July Meetings

Tuesday 13th
Club Meeting

Tuesday 27th
Club Meeting

August Meetings

Tuesday 10th
Club Meeting

Tuesday 24th
Club Social

About Newbury

Newbury is a market town in the county of Berkshire in England, approximately 50 miles to the west of London. There has been a settlement in Newbury for over 1100 years because of its position as a river crossing and a cross roads of north/south and east/west routes.

The Kennet and Avon Canal dissects the town, which has many historical buildings and places of interest including the Corn Exchange Theatre and the Museum. Newbury Racecourse is within one mile of the town centre and nearby are Highclere and Donnington Castles, Snelsmore Countryside Park, the Ridgeway, the Downs and a host of other attractions. Newbury was the site of two battles during the English Civil war (1642-46). The first battle was in 1643 when the Earl of Essex, returning to London after relieving the siege of Gloucester, found his way barred by King Charles's army. Essex eventually won the battle when the King's army ran out of gunpowder. The second battle was in 1644 near Donnington Castle, which was under siege for over 20 months. The castle finally fell to the Parliamentarians, but the King's defenders of the castle were allowed to withdraw because they had put up such a stout defence.

In the 18th and 19th centuries Newbury, being situated on the Great Bath Road, was important as a coaching centre. As a result a great many inns were built and there were theatres and horse racing to entertain the travellers.

Being in the fertile Kennet valley Newbury developed as an agricultural area. Barley was grown for malting and from 1723 was shipped to London using the river Kennet Navigation to Reading. By 1810 the Kennet and Avon Canal had been built between Reading and Bristol, mainly for transporting corn. However, by 1847 the railway had arrived and the canal went into decline.

In 1790 William Plenty founded a firm making ploughs, went on to build a revolutionary lifeboat and now makes pumps and filters.  In more recent times Newbury has attracted many high technology companies such as Vodafone, Micro Focus and Quantel.

In 1905 the first ever race meeting took place at the new Racecourse. Racing continued to be held there until the latter part of 1914, when meetings were abandoned following the outbreak of World War I.  Racing did take place during 1915 and 1916 but was abandoned in 1917 until the end of the war.

When World War II was declared racing was postponed with the times for the first race being brought forward to allow everyone to get home before dark.  Jump racing continued until 1940 but the Easter meeting that year was the last to be staged until 1951.

Flat racing continued despite the course being damaged by bombing and craters having to be filled in, however in August 1942 the whole course was handed over to the American Army which used it as a depot and marshalling yard. The course was de-requisitioned after the war but it wasn't until April 1st 1949 that racing resumed after a seven year absence.

Part of Greenham Common, just to the south of Newbury, was occupied by the 101st Airborne Division and provided the place from which planes with scores of gliders took off to participate in the invasion of Europe on D-Day, 6th June 1944. During the cold war Greenham Common was used as an American nuclear bomber base and then as a Cruise missile base.  Since the end of the cold war Greenham Common has been returned partly to common land and the American base has been transformed into an industrial estate.

Massive growth and migration into Newbury on the back of the technological revolution has seen it evolve from a rural market town into a more sophisticated centre for business and culture. Vodafone set up in Newbury in the early 1980s, and the first mobile phone call in the UK was made in 1985 between Newbury and London. Currently Vodafone is the biggest employer in the town with its International Headquarters just on the town's northern edge.

Club News

The new commitee is elected for the 10/11 Toastmasters year.

Phil Gladwell is the new Area Governor for Area 46.

Derek Bingham achieves his Competent Communicator award. Ray Wilton and Phil Gladwell are Competent Leaders.

Alison Coles and Matt Simons achieve their Competent Communicator awards.

Jenny Mills achieves her Advanced Communicator Gold award.

Ray Wilton wins through in the Area 46 Evaluation Contest.

Afolabi Sekoni is a Competent Communicator.

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