Coley Park Recreational Ground - An early home of the Reading Football Club

In 1882 Reading Football Club moved to its first fully enclosed ground located at Coley Park.

Coley Kilns (Brick, Tile and Pottery Works) was originally located where the Coley Recreation Ground is today. The deep red terracotta bricks and tiles were produced mainly for the local Reading area. It closed in 1880 and the area was leveled to make way for the new recreation ground.

The first game on the new ground ended in a defeat of 4-0 by Marlow. Many subsequent matches attracted large crowds and with this brought general rowdiness. But of more concern to the owners of the ground was the continual damage to the surrounding hedges by the 'hooligan element' trying to get into the ground, which is surprising seeing that admission to the games were free! (It seems some things never change!). By the end of the 1888/89 season, the owner of the Coley Park grounds refused the RFC to stay any longer.

Reading FC moved on to the Caversham Cricket Ground and then in 1896 settled into a permanent home ground at Elm Park. 102 years later, in 1998, they moved into their current home at Madejski Stadium.

Link: http://www.stadiumguide.com/madejski.htm - Madejski Stadium

Link: http://www.royals.org/ - Reading FC Fan Club (Hob Nob Anyone?)

Coley Park Recreational Ground - 2005

The grounds were also used by Coley Primary School as their local sporting grounds. The small changing rooms and toilets being very old and very cold (since demolished). Cricket and soccer were played in season by the local teams. A small wooden grandstand was originally situated at the west end of the ground on the hill.

In the 1930's a children's playground was constructed. The ground area was bitumen, and a 3 foot (1m) high fence surrounded the playground, with a gate at the north end. Nearby was a drink fountain that was always in demand (and very often not working). The playground had two slides - the largest being about 12 foot (3.5m) high and had an enclosed platform at the top. There were two merry-go-rounds (one for standing only and the other you could sit on), two swings, a climbing frame and a long rocking horse-type contraption where you could sit at least six!

Children celebrating the end of WW2 at the Park in 1945
(Colleen Price and her cousins, Hazel, Harold and Carol)
©Colleen Thatcher

Today the playground has been totally revamped to be in line with today's safety standards. The bitumen has been replaced with a sand base, and the equipment is not so hazardous.

Sunday Football in the Park
©Uli Harder 9-April-2006

In winter the west end of the park was the best place to toboggan down the fast snow-covered slopes.

St.Saviour's Christian Centre 'Fun Day' in the Park
July 2004

In recent years church groups and others have been holding various successful 'fun' days in the park. These have been a huge hit with both children and parents!

Coley Park Baptist Church Fun Day ( more ... )

WW2 Air Raid shelters at Coley Park

In 1937, as war had been long anticipated, the Reading Borough Council prepared and published its Air Raid Precautions Scheme, which described the voluntary organisations of men and women which would be needed to keep watch over Reading and deal with any emergencies.

By the time WW2 broke out in 1939, Reading's Civil Defence was well organised. About 40 public air raid shelters had been prepared in the town centre and trenches had been dug at Coley Park and in Palmer Park.

The three air raid shelters at Coley Park were sealed after the war and remained buried in the park into the 1960's, but have since been removed (or buried?). Two were located just at the rear of the caretaker's house at the foot of the hill. The other was near Holybrook Road at the west end of the park, adjacent to the foot of the walkway that winds itself up to the grandstand that used to overlook the park.