Froom Family

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Roy Froom kindly contacted the Virtual Museum (Jun 2016) with significant information about Prehistoric Hungerford.

He was born in Hungerford,the son of Jack ("John") and Ada Froom (b.1902). Ada's father was Ernest Clements, the local clock and watchmaker. Her sibs included Maldy (who died young), Wynne, Marjorie, and Marie, who married Casper Munday. Ada had first married a local lad who had served in the First World War. They had two sons and 2 daughters, but he died of Tuberculosis. Ada then married Jack Froom, who had come from London, and lodged with them. Jack's sister married Billy Norman (who later ran Norman's Garage). Jack had worked in the Bristol Engine factory in Coventry builing Merlin engines, and later came to work in the Chilton Aircraft factory. Later he worked at Aldermaston.

Roy (also known as "Ferdie") was born in 1938. He went to school in Newbury, where he was taught by Douglas Connor - History teacher at St Bart's. Dougie's enthusiasm soon rubbed off on Roy, who rapidly developed a lifelong interest in archaeology, especially the prehistory of the Kennet Valley including Hungerford.

Both field walking and formal digs in the area have revealed much of interest. some of his remaining finds (most have been sent to the British Museum) are shown in the Photo Gallery.

His wife Dorothy is a niece of Mary Bellis (who used to live at Charnham Close, Charnham Street. Mary was Dorothy's father's sister). Roy has many family members in the area.

Roy went on to teach Chemistry at St Bart's. as well as taking over the archaeology work when Dougie Connor retired in 1966.

Roy and Dorothy live in Newbury. (Jun 2016).