Acknowledgements
Assembling these archives from scattered family, private & business sources, then trying to make some logical sense out of them has been a 20 year hobby. So many people have generously contributed material, suggestions and corrections that I am certain to have missed some out – for which apologies and please let me know!
Others have contributed – but prefer to remain in the background. These are in ‘no particular order’ – – –
David Ford. An outstanding Berkshire historian and genealogist, who owns the website; http://www.berkshirehistory.com/ I have been able to tap into his extensive knowledge and take his advice on many occasions.
Terry Simonds, my ‘cousin’ in North Carolina, who spent 20 years painstakingly researching and then converting our the family tree scrolls to digital format.
Richard Bennett: Reading Civic Society
Jeff Sechiari: Surrey CAMRA
John Dearing, who walked round Reading taking some images of statues for me!
Ron Pattinson, who contributed his archive of H&G Simonds brewing recipes going back to the 1870’s.
Geoff Dye, who has a very extensive archive on Breweries from all over the country and contributed.
Ken Thomas. The archivist for H&G Simonds and now Heineken, who has allowed me use archive material and checked some of my data as well as to publish much of his unpublished work entitled: ‘Brewing & Empire’.
Tony Corley. Historian & professor at Reading University, who generously allowed me to adapt his work to create the brewery history booklet ‘The Story of the Bridge Street Brewery’.
John Lewis, who has allowed me to illustrate and them publish his fabulous Thesis, ‘At the Sign of the Hop Leaf’.
Terry Allsop, who gave me some images of the Architect’s department from the 70’s, with captions from his book of black and white photographs entitled “Caught on Camera Reading in the 70s”. The book shows how much Reading has changed during the last forty years.