WARGRAVE Local History Society enjoyed traditional home-made mince pies and mulled wine prepared by member Wendy Smith at its December meeting.
During the evening, a Christmas celebration, the society secretary highlighted items from the society archives.
These included postcard views of Wargrave, although the group were more interested in the messages on the back of the postcards, than in the views on the front.
They ranged in date from 1906 through to the 1930s, and were the equivalent of email messages of today.
Back then, the group realised, it was possible to send a postcard for somebody’s birthday, that would be received the same day it had been posted.
Other postcard messages the group looked at give insights into life at the time.
“They mention catching an evening bus from Maidenhead to Hare Hatch and then happily walking the mile or so into Wargrave,” said Peter Delaney from the society.
“Or they talk about problems with bicycle lights on the way home, girls working in service at some of the large local houses, or they mention a ‘wire’ (telegram) to announce the arrival of a friend’s baby.
“Most of the cards were addressed to a Miss Viner – not a familiar village name, her family coming from Reading – but her descendants turned out to include our Wargrave Local History Society’s first chairman.”
The society meets in the Old Pavilion, Recreation Ground, Wargrave on the second Tuesday of the month, at 8pm.
The first meeting of 2026 will be on Tuesday, January 13, when Jayne Worrall will reveal what it’s like living in a reputedly haunted residence, 15th Century former Coaching Inn, The Bull Hotel, in Wargrave.
For information and to join the society, visit: wargravehistory.org.uk
