| Date | 22 July 2016 |
|---|---|
| Source | Slough Observer |
| Reference | VP-0074 |
| Volume | Views of the Past |
| Collection | Views of the Past |
Transcript
New take on history
I WAS delighted to receive David Knight’s new history of Old Windsor and found it to be a well-written history of the parish, encompassing both the early history and also, rather excitingly, the memories of his family.
Past histories of the village have only concentrated on the buildings of Old Windsor, including St Peter’s School. The history is so detailed that it is only possible to look at only a very small amount of this copious history.
The history of the parish is outlined in detail, especially the establishment of a Royal palace at Kingsbury and the subsequent move to New Windsor.
I was interested to learn that, during the English Civil War, the principal family was the Michael family.
Brothers Humfrey and John were ardent royalists, while the rest of Old Windsor were supporters of Parliament and had to see the war out in Oxford. John became an officer of the University Regiment as he was given a commission in 1644 by the King.
The book outlines the diverse establishment of country houses, which included Sir Edward Walpole’s Clay Hall later to be lived in by Sir William Herschel, Batemans and Beaumont, later to become a Catholic School. By the late 19th century the village had expanded to accommodate 1,000 people – this population growth was mirrored across the country. Other places of worship started to appear in Old Windsor such as the Mission Church of St Luke. During WWII, David’s mum wanted to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, who dealt with crewing barrage balloons, a sitting target for the Luftwaffe, so instead she joined Air Transport Auxiliary.
There is something for everyone, ranging from ancient history to historic buildings, transport history and memories from David’s own family make it a very important piece of social history.
Order Old Times in Old Windsor by emailing David at david_c_knight@hotmail.com or calling 07934 707304) at a cost of £13 including p&p.
Image: David’s mum in her Air Transport Auxiliary uniform during WWII
Images
