Signs of the Times

Which memorial’s unveiling were the public barred from, so that no disruption could be caused by suffragettes? Why is a Danish prisoner of war remembered in Reading? Who was Goldwin Smith, whose birthplace is marked by a plaque on Friar Street? Did the sculptor responsible for the lion in the Forbury really commit suicide because of it? How many times did Queen Victoria visit Reading, and did she like her statue? The stories behind Reading’s memorials bring the people and events of Reading’s past to life. This book describes aspects of the town’s history by considering some of its – often not well known – plaques, statues and monuments. Even the better known memorials have secrets to yield in the tales of their origins. With descriptions of where the memorials can be found, along with photographs to help identification, the book reveals vivid glimpses of life in Victorian Reading, and reminds us of the physical, as well as social legacy, our forebears left behind them.