Recently we have received several new accessions from friends and staff of the Archive. Whilst this is not a new collecting trend, it has got us thinking about the value of passing on contextual information when depositing records. Depositors often have first-hand knowledge of events captured in the records which can tell a deeper story.
In March of last year, we received sale particulars and brochures for two properties in Tilehurst (ref. D/EX2959/1) by one of our Archives Assistants. On the surface, you might think of them as a source for house history, however with a bit of context, they tell a story of a young family starting a new chapter in Berkshire.
The story begins with our earliest sale particular for 7 Elvaston Way, Tilehurst which was described as
‘a superbly maintained and well fitted modern semi-detached house’.
We can see from the sale that the owners in residence at the time of selling in 1977, were Mr and Mrs King, but who were they?
From speaking to the depositor, we learnt that Elvaston Way was in fact the couple’s first house purchase together.
Roger Allin King married Sonia Acacia Duran on 14 March 1964 in Paddington, London and on 5 March 1965 they welcomed a son called Mark. Roger worked for Phoenix Insurance, whilst Sonia returned to work at weekends at Clarks shoe shop, both in London. They had been renting in Ealing, but like many young people today were finding themselves priced out of their home city.
Accompanying the sale was a brochure introducing a new development by Aspect Homes Ltd called Hardwick Copse. The site is described as
‘fringed with trees on two sides, situated on high level ground and enjoys the benefits of fresh clean air and freedom from the danger and noise of heavy traffic’.
Reading was marketed as being a commuter town with the
"FAST AND FREQUENT TRAINS TO PADDINGTON"
appealing to the King family who made the leap and moved from London to Berkshire with their young son in 1966. In fact, Roger’s employer offered to loan them the deposit for the house in Tilehurst. Sadly, very uncommon these days!
We know from the depositor, that they were one of the first residents to move into the estate, leaving them rather isolated, until many young families began moving in.
Over time, they settled into Reading life and went on to have two further sons, David in 1967 and Philip in 1971. Around this time, Roger King had begun to work for the London operation of Guinness Mahon (later Guinness Flight).
The second sales particular allows us to follow the family on their next move to 27 Mandeville Close, Tilehurst in 1977
‘a modern detached property in a desirable location offering 4 bedrooms.’
The property was described as
‘ideal for a family needing that extra space.’
which is exactly what the King family needed with three growing boys and another baby on the way.
Six weeks before they moved, they had a baby girl, Ruth. We know that the move was not exactly smooth sailing, as Sonia had to have an emergency appendectomy the same day, so Roger had to balance moving boxes and 4 children!
Later that year on 10th July 1977, the family solidified their connection to Berkshire, when all four children were baptised together at St Michael's church in Tilehurst.
These children have all grown up and bought their own homes, but the Berkshire connection has remained. Little Ruth Louise has grown up to become an Archives Assistant at the Royal Berkshire Archives and deposited these records, so the story of the King family will forever live on in the Archives.