1840 - 1945
1840
The Great Western
Railway completes the line from Reading to London.
The opening of
the railway boosted Reading in both population and commerce.
1848
All churches
encouraged to have the Lord’s supper at least once a month and 2 full
services a week.
1852
Goodhart left
Castle Street Chapel and Reading. He
was succeeded by George Tubbs. He
ministered for 36 years, during this time he founded St. Mary’s
Poorhouse in Coley and started a Church School at the rear of the church.
1856
A new Trust deed
at Castle Street documented that the Chapel guaranteed independence of
diocesan control and its conservative doctrinal position.
1881
Salvation Army
Central corp. founded in Reading under leadership of Captain Charles
Harrison.
1887
Reading Borough
takes in Barley, Whitley and Southcote.
1888
The next minister
of Castle Street Chapel was Hubert Brooks MA.
His induction text was “To watch for the signs of the second
coming and the command to go into all the world.”
Within ten years 24 missionaries went overseas.
The congregation was encouraged to give a penny a day to cover the
annual cost of sending these missionaries.
1895
James Consterdine
became minister of Castle Street Chapel, his outstanding work was mainly
among the young people. The
Sunday school had between 800-1000 children.
Sub-urbanisation and the continuing conflicts arising from such
procedures as the wearing of black gowns, Communion, the new Hymn book and
the prayer book saw the steady decline in numbers attending the chapel.
David Heelas, the Sutton family and the owners of Holmes furniture
shop were all members at this time.
1904
The church of St.
William of York was built to serve the Roman Catholics in the Redlands
area.
1911
Reading extends
its boundaries again this time to take over Tilehurst and Caversham.
1914-1919
During World War
I, Oxford Road Workhouse was turned into the Reading War Hospital, now
known as Battle Hospital.
Many factories including Huntley & Palmers went over to war production.
1919
Frank Burnett
created the most unhappy 3 years at Castle Street Chapel. Having High church leanings he was a square peg in a round
hole in a parish that had a strong evangelical tradition. Many a preacher came and went from Castle Street, with lots
of uncertainties and a decline in the attendance.
It was nearly demolished when the Council built the Civic Centre
complex. However, the
building is still there today. Its motto is engraved above the centre
window “We preach Christ crucified ‘till He comes”.
This was the chapel’s motto in 1798.
1921
At 8%,
unemployment in Reading was at its worst.
Even so, Reading was a lot better than elsewhere in the country.
1932
Wesleyan and
Primitive Methodists united.
1935
The church of the
English Martyrs was established commemorating those Roman Catholics who
were martyred in Reading.
1939-1945
Reading became a
centre for the military, transport and war production. Many evacuees from London and the south-east came to live in
the town. Reading’s
population rose from 100,000 to 140,000 during the war years.
1943
There was only
one major war incident during the war years in Reading.
A single German bomber dropped six bombs, killing 41 people and
injuring 150 more in the town centre.
1946
The parish of St
James was divided into four making the three new parishes: St William of
York, Christ the King and St John Bosco.
1947
The
“twinning” of Reading and Düsseldorf was the first attempt to forge
friendships between British and German cities after World War II.
The driving force behind this was Phoebe Cusden, Councillor and
Mayor, who visited Düsseldorf and saw the devastation the war had caused.
Do events
from the past have any influence on the way we are today?
- Castle
St. Chapel’s Trust deed guaranteed independence of diocesan control.
- The
Salvation Army Central Corp. founded in Reading.
- Castle
St. Chapel send out 24 missionaries.
- Castle
St. Chapel youth work success.
- Castle
St. Chapel internal conflict.
- 40%
rise in population due to arrival of evacuees from London.
- Reading
twinned with Düsseldorf.
1066 - 1540 The Middle Ages including Reading Abbey
1540-1700 including The Civil War
Historical Streets and Places in Reading
Praying together for Reading - What is God doing?
Words, Pictures, Prophecies and Promises
Principle Sources and Further Reading