Local History

Updated 13 April 2022

Slough U3A’s Local History Group meets once a month. We have a varied program of activities – sometimes we will meet in St Laurence’s Church for a talk about a topic of local interest; sometimes we will visit a building or go for a walk in a location of historical interest.

The Local History group are back – we usually meet at St. Laurence’s Church in Upton on the third Monday of the month at 2pm. We also visit local museums and places of interest.

In September we had an enjoyable session, finding out about remedies for various ailments as written in the Pharmacopolium (an ancient book kept in St. Mary’s Church, Langley). In October, Julie James gave us an interesting presentation about the Ward family who have memorials in St. Laurence’s Church and in November, Pauline Hodges told us all about James Elliman and the Elliman family.

Other recent topics include:-

  • The Grand Union Canal – talk
  • History trail in Eton
  • Visit to the Kederminster Library in Langley
  • Slough Trading Estate
  • St. Giles’ Church, Stoke Poges.
  • We have walked the Herschel Park History Trail.
  • Pub lunch at one of the oldest pubs in the area (The Ostrich, Colnbrook)

The model of William Herschel’s 40-foot telescope, also known as the Great Forty-Foot telescope, constructed between 1785 and 1789 at Observatory House in Slough. This is kept on public display at St Laurence Church

Christine and Jessica presenting “Green Spaces in Slough”