Berkshire Bygones: Shopping centre like ‘bomb aftermath’ in 1969

The ‘News’ reported in it’s editorial that: “It is difficult to imagine the proposals at the moment, the deserted roadway with bleak hoardings surrounding excavations, plus the roadworks at either end of the street, all tend to give an impression like the aftermath of a bomb.”

TRAFFIC FREE: Vehicles were banned from The Broadway

A young film star in 1969, Jenny Agutter, was set to play in a celebrity cricket match at Warfield Cricket Ground 52 years ago.

Although still only 16, she had appeared in many cinema films including “The Railway Children” and was due to bowl the first ball of the match, which was in aid of Binfield Park Hospital.

SIMPLY THE BEST: Jenny Agutter bowled them over in Warfield

Jenny’s latest release, “I Start Counting”, included many scenes shot in the Bracknell area and was directed by David Greene.

A ‘rustic guard of honour’ formed an archway of pitchforks at the wedding of two Binfield members of Bracknell’s Young Farmers’ Club.

The bride, Elizabeth Green, and the bridegroom, Phillip Thomas, both came from old farming families in the Binfield area.

As was the custom in local newspapers at the time, a very detailed report with an accompanying photograph would give information on what the bride wore, such as: “The veil was held by a cornet of white rosebuds, diamante and pearls, and she carried a bouquet of deep pink roses, lilies-of the-valley and stephanotis.”

PERFECT DAY: Pitchforks formed a wedding guard of honour

Plessey Communications gifted a ten-line automatic telephone exchange to Braybrooke School, Bracknell, so that pupils could improve their speech and general lucidity.

Headmaster Eric Thompson told the News: “One of our big problems is getting the children to express themselves, there will be one phone in each classroom, using a two-digit system to ring each other and have a chat.”

BRACKNELL CALLING: Pupils got a new phone system

The booking clerks at Travel and Tours Agency (Bracknell) duly smiled for the News photographer in their new air-hostess-type uniforms in 1969.

Complete with the new-look and image, the owners insisted that they were to be known as “traffic girls”, with responsibility to book package tours, sea cruises and train travel.

I’M MANDY FLY ME: The ‘Travel Girls’ were unveiled in Bracknell

A popular jumble sale competition in the 1960’s was “guess-the-weight-of-the-cake” and here at Bygones HQ we wish (as our cake-holes are always open) we had been at the Cheapside Boys’ Club sale in ’69.

Secretary of the Parents’ Committee, Susan Walker told the News: “We desperately need a large tent so the £46 raised will go towards its purchase.”

CAKE OFF: This guess the weight winner gets her reward