MEMORIES OF MAIDENHEAD

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As part of the celebration, one student from Beech Lodge School was chosen to receive a special prize due to his creative sculpture design. The return of peace time gave the local Town Council the opportunity to start redevelopment of Maidenhead. There was a desperate shortage of housing and one of the first tasks was to build a new estate at Pinkneys Green. The new roads were named after RAF aircraft. What he didn’t realise was that in 1967 the new Town Hall’s frontage was to feature as the Hospital in Carry On Doctor, with Barbara Windsor pictured filming a scene there. Church bells would have been rung as a warning if there had been an invasion, but thankfully it never happened. The Nazis were not prepared for such action at the time. The commentary was provided by the Mayor, who is also seen on screen performing duties and catching a bus. At home, his poor wife looks like more like a servant than his life partner.

The pub is the ideal venue for many activities and strong working relationships have been developed and established with a wide cross section of local clubs, societies and organisations in the local community. On Saturday 13th May, visitors to Waterside Quarter enjoyed a fun free fairground inspired event to celebrate the installation of the final piece of artwork in the Maidenhead Memories Sculpture Trail, a traditional fairground horse. As well as morning drop-ins, a local autism group holds regular coffee mornings and social evenings at the pub for parents and carers of autistic children and young adults. The ‘Maidenhead Memories’ group have also held their first meeting at The Craufurd Arms and are planning to meet on the first Wednesday of every month. This group helps to bring together any isolated members of the community. I saw it quite clearly and stood trembling with fear waiting for an explosion. An explosion never came.In attendance were the councillors, the Town Clerk, Aldermen (the elders of the council), the Borough Surveyor, the Borough Treasurer, the Medical Officer of Health, the Borough Librarian and members of the public (who may have included local newspaper staff).

Maidenhead was a dreary place, there were three cinemas, the Rialto, Plaza and the Ritz but few people ventured out at night. For the duration of the war, White Waltham Airfield was the HQ of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). The sculpture is made from pieces of mild steel which have been beaten into shape then welded together. Mr Bayford from the Public Health team is seen talking to the owner of Steventon’s Stores (“Phone 386”!) They also approved the revised tender of the materials to construct the new Town Hall and Civic Centre. The short film ends with the Mayor laying the Foundation Stone for this new building in St Ives Road.Then off to work at the old Police Station, just off Queen Street - Berkshire Constabulary then, follwed by a decade at a local insurance brokers in York Road.