A series of illustrated talks with a common theme:
The History of Greenham
Saturday 4th October 2025 – 10.00am to 4.30pm.
St Nicolas Church Hall, West Mills, Newbury RG14 5HG
£12.50 in advance from Eventbrite – £15 cash on the door.
The Talks
- Greenham over the Years – Jane Burrell
- Setting the scene with a quick look at the development of Greenham from Domesday until the present day.
- The Baxendales of Greenham – David Peacock
- When Lloyd Baxendale bought the Greenham Estate few could have anticipated the changes he and his son would bring to the parish.
- The Church of the Latter-day Saints in the Newbury Area – Colin Williams
- Following the first missionaries’ arrival in Newbury in 1843 they found their first base in Greenham to which they returned when they moved to their present home on Greenham Common.
- Newbury Racecourse at War – Philip Wood
- Despite the name, Newbury Racecourse is in Greenham and this is the story of its use supporting the war effort in both World Wars.
- RAF Greenham Common – Jonathan Sayers
- RAF Greenham Common opened in 1942 and was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces during the Second World War and the United States Air Force during the Cold War. The airfield is probably best known, certainly in the UK, for the controversial deployment of Ground Launched Cruise Missiles in the 1980s and the resulting Greenham Common protests .This talk will look at highlights of this history with many photos.
The Speakers
- Jane Burrell is a former curator of West Berkshire Museum, Bridport Museum, the Airborne Forces Museum and Sandhurst Military College. She is a popular speaker to local groups and societies.
- Dr David Peacock is a well known historian of Newbury and the surroundng district whose PhD thesis was on Jack of Newbury and the Tudor cloth trade in Newbury. He is the author of the current edition of The Story of Newbury (4th Ed), Newbury Roman Cemetery and innumerable articles on local history in the Newbury Weekly News. He also runs courses on Newbury’s history at the West Berkshire Museum.
- Colin Williams is an Elder of the Latter Day Saints based at Greenham, he has undertaken wide ranging research in the church in this area, which resulted in an impressive exhibtion at the church in 2023.
- Philip Wood is a past President of the Newbury District Field Club. He is an enthusiastic local historian who has studied and gives talks on many aspects of Newbury’s history, notably Newbury’s almshouses, its pubs and breweries and the lives of the men named on Newbury’s war memorial.
- Jonathan Sayers is the author of In Defense of Freedom; a History of RAF Greenham Common and is an original volunteer at Greenham Control Tower.
Saturday 4th October 2025 – 10.00am to 4.30pm.
Registration from 9.45am.
Tea and coffee will be available between talks; bring your own lunch or eat at one of the menu food outlets nearby.
Venue details: St Nicolas’ Church Hall, West Mills, Newbury RG14 5HG
(limited parking available by arrangement, email history@ndfc.org.uk)
Advance bookings £12.50. £15 (cash)on the door.
As well as the talks, there will be plenty of opportunity to consult the experts on any aspect of Newbury history.
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