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Journal Contents ISSN 1361-5599 CT PU JE RL From the Chairman. John Chapman 1 O E R Y P Annual General Meeting. Hazel King 2 G Percy Trentham Ltd part 2. Rita Denman 3 ty Lo ie ca oc Recent Discoveries. Jean Debney 11 l History S Letters to the Editor The Parish Bier. Rita Denman 13 Nature Notes. Michael King 14 Reviews of Meetings. David Downs Your House, My home. (John Chapman) 16 The History of Purley Lodge. (Rick Jones) 18 Dovecots. (Andrew Hutt) 21 Forthcoming Meetings 19th May Reading Walkabout, led by John Dearing and Sidney Gold. Meet at The Lion, Forbury Gardens at 6.45 pm. 17th June Outing to Milestones Museum, Basingstoke. 14th July Barbecue, hosted by Ann and John Chapman, at 5 Cecil Aldin Drive. THE PROJECT PURLEY JOURNAL 22nd Sept Woodland Archaeology in West Berkshire by Dick Greenaway. May 2006 th 20 October Statues & Monuments of Reading by Sidney Number 71 Gold. £2.00 Edited by Ann Betts. Typeset by Ben Viljoen. Printed by The Print Room, Portman Road, Reading Project Purley Publications 1 4 Sources for the History of Purley on Thames Vol 1 Index (revised Feb From the Chairman 1989) 5 Sources for the History of Purley on Thames Vol 1 part 3 (items 39-61) May I first thank all of you for your support when I was elected (Reprinted and revised Sept 2005) Chairman in my absence. It is a great privilege to be Chairman of 6 Index Locorum to The Diary of Reading Corporation (reprinted September 2005) such an august body. We are so well regarded in Local History 16 Monumental Inscriptions at St Mary’s Church Part B - Memorials in circles because of all that we have done in the past and a great deal of old churchyard that credit must go to my predecessor, Jean Debney. We have had a 18 Beating the Bounds (£0.50) covert meeting of the committee without her to elect her to honorary life membership and I am expecting to present her with the Please contact Ann Betts if you would like to purchase copies of the above st certificate on April 21 . She and Cliff, along with myself were publications. The costs, unless marked otherwise, are £1 per copy for founder members of the society which was formed back in 1982 from members and £2 per copy for non-members, plus postage where applicable. the merger of three informal groups - Jean leading the parish register The following are being prepared for re-publication transcribers, me the archaeologists and Marvin Clarke the natural historians and since then Jean has been chairman for three terms and 1 Sources for the History of Purley on Thames Vol 1 part 1 (items 1-23) done so much to develop interest in our village. (revised Aug 1988) 2 Sources for the History of Purley on Thames Vol 1 part 2 (items 24-38) We have always set out to be somewhat more than just a local (Aug 1988) history group as the wide range of the talks in recent years have 3 Monumental Inscriptions at St Mary's Church Purley Part C (Feb 1989) demonstrated. However your new committee have pointed out that 8 The Early History of Purley C of E School by Rita Denman (1993) many of our newer members have been unaware of the work done in 10 The Place Names of Purley on Thames by John Chapman (Sept 1990) the past relating to Purley so we are going to re-deliver (slightly 11 Project Purley Newsletters 1-11 (Apr 1996) updated) some of the public lectures we gave in the village to 12 Project Purley Newsletters 12-16 (Apr 1996) 13 Purley on Thames at the Millennium compiled by John Chapman celebrate the Millennium and we are embarking on a project to (Dec 1999) capture as much of the information we have on Purley so that it can 14 Monumental Inscriptions at St Mary's Church Part C - Memorials in be easily distributed to members of the society. To this end we will be new churchyard seeking volunteers who can type a simple text document on their computer. Other Purley Related Publications I have just finished a most interesting year as Chairman of West Tour Guide to Purley Church (1988) Berkshire Council which has given me the opportunity to meet A History of St Mary's Church Purley by John Chapman (1988) people from across the District and the County. It has reinforced my view that we live in part of the country rich in history but yet little known to most of the population other than as a place to pass through. I hope we can change that! John Chapman Cover: Purley Lodge Photo by kind permission of the owners, Stuart & Emily Kennedy 2 THE PROJECT PURLEY JOURNAL 3 Annual General Meeting G Percy Trentham Ltd Part 2 The 24th Annual General Meeting was held on 17th March 2006 at The RITA DENMAN Barn. Jean Debney summarised the varied programme for the past year, which began in January with members remembering their Despite the economic depression of the thirties Trentham's were school days, followed in February by an illustrated talk by Leslie being awarded a variety of contracts. In 1932 Donald was married to Grout on St.George's Chapel, Windsor. The aims of the Campaign Miss Doreen Radcliffe and the marriage was blessed with two sons, for Rural England were clearly outlined by Margaret Cubley in Peter and Barry, both of whom followed in their father footsteps and, March following the AGM and Jean Debney ended the winter after undergoing a period of strenuous training with the company, programme with the Manors of Purley. Both the guided tour of eventually took their places as directors. In 1937, contracts for Englefield Gardens in May and the Nuffield Place visit in June were housing estates, bridges, swimming baths, factories, reservoirs and well attended, as was the barbecue in Ben and Dorothy Viljoens' the inevitable sewerage undertakings and road works were in garden in July. progress. The success of his firm widened Percy's horizons and The Rain or Shine Theatre production in June was a new venture brought him into contact with men of influence in the City of for the Society, which proved to be very successful and resulted in a London. He had joined various City Guilds including the Paviours charity donation of £425 being presented to the Thames Valley Air and the Cordwainers and was to involve himself still more in the Ambulance Service. City, his objective being to seek election to the Court of Commons Council. On 9th May 1939 he was unanimously elected a member for September saw some of our members and friends reminiscing the Bread Street Ward of the City as a Liveryman of The Company of about their roles as extras in the “Pride and Prejudice” production Paviours with the full intention of playing a big part in the City being filmed at Basildon Park; John Gurnett guided us through administration. In early 1939 at the persuasion of friends he sought Nelson's Battle of Trafalgar in October and the Wilson Road School, election to the office of Sheriff. On this occasion he was unsuccessful Reading was the subject for November. The year ended with an but at a second attempt was elected Sheriff in June 1940. A brilliant excellent Christmas Party at The Gatehouse hosted by Rick and Val career was brought to Jones. end when Percy Ron Denman retired in December as typesetter for the Newsletter Trentham was killed in and Ben Viljoen has taken over production. Tom Robinson, the a German air raid on Society's first treasurer, died in July after a long illness. London on December The Society's financial position remains very sound with a 8th 1940. On 26th October continuing steady membership. Peter Perugia and John Chapman 1972 a stained glass submitted reports on the objectives and aims of both the newspaper window was unveiled cuttings and publications committees in cataloguing/updating all in memory of George the Society's assets. Percy Trentham at St. Due to the retirement of two of the present officers, John Lawrence Jewry, the Chapman was nominated as Chairman and Ben Viljoen as Treasurer. Guildhall Church in the Peter Perugia was nominated to join the executive committee. City of London. The Stained Glass Window Hazel King 4 THE PROJECT PURLEY JOURNAL G Percy Trentham Ltd Part 2 5 Following his father's death, Donald became the recognised head a product of the Aircraft Research Industries Organisation. Between of the Company. Donald had by this time achieved a reputation for five or six completed houses a day was the average rate of erection professional ability and intuitive business acumen combined with and the record was 54 minutes for one house. The Company put up a toughness, and unaffected charm and unusual generosity. Donald total of nearly 5,000 houses. From houses to the complete Trentham assumed his new responsibilities determined to carry on redesigning and rebuilding of the entire complex of docks in Cardiff his father's tradition of benevolent paternalism and to continue to South Wales, the Company was kept busy for several years. make the Company grow.He inspired loyalty, and respect for his 1952 was another landmark when Donald Trentham's eldest son considerable experience. He was also known to sack a man on the Peter aged 18 joined the Company, followed by his younger son spot for idleness or slipshod work. It was said that signs of an Barry aged 20 in 1958.