 |
|
News about companies in Reading, Berkshire
|
|
|
|
|
Reading’s Three Bs – a Short History Lesson
The Reading we know today is a thriving commercial centre, home to many international companies in the technology sector. Situated in the so-called "Silicon Glen", Reading is one of the prime business locations along the M4 corridor with its excellent road and rail links. Reading has been a thriving business centre for centuries. Let’s take a brief look at the history of… Business in Reading.
By the mid-sixteenth century Reading was already the largest town in Berkshire, with a population of over 3,000. Most trading activity involved corn and cloth which were transported up-river to the capital. But it was the arrival of the railway in 1849 that really put Reading on the map as a centre for commerce and the town quickly gained status as a leading producer of goods. This is where we get the ‘Three B’s’ from:
Biscuits, Beer, and Bulbs.
Joseph Huntley and his son Thomas set up a bakery at 72 London Street, Reading in 1822, selling fresh-baked biscuits to travellers staying at the nearby Crown Inn. George Palmer joined the bakery in 1841. Huntley & Palmers eventually became the largest biscuit manufacturer in England and the brand is still well-known throughout the world (although now owned by United Biscuits).
William Blackall Simonds founded the Simonds Brewery back in 1785. The original brewery was in Bridge Street and Simonds' home was alongside, both designed by the architect Sir John Soane. Simonds' used the famous ‘hop leaf’ symbol until it was taken over by Courage in 1960. The new Courage Brewery located close to the M4 is the largest in Europe.
Sutton Seeds arrived in Reading in 1806. Their original building, located in the Market Place, still stands today and is currently home to NatWest Bank. The company relocated to Devon in 1976 and today Suttons is part of the international company Vilmorin, the largest packet seed distributors in the world
Did You Know?
The oldest recorded British song, ‘Sumer is icumen in’ (Summer is a-coming in) was written in Reading. A four-part rotational harmony dating from around 1225, the original manuscript can be found in the British Library.
Photography pioneer William Fox-Talbot set up the first mass production photographic laboratory in Russell Terrace, Reading, in the 1840s.
Founder of Pennsylvania William Penn attended the classical-designed church in London Street. Apparently his ghost was often seen in the old bookshop next door.
Local resident Oscar Wilde was sent to Reading gaol for 2 years in 1895.
EMAIL THIS PAGE
PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
|
|