Education, education, and education
We have catalogued the records of several Bracknell schools: Holly Spring Primary School (formerly Infant and Junior Schools), 1960-2016 (SCH53); Berek, Braybrooke and Kennel Lane Special Schools, 1966-2016 (SCH54); Ranelagh School, 1936-1941 (D/EX3082); and Meadow Vale Primary School (formerly Infant and Junior Schools), 1965-c.2017 (SCH55). Meadow Vale Infant School was the first school to be built in the New Town, and it and the Junior School both had special units for Deaf/deaf and partially hearing children. We have also received some records for Earley St Peter CE (Aided) School, 1939-1998 (D/EX3116).
A small but interesting collection comes from J E (''Ted'') Vidal, the last headmaster of Frilsham House School, Frilsham (D/EX3065). Frilsham House was a small private boarding preparatory school which opened in 1945 in the mansion of the same name. It was forced to close when the M4 motorway was built through the grounds in 1968. Mr Vidal spent the Easter holiday in 1967 visiting a selection of private boarding schools in West Germany, and took the opportunity to see the Berlin Wall, then only a few years old. He was keen on playing cricket and his papers include a photograph of Yattendon Cricket Club team in 1949.
The Old Royals go sailing on
Our important collection of the records of the Royal Merchant Navy School (formerly The Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum and later Bearwood College) has been augmented by records from The Old Royals Association for former pupils, 1929-2018 (D/EX2689). There are many photographs of school activities.
Out of school
We have recently catalogued the records of Wallingford Adventure Summer Play Scheme (WASPS), 1975-1992 (D/EX2531). This voluntary organisation based its activities around an adventure playground and also offered indoor activities and outings for local children during the school holidays, providing both childcare for working parents and enrichment for the children.
We have also listed a small collection of papers relating to the Berkshire and Reading branches of the Workers' Educational Association, n.d. [c.1963]-1983 (D/EX2865).
Farming: a family affair
The archive of the Castle family of Wantage has been augmented by a number of publications detailing life on the family farm through the 20th century (D/EX2547). They show how farms diversified in the second half of the century.
You can find out more about all these records by searching our online catalogue. Enter the collection reference given above in the Catalogue Reference field.