Orchard Street, Reading - what happened to it ?

[hatofthecat]

Does anyone know how, why or when Orchard Street in Reading was demolished ?

My Grandmother was born at No. 43 and later lived round the corner in Dorothy Street where my dad grew up.

Now all that's left is the pub (Hook & Tackle, called something else in past) with North end of street replaced by modern houses (1980's ?  they were there I think when I lived the other side of Holy Brook in late 80's),South end West side under Katesgrove school car park and South End East side seems to have just become extended gardens for houses on Henry Street.

Was it another victim of the IDR ?  ...that thing seems to have wiped out a lot of my family history bricks and mortar 

Pete

[Davidp336]

I lived at the corner shop (22) with my grandparents.  I know that particular building was condemned when it developed a huge crack in the wall. Based on what I know now, I suspect subsidence.  It would explain why they demolished and built walkways instead of new houses. Unstable ground. I've been trying to find any photos from back then with no success. David

[hatofthecat]

That's interesting information David.  Whereabouts in the street was the shop ?  I've not found any photos myself but they may have something at Berkshire archives especially if the council was involved in the demolition.  Subsidence ?  Could it be more of the chalk mines that have caused a few street collapses in Reading ?

Pete

[Meelystar]

The pub is right next to the IDR so that was my first thought but there has been quite a bit of subsidence around the centre, castle hill is the particular area though that I have heard of collapses.

[hatofthecat]

Field Road has had quite a few problems.  That's the other side of the Kennet and Holy Brook though.  Those ancient miners were at it all over the place though 

I blame the IDR generally... they wiped Bosiers Square out of existence building that monstrosity  which is where my gg grandfather lived.  Castle Hill is on left in this picture, scroll across to see the square.

[Davidp336]

Thanks for your response and the Map, Pete, it brought back a few memories -- walks with my grandad and his border collie down to the Kennet, under the bridge near the corner of Katesgrove Lane.  I might have photo of the inside of the shop -- if I can find it I will post it.

I was a toddler at the time, but I believe it was on the corner of Foundry St. and Orchard St.  Best guess at when it was demolished?  Probably 1974 give or take a year.  I remember the IDR ended in an abrupt cliff before Southampton St, where the roundabout is now.  What it was like before that, I would have been too young to remember Bosier's square.

From there we moved to Orts Rd, near Cemetery Junction -- an area also demolished, rebuilt, and mostly unrecognizable.  Those houses were ancient and crumbling (with outside loos and bomb shelters), so Orchard Street could have been the same situation -- just age rather than subsidence. 

The IDR remained an unfinished monster and RBC's embarrassment (rumour was they ran out of money half way through) for almost a decade that I recall -- I think they began again in the early or mid 80's, but it could have been as later as the 90's -- i wasn't in Reading at that time.

I moved to the US in 2000, so getting to the archives is a bit of a trip 

[Davidp336]

The web is amazing.  Just found the best pic yet of Orchard Street as it was, looking south from the Tanner's Arms:

http://readingimages.epixtech.co.uk/loc/1389870.pdf

Our corner shop can be seen halfway up on the right, cracks-and-all.

It's funny. The streets are much narrower than when I was 3.

[HarryW]

Field Road has had quite a few problems.  That's the other side of the Kennet and Holy Brook though.  Those ancient miners were at it all over the place though 

I blame the IDR generally... they wiped Bosiers Square out of existence building that monstrosity  which is where my gg grandfather lived.  Castle Hill is on left in this picture, scroll across to see the square.

Interesting picture - my grandfather's house and business premises is in the far left, fronting onto Castle Street - I lived there until it was bought under a compulsory purchase order to make way for the IDR in 1964.   Pretty well all that can be seen of the northern side of Castle Street in the picture was demolished in 1967/8.

Bosiers Square was gone long before that and I don't have any recollection of it apart from open ground looking out onto Wolseley Street.   I think that Bosiers Square was adjacent the infamous Coley Steps, which, when I lived there, linked Coley Place with Wolseley Street.  The whole area was my playground until we moved.

[hatofthecat]

Thanks for the pic Davidp336, somehow I didn't get any notifications of replies on this thread so was a nice surprise to find it this evening. 

I've done a bit of editing on it so have an embedded map on it.  That shop on corner with Mundesley Street appears to say "CYCLE REPAIRS" above the door.

Pete