A SOUTH Reading church may hold even more history than residents might first suspect, but will probably struggle to investigate it.
Christ the King Church moved from Cressingham Road to Northumberland Avenue, with members going door-to-door to raise funds for its reconstruction in 1959.
During the build, some bricklayers left hand-written notes inside the bricks, according to Whitley Community Museum curator David Turner, who had the chance to speak to someone who had worked on the site.
He said: “Astonishingly, it turned out I was working for the very same company at the same time, I was workshop-based as a carpenter and joiner, what a coincidence.
“The brickie told me that during the build, particularly in the tower, empty Fanta bottles were filled with dated messages, coins and other items.
“These bottles were then sealed and placed in the ‘frog’, or the hollowed out part, of the bricks and cemented in place.
“It was a wonderful story. I wonder how many other buildings around the town are sitting on time capsules. We will find out in centuries, no doubt.”
With over 5,000 followers on Facebook, the Whitley Community Museum is an accessible online and in-person resource.
The group serves as a platform for residents past and present to share memories through photographs and comments.
It also allows group members to reconnect, with members reacquainting themselves with friends and schoolmates from decades ago.
The museum held a Whitley Way Back When event at the Community Cafe on Northumberland Avenue earlier this year to showcase its photographs and exhibits in-person.
For more information, search: Whitley Community Museum on www.facebook.com
