The Heritage Group was set up in 2014 to collect and record, in digital format, the history and culture of Cold Ash Parish with the aim of establishing a website and ‘Virtual Museum’ accessed online. Alongside the creation of the website, the Group has undertaken specific research projects and staged exhibitions of its work.
Our past events have included: Men of the Memorial Exhibition (2014), 150th Anniversary of St Mark’s Church (2015), Men of the Cold Ash Memorials Exhibition and Concert (2018) and Centenary Celebration of Cold Ash WW1 Memorial (2019)
Histories of 180 men from Cold Ash Parish who served in WW1 and WW2 have been researched and a Memorial Book is now on display at St Mark’s Church; it is available for family historians to research. Copies are available at the Imperial War Museum, Berkshire Record Office, West Berkshire Museum and Newbury Library. We also helped rescue 3 parish War Memorials that were hidden from public view and these are now displayed at St Mark’s Church. A spin-off from our activities has been establishing the War Memorial Action Group to raise funds to repair the Parish War Memorial, a Grade 2 listed monument, which will be completed in 2020.
We are digitally recording photos, letters, articles, maps and other items of interest about the Parish and its inhabitants. We want to source materials and record oral histories before memories fade. We plan to make these materials available to look at and listen to by holding specific exhibitions and using our website. In 2021 we will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the birth of Reverend John M. Bacon, the Scientific Balloonist from Cold Ash.
If you would like to become involved in the project or have old photographs, post cards, documents or memories of Cold Ash Parish (Cold Ash, Ashmore Green, Southend, old Shaw and Long Lane) we would love to hear from you.
The Group usually meets on the second Monday of the month.
Please contact Fred Davison, Tel. 01635 202605 or email CAPHGroup@gmail.com.