Wargrave Local History Society was founded in 1981. To mark its 40th anniversary, the November meeting took a look back over that period, starting with what the village was like then.
In many ways, it was as it is now: most of the housing developments that saw the village grow having already occurred, but many of the businesses in the village, however, have since gone. To help bring all parts of the village community together, the Wargrave Village Festival had been started in 1975, whilst the Wargrave News was founded in 1978.
The first suggestion for a local history group came in October 1975, when Derek Bird, of a long-established village family, wrote about village history in the Parish News, but his idea fell on ‘deaf ears’ at that time.
The next was in the 1981 Village Festival programme, when Derek’s collection formed the basis of an Old Wargrave Exhibition held in the Hannen Room. It generated a lot of interest, so a meeting was arranged for November 12, 1981, to consider a Wargrave Historical Society.
The meeting was a success, with the room only just able to accommodate everyone who wished to attend – the Wargrave Local History Society was born, with Derek Bird as its first Chairman. Lord Remnant kindly agreed to become the Society’s President (which office he continues to hold).
A programme of talks was arranged, the first having various long-time village residents, and following one about the Roman excavations at Silchester, a visit to the site – which led to another regular feature in the society programme, a visit to a place of ‘local history interest’. The basic pattern for the society’s meetings had been set.
1983 was the first Village Festival since the society’s formation, and various ideas were considered on how the society could be involved. A further Old Wargrave Exhibition was staged, but this time on a larger scale using the village hall for three days, followed by a ‘Tour of the village’ conducted by Derek, sharing his knowledge of people, places and events as participants walked around the village centre.
A similar involvement was planned for the next village festival, in 1985 but in the February Derek died quite unexpectedly. He was just 38. The AGM the following month began with a two-minute silence. It also had to look forwards – and Lord Remnant proposed that the deputy chairman take over Derek’s role.
Planning continued for the Village Festival, with a three-day Wargrave Through Postcards exhibition, based on Derek’s collection, followed by a ‘local history walk’. Meanwhile, a team had been working on a project suggested at the inaugural meeting – to produce The Book of Wargrave that recorded both ‘researched history’ and the memories of villagers.
It was an instant success, and as further material became available, The Second Book of Wargrave followed a few years later. In due course, the society acquired a lot more photographs – not least, the personal albums of Wargrave’s benefactress Harriette Cooke-Smith, with images from the 1870s to the early 20th century – and these enabled the publication of a volume, with larger pictures with extended captions, The Illustrated Book of Wargrave in 2011.
Another project, jointly with Wargrave Royal British Legion, was the creation of a memorial to the crew who died when an American ‘Flying Fortress’ bomber crashed here in November 1943. It was installed at Hennerton Golf Club, overlooking the accident site, and officially unveiled in November 2014 by the local MP, Theresa May, with the Military Attache from the US Embassy in attendance.
This review has briefly touched on s few of the major topics – other activities include recording the churchyard inscriptions, maintaining a local history website and establishing an archive of documents, photographs etc – currently about 3,500 items.
The anniversary was celebrated with wine and special birthday cakes made by Wendy Smith – one with candles, and the other bearing images of the Society’s three hardback books.
Little could those present in the Hannen Room 40 years ago have imagined the technology that would have enabled the society to continue with a programme of talks during the pandemic, but would maybe recognise that their intentions in founding the society have – and are being – fulfilled.
The Society’s planned programme is at www.wargravehistory.org.uk, where the latest information can be found, or email info@wargravehistory.org.uk to confirm meeting details.
PETER DELANEY
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