right

Jas Alder, N Johnson, A Harrison, W Welford, S Durban, Les Emery (Captain)

Front Row left to right

Barry Eaglestone, D Price, John Alder (Goalkeeper), F Ormond, F Hatch

Eton Wick History thanks Alan Harrison for his kind permission to publish this photograph.  Alan Harrison was a team member and is in the back row third from the left.

What are your memories of the winter of 1962/63

The Big Freeze that happened during the winter of 1962 and 1963 brought snow to Eton Wick. On the morning of Boxing Day, the village woke up to a significant covering of snow. Over the following days and weeks, the Thames froze over, and the piled snow cleared from the Eton Wick Road remained on the side of the road for many weeks. 

This video on YouTube shows how the Big Freeze progressed as it brought disruption to everyday life

Do you have memories of that winter or photographs? Please share them with us. 

The Denham children and David Fearn certainly had some fun in the snow. 

The Eton Wick History Group would very much like to have a collection of photographs showing how the Big Freeze changed the village in December 1962, January and February 1963. 

 

Tough Assignment - Changing Attitudes 1966-1986

The changes did not begin in 1966 - they had already started several years back when the first discussions took place over the question of Anglican and Methodist Union. In the village there was even talk of a new, shared church, but only one joint event actually occurred that first year, a carol service in the church of St John the Baptist, to which members of the chapel were invited. In subsequent years there were to be several occasions when members of both churches shared services especially at Christmas, Covenant and Patronal Festival.

On the 6th of December 1969 a united youth club was launched. Their first meeting was held in the Memorial Hall with Dennis Nelson as the Methodist leader, but like the other youth clubs started in earlier years, this was also destined to last only a short time and the number of Methodist youngsters who joined was disappointingly small. The chapel's commitment to youth work, however, remained strong and throughout the 1970s a few young people from the chapel attended the annual youth weekends arranged by the Circuit. The good relationship between the chapel and the Church of England has grown and encompassed also the Roman Catholic Church of St. Gilbert. On a very practical level, the three village churches have accepted joint responsibility for the churchyard and contribute to the fund set up for its maintenance.

Meanwhile the chapel Sunday School was not doing very well. The numbers were still falling, as they were nationally. From 42 children in 1967 they had dropped to a mere 33 by 1975. The following year brought a small influx when the Church of England Sunday School closed. History had turned full circle. Who could have envisaged this a hundred years ago when the Rev. Keating tried to shut Mrs Tough's first small Sunday School held in the Iron Room? The pattern of Sunday School 'life, however, had changed. Numbers fluctuated and in some years, there was a very pleasing number of younger ones, but few stayed beyond the junior stage despite more attempts at mid-week youth club activities. Scripture examinations ceased to be taken in the 1970s and the Sunday School anniversaries which were great Sunday and weekday events in the 1960s (as the scholars proudly recited or sang to the congregation the poems and hymns they had learnt) were gradually phased out. More encouraging were the family services, held once a month, which brought the parents of many of the younger scholars to the chapel.

The introduction of the Mums and Tots Group in 1985 was a new venture, and though Mrs Tough would probably not have used these words, undoubtedly, she would have approved. The 5.50 club was founded in 1982 and is aptly named as its teenage members meet at 10 minutes to 6 each Sunday evening for half an hour of discussion with Mr and Mrs Wigmore. 

1976 brought an unprecedented change in the organisation of chapel affairs when an Act of Parliament extinguished the Methodist Church trusts and replaced them with Church Councils. No longer was the fabric of the chapel to be the responsibility of the old-style trustees and their last meeting was held on the 10th November of that year. The change-over became known as restructuring with Eton Wick subject to the rules laid down for churches with less than sixty members. The change took place gradually, and in fact the Church Council had already come into being two years earlier, replacing the Leaders' Meetings. From 1976 the Council took on the responsibility of chapel maintenance and from this date concern for the chapel building became the duty of the Eton Wick Church Council, rather than that of trustees, who had always included people from other churches and chapels in the Circuit. It was quite a heavy burden to take on, for the chapel was now ninety years old and showing its age in spite of all the loving care that had been expended upon it. Membership had now risen to 39, but even if growth was still slow, at least the ability to raise money was still one of the notable features of the chapel.

Year by year the minute books tell of the Council's attention to the needs of the chapel - new service books, windows, tables, chairs, repairs to the roof, to the floor, guttering, rewiring - the list is endless and so is the need to raise more money. Coffee mornings, jumble sales, weekly subscriptions, saving boxes, bring and buy sales - these are the usual methods of collecting money and there is nothing very special about any of them, only the amounts collected. The chapel really has a very remarkable record in this direction.

Although a considerable proportion of the money has been used for the chapel, the greater part in most years has been destined for the work of the Methodist Church at home and abroad. The Overseas and Home Missions, JMA and Women's Work remain important, but there is now also a greater awareness of other needs, such as international disasters, poverty in inner city areas and the changing role of the missionary. Since the 1970s money has been regularly sent to the Methodist Relief Fund as well as to individual disaster funds, and the Christian Aid envelopes have been distributed and collected every year. In 1978 and '79 money was given to help modernise International House in London which is used by overseas missionary students who come to study in this country. In 1983 the Methodist Conference initiated the Mission Alongside the Poor Fund whereby it was hoped that the Methodist Church would raise £l million within five years to help the most needy areas in this country. This is another fund to which the chapel now regularly contributes. A hundred years ago Mr Lodge, who chaired the first meeting at the chapel, remarked that Methodists were expected to give in both time and money. Clearly this has not changed. Several times Eton Wick has been the third largest collector for Overseas Missions in the Circuit and top of the list when the amount raised was calculated per capita. Not for nothing did one Minister call Eton Wick 'the most generous chapel in the Circuit'. 

In 1985 the Circuit, in common with most other Circuits in the country, recommended the adoption of a new hymn book, 'Hymns and Psalms', but in this matter the members communion stewards, and the poor or benevolent fund ceased to be kept separate from the general chapel fund. Social responsibility and community care, however, are still regular items on the agenda and reflect the chapel's concern-for the community outside the chapel as well as within. Outreach is the new word describing the churches efforts to reach out and influence those who are not yet committed Christians. The word gives a different idea of what is being attempted, and indeed the means and ways are different, but sometimes it is difficult not to reflect on Mrs Tough and her efforts to bring people to Salvation.

The restructured Methodist Society now functions on a well documented and all too familiar set of plans and reports which reveal a variety of programmes and activities covering talks, demonstrations, visits, outings, Fundays, special services, anniversaries, Christmas and Easter festivals and Harvest thanksgiving. The calendar-of events both locally and within the circuit is full and extensive and the corporate sprit is high.

The Eton Wick History Group is most grateful for the kind permission given by the Eton Wick Methodist Chapel to republish this history, Tough Assignment on this website.

Tough Assignment - The 1960's and the 80th Anniversary of the Chapel

By the sixties the pace of life was recognisably changing once again. Membership of the chapel continued to rise, reaching forty-three in the summer of 1962, when eight new members joined - all ladies. A Ladies Club had been formed the year before, though the two events were not directly connected. The club met, as it still does, fortnightly in the Tough Memorial Hall. Mrs Hilda Paice became its first president. Meanwhile the Sisterhood consisting of the older generation of ladies, remained the backbone of chapel life. The 60s though, will be remembered mostly for the great rummage sales for missions which were organised by Harry Cook when many hundreds of pounds were raised for this worthy cause.

Chapel Membership

The Sunday School was still well attended, though not as well as in previous years. Numbers had dropped to about seventy again. There was now considerable competition for the children's interests. Homework, family outings and even a rival Sunday School run by the Gospel Tabernacle were all offered as reasons for the falling numbers, but these were merely the echo of the reports being given in churches and chapels all over the country. Sundays were changing and fewer parents were willing to send their children regularly to Sunday School. There had been a time when a significant proportion of the parents, consciously or unconsciously, used the chapel to gain an hour or two of quiet at home, but now many of the new generation of parents with more leisure time were using Sundays as a day for family outings. The Sunday School had for some years been held only on Sunday afternoons, and now in an attempt to meet the changing circumstances the time was changed to Sunday mornings. Scripture exams, however, were still being taken and it was with pride that Miss Morris reported to the leaders meeting in May 1965 that 13 scholars and one teacher had sat examinations and that all had passed - three with honours and eight with first class results. The Cradle Roll listed seventeen names and there was an expectation that five or six more would soon be added. It was suggested at the leaders meeting that mothers of new babies should be approached and asked if they would consider having their baby christened at the chapel, and even if the child was christened at the Church of England his or her name could be added to the Cradle Roll if the parents were willing. Some reservations -for this were expressed and it was hoped that in the future a kind of 'caring arrangement' might be initiated and the Cradle Roll kept for babies baptized into the Methodist Church. 

There were problems with the junior youth club, attendance was erratic and in 1963 it was reported that the club had not met during the last session. Meantime Mr Thorman had tried to form a club for the older children. Unfortunately, of the twelve youngsters who came to the first meeting, only two were Sunday School scholars, and the rest failed to respond to any encouragement to attend chapel. After some 6 to 9 months, it was felt that, since the main purpose of youth work was to bring young people in touch with Christ through the fellowship of the Church, the club was reluctantly discontinued. Two years later Mr Thorman tried once again to start a chapel youth club. He was determined that the club should be firmly attached to the chapel and aimed at creating a sense of Christian responsibility. The number of youngsters who joined was disappointingly small, but the club did meet for about two years and during that time made two cine films and several models. The club started its own car washing and gardening scheme to raise funds for the wooden annex extension which was built to accommodate the Beginners Sunday School Class.

The life of the chapel by its adult members shows an equally mixed picture. Dennis Nelson became a local preacher. Class meetings continued to be held on mid-week evenings in members' homes until in 1964 when alternate meetings were held in the chapel conducted by the Rev Kenneth Bate. Leaders' meetings began to be held quarterly instead of only once a year and the minutes revealed a little more about some of the activities, in particular those that concerned money raising. In 1964 the Overseas Missions raised £67, JMA over £93, Womens Work £43 and by weekly subscriptions the Ladies Club collected £62 for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign and nearly £5 for the Ivory Coast Hospital Scheme. Ever since the introduction of Poor Stewards in 1932 money had been collected for the sick members of the society and in October 1965 the minutes record that the income was £9 2s 8d that year and £3 2s 7d had been spent on gifts and flowers during sick visits. There is a reference to a bazaar being held one year and a coffee evening at the home of Mr & Mrs Peter Morris. This soon became a common way of raising money. There were mentions too of missionary meetings which included showing films and a Circuit Youth weekend at Henley to which four young people from Eton Wick were invited. Harvest Festivals, Chapel and Sunday School Anniversary services had always been part of the chapel programme, but sometime in the 1960s monthly Family services were introduced. At Christmas the annual Toy Service became a tradition and Sunday School children were encouraged to bring good quality toys of their own to give to children in need. The toys brought to these services were given to children in care at Fraton's Nursery, Maidenhead and later to Yewtrees Childrens Nursery in Slough.

With so much money raising perhaps it is not surprising to find the leaders meeting discussing the state of the general chapel finances and deciding to send letters to each member asking them to join the Envelope System if they had not already done so. At least £5 was needed each and every week for the normal running expenses. Meanwhile the trustees had committed the society to renovating the chapel itself. They had even considered the idea of re-building as part of the Eton Wick redevelopment scheme of the early 1960s. Instead, efforts were concentrated on raising money for a Sunday School Anniversary Service, 1960s new organ and a new wooden annex to replace the shed at the rear of the premises which had been used as a store for about ten years. Over £200 was raised for the organ when it was learnt that Mr Iona Smith, a considerable benefactor to the people of Slough and neighbourhood, was offering the chapel an organ as a gift. 

The gift was most gratefully received and the money put towards redecorating and re-equipping the chapel. The wooden annex built by Harry Cook and used mainly for the beginners Sunday School class has long been affectionately known as the 'Cook house'. A new pulpit was also built by Harry Cook from one brought from North Street Chapel at Winkfield which was closed in 1965. The moulding round the windows was showing its age and this was covered with panelling. Some walls in the schoolroom were replastered and the whole area repainted. Pews also taken from the North Street chapel replaced the original forms which had been used since the time that the chapel had opened. Thus, renovated and refurbished the chapel was re-opened with a rededication service held on 22nd June. At the thanksgiving meeting held in the evening the Dean of Windsor gave the address.

The chapel was now 80 years old, the same age as its leader, Mrs Annie Chew. She had been a society steward for thirty-six years and an active worker for much longer. Indeed, except for a few years just after her wedding, she had been part of the chapel life since she was two years old. But at last the connection was broken when she died on 26^th September 1966. At her memorial service she was remembered as a homemaker and churchmaker and the width of her vision and her love for other people. Only a few months before, her generosity had meant that the plans for a renovation of the chapel could go ahead without waiting until more money could be raised. To many people she was the chapel and with her death another ear had ended.

The Eton Wick History Group is most grateful for the kind permission given by the Eton Wick Methodist Chapel to republish this history, Tough Assignment on this website.

Eton Wick: a newcomers story

45 Queens Road, September 1960

My husband John and I along with our daughter Amanda moved into our new home at 45 Queens Road on the first Sunday of September 1960. Our first task on Monday morning was to shop. The village parade of shops had a fishmonger, butcher, chemist grocer, newsagent and a greengrocer. Milk was delivered by local farmer Bill Cooley.

John went to the village school to enroll Andrew and Steven. The headmaster was Mr. Moss who visited us in the evening to get details before he had left the house he had enrolled John as a collector for the PTA football scheme which raised money for the swimming pool and other amenities for the school.

Later Michael joined the family at Eton Wick, having taken his eleven plus and passed. He was awarded a place at Slough Grammar School.

Betty Denham

In May 1963 I wrote an advertisement for a job to help with the family budget.

State registered nurse. Mother of 4 school age children wants to put “some jam on their bread and butter” by looking after someone else's under 5’s for-profit   By the hour, ^1/₂ day, all day or week.  Terms reasonable.

On Tuesday, June 18th I started looking after the three Wallington children and the cat who lived in Windsor. Mr. Wallington was a reporter and sub-editor on the Sunday Times newspaper.

I did this for about 18 months before going to train and work for Mothercare as assistant manageress at their Slough Shop. I traveled to Harrow on the Hill five days a week for three months training and then started at Slough.  Amanda was at school at Eton Wick so she went to a neighbour, Mrs. Fearn, after school until I or John got home from work. John was then working for Dow Chemical at Winkfield and often did not get home until after six thirty.  Saturday working was a problem and John would sometimes take Amanda to Winkfield with him. After one year I found family life and working shop hours did not work out.

Looking for a more suitable employment I saw an advertisement in the Slough paper for a Health Visitor Assistant mainly working in the local area schools. The hours were more suitable to fit in with my family life. Applying successfully, I started working with Health Visitor Miss Humphries and Doctor Barker who was working as a school doctor from the Surgery of Doctor Fliday at the Taplow health centre. This job was most successful. It gave me school hours and school holidays and also it brought me two very good friends. Elsie Humphries the area health visitor and Jean Barker the school doctor.

My area was Eton, Eton Wick, Dorney, and schools in the Britwell area of Slough.  My problem with this school nurse post was the traveling as I am unable to drive and had to rely on Buses to get me around the area. Fortunately, after three years or so, a vacancy arose for a full-time school nurse at the Westgate School, Cippenham, Slough. I applied for the post to the Headmistress, Mrs. McGowan giving Doctor Barker and Miss Humphries as my referees. Doctor Jean Barker phoned the headmistress, Mrs. McGowan telling her to look no further, take Mrs. Denham you will find no-one better. The school is within walking distance of Eton Wick and several Eton Wick children attended Westgate who I knew and had seen when visiting Eton Wick school for medical inspections.  Not only the convenience of getting to the school but the staff were very good and here again, I made many friends. School activities and the social life of the school made for a very happy employment.

By Betty Denham - resident of Eton Wick for 39 years from September 1960 to September 1999.

Health Visitor Assistant with visits to Eton Wick School and the Village Hall Baby Clinic.

A member of the Eton Wick & Boveney Women's Institute including being Treasure and President.

John and Betty Denham 

30th July 1966

England played Germany in the World Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday 30th July 1966.  Bobby Moore was presented with the Jules Rimet Trophy by HM Queen Elizabeth 2^nd after the thrilling 4 v 2 victory.

Tickets for the tournament must have been easy to obtain for at least some of the matches as I was a spectator at the Mexico v Uruguay match that was played at Wembley on 19th July. I went along with my two brothers and a friend from Devon. It was a sunny day and the score ended 0 v 0 just as England v Uruguay had ended in the first game of the World Cup.

You may think that the population of Eton Wick and every other community in England would have been glued to their black and with TV for the final, but that was not the case.

John Coke took me and other members of the 1^st Eton Wick & Boveney Scout Troop to South Wales for a week’s camp. All the tents and other camping gear was loaded on the back of one of Bob Bond’s Bedford lorries and driven to the Neath Valley by John Fennel. I personally have a distinct memory of going down the long hill on the A4 going into Marlborough in Wiltshire as the M4 had not opened the way to Bristol.

When we arrived at our destination we scouts discovered that the camp site was some distance from the road so all the equipment and supplies needed to be carried. This was done with the troop’s trek cart. Each patrol taking turns to race down the track with the cart fully loaded. Scary to recall with its potential dangers, but I certainly remember it was great fun at the time. My overriding memory of the week is of rain and there was plenty of it during the seven days we were in camp. This memory is equally shared with the brilliant week that we had.

Another group who were not in the village on World Cup Final day were members of the Youth Club who were in St Ives in Cornwall enjoying their annual camp. Frank Bond says that a neighbouring farmer invited to campers into his home to watch the match.

My brother Andrew told me that much to his annoyance he was taken by our mother, Betty Denham to the Royal Tournament at Earls Court on a trip organised in the village. My sister Amanda says as an 8 year old she found the event very loud and action packed too.

Rev. Alan Paice

And yet another group of young people were on a trip to the Isle of Arran with Alan Paice, Priest in charge of St John’s the Baptist. My brother Michael was in this group who stayed in the Scottish National Trust hostel in the grounds of Brodick Castle. He remembers listening to the final on a radio as there were no TVs at the hostel.

Ford Transit mini bus and hostel accomodation

Rhododendron clearing. 

   

So one of the greatest day in the history of English Football found four village organisation taking young people and old out to participate in other events. Remarkable, do you think that the same would happen now?

If you were in St. Ives with the Youth Club, Ystradfellte for the Scout Summer Camp, Brodick Castle with the Church youth group, the trip to the Royal Tournament or any other organised outing please let us know what you remember of 30th July 1966. If you have any photographs we would be delighted if you share them on our website site.

Tony Anderson: Village recollections from the 1950's and 60's.

Roy Arnold was correct in saying that my Brother Jerry and I lived with our parents Arthur and Connie Anderson at number 13 Eton Wick Rd. They ran the Newsagents, Tobacconist and Confectioners; there was a barbers shop to the rear. Sadly my father passed away at his home in Princes Risborough in October 1992 and my mother a few years later. The other shops on the Parade were Mr Clark's Fish and Chips, Mr Arnold the Butcher, O'Flaherty the Chemist, Clinch the Baker from Eton, the Ormond family who ran Darvilles, the grocer from Windsor and Frank Bond the green grocer. 

Younger readers who are still interested and not turned off by my ramblings will be concerned by the lack of Banks, Estate Agents, Charity Shops, Coffee Shops, Ladies Hairdressers, and Betting Shops, how did we manage without them. 

Other businesses of note were of course J T Ireland the builder who was a local councillor and county councillor who completed the construction of Tilstone Close whilst I lived in the village. Bob Bond a haulier and Constructor, Ron Clibbon who was an accountant lived in Tilstone Close and traded from a shop in Eton High just a few doors from Gordon Painting's cycle shop. Also of note were the 3 Pubs, other small general stores and Mr Sibley who was the alternative newsagent in the village. There was also a Cycle shop operating from a Garden shed in a house at the end of Alma Road.

I suspect that many older residents will remember my greatest mark on the village was my painting my half of the semidetached house no 60 Eton Wick Road which is now 150 years old bright Blue, fortunately the next inhabitant had a little more taste than I and returned it to White.

I would finally like to pay tribute to both my parents for their dedication of opening their shop for all those years from 6.00 am to 7.00 pm six and a half days a week for 364 days a year. They were also foremost in raising funds with many others for the Catholic Church. Prior to this Mass would be said on a Sunday in the village hall, but after a plot was designated by Eton Urban District Council the fund raising was continued in earnest. Once sufficient Funds had been raised, the Diocese sanctioned loans to be made and the Church to be built. I am indebted to Theresa Stanton on when it was finished which was in 1964 and I was married there in January 1966. What a great pity that it is reported elsewhere that services may end due to various factors.      

Please accept my apologies if I have made any errors or omissions as my memory was never that good, as many paper round customers can testify from incorrect deliveries. I do however hope that these recollections jog a few memories.

THE EARLY HISTORY OF 24, VICTORIA ROAD, ETON WICK,

EARLY HISTORY, IN OUTLINE, RELATING TO 

24, VICTORIA ROAD, ETON WICK, SL4 6LY.

Photograph above of Thames View Stores
and Eton Wick Road taken in 1913

WILLIAM HEARN : Apprenticeship in saddlery; employment in harness making; more interested in the motor car, driving in 1903; returned to Eton Wick, married in 1906; bought Thames View (by 1991 was Thames View Aquarium), opened a shop and started in business; had some arrangement with 'General' Hill who had a Wheelwright business at the premises now known as 24, Victoria Road; outline plan of area used by Hill before the first World War and taken over by Hearn during the War for engineering.

This plan shows what I remember in 1920. My father purchased the land from No 18 to 36 (present numbers), down to the brook; divided into three plots and retained the centre plot, 24 to 28/30.


Early in the 1920's he phased out  engineering and engaged employees only on a casual basis. Later he discontinued repair and exchange and concentrated on car hire, driving and maintaining his own cars until the end of his life.






In 1924 Thames View was sold and a bungalow erected as shown for our family. A store was made for reserve petrol supply (2 gallon tins) etc. below ground level.

By mid 1930's the bungalow was extended and a new house was built on the adjoining property. A small tank and hand pump for petrol (not for re-sale) was added other changes made as shown.











The Second World War came and the premises not again in use until 1946. Electricity (3 phase) was laid on and the property was connected to the main drainage. Tanks and equipment was installed for petrol for resale. Full motor engineering service was started. The was questioned by the Borough Engineer (Mr Smith) and his Dept. but finally permitted as there had been light engineering industry at the premises well before 1937 so permission not required.

Victoria Road was a cul-de-sac and stopped off at Shepherds Hut Field (now Princes Close). In 1948 this leaflet was distributed to every letter box in the area to make our presence known business card at that time.













My brother soon left working for Hearn Motors to run a business of his own. A small holding keeping pigs and poultry in the field along the back of properties 24 to 36. The plan shows the promises as they were when I sold Hearn Motors in 1952 to B.A.Nuts Ltd. who had rented part of the property for about a year before for their automatic machines. A 21 year lease was granted for the whole premises; an income for my sister who lived in the bungalow.

My sister (3 years old in the photograph at the beginning of this article, outside the shop) sold out to J.T.Ireland for housing development that became Queens Road. The bungalow extension was immediately removed to make way for the entrance to Queens Road from Victoria Road;. She moved out when her new chalet in Slough was finished in 1960. Ireland paid higher rate for premises with light industrial use (leased to B.A.Nuts Ltd.). He appears to have been disregarded it and made application for more houses, but this was not granted and the lease not renewed. I visited the property with Jim Ireland on 11th June 1974. It was empty and not in a good state of repair he offered the premises back for £20,000.



This history was prepared for ASTEEL ENGINEERING SERVICES Ltd of 24, Victoria Road, Eton Wick By J.W.E.Hearn in 1991. 

St Gilberts Church

St. Gilbert's Church, Eton Wick (In the Parish of "Our Lady of Peace" Burnham): A short history

It was in 1954 that a Father Dunstan (formerly a Torpedo Boat Coxwain!!) encouraged Eton Wick's Catholics to strive to finance the construction of their own church in the village. At that time, Sunday morning mass was being celebrated in the Village Hall (for which the hire charge was 4 shillings per week and the clearing of Saturday night's debris); and, prior to that, villagers had made their way to 'Our Lady of Sorrows' at Eton. 

A committee was elected, a raffle held and the £3 raised was the first contribution to the fundraising. A few years (and a lot of jumble sales, bazaars and dances) later, construction commence, with the foundations being dug by the parishioners themselves. 

Ten years after Father Dunstan's challenge, on the day before Palm Sunday in 1964, the Roman Catholic Church of St. Gilbert was blessed by Bishop Leo Parker, assisted by the Prior and Chapter from the community of Canons Regular at Datchet. St. Gilbert's was built at a cost of £16,000 on land which was purchased for £1,500. 

by Teresa Stanton

The Colours of Eton Wick

What are the colours of Eton Wick?

 

Amber and black are the colours of Eton Wick Football Club and have been for well over 100 years. It has also been the sports colours of the village primary school.  When a junior football team was started in 1947 they played in white and black. This was a result of clothing and many other  everyday items being on ration.

The years immediate after the end of the Second World War were a period of harsh austerity both financially and materially.  Frank Bond recalls cycling around West London with a friend in a vain search for army surplus football kit. It was decided that a white, or very pale shirt was the most commonly available among the boys and black out material which was off ration was used to make the shorts.

In the early years of the 20th century the Eton Wick Football team was known as the wasps because of the black and amber strip they played in.

The Boy Scout Troop also chose black and white for the colours of the scarfs in the early 1930’s.

 

 

 

The design of the masthead at the top of our website were chosen specifically to reflect the colours that have represented the Village for so long. 

If you know of the colours that any of the other village organizations or groups used that were unique/specific to them please do let us know by using the comment box below.

 
The photograph of Eton Wick Primary School football team was provided by Martin Deebank.

Common Road, Eton Wick

Common Road, Eton Wick

Looking East

Common Road pond and old houses c. 1920 (upper photo). The large elm tree in the middle distance is at the the junction between Common Road and Sheepcote Road. The Greyhound pub and Thatch Cottage are this side of it. This, the north end of Sheepcote Road, was then a gated farm track with a stile. The bottom photo, taken in the 1990s, shows the pond area infilled and grassed, and the modern Albert Place dwellings in place of the old cottages. 

Looking West 

The top photograph of Common Road with the pond was taken in the late 1930s. The Wheatbutts is on the left. The 'old' Scout Hut in Wheatbutts Field can just be seen behind the elm trees, and beyond them, Bell Farm Cottages (now Bellsfield Court flats). A noted occupant of the Wheatbutts was film star the late David Niven, then a wartime Captain in the Highland Infantry. The ponds were used for fishing, bath tub punting, model boat sailing and skating. Note the 'young' oak tree (planted in Jubilee Year 1897), and in front of it a mound of ashes from one of the regular November the 5th bonfires. The railings protecting the tree went as part of the WWII recycling effort. The lower photograph was taken in the 1990s. The ponds were in-filled in 1969. 

John Denham - Eton Wick History Group Treasurer

John Denham

19/9/1924 – 8/10/2014

Memories of his life in Eton Wick 1960-2014

John was guided to Eton Wick in 1959 by the son of his landlady. He had recently landed a job at Specto in Vale Road, Windsor and needed to find a new home for Betty, his wife and their 4 children who were living in Tiverton. The suggestion was to visit J.T. Ireland’s development at Queens Road. When he and Betty met Mr Ireland and viewed the site a decision to buy was quickly made. The only snag was the 18 months it would take to complete the house number 45.

The time passed and he and his family moved from Devon at the beginning of September 1960. His first involvement in village life was applying to the village school to get two of his sons’ places. Mr Moss arranged to visit that evening and before he left John had been signed up as the PTA’s Pools collector for Queens Road. His youngest child, Amanda extended the family’s relationship with the school until 1969. Michael, his oldest was a pupil at the school for the1961 summer term having stayed on in Devon to take his 11 plus exam.

In 1965 he found his dream job at Vita Tex on Slough Trading Estate and stayed there for 30 years retiring only reluctantly on his 70^th birthday. During his later years, he sometimes thought that the long hours he spent keeping the textile machinery going and the night time call-outs to deal with breakdowns may have been something to regret. His children knew otherwise as they could only remember he was always there to support them in their village endeavours. Whenever he was asked to help he would be there. The school, Cubs & Scouts, Brownies & Guides, Fetes & Fairs and much more benefited from his help.

When Judith Hunter wanted to publish her history research about Eton Wick, Frank Bond brought together a willing group of volunteers to make it happen. John and his family were part of this team to put on an exhibition covering Eton Wick’s history. He created a photographic darkroom in the roof of 45QR and son Andrew produced the hundreds of photos for it. He and his son Steven undertook a survey for a couple of maps of parts of the village that were not available from other sources. And then, of course, he created the display boards and stands. The funds were raised and ‘The Story of a Village: Eton Wick 1217 to 1977’ was published.

John worked on beyond his 65th birthday, first on a 3 day a week basis then he reduced this to 2. Frank Bond had an idea to help fill this ‘spare time’ and suggested that they and others set up a local history group. The Eton Wick History Group was formed, Frank became chairman and John the Treasurer. He undertook several research projects including the River Thames Bridges of Windsor, Circuses and Eton Wick during the Second World War. He was a regular visitor at Slough Library to undertake research and his friendship with one of the librarians resulted in this website.

He is greatly missed by the Eton Wick History Group, his family and all who knew him.

His personal memories of VJ Day, 15th August 1945 can be read here.

Eton Wick School in the post-war years

Eton Wick School in the post-war years

The school diary records that the air raid shelters were removed in 1946 and school life was back to normal by 1947. As the school is of Church of England denomination an inspection by the Oxford Diocesan brought forth the following comment—

“The service was carefully and reverently conducted, but some of the older boys were inclined to loll and I should have liked to see a more alert attitude on the part of the bigger ones who should be an example to the rest. The singing was tuneful, but the general effect would be better if the boys did not stand anyhow and sing into their boots!”

January 29th. 1947 was a very cold winter and with fuel rationing still in force the classrooms remained very cold recording a temperature of 38f (3c) at the start of morning class and rising only to 41f (5c) by 4pm close of school. The daily temperature continued to fall, reaching a classroom temperature of 28f (-2c) on January 30th. The combination of heavy frost and snow made for difficult conditions and the school attendance dropped to 28 pupils on January 29th.

The thaw in the weather set in during the third week of March leading to severe flooding in Windsor, Eton and Eton Wick and forcing the village school to close from March 17th – 24th. In the following month, whilst the school was on Easter holiday, one pupil died from tetanus: it was thought to have been an infection from the flooded land.

Photo of the school - probably taken in 1950s

Three new classrooms were added in 1953 followed in 1959 by another building extension. Further building and amenities followed between 1962 and 1974 with more new classrooms and provision for science and cooking.

Whilst the building work was taking place during mid 1960’s, some children were taught in the Village Hall where school meals were also partaken.

In 1965 class 7 pupils were taught in one of the ground floor rooms in the Village Hall, because of a shortage of accommodation in the school. The children are seen here on the climbing frame at the back of the Hall.

The use of the Village Hall for schooling ceased at the beginning of the summer term in 1966. Work continued on the completion of the Assembly Hall and Old building was converted to kitchen and dining hall.

In 1962 the school’s Parent Teacher Association donated a heated swimming pool for learners.

From 1882 onwards, the Head Teacher of the village school had always been a woman until the appointment of Mr V.C. Moss in 1955, which brought change to the school staffing. The longest serving teacher in the school’s history was Miss Florence Stearn, who was also the Headmistress, and who spent 32 years at the school (1903—1935). Ida M. Rooke, who was headmistress for 14 years (1941—1955), was followed by Mr V.C. Moss, the school’s first headmaster who held the post for 21 years. Headmaster Ian Hampshire was appointed on January 1st 1977, and was later followed by a new Headteacher, Mrs Robinson. The current Headteacher is Mrs M. Houston.

For at least 20 years after the Second World War, the children of Eton Wick school walked to the Village Hall every day at dinnertime. Well-balanced dinners were delivered every day by Buckinghamshire County Council.

The photo shows Mrs Michener, school meals supervisor, with the delivery driver.

Many incidents go to make up school life, a summary of which can be gleaned from the book published to mark the School Centenary Year 1888—1988. There was some success in sport: at football under the tuition of sports master, Mr R.C .Nash, being League Champions in 1967; and in swimming, where the school won the Dolphin Swimming Trophy in 1969.

Celebrating Swimming success: Mr Nash, Sports Master, with (left to right) Shirley Ann Morrell, Debbie Neil, Linda Devonshire and Amanda Denham.

In 1967 Mr Moss lead a 4th year class trip to The Netherlands. Mrs Smith, the Class teacher also went on the trip and Mrs Pam Kreamer was a helper. 

The photograph has been shared by Sally Dodd.

On several special occasions the Opening ceremonies were performed by personalities from the world of entertainment and sport. The new swimming pool was opened by Billy Wood, British Boys Diving Champion in 1962. Valerie Singleton from the BBC’s Blue Peter programme was a guest at the Middle School party in 1972, and there was a visit by the American Space Apollo Astronaut, Ed Mitchell, in 1977.

In 1993 the addition of a Foundation Unit allowed children to start school at three years old. The age for leaving the junior school for a more senior school was changed from eleven to nine years, with pupils generally going on to Windsor Middle School.

School Centenary Dinner, January 23rd 1988.

From left to right: Mr Vernon C. Moss, Headmaster,
Mr W. Cooley, Chairman of School Governors and Mrs Cooley

If you attended Eton Wick School, please use the comment box below to add your memories and any photographs of your school days.