Reading Nostalgia - Life in the town way back in 1969

Looking back through our archives, January of that year saw Reading FC, who were a Division 3 (equivalent to League One) side at the time, take on Newcastle United in an FA Cup match.

Newcastle defeated Reading 4-0 in January 1969

Newcastle were a powerhouse in English football during the 1950s and 1960s, and that season (1968/69), the Magpies went onto to win the now defunct Inter Cities Fairs Cup.

The Newcastle team that face Reading in the 1969 FA Cup

And their strong side were too much for the Royals to handle, as the Biscuitmen lost 4-0 to the North East in third round of the world’s oldest football competition.

One of the Newcastle players that faced Reading

Away from sport, several representatives of the National Milk Records were seen enjoying a shindig at the Great Western Hotel in the town, whilst around 60 school children prepared to set off from their respected schools in Berkshire, to the Richmond Theatre to watch a production of Aladdin.

Representatives of the National Milk Records in Reading

The schoolchildren went at watched Aladdin

The annual event was arranged by the Sigmund Pulosmeter Pumps Sport and Social Club.

The final year of the swinging 60s was a great one for Percy the German Shepherd, as the pooch from Calcot became a supreme champion at that year’s edition of Crufts.

Percy the pooch with his owner, Mrs White

Owned by Mr and Mrs White, the husband and wife team professionally bred dogs and had one of the largest and most successful German Shepherd kennels in the country.

At the time of his national win, Percy was two-and-a-half years old.

Sticking with animals, one of the Reading Chronicle editions of ’69 showed an image of a sheep tending to its babies in what was one of the coldest winters ever recorded in the country.

The mother sheep with its babies in a barn

The weather of February 1969 was described as ‘artic’ in one report, but the farm yard animal was seen cosying up to its young during the cold conditions.

During the same period, representatives from the meat industry met in Reading to discuss business, with the town’s then mayor, Mrs E. Morris, being in attendance.

The mayor, Mrs E. Morris, at an event in Reading

One of the most unique stories of the time was the ropes at St Laurence’s Church in the town had started to fray, meaning that if the church didn’t raise enough money, the bells at the historical building would have fallen silent.

Mrs D Catherall ringing the bells at St Lawrence's

Mrs D Catherall, who regularly rang the bells during the 1960s, said: “Before we ring the bells, we have to go up to the belfry to check that the ropes look safe, but it is no guarantee that they will not break.”

What made this niche was that St Lawrence’s was one of the fewest churches in the area that had 12 bells.

That year also saw several show take place in and around the town, as people visited a theatre in Aldermaston to watch a performance of ‘Person Unknown’, whilst the Concerts of Reading scheme, which was sponsored by the town’s university, was also a booming success.

One of the shows at the Concerts of Reading scheme

A performance of ‘Person Unknown’ in Aldermaston

Finally, there were several people from the area that were included on the Queen’s New Years Honours list, which included Mr Herbert Gill from Tilehurst and Mr Eric Edwards from Reading.

Mr Herbert Lee and his wife with the former's MBE

Mr Eric Edwards (centre) getting his MBE

There was also a charity ball in the area that was greatly attended by many.

People enjoying a charity event in Reading