Berkshire’s Canals
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 Transport Talks Series. The other talks take place on 10th October and 14th November. You may book tickets for individual events or for all three talks in the series for a reduced price.
After the talk, tea/coffee and cake will be available (included in the price). Pre-booking is preferred, but you can pay on the door, if there are spaces available.
Image: Kennett – Bob&Anne Powell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
To book, scroll down.
Date
- Thu 05 Dec 2024
Time
- 14:00 - 15:30
Tickets
- £5.00
Location
- 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3BQ
Organiser
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The Centre - Berkshire FHS
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Email
booking@berksfhs.org.uk -
Website
https://berksfhs.org/branches/
Speaker
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Dr Richard MarksRichard is a published historian based in Berkshire who specialises in industrial, military, and railway history and also the history of science. His current areas of research are industrial development in the Victorian period, the development of the railway and canal systems in Britain in the mid to late 19th Century and the history of British Rail. He has a PhD in economic history. Richard’s book about British Rail Engineering was published by Pen and Sword in early 2024 and a new book is due out later in 2024 about the Wantage Tramway Company.