The Oracle was a
workhouse
In Britain and Ireland, a workhouse (, lit. "poor-house") was a total institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment. In Scotland, they were usually known as Scottish poorhouse, poorh ...
that produced
cloth
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is n ...
in the
English town of
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...
,
Berkshire
Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...
.
The Oracle shopping centre, which now occupies a small part of the site, takes its name from the Oracle workhouse.
History
In the 17th century,
clothiers in Reading were facing competition from the
north of England
Northern England, or the North of England, refers to the northern part of England and mainly corresponds to the historic counties of Cheshire, Cumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Northumberland, Westmorland and Yorkshire. Officially, it is a gr ...
, where taxes were lower.
On 30 December 1624,
John Kendrick a clothier died leaving
£7,500 to Reading and £4,000 to
Newbury to help their cloth industries.
John Kendrick's father and brother had a textile factory in Minster Street. The factory was sold to the Council for £2,000, and alterations were carried out to make it suitable for use as a workhouse. The new facility opened in 1628. It stretched from the top of Minster Street down along the
Holy Brook. William Kendrick chose the name "Oracle" to honour his brother John, whose idea launched the facility.
The Oracle remained in use until the 19th century, and the building was demolished in 1850.
References
External links
{{Commons category-inline, Oracle Workhouse
Buildings and structures in Reading, Berkshire
History of Reading, Berkshire
1628 establishments in England