Memories of Coley Park

A personal view of Coley Park

The 1960's

The early residents of the Coley Park estate were treated to many mobile traders. There was the milkman with his electric milk float, the fishmonger who sold fresh fish from the back of his small van, the baker's van (none other than Ken Smith, my cousin) which delivered fresh bread. 'Charlie' drove the big blue Grocery van that carried all sorts of household and grocery items (remember the free plastic flower with every packet of DAZ washing powder). They had all but disappeared by the mid sixties.

There was the also the rag 'n' bone man with his horse and flattop cart who collected mainly old clothes and in return would give you a few pence or a goldfish in small bag of water. Also there was a regular collection of kitchen food scraps from your 'pig bin', which was used as additional feed for pigs at that time, a practice since banned.

In summer there was an old chap who would walk the streets and sell Walls ice-creams from a small white push cart. He would stop for ages near the bus terminus by the flats. The ice-cream vans also became popular, vying for the customers throughout the estate. The main contenders were Tonibell and Mr Whippy. Tonibell vans were a sky blue colour and had the cow symbol on the front. They gave away free collector cards of movie stars etc. and sometimes included a voucher for a free ice-cream.

Tonibell Ice-Cream Van

Growing up in Coley Park was a great experience for kids. There were plenty of woodlands to explore, huge trees to climb (especially the giant 'hollow' tree that was pulled down when they built the Coley Park Primary School) and nearby rivers to fish and just generally muck about in. Behind the houses in Lesford Road are allotments which could be rented if you had no garden of your own.

Beyond the allotments and separated by the Holy Brook rivulet were green fields filled with constantly grazing black and white friesian cattle. In the distance ran the Coley branch railway line where the goods trains traversed the horizon every day. White Swans sometimes nested on the banks of the stream.

The woods around nearby Coley Park Farm sports some 60 foot tall trees and has dense with undergrowth and woodland plants like the poisonous Cuckoo-Pint, and Stinging Nettles and the Broadleaf Dock are common.

Stinging Nettles and the Broadleaf Dock plant
(Dock leaves are believed to ease the sting of Nettles)

The woods area a haven for various birds. Common sightings are starlings, woodpeckers and thrush, blackbirds and magpies, and the cuckoo could always be heard in May. Various small wrens flitter from branch to branch. The treetop canopy is the nesting home for the local crows. Not forgetting the common sparrows and bluetits found in every garden, plus the swallows or house-martins that build their nests under your house eaves. In the colder months the robin could be seen.

Lesford Road looking west
22 February 2007

The small field at the corner of Wensley and Lesford roads (before the school or church was built) was the common playground for this end of the estate. Here the local children would climb trees, swing on rope seats tied to the largest branches, play in a couple of big hollow trees, get stung by the 'stinging' nettles or just have a fun time playing hide and seek in the bushes.

You could walk or bike along the old lane that commenced at the West Lodge on Coley Avenue and ended up at the far end of Wensley Road near the railway line. This lane used to be the main access to the North Lodge until it was demolished in 1990s. Along the way on the left hand side, was located the old Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), and they always had sheep in the paddocks that would come up to the fence for a feed of grass. Further along the lane on the right, was Simonds (famous Reading beer maker) sports grounds and clubhouse. Simonds was owned by Courage from 1960.

Soccer seemed to be the favourite team sport for the kids around Coley Park. There was always some locals to be found playing soccer on the grassed area near the northern-most block of flats (#193 Wensley Road), where everyone was welcome to join in. Some weekends the teenage kids challenged Southcote to a match which was usually a fairly even game. There was always a friendly rivalry between the Coley and Southcote kids.

At the west end of Coley Park estate is a public accessway to Southcote and beyond. Here the railway from London to the South West passes between Coley Park and Southcote estates. Where the small iron foot-bridge was located over the long closed Coley Central Branch, you could sit on the steps and watch the trains come and go. A great vantage point for trainspotting or just a relaxing stop on your way to somewhere else.

The old iron foot-bridge

Within walking or cycling distance is the Kennet & Avon Canal and many Sunday afternoons were spent just watching the small boats and canal boats traversing the lock near Southcote. The canal was a good place for fishing and some huge pike up to 3 feet (nearly a 1 metre) long have been caught by the experienced anglers!!.

Southcote Lock (No.104) on the Kennet & Avon Canal

In summer the nearby weir (commonly known as the 'Moncks' - which was the family name of the owners of this general area, owned by William Monck in the early 20th century) was a popular place for swimming on the hot summer days - but also very dangerous for inexperienced swimmers as the current from the weir could suck you under. Unfortunately, many have lost their lives over the years and a sign can still be seen today warning of the danger. Between the weir and the Burghfield bridge are moorings for the canal boats which can still be hired for a holiday with a difference.

Kennet & Avon Canal
(click on images to enlarge)