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The town of Slough has many claims to fame in all walks of life. These are discussed in more detail in other articles on this website, what follows is a summary of some of the more memorable:
In the world of commerce:
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· One of the most popular sweets ever, the Mars Bar, was developed and first produced in Slough.
· One of Slough's oldest industries is brickmaking, and it was bricks from Slough that were used to build Eton College. |
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Lupton's Tower & School Yard, Eton College |
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· The Community Centre on Farnham Road, built by Sir Noel Mobbs to cater for the recreational needs of his workforce, was the first of its kind in the world.
In the world of politics:
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· Stanley Baldwin, three-times Prime Minister between the wars, went to Hawtreys Preparatory School in Slough.
· In 1984, Slough Council made history when it elected Lydia Simmons as the country's first black female mayor. |
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Lydia Simmons holding her mayoral portrait |
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In the world of religion:
· St Andrews Church in Cippenham, opened in 1970, was the first church in Britain designed to be shared by the Anglican and Roman Catholic communities.
· The Hindu Temple in Keel Drive, Chalvey, was the first purpose-built Hindu temple in the British Isles. |
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St. Andrews Shared Church, 2006 |
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In the world of entertainment:
· The Beatles' nationwide tour in 1963, when they topped the bill for the first time, kicked off at the Granada in Slough on the 18th of May.
· Gerry Anderson's Century 21 Studios, which created classic TV series like 'Thunderbirds' and 'Captain Scarlet', were based on the Trading Estate. |
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The stage of the Granada Cinema, 1952 |
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In the world of sport:
· Local ice hockey team Slough Jets were the British National League champions in 1999.
· Fiona May, twice world long jump champion, was born in Slough.
In darts, the first ever televised nine-dart finish was by John Lowe at the MFI Tournament in Slough in 1984. |
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Slough Ice Arena, home of the Slough Jets. 1992 |
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Other claims to fame include:
· Queen Victoria's first ever train journey started from Slough Station in 1842.
· The man who invented fingerprinting, William James Herschel, was born in Slough in 1833. |
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Prints of hands and fingers made by W. J. Herschel |
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