Speaker Meeting

A large audience gathered to hear Dr David Peacock give a talk on the place names of Berkshire. David noted that whilst many names date to the Anglo-Saxon period, some have their roots much earlier dating from pre-Roman times. The later includes the River Thames (Temesa) and Rive Kennet (Cynetan). David noted several place names and where they originate from including: Combe – adapted in to Anglo-Saxon and means a bowl shaped valley. An example would be Combe Town, which today we know as Compton.

Sue noted that dolls houses, collecting and making, was the second fastest growing hobby in the world. A hobby that dates back to the Egyptians who are known to have had dolls, although there is no evidence of dolls houses (or pyramids!).

Sue noted that there are many different styles of houses, not just the type of house they represent but also how they are built and furnished. The modern era of collecting dolls houses started in Holland and Germany in the 16th Century and was an expensive hobby that usually only women participated in. This is partly due to the fact that at this period in history women were pregnant for much of their early adulthood.