Paddington Bear author recalls Reading past

Public invited to contribute to Sites of Significance video podcasts

Martin Ellerbeck, from Reading-based company Thursday Films has been working with Reading Museum on the Sites of Significance Project, a series of video podcasts featuring members of the local community talking about places in Reading which hold significance.

The first is an interview with curator Jill Greenaway talking about Reading Abbey. With access to the abbey precincts currently restricted, the guided tour of the ruins gives a fascinating insight to Reading's medieval past.

The second film is with former Reading resident (Newbury-born) Michael Bond, the author of Paddington Bear, who recalls his school days in Reading and how witnessing the arrival of wartime evacuees at the train station later gave him inspiration for his most famous creation.

He also describes his narrow escape from the Second World War bombing raid in Reading on February 10, 1943, which killed 41 people and injured many more.

Mr Ellerbeck has been making films for the last 10 years and Thursday Films has made corporate videos for locally-based companies as well as web videos for numerous organisations including the University of Reading.

Museum spokesman Bobby Lonergan said: “ Sites of Significance is a really accessible way of telling Reading's history. The idea is very simple, with people being filmed at places in Reading which they feel are of significance. We are happy to receive ideas to include in the series. It could be the dance hall where you first met the love of your life, or somewhere like Kings Meadow, where Reading FC played their first football match.”

The museum will be posting the films on its Youtube Channel which you can subscribe to at http://www.youtube.com/readingmuseum

Picture: Evacuated London Children arrive at Reading Station following beginning of the Second World War

(copyright of Reading Museum)