Evocative black and white images of the streets, the houses, the canal and the people reveal glimpses of a vibrant society on the brink of change, in which children play on the streets and intricate brickwork details contradict the fragility and decay already apparent in the buildings. This beautiful book will fascinate anyone either personally or professionally interested in the social history of Reading. The author re-discovered the negatives for this collection of photographs on his retirement and staged two exhibitions of the photographs in conjunction with Reading Library in 2009 and 2011.