Home / Royal Mail / Remember When: Crowds gathered to watch the solar eclipse – Photo 1 of 1

Remember When: Crowds gathered to watch the solar eclipse – Photo 1 of 1

1979: One of the oldest lawn tennis clubs in the world celebrated its centenary.

Maidenhead Lawn Tennis Club was understood to have been founded just two years after the first Wimbledon championships – but its exact origins were shrouded in mystery.

Members believed it was 100 years old after headed notepaper was found stating it was founded in 1879.


1984: A record crowd of more than 200 well-wishers gathered at The Shire Horse pub at Maidenhead Thicket to greet a horse-drawn Royal Mail Coach arriving from Reading.

It was part of the record-breaking mail coach run from Bristol to London, organised to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the first Royal Mail coach journey.


1984: Marlow’s Steve Redgrave became the youngest British rower to win an Olympic gold as the GB men’s coxed four emerged victorious in Los Angeles.

He was set to receive a hero’s welcome on his return from the US, while his family toasted his success back home.


1994: Maidenhead Regatta – one of the oldest regattas on the Thames – returned against the backdrop of Brunel’s Sounding Arch.

The 101st Maidenhead Regatta drew 169 crews, competing at all levels. Steve Redgrave was among those taking part.


1994: The Mayor of Windsor and Maidenhead, Cllr Dennis Outwin, and his wife, Ruth, dropped in at the Cox Green Play Scheme to meet a few of the 90 children who had been taking part in a range of activities.

Organised by Josephine Lackovic, the three-week scheme was open to children aged six to 11 from the Cox Green area.


1999: The post-mistress at the Spencer’s Road sub-post office took a belated retirement at the age of 77.

Daphne Thiel, who saw her customers as part of the family, retired to rural Somerset after more than 20 years in the post.

She used to host charity fetes in her garden and used her position behind the counter of the post
office to keep a check on her more elderly customers.


1999: Winter Hill was the place to be as crowds gathered to watch a once-in-a-lifetime event – a total solar eclipse.

Crowds gathered at the beauty spot in the early morning as, just after 11am, the moon began to inch into the optimum position.

Roads were blocked with cars and individuals shared pinhole cameras and eclipse-watching glasses to marvel at the phenomenon.

The UK will not witness another total solar eclipse until 2090.




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