Dorney Parish News: Articles by Virginia Silvester
Virginia Silvester lives in Dorney Reach and you can find her most interesting research on Dorney Reach on this link
She regularly pens historical articles about Dorney for Dorney Parish News and the Editor of Dorney Parish News and Virginia have kindly agreed for the articles to be published on this website.
Springtime in Dorney
As I write, the verges in Dorney are bright with cheery daffodils, and trees and shrubs are bursting into blossom. Thoughts turn to spring cleaning and a parish litter pick is planned. I remember that for many years we were encouraged to make our frontages look nice, as Dorney competed in the Best Kept Village competition. Volunteer litter pickers made constant efforts to keep our roadsides clean.
There was a time when Dorney had its own roadsweeper. Lewis William Webb was born in Cippenham in 1890 and married a girl from Dorney in 1912.
Springtime in Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [231.9 KB]
As I write, the verges in Dorney are bright with cheery daffodils, and trees and shrubs are bursting into blossom. Thoughts turn to spring cleaning and a parish litter pick is planned. I remember that for many years we were encouraged to make our frontages look nice, as Dorney competed in the Best Kept Village competition. Volunteer litter pickers made constant efforts to keep our roadsides clean.
There was a time when Dorney had its own roadsweeper. Lewis William Webb was born in Cippenham in 1890 and married a girl from Dorney in 1912.
Springtime in Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [231.9 KB]
Absent Voters
When the 1918 electoral register was compiled, a note was made of those men who were still away from home on active service in the armed forces. There were 26 of these from Dorney, and 20 of these had still not returned by the time of the 1919 electoral register. These numbers illustrate that the impact of the First World War in Dorney was not limited to those households that lost members to the conflict. In such a small village, the absence of so many men for such long periods would have been keenly felt. In November 1918, many mothers, wives, children and sweethearts were still waiting for their loved ones to return.
Absent Voters.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [129.2 KB]
When the 1918 electoral register was compiled, a note was made of those men who were still away from home on active service in the armed forces. There were 26 of these from Dorney, and 20 of these had still not returned by the time of the 1919 electoral register. These numbers illustrate that the impact of the First World War in Dorney was not limited to those households that lost members to the conflict. In such a small village, the absence of so many men for such long periods would have been keenly felt. In November 1918, many mothers, wives, children and sweethearts were still waiting for their loved ones to return.
Absent Voters.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [129.2 KB]
Happy 100th Anniversary
This year Dorney Reach celebrates a special milestone. It is one hundred years since the building and occupation of the first houses on the south side of Harcourt Road.
Before this development took place, there were only eleven houses in Dorney Reach – nine on the riverbank and two at the northwest end of what was to become Harcourt Road. The road at that time did not join Marsh Lane where it now does; rather, it curved up what is now Meadow Way. In 1919, 33 acres of farmland between Marsh Lane and the houses on the river were sold as building land. Some or all of this area was acquired by a London firm of developers, the Honest Housing Company, who later changed their name to Dorney Estates Company Ltd.
Happy 100th Anniversary.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [160.6 KB]
This year Dorney Reach celebrates a special milestone. It is one hundred years since the building and occupation of the first houses on the south side of Harcourt Road.
Before this development took place, there were only eleven houses in Dorney Reach – nine on the riverbank and two at the northwest end of what was to become Harcourt Road. The road at that time did not join Marsh Lane where it now does; rather, it curved up what is now Meadow Way. In 1919, 33 acres of farmland between Marsh Lane and the houses on the river were sold as building land. Some or all of this area was acquired by a London firm of developers, the Honest Housing Company, who later changed their name to Dorney Estates Company Ltd.
Happy 100th Anniversary.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [160.6 KB]
What we have lost
As Dorney works to develop a new Neighbourhood Plan, attention is rightly focussed on the pleasant environment in which we live. The expansive common, still traditionally grazed; the many old houses in the village; the ancient manor house and church; the fields of arable crops; all are greatly valued by Dorney’s current residents. How lucky we are to enjoy such a lovely place which retains so much of its history!
That set me thinking what a visitor from an earlier time might miss about today’s village.
What we have lost.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [87.4 KB]
As Dorney works to develop a new Neighbourhood Plan, attention is rightly focussed on the pleasant environment in which we live. The expansive common, still traditionally grazed; the many old houses in the village; the ancient manor house and church; the fields of arable crops; all are greatly valued by Dorney’s current residents. How lucky we are to enjoy such a lovely place which retains so much of its history!
That set me thinking what a visitor from an earlier time might miss about today’s village.
What we have lost.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [87.4 KB]
Meat Pies in Dorney
What were the women of Dorney doing 80 years ago? Making meat pies!
They were making this contribution to the war effort as members of the WVS. Originally founded in 1938 as the Women’s Voluntary Services for Air Raid Precautions, WVS was initially formed to help recruit women into the ARP movement assisting civilians during and after air raids by providing emergency rest centres, feeding, first aid, and perhaps most famously assisting with the evacuation and billeting of children. By 1943 the organisation had over one million volunteers and was involved in almost every aspect of wartime life from the collection of salvage to the knitting of socks and gloves for merchant seamen.
Meat Pies in Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [125.9 KB]
What were the women of Dorney doing 80 years ago? Making meat pies!
They were making this contribution to the war effort as members of the WVS. Originally founded in 1938 as the Women’s Voluntary Services for Air Raid Precautions, WVS was initially formed to help recruit women into the ARP movement assisting civilians during and after air raids by providing emergency rest centres, feeding, first aid, and perhaps most famously assisting with the evacuation and billeting of children. By 1943 the organisation had over one million volunteers and was involved in almost every aspect of wartime life from the collection of salvage to the knitting of socks and gloves for merchant seamen.
Meat Pies in Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [125.9 KB]
Royal Coronations
Early next month, King Charles III will be formally crowned, wall-to-wall coverage of which will be watched by millions. To celebrate the occasion, towns and villages throughout the country are planning events.
The coronation ceremony dates back for generations but, in years gone by, few people were able to witness it. No doubt ordinary people marked the occasion in their own way, ringing the church bells and drinking the monarch’s health. It is only relatively recently that we know much about how people celebrated. For Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838, there were, surprisingly, no publicly organised celebrations in Windsor and Eton, although events were recorded in other places round about. It was a Thursday and a public holiday was granted.
Royal Coronations.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [128.1 KB]
Early next month, King Charles III will be formally crowned, wall-to-wall coverage of which will be watched by millions. To celebrate the occasion, towns and villages throughout the country are planning events.
The coronation ceremony dates back for generations but, in years gone by, few people were able to witness it. No doubt ordinary people marked the occasion in their own way, ringing the church bells and drinking the monarch’s health. It is only relatively recently that we know much about how people celebrated. For Queen Victoria’s coronation in 1838, there were, surprisingly, no publicly organised celebrations in Windsor and Eton, although events were recorded in other places round about. It was a Thursday and a public holiday was granted.
Royal Coronations.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [128.1 KB]
Dorney Reach in 1921
Before 1902, Dorney Reach did not exist as a residential area. The land was used by tenant farmers to grow arable crops. Then the landowner, Colonel Palmer, decided to develop for housing part of a field in the north east corner of the parish, next to the river. Between 1902 and 1910 eleven individual large houses were built in spacious grounds. Fitted out with servants’ quarters, billiard rooms, tennis courts and such like, they offered the convenience of nearness to Taplow railway station combined with “unspoiled rural surroundings” and a relaxed riverside lifestyle. A ferry boat took passengers across to Monkey Island and there were even regattas held in Dorney Reach in 1912 and 1913.
Initially, all but one of the houses were rented out and the occupants changed frequently......
Dorney Reach in 1921.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [229.7 KB]
Before 1902, Dorney Reach did not exist as a residential area. The land was used by tenant farmers to grow arable crops. Then the landowner, Colonel Palmer, decided to develop for housing part of a field in the north east corner of the parish, next to the river. Between 1902 and 1910 eleven individual large houses were built in spacious grounds. Fitted out with servants’ quarters, billiard rooms, tennis courts and such like, they offered the convenience of nearness to Taplow railway station combined with “unspoiled rural surroundings” and a relaxed riverside lifestyle. A ferry boat took passengers across to Monkey Island and there were even regattas held in Dorney Reach in 1912 and 1913.
Initially, all but one of the houses were rented out and the occupants changed frequently......
Dorney Reach in 1921.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [229.7 KB]
Meet the Abrooke Family
When Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558, Dorney was a thriving little community. During the 1550s, sixteen couples tied the knot in Dorney church and seventeen families brought 35 babies to be christened. For most of these residents, we have no information beyond the parish registers, but sometimes wills and other sources offer us the chance to learn a little more about them. That’s the case with the Abrooke family.
On 26 April 1551, Thomas Abrooke married Joanna Culverhouse in Dorney. Thomas came from Bray and Joanna was a widow. Born Joanna Carter, no doubt part of the extensive Carter family in Dorney, she had married widower Richard Culverhouse in June 1549, acquiring four stepchildren. Richard had died seven months later, leaving her pregnant with son John.
Meet the Abrooke Family.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [141.2 KB]
When Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne in 1558, Dorney was a thriving little community. During the 1550s, sixteen couples tied the knot in Dorney church and seventeen families brought 35 babies to be christened. For most of these residents, we have no information beyond the parish registers, but sometimes wills and other sources offer us the chance to learn a little more about them. That’s the case with the Abrooke family.
On 26 April 1551, Thomas Abrooke married Joanna Culverhouse in Dorney. Thomas came from Bray and Joanna was a widow. Born Joanna Carter, no doubt part of the extensive Carter family in Dorney, she had married widower Richard Culverhouse in June 1549, acquiring four stepchildren. Richard had died seven months later, leaving her pregnant with son John.
Meet the Abrooke Family.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [141.2 KB]
Christmas Past
Dorney is approaching another Christmas, one hopefully free from the restrictions of the past two years. Families and friends will be preparing to enjoy the festivities together. Decorations will emerge from storage to brighten our houses inside and out. Parents and grandparents will watch their children’s Nativity plays and take them to see Father Christmas. The post-box will be fuller than usual. Old traditions will be revived and new ones created. St James’ church will welcome villagers to Christingle and midnight services and the ancient church in Boveney will once again be filled with candlelight and the sound of carols. How, I wonder, did Dorney celebrate Christmas in times past?
Christmas Past.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [390.5 KB]
Dorney is approaching another Christmas, one hopefully free from the restrictions of the past two years. Families and friends will be preparing to enjoy the festivities together. Decorations will emerge from storage to brighten our houses inside and out. Parents and grandparents will watch their children’s Nativity plays and take them to see Father Christmas. The post-box will be fuller than usual. Old traditions will be revived and new ones created. St James’ church will welcome villagers to Christingle and midnight services and the ancient church in Boveney will once again be filled with candlelight and the sound of carols. How, I wonder, did Dorney celebrate Christmas in times past?
Christmas Past.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [390.5 KB]
Lovely Jubilee
This month sees us celebrating an historic occasion – the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Last month’s DPN recalled the way Dorney marked her jubilees in 1977 and 2012, and this June will surely create similar wonderful memories. To reign for 70 years is of course extremely rare, and the Queen will be the first British monarch to reach this milestone. But Dorney also celebrated the Golden and Diamond Jubilees of her great-great-grandmother.
Lovely Jubilee.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [165.0 KB]
This month sees us celebrating an historic occasion – the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. Last month’s DPN recalled the way Dorney marked her jubilees in 1977 and 2012, and this June will surely create similar wonderful memories. To reign for 70 years is of course extremely rare, and the Queen will be the first British monarch to reach this milestone. But Dorney also celebrated the Golden and Diamond Jubilees of her great-great-grandmother.
Lovely Jubilee.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [165.0 KB]
Scene from Above - Aerial Photographs of Dorney
A funny thing happened recently. Two young men who live up the road called round to say that their drone had gone AWOL and their control unit indicated it was in our garden. And there it was, marked by a little red light twinkling high up in a tree. The errant drone was retrieved with the aid of a long pole and departed for new adventures.
These days, drones are commonly used to achieve a bird’s eye view of the world around us. Drone photography is a key element of films and documentaries. But aerial photography has actually been around for a long time. The first such images were captured by a French photographer from a balloon as early as 1858. Photographing the land from planes became widespread in the 20th century. Increasingly, old aerial photographs are being made available online,
Scene From Above - Aerial Photographs of[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [117.2 KB]
A funny thing happened recently. Two young men who live up the road called round to say that their drone had gone AWOL and their control unit indicated it was in our garden. And there it was, marked by a little red light twinkling high up in a tree. The errant drone was retrieved with the aid of a long pole and departed for new adventures.
These days, drones are commonly used to achieve a bird’s eye view of the world around us. Drone photography is a key element of films and documentaries. But aerial photography has actually been around for a long time. The first such images were captured by a French photographer from a balloon as early as 1858. Photographing the land from planes became widespread in the 20th century. Increasingly, old aerial photographs are being made available online,
Scene From Above - Aerial Photographs of[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [117.2 KB]
The Mystery of little Connie
Sometime probably in the spring of 1907, a little girl named Connie was brought from her home in Aberdeen to spend two weeks with a couple living in Dorney. These people were her parents. At the end of the visit, Connie returned to Aberdeen and never saw them again. Who was Connie and who were her parents?
Connie had been born in London on 24 December 1904. Her mother was Mary Agnes Smeaton and three weeks after giving birth she married Connie’s father. The following day, Mary travelled to Scotland, her home country, and left the baby in the care of Mrs Collie, a woman in Aberdeen who looked after illegitimate children. But Connie’s parents had married, so why didn’t they keep the child? The answer probably lies in the identity of Connie’s father, and it was to be many years before
The Mystery of little Connie.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [130.7 KB]
Sometime probably in the spring of 1907, a little girl named Connie was brought from her home in Aberdeen to spend two weeks with a couple living in Dorney. These people were her parents. At the end of the visit, Connie returned to Aberdeen and never saw them again. Who was Connie and who were her parents?
Connie had been born in London on 24 December 1904. Her mother was Mary Agnes Smeaton and three weeks after giving birth she married Connie’s father. The following day, Mary travelled to Scotland, her home country, and left the baby in the care of Mrs Collie, a woman in Aberdeen who looked after illegitimate children. But Connie’s parents had married, so why didn’t they keep the child? The answer probably lies in the identity of Connie’s father, and it was to be many years before
The Mystery of little Connie.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [130.7 KB]
Getting around Dorney
The ways in which we move within and around our village generate a good deal of interest. From the long running saga of the smart motorway to the temporary closure of favourite dog walking paths at Dorney Lake, via the heated debate over the proposed roundabout at Dent’s Corner, the routes we and others take are rarely off the agenda. How far, I wondered, are we literally treading in the footsteps of past residents?
Our earliest forebears would have arrived on foot or by water. We know there were people here by about 10,000BC, and archaeological digs have found evidence of old trackways and of the use of the network of small waterways crossing the area to travel by boat.
Getting around Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [201.2 KB]
The ways in which we move within and around our village generate a good deal of interest. From the long running saga of the smart motorway to the temporary closure of favourite dog walking paths at Dorney Lake, via the heated debate over the proposed roundabout at Dent’s Corner, the routes we and others take are rarely off the agenda. How far, I wondered, are we literally treading in the footsteps of past residents?
Our earliest forebears would have arrived on foot or by water. We know there were people here by about 10,000BC, and archaeological digs have found evidence of old trackways and of the use of the network of small waterways crossing the area to travel by boat.
Getting around Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [201.2 KB]
Supporting Henry Vlll's Wars
It’s the year 1522. Henry VIII has been on the throne for 13 years. He hasn’t yet started dismantling the Church and the internal conflicts of the Wars of the Roses are a thing of the past. Richard Hill is the Lord of the Manor but has not yet fallen out with the locals or the Abbess of Burnham. The people of Dorney are getting on with their lives as usual, the daily routine of growing the crops and tending the livestock.
Dorney is not however so isolated as to be unaware that the king is pursuing warfare elsewhere.
Supporting Henry Vllls Wars.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [169.4 KB]
It’s the year 1522. Henry VIII has been on the throne for 13 years. He hasn’t yet started dismantling the Church and the internal conflicts of the Wars of the Roses are a thing of the past. Richard Hill is the Lord of the Manor but has not yet fallen out with the locals or the Abbess of Burnham. The people of Dorney are getting on with their lives as usual, the daily routine of growing the crops and tending the livestock.
Dorney is not however so isolated as to be unaware that the king is pursuing warfare elsewhere.
Supporting Henry Vllls Wars.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [169.4 KB]
It's Showbusiness
Dorney has long been a favoured place to live for people in the entertainment industry. I was intrigued to come across an American staying in Dorney Reach in 1935. Investigating the story behind this took me into a whole different world, of celebrity and glamour underpinned by real talent.
The American I started with was Reginald (Reg) Montgomery, a pianist and composer. I discovered that throughout the 1930s he had made frequent sea crossings between the US and England, in company with a woman whose stage name was Marion Harris. Marion was a singing star, and she would undoubtedly have been staying at the house in Dorney Reach with Reg, as guests of West End theatre agent Leonard (Len) Urry whose house it was. The following year, it became Marion’s home for a brief time after she marrie
It's Showbusiness.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [161.1 KB]
Dorney has long been a favoured place to live for people in the entertainment industry. I was intrigued to come across an American staying in Dorney Reach in 1935. Investigating the story behind this took me into a whole different world, of celebrity and glamour underpinned by real talent.
The American I started with was Reginald (Reg) Montgomery, a pianist and composer. I discovered that throughout the 1930s he had made frequent sea crossings between the US and England, in company with a woman whose stage name was Marion Harris. Marion was a singing star, and she would undoubtedly have been staying at the house in Dorney Reach with Reg, as guests of West End theatre agent Leonard (Len) Urry whose house it was. The following year, it became Marion’s home for a brief time after she marrie
It's Showbusiness.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [161.1 KB]
Eton Union Workhouse: Part 2 by Virginia Silvester
In the first part of this examination of Dorney people in the workhouse in 1881, we saw how poverty drove two elderly farm workers, one widowed and one single, to end their lives as inmates. This second part looks at a rather different situation which exposes some surprising goings-on in our quiet village!
Eton Union Workhouse Part 2.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [68.2 KB]
In the first part of this examination of Dorney people in the workhouse in 1881, we saw how poverty drove two elderly farm workers, one widowed and one single, to end their lives as inmates. This second part looks at a rather different situation which exposes some surprising goings-on in our quiet village!
Eton Union Workhouse Part 2.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [68.2 KB]
Eton Union Workhouse: Part 1 by Virginia Silvester
For much of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th, the workhouse was a place of last resort for the poor and needy. In 1836, Eton Union Workhouse was built, for the people of Slough and the surrounding area including Dorney. It had capacity for 440 inmates and was regarded as a model of its type. The buildings survive, repurposed as Upton Hospital.
Eton Union Workhouse Part 1.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [97.3 KB]
For much of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th, the workhouse was a place of last resort for the poor and needy. In 1836, Eton Union Workhouse was built, for the people of Slough and the surrounding area including Dorney. It had capacity for 440 inmates and was regarded as a model of its type. The buildings survive, repurposed as Upton Hospital.
Eton Union Workhouse Part 1.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [97.3 KB]
Petticoat Power
There’s a tendency, I find, for historical research to lead from one thing to another. You start off by delving into one aspect of the past, and then you come across another interesting subject. Readers of this column may recall, a couple of months ago, a brief mention of a lady with the unusual name of Mrs Parker Sedding. A little bit of digging revealed that she was worthy of a longer look.
We’re perhaps inclined to think that female emancipation began with women’s lib in the 1960s, or maybe with the suffragette movement. But throughout history there have been strong women prepared to buck the stereotypes. Parker Sedding was one of these.
Petticoat Power.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [96.6 KB]
There’s a tendency, I find, for historical research to lead from one thing to another. You start off by delving into one aspect of the past, and then you come across another interesting subject. Readers of this column may recall, a couple of months ago, a brief mention of a lady with the unusual name of Mrs Parker Sedding. A little bit of digging revealed that she was worthy of a longer look.
We’re perhaps inclined to think that female emancipation began with women’s lib in the 1960s, or maybe with the suffragette movement. But throughout history there have been strong women prepared to buck the stereotypes. Parker Sedding was one of these.
Petticoat Power.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [96.6 KB]
Dorney in the 1920s
The year 2020 has been quite extraordinary by anyone’s standards. Leaving the European Union and enduring a major pandemic are not everyday occurrences, while Dorney is also coping with the work to convert the M4 into a smart motorway. Given this start, it’s hard to imagine what the rest of the decade might bring. It set me wondering, what was going on in Dorney in the 1920s? Let’s take a look back…
Dorney in the 1920s.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [122.6 KB]
The year 2020 has been quite extraordinary by anyone’s standards. Leaving the European Union and enduring a major pandemic are not everyday occurrences, while Dorney is also coping with the work to convert the M4 into a smart motorway. Given this start, it’s hard to imagine what the rest of the decade might bring. It set me wondering, what was going on in Dorney in the 1920s? Let’s take a look back…
Dorney in the 1920s.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [122.6 KB]
Civil War in Dorney 1642 - 1649
Major crises have a habit of recurring. Living through Covid-19, we are experiencing similar fears and privations to our forebears during previous pandemics – the Black Death, the outbreaks of plague during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Spanish flu in 1918-9. We are not the first people in Dorney to face climate change; the Little Ice Age from 1300 to 1850 brought low temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. England lived through two world wars, and our armed forces continue to be involved in international conflicts as they have for centuries. But the last time Englishmen fought other Englishmen on battlefields in England in a major war was nearly four hundred years ago. What kind of impact did this have on our village...........?
Civil War in Dorney 1642 - 1649.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [190.6 KB]
Major crises have a habit of recurring. Living through Covid-19, we are experiencing similar fears and privations to our forebears during previous pandemics – the Black Death, the outbreaks of plague during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Spanish flu in 1918-9. We are not the first people in Dorney to face climate change; the Little Ice Age from 1300 to 1850 brought low temperatures and unpredictable rainfall. England lived through two world wars, and our armed forces continue to be involved in international conflicts as they have for centuries. But the last time Englishmen fought other Englishmen on battlefields in England in a major war was nearly four hundred years ago. What kind of impact did this have on our village...........?
Civil War in Dorney 1642 - 1649.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [190.6 KB]
Dorney in 1798
Those who keep a close eye on the Dorney History Group website may have spotted that it now contains an item called the Posse Comitatus dating from February 1798. This strange title hides some remarkable content. It is a list of all the men living in the parish of Dorney aged between 15 and 60, who could be called on to fight in the event of an invasion by France.
Dorney in 1798.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [66.8 KB]
Those who keep a close eye on the Dorney History Group website may have spotted that it now contains an item called the Posse Comitatus dating from February 1798. This strange title hides some remarkable content. It is a list of all the men living in the parish of Dorney aged between 15 and 60, who could be called on to fight in the event of an invasion by France.
Dorney in 1798.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [66.8 KB]
Wartime Refugees in Dorney
When I was looking at the 1939 Register, recording all those living in Dorney on 29 September 1939, I was intrigued to see two women servants with German names living in Dorney Reach. This seemed odd, as we were by that time at war with Germany, and I wanted to find out more.
Wartime Refugees in Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [105.2 KB]
When I was looking at the 1939 Register, recording all those living in Dorney on 29 September 1939, I was intrigued to see two women servants with German names living in Dorney Reach. This seemed odd, as we were by that time at war with Germany, and I wanted to find out more.
Wartime Refugees in Dorney.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [105.2 KB]
Thomas Cromwell's Legacy - the effect on the people of Dorney
I’m so excited! Hilary Mantel’s third and final novel about the life of Thomas Cromwell is out, and I can’t wait to read it! Based on impeccable research, immersing herself in the records of the 1530s, she has really brought this important historical figure to life, as a man as well as a politician.
This set me thinking about the effect Thomas Cromwell’s actions might have had on the people of Dorney. One of the most significant impacts for local residents would have been the closure of Burnham Abbey as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Virginia Silvester Thomas Cromwell's Leg[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [141.7 KB]
I’m so excited! Hilary Mantel’s third and final novel about the life of Thomas Cromwell is out, and I can’t wait to read it! Based on impeccable research, immersing herself in the records of the 1530s, she has really brought this important historical figure to life, as a man as well as a politician.
This set me thinking about the effect Thomas Cromwell’s actions might have had on the people of Dorney. One of the most significant impacts for local residents would have been the closure of Burnham Abbey as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Virginia Silvester Thomas Cromwell's Leg[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [141.7 KB]
Politics and Division in Parliament in 1625 - with connections to Boveney and Dorney
There is turmoil in Parliament, with MPs on all sides trying to impose their will. The issues under debate are hugely divisive, not just for Parliament but for ordinary people. Divisions are exacerbated by inflammatory statements, and by the spin of the press in reporting events and opinions. No, I’m not talking about 2019; the year in question is 1625, and there’s a Dorney man right in the thick of it.
Virginia Silvester Politics and Division[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [120.6 KB]
There is turmoil in Parliament, with MPs on all sides trying to impose their will. The issues under debate are hugely divisive, not just for Parliament but for ordinary people. Divisions are exacerbated by inflammatory statements, and by the spin of the press in reporting events and opinions. No, I’m not talking about 2019; the year in question is 1625, and there’s a Dorney man right in the thick of it.
Virginia Silvester Politics and Division[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [120.6 KB]
Dorney's First Village Hall
The village hall in Dorney Reach will celebrate its fiftieth birthday next year. This was Dorney’s second village hall. When it was opened, in October 1970, the ribbon was cut by Miss Bennett, former headmistress of Dorney school. She had been an active member of the committee which had run the first village hall since that opened in 1930. In the parish magazine in the summer of 1960, she recalled the opening ceremony thirty years previously and wondered how many people in Dorney remembered it as vividly as she did. I wonder, now, how many residents remember the old village hall at all?
Virginia Silvester Dorney's First Villag[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [141.2 KB]
The village hall in Dorney Reach will celebrate its fiftieth birthday next year. This was Dorney’s second village hall. When it was opened, in October 1970, the ribbon was cut by Miss Bennett, former headmistress of Dorney school. She had been an active member of the committee which had run the first village hall since that opened in 1930. In the parish magazine in the summer of 1960, she recalled the opening ceremony thirty years previously and wondered how many people in Dorney remembered it as vividly as she did. I wonder, now, how many residents remember the old village hall at all?
Virginia Silvester Dorney's First Villag[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [141.2 KB]
The mysterious Countess Serkoff of Dorney Reach
When my research into the history of Dorney Reach revealed a previous resident called Countess Serkoff, my curiosity was piqued. Who was she?
Her name was recorded as Countess Vera Elizabeth Henrietta Serkoff. The records show that, sometime between 1917 and 1923, she came to live as a tenant in the house called Willowcroft, in Dorney Reach Road, on the bank of the Thames. I soon discovered that she had been an author, publishing quite a range of material. But where had she come from?
Virginia Silvester The mysterious Counte[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [171.8 KB]
When my research into the history of Dorney Reach revealed a previous resident called Countess Serkoff, my curiosity was piqued. Who was she?
Her name was recorded as Countess Vera Elizabeth Henrietta Serkoff. The records show that, sometime between 1917 and 1923, she came to live as a tenant in the house called Willowcroft, in Dorney Reach Road, on the bank of the Thames. I soon discovered that she had been an author, publishing quite a range of material. But where had she come from?
Virginia Silvester The mysterious Counte[...]
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Dorney in September 1939
Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. Among the preparations, it was soon decided that the entire population needed to be recorded in a National Register so that identity cards and (later) ration books could be issued. Forms were issued to every home to register those living there on Friday 29 September.
Virginia Silvester Dorney in September 1[...]
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Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939. Among the preparations, it was soon decided that the entire population needed to be recorded in a National Register so that identity cards and (later) ration books could be issued. Forms were issued to every home to register those living there on Friday 29 September.
Virginia Silvester Dorney in September 1[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [97.8 KB]
The history of Taplow Station
Taplow station is a familiar place to many of us from Dorney, as our nearest railway station, with access to London and Reading and the whole railway network beyond. As it is currently undergoing major change, it seems a good time to look back at its history.
Virginia Silvester The history of Taplow[...]
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Taplow station is a familiar place to many of us from Dorney, as our nearest railway station, with access to London and Reading and the whole railway network beyond. As it is currently undergoing major change, it seems a good time to look back at its history.
Virginia Silvester The history of Taplow[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [98.8 KB]
Life around Dorney in April 1939
Old newspapers provide a window into the past, a contemporary account of what life was like. This month, I’m taking a look back at what was in the news in and around Dorney eighty years ago.
Virginia Silvester Life around Dorney in[...]
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Old newspapers provide a window into the past, a contemporary account of what life was like. This month, I’m taking a look back at what was in the news in and around Dorney eighty years ago.
Virginia Silvester Life around Dorney in[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [69.2 KB]
The history of Trumper's Field, Dorney Reach
Trumper’s Field is a familiar part of Dorney to most of us. Sandwiched between the school and the motorway, providing access to the river, it is used by walkers with dogs or without, and children play there every day after school.
I was asked recently if I knew where the name Trumper’s Field came from. While I don’t have cast iron proof, I’m sure it was named after the Trumper family, who were substantial farmers in the neighbourhood for over 100 years, through 4 generations.
Virginia Silvester The History of Trumpe[...]
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Trumper’s Field is a familiar part of Dorney to most of us. Sandwiched between the school and the motorway, providing access to the river, it is used by walkers with dogs or without, and children play there every day after school.
I was asked recently if I knew where the name Trumper’s Field came from. While I don’t have cast iron proof, I’m sure it was named after the Trumper family, who were substantial farmers in the neighbourhood for over 100 years, through 4 generations.
Virginia Silvester The History of Trumpe[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [73.9 KB]
Boundaries. A history of Dorney in Buckinghamshire
The establishment of shire counties began in England once the separate Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were consolidated under one king, Aethelstan, in 925. The Normans continued to develop the system, and the county became accepted as a convenient administrative unit, a useful way to divide the country into manageable chunks.
Virginia Silvester Boundaries. A history[...]
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The establishment of shire counties began in England once the separate Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were consolidated under one king, Aethelstan, in 925. The Normans continued to develop the system, and the county became accepted as a convenient administrative unit, a useful way to divide the country into manageable chunks.
Virginia Silvester Boundaries. A history[...]
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Scandal in Dorney Reach
A hundred years ago, Dorney residents would have been shocked to find their quiet neighbourhood featuring in the national newspapers as the location of misconduct reported in a divorce case.
Virginia Silvester Scandal in Dorney Rea[...]
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A hundred years ago, Dorney residents would have been shocked to find their quiet neighbourhood featuring in the national newspapers as the location of misconduct reported in a divorce case.
Virginia Silvester Scandal in Dorney Rea[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [107.9 KB]
Dorney and the Armistice
November 2018 sees the 100th anniversary of the armistice which brought to a close the First World War. What did this mean for the people of Dorney?
Virginia Silvester Dorney and the Armist[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [139.8 KB]
November 2018 sees the 100th anniversary of the armistice which brought to a close the First World War. What did this mean for the people of Dorney?
Virginia Silvester Dorney and the Armist[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [139.8 KB]
A Royal Visit
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth I made many visits to other parts of her kingdom, called a royal progress. For many years, until the late 1580s, she would travel round every spring and summer, stopping at selected grand houses and towns in southern England. She wanted both to see and be seen, by as great a number of her subjects as possible.
Virginia Silvester A Royal Visit.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [138.2 KB]
Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth I made many visits to other parts of her kingdom, called a royal progress. For many years, until the late 1580s, she would travel round every spring and summer, stopping at selected grand houses and towns in southern England. She wanted both to see and be seen, by as great a number of her subjects as possible.
Virginia Silvester A Royal Visit.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [138.2 KB]
Dorney at The Quarter Sessions
There aren’t many sources to shed light on Dorney around 1700, but one which does is the record of activity at Buckinghamshire’s Quarter Sessions. This court was held four times a year, at places like Buckingham, Aylesbury or Amersham. Presided over by the county’s JPs, the sessions dealt with a wide range of topics, some misdemeanours but many purely administrative.
Virginia Silvester Dorney at the Quarter[...]
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There aren’t many sources to shed light on Dorney around 1700, but one which does is the record of activity at Buckinghamshire’s Quarter Sessions. This court was held four times a year, at places like Buckingham, Aylesbury or Amersham. Presided over by the county’s JPs, the sessions dealt with a wide range of topics, some misdemeanours but many purely administrative.
Virginia Silvester Dorney at the Quarter[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [145.7 KB]
A Broader Picture
Among the wealth of historical data now being published online is Cambridge University’s Atlas of Victorian and Edwardian Population, which can be seen at www.populationspast.org . This takes all sorts fascinating facts, such as age at marriage or infant mortality, and plots them on a map of England and Wales, allowing you to view trends between 1851 and 1911. It’s broken down by area, so that you can also compare your locality with other places.
Virginia Silvester A Broader Picture.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [101.8 KB]
Among the wealth of historical data now being published online is Cambridge University’s Atlas of Victorian and Edwardian Population, which can be seen at www.populationspast.org . This takes all sorts fascinating facts, such as age at marriage or infant mortality, and plots them on a map of England and Wales, allowing you to view trends between 1851 and 1911. It’s broken down by area, so that you can also compare your locality with other places.
Virginia Silvester A Broader Picture.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [101.8 KB]
Long View of parish responsibilities
There’s an excellent programme on Radio 4 called The Long View. This looks at topical issues today and compares them with similar situations in the past – which could be 40 or 400 years ago. It’s surprising how often we can learn lessons from history.
The current debate about a unitary authority for Bucks made me think about the long view of local authorities, especially as one option on the cards appears to be devolving more responsibility to parish councils.
Virginia Silvester Long view of parish r[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [88.7 KB]
There’s an excellent programme on Radio 4 called The Long View. This looks at topical issues today and compares them with similar situations in the past – which could be 40 or 400 years ago. It’s surprising how often we can learn lessons from history.
The current debate about a unitary authority for Bucks made me think about the long view of local authorities, especially as one option on the cards appears to be devolving more responsibility to parish councils.
Virginia Silvester Long view of parish r[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [88.7 KB]
Dorney in the Second World War
Like many rural places, Dorney was liable to receive occasional damage from stray bombs. Thanks to an excellent comprehensive listing on the website of the Centre for Buckinghamshire studies, we know that bombs fell on or near Dorney on four separate occasions during the war.
Virginia Silvester Dorney in the Second [...]
Adobe Acrobat document [140.8 KB]
Like many rural places, Dorney was liable to receive occasional damage from stray bombs. Thanks to an excellent comprehensive listing on the website of the Centre for Buckinghamshire studies, we know that bombs fell on or near Dorney on four separate occasions during the war.
Virginia Silvester Dorney in the Second [...]
Adobe Acrobat document [140.8 KB]
Dorney and the Chalcots Estate
In the aftermath of the Grenfell fire [14th June 2017], was anyone else intrigued by the names of four tower blocks in London, partially evacuated due to safety concerns?
These are on the Chalcots estate in Primrose Hill, and the four high-rise tower blocks are called Dorney, Taplow, Burnham and Bray. What, I wondered, could possibly be the reason for these names? ......
Virginia Silvester Chalcots estate.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [97.1 KB]
In the aftermath of the Grenfell fire [14th June 2017], was anyone else intrigued by the names of four tower blocks in London, partially evacuated due to safety concerns?
These are on the Chalcots estate in Primrose Hill, and the four high-rise tower blocks are called Dorney, Taplow, Burnham and Bray. What, I wondered, could possibly be the reason for these names? ......
Virginia Silvester Chalcots estate.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [97.1 KB]
Dorney and the Motorway [M4]
Love it or hate it, the motorway is an integral part of living in Dorney, and its arrival had a profound effect on residents. Plans for a Maidenhead by-pass were first discussed in 1923, and work started in the 1930s on a dual carriageway with cycle tracks..........
Virginia Silvester Dorney and the motorw[...]
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Love it or hate it, the motorway is an integral part of living in Dorney, and its arrival had a profound effect on residents. Plans for a Maidenhead by-pass were first discussed in 1923, and work started in the 1930s on a dual carriageway with cycle tracks..........
Virginia Silvester Dorney and the motorw[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [100.0 KB]
Crime in Victorian Dorney
Local newspapers are a great source of detail about the past, and fortunately for us, large chunks of historical issues of the Windsor and Eton Express can be seen online, at www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk . Just like now, crime was well reported, and here I’m taking a look at events which affected Dorney residents in the period up to 1860.....
Virginia Silvester CRIME IN VICTORIAN DO[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [143.9 KB]
Local newspapers are a great source of detail about the past, and fortunately for us, large chunks of historical issues of the Windsor and Eton Express can be seen online, at www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk . Just like now, crime was well reported, and here I’m taking a look at events which affected Dorney residents in the period up to 1860.....
Virginia Silvester CRIME IN VICTORIAN DO[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [143.9 KB]
Dorney Shopping Then & Now
When the previous owners of our house moved here in 1965, the outgoing occupants left a helpful list of “retailers who have given satisfaction”. Looking at this note half a century later, it reads more like the Victorian era. Not only milk and newspapers were delivered to Dorney Reach, but so were bread (3 days a week – not counting that there was still a baker’s shop in Dorney village), meat (daily), fresh fish (3 days a week), and fruit and vegetables (twice a week)........
Virginia Silvester Dorney shopping.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [123.4 KB]
When the previous owners of our house moved here in 1965, the outgoing occupants left a helpful list of “retailers who have given satisfaction”. Looking at this note half a century later, it reads more like the Victorian era. Not only milk and newspapers were delivered to Dorney Reach, but so were bread (3 days a week – not counting that there was still a baker’s shop in Dorney village), meat (daily), fresh fish (3 days a week), and fruit and vegetables (twice a week)........
Virginia Silvester Dorney shopping.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [123.4 KB]
T.W.E. Roche of Dorney
A couple of years ago, I was asked by someone at the South Devon Railway about a former resident of Dorney Reach – TWE Roche. Mr Roche had played a key part in the negotiations to buy the branch line which became the South Devon Railway from British Rail, after it closed in 1962; and his address was St Helier, Dorney Reach.
Some residents of Dorney will no doubt still remember TWE Roche, who seems to have been a remarkable and interesting man......
Virginia Silvester TWE ROCHE.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [111.1 KB]
A couple of years ago, I was asked by someone at the South Devon Railway about a former resident of Dorney Reach – TWE Roche. Mr Roche had played a key part in the negotiations to buy the branch line which became the South Devon Railway from British Rail, after it closed in 1962; and his address was St Helier, Dorney Reach.
Some residents of Dorney will no doubt still remember TWE Roche, who seems to have been a remarkable and interesting man......
Virginia Silvester TWE ROCHE.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [111.1 KB]
A Dorney Character: Jeremiah Dell
Browsing through the old newspapers online, my attention was attracted by a report of an incident at Burnham Fair in October 1850. A 90 year old resident of Dorney called Jeremiah Dell had walked up to the fair in the morning with his 9 year old grandson. Described as “highly respectable”, he and the boy spent all day at the fair enjoying its amusements, and, it is hinted, he had drunk a few beers......
Virginia Silvester A Dorney Character.pd[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [138.4 KB]
Browsing through the old newspapers online, my attention was attracted by a report of an incident at Burnham Fair in October 1850. A 90 year old resident of Dorney called Jeremiah Dell had walked up to the fair in the morning with his 9 year old grandson. Described as “highly respectable”, he and the boy spent all day at the fair enjoying its amusements, and, it is hinted, he had drunk a few beers......
Virginia Silvester A Dorney Character.pd[...]
Adobe Acrobat document [138.4 KB]
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