A Tour of Coley Streets (Part 2)

Here's the second part of our tour of old Coley, lying just to the south west of Reading town centre. This part of the tour concentrates on the core of old Coley (the Coley Steps and Wolseley Street, aka Coley Street/Brickfield Terrace) and the housing and industrial areas along the River Kennet. Similar to Part 1 of our tour, it contains a mix of historical overview and personal stories from times gone-by.

[@paulmccarthy6373]

This is better than watching documentaries on tv. Keep up the great work.

[@ashleyknight358]

Excellent, very very interesting

[@mickmcguire4571]

Brilliant work and well done to all 👏👏👏👏

[@garystone2091]

Grt8 to watch this film i have lived here for 25 years. Thanks that was a real treat

[@ellenduffy5415]

I well remember Bristow's shop in the late 60s and early 70s. i remember the houses in Wolseley street in front of Coley School's playground being demolished and the following September there was a new playground for the infant classes. I think a lot of the families living there got new homes in Coley Park, as the children went to Coley Park Primary when it opened. Number 62 Wolseley street has been occupied by the same family since it was built until at least the 2010s. A Mr Absalom was one of the builders and then he rented it and eventually one of his sons and then his granddaughter lived there. Her husband bought the house from the owner in the 1950s.

[@karolsouthwood4407]

If you want to find old Coley Steps start from Coley Place, I used to play on them in the 1950s. Karol

[@richardcurtis2469]

I was born in field road. The fish and chip shop on the corner. Used to sell freshly cooked beetroot. And Morris newsagents on the opposite corner.and down the slope of field road was a butcher's shop

[@jennyflitter129]

I lived in Wolseley Street,from1981-1999.

[@nigelknight6688]

When Reading had a heart☹

[@scousepie2]

Criminal what they did.