Univer sity C olle ge R e ading Studie s in Loc al H istory The Town of R e ading dur ing the E ar ly Par t Of Nine te e nth C e ntur y i M A W h ld . C s M. , P c a of U ers t R a rin ip l niv i y College, e ding R eading Publishe d by University C ollege 1910 GE NER A L NOTE T is proposed to issue from tim e to time studies dealing with c of particular aspe ts local history . Such studies will relate primarily to the ample field for historical inquiry presented by Reading and the neighbouring counties . m ffi In order to make such a sche e feasible, a fund su cient to i defray the c hief part of the c ost of publication s indispensable . Such a fund has been initiated with the approval of the C oun c il of University C ollege . The Council have also agreed that the re sponsibilities of editorial supervision shall be entrusted to the Principal . The Principal will be glad to receive suggestions with regard to the scheme, and will gratefully acknowledge donations in aid of c the Local History Publications Fund . The obje t of the enterprise is to stimulate public interest in the history of the c f m c lo ality, and to a ford a eans by whi h the general historical teac hing at University College may gradually become connected u with, and be ill strated by, the detailed evidence which is b furnished y local history . The Faculty of Letters have recognized the educational value of this idea, and have cordially of approved the undertaking . UNI VE R I T$ O LLE GE E A D I NG S C , R , 4110 1 19 1 3] , 0. PR E FA C E HE present essay deals with the history of the town of c Reading in the early part of the nineteenth entury . It m has not proved convenient to li it its scope by exact dates, but the period under review may be said to extend from 1 801 to 1 832 m 1 835 the , the date of the Refor Act, and , date of the Municipal Corporations Act ; and the aim has been to dissect and examine the organization and life of a typical country town c n of when approa hing and undergoi g the great transformation, c m m whi h these easures were only the more obvious sy ptoms . In pursuit of this aim little attention has been paid to matters of purely personal interest ; while, on the other hand, details suggestive of social c hange and development have been given of with fullness, and in several sections the work have been c arried down to a date approaching the middle of the century . I Jamieson B desire to state that a donation by . Hurry, Esq . , c M . A . , M . D ., whose interest in, and ontributions to, the study of c m to lo al history are well known, has ade it possible incur c All the osts of the present publication . receipts from sales will be placed to the credit of the Local History Publications ’ Fund, which Dr . Hurry s generous gift has initiated . I desire to acknowledge with thanks the courtesy of the R eadin Mer cur proprietors of the g y , who permitted me some years ago to c onsult files of their newspaper which were not possessed by the Reading Free Library . My thanks are also due to the authorities of the Free Library for facilities given to me at different tim es ; and to c ertain members of the Gild of for the Red Rose, the Literary Society of University College, their help when I first began the laborious task of annotating i the newspapers of the per od . 6 PREFACE Lastly, my thanks are due to my colleagues, Mr . J . H . Sacret, M . A . , Lecturer in Modern History, and Mr . F . M . S l tenton, M . A ., Research Fe low in Local History, at University l for c Co lege, Reading, their ready assistance in corre ting proofs, for of and numerous valuable suggestions . In the work final ’ revision I have been greatly helped by my wife s c ounsel and enc ouragement . W . M . CHILDS . ’ R I NC I PA L OD GE E A D I NG P S L , R , 1 1 , 910. LI ST O F A BBR E VI A T I O NS ’ A ll n. m s f r 4 a o . m s m H n on 186 . Me oir the Rev Ja e She an . e ry All , ’ hr B erks. C on. s c . n ws a ssu 17 70 Berk hire Chroni le (Weekly e p per, i ed 1815 m 1 2 n . us 8 5 w ssu was sum at Woki gha S pended till , hen i e re ed, at Reading .) B r uce . a s &c . r n to n ac o s of m Origin l Letter , , elati g the Be ef ti n Willia ’ f u f u c s o to u o s. La d , Ar hbi hop Canterb ry , the Co nty Berk Edited A 1 o uc P S . 841 by J hn Br e, . H ’ s and u s of n . s C . The i tory Antiq itie Readi g The Rev Charle a s . 18 2 o . 0 . C te , LL B ‘ f d . a o n C ecil. sc u s s o H on an . w Di o r e the . Rev W B C d ga , ith MA . 17 98. mo . c c Me ir Ri hard Ce il, f A ’ M m . B . n . A C olbor ne r s o . o . Me oi the Rev W Legg, . George C lbor e, 187 1 . in n ’ s f s u . D avis. o o c . s 1891 Hi t ry the Bapti t Ch r h Readi g C A Davi . H s nd u s of w nd u D am n. The i tory a Antiq itie the To n a Boro gh of ’ n . 18 5 Readi g 3 . E ducation of Poor First Report of Commissi one rs on the Educa ’ of . 1818 r s. u s tion the Poor . Be k (p bli hed ‘ F ield a s of s m of m sonm as . The Advant ge the Separate Sy te I pri ent, ’ s s in new ou a . e tabli hed the C nty Gaol at Re ding The Rev J Field, 184 to . 6. M . A . , Chaplain the Gaol ’ ’ 1 1— 1 . 80 7 us s u . Guide . R her Reading G ide ’ mmiss . H i t M S. omm H s a usc s o o S C . c s . i tori l Man ript C i n Eleventh ix 1888 r o &c . Report, Append , Part VII, . (Reading Co p ration, ) ’ m r r H s of n c . a ie son . H u y . A i tory the Readi g Pathological So iety J B M 1 . D 9 9 . u . 0 H rry, M A , ‘ ’ 7 1 . Jones. c s of n &c . o s. 8 0 Sket he Readi g, J B J ne ’ Ker r . s of u c u c of . wr nc n . y A Hi tory the M ni ipal Ch r h St La e e , Readi g K 18 . s 8 The Rev Charle erry. 3 ’ Lee . to r o of H a &c . a . Report the Gene al B ard e lth , Re ding W Lee , . E C . 185 0. ‘ ’ B A . e m r f . s o a L gg Me o ial Bro d Street Chapel , Reading W Legg, 185 1 . ’ ’ L E str an e . of us . g Life Mary R sell Mitford . Edited by the Rev A G L’ 3 Es n . 1870. tra ge Vols. ‘ ’ 1 895. on . f m m n . Ly Chronicles o Fincha p stead . Willia Lyo ‘ ’ 15 M M n . 18 . an. H o n a The istory andAntiquities of Reading. J h M ’ 1 7 86 . ar sh. f hi u . D D . s o . a s . Life the Rev W M r h , By Da ghter 8 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS M f anor . w o c u of s r w for General Vie the Agri ult re Berk hi e , dra n up the consideration of the Board of Agr icultur e and Internal Im ’ m . m 1 . 809. prove ent Willia Mavor, LL D . ’ Mone . s of w and of bui e y The Hi tory the To n Borough New y . Walt r F A S. 1887 . Money, . Manici C omm. R e or t. t of n c mm ss s p . p Repor the Mu i ipal Co i ioner appointed to inquire into the state of Corporations in England and ’ 2 m . 4 1 33 m s c 8 . m ss s : Wale O tober , Co i ioner Peregrine Bingha , s f u s. o a . David Jardine , E q ire Corporation Re ding ’ Notable E vents. Notable Events in the Muni cipal History of Re ading . A 1 m Guildin P S. 895 Co piled by the Rev J M g, . ’ m s f . s o . Golog. Re ini cence Reading. O ctogenarian (the late W S E s .