Retro: Some kind of sundial

David Cliffe • Published 13 Aug 2009 10:00 0 Comments

See also:

The Central Library has recently been presented with a collection of around 600 slides, mainly of buildings in and around Reading, by the History of Reading Society.

The slides were taken by the late Peter Southerton in the 1970s and 80s.

He was well known for his books on Reading's history - several collections of old photographs, and the history of Reading Gaol.

I have just finished cataloguing the slides and then they will have to be scanned so that they can be viewed from the library's website.

Although taken only 30 or so years ago, so much has changed that they are already a valuable historical record.

Once scanning is complete, you will again be able to see the Reading Dispensary in Chain Street, the King's Road Baptist Chapel and the back of the Heelas department store in Minster Street before it was rebuilt.

In the meantime, I have a problem with this slide.

The History of Reading Society has been very good about writing the subject of each side on the mount, but this one has defeated them, and so far, it has also defeated me.

All the other slides in the collection were taken in or near Reading, but I'm beginning to wonder if this one was taken near Reading at all.

We seem to be looking at a public building, in the Georgian style, with alternating bands of brick and stone of differing height.

There is a string-course of stone at first floor level and in the foreground is a large lamp, but the most distinctive feature of the building is that sun dial, which looks rather too big for the section of wall to which it is fixed.Knowing something of Mr Southerton's career in the probation service, I think we may well be looking at a court building in another town.

Can any kind reader help with this one, please?

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @rdgchronicle