All Events

An important time of the year for any rural community, the Hiring, Mop or Statute Fair reached its peak popularity in the 19th Century as a way to seek and to provide employment. This talk will outline How, when and where the fairs worked; The evidence they leave behind; The campaign against the fairs; Registration societies; Why the fairs declined as employment tools; Some of the other attractions provided.

This is the second of three talks in the Autumn Potpourri Talks Series. You may book tickets for individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.  Katie Amos is known as the Local Studies Lead for Reading Library, but she has also been a member of the Reading Arts Front Of House team for over 30 years too. With these dual roles, she is ideally placed to discuss the histories of the three Arts venues - The Hexagon, Concert Hall and South Street. From old to new, each venue has a different feel, but they have hosted many national and international stars over the years, some of whom may get a mention in this talk.

This presentation will explore the latest free online resources offered by UK local library services to their members, reflecting the changes in dataset availability throughout 2024.

Love books and reading? Looking for something different for a Christmas present? Over recent years. Berkshire Family History Society has been given many pre-loved books to sell. These are predominantly local history, family history and social history books - although we also have a fair number of military and transport history books, plus others. If "history" is your thing - then come along and grab a bargain. We also have a selection of vintage maps. We need to clear the decks a little so everything will be out on display. Plus we will also have some of our extensive bookshop of new books, maps and publications available to purchase, including our data CDs. The book fair lasts for three hours, and you'll be able to buy refreshments whilst you ponder your purchases. 

Informal discussion group, facilitated by Chad Hanna and Gillian Stevens. Topics are chosen by the group on a monthly basis. End time varies. Free to attend, but pre-booking required. 

Come and join us for a Combined Branches' Christmas Social.  It will be a chance to get together, catch up on Society developments and chat to other members of the Society.  

This is the final of three talks in the Transport Talks Series. You can book individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.  Before the advent of railways, Berkshire was known for its extensive canal network. These waterways played a crucial role in Britain's transportation infrastructure, establishing Berkshire as a significant junction and contributing to the county's economic growth. This talk will explore the reasons behind the extent of the county's canals and their impact on the local population. Additionally, it will reveal how the railways eventually overtook the canals, possibly at a slower pace than commonly perceived.

This is the final of three talks in the Autumn Potpourri Talks Series. You may book tickets for individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.  This virtual tour of Old Coley will take participants through the streets of Coley before slum clearance and the Inner Direction Road destroyed large sections of working class housing in this inner city area of Reading. Using a mixture of historic maps, old photographs, personal knowledge and desk-top research, Joe and Graham will present a history of the area and tales of life in this tough but vibrant community. They will stop-off along the way to explore the Coley Steps, Coley Primary School, Simonds Brewery, St Savour’s Church and the local brick making industry. It should be of interest to Old Coleyites, local historians, current residents and anyone intrigued about what existed before the IDR.

An evening of quizzing, presentations, Q&A and refreshments.

Festive Lunchtime Social