Traditionally our President addresses us after the AGM on a topic of local interest. This tradition was broken in 2009 as Phil had been booked to speak at the meeting prior to the AGM - before it was realised that he would take on the presidency at the 2008 AGM. He felt that listening to him for two meetings in a row would be too much to expect of the members!

The talk he gave in January 2009 was entitled Newbury's Pubs and Inns. At the time of the talk he warned us that he had far more material than would fit into the allotted time. At the conclusion of the talk he was asked to come back to give us more on this popular subject.

This time he will take us on a lavishly illustrated tour of Newbury's pubs to the south of the river Kennet (or as many as he can fit into the time). Discover the pubs that moved, the pub where the customers were so dodgy that a couple of them even stole the carpet,  the five previous names of the Snooty Fox, the New Waggon & Horses, and the fascinating location of the Town Arms.

The Speaker

Phil Wood worked for 30 years in science and engineering before retiring early in 2002. Retirement enabled him to spend more time on his hobby of researching his family history and working on the publication of family history sources with the Berkshire Family History Society. While researching the Toomer family for the Society's publication of Joseph Toomer's 1815 Census of Newbury, he met his wife-to-be in Newbury Museum.  Her influence has led to a growing interest in local history. He has given talks to many local groups on the Toomer family, Newbury's Almshouses, the Pubs & Inns of Newbury, and various 'how to research' topics.

He was chairman of the Newbury Branch of the Berkshire Family History Society for four years before handing over to his wife, Jane Burrell, and was elected President of the Newbury District Field Club in February 2008.