Some
stories of those that
went before: Reading
University Aikido and
Aikido at Reading YMCA
This
was written by me (Simon
Thackeray of White Oak
Aikido and Reading
University Aikido Clubs)
without any intention to
make any claims as to
accuracy or it being any
version of a 'complete and
true' UK Aikido history.
It is based on my own
memories of events,
written information that I
have and my memory of what
I have been told. Lots of
Aikido people and lots of
Aikido events have been
omitted because this is
only about people and
events that interacted
with my own development in
Aikido and that of the
White Oak and Reading
University Aikido Clubs,
so it is all very much
written from my own
perspective and only
includes what I want to
and what I remember right
now as I write it.
However, if you think
anything is seriously
inaccurate as opposed to
being omitted, then please
let me know! Read more
about the history below,
or find out more about martial arts in Reading and
Whitton at the White
Oak Aikido dojo.
In 1983,
when I came to Reading,
Des Deville was teaching
at the Reading
University as 1st
dan until pressure of work
caused him to pass the
Monday session on to me in
1985, but he still taught
on Wednesdays. In 1986, he
discussed the future of
the Reading club and to
whom he should pass it
on with our
teacher, Haydn Foster
Sensei, as the original
request for a teacher was
made in a letter from the
university to Mr. Foster
asking for an Aikido
instructor back in 1969.
At the first session after
my 1st dan grading, Des
informed me that Mr.
Foster had told him to
pass the Reading Aikido
club on to me and he left
immediately, practising
only a little thereafter.
I established White Oak
Aikido in 1991 at Reading
YMCA and then an
additional venue at the
Caversham Heights
Methodist Church Hall in
2016, where we are now
based.
This Aikido
video shows Des DeVille
attacking Eric Savins
practising Tachidori using
a real katana during
Aikido training at the
Reading University London
Road Gym in 1985:
Find out more
about getting involved
in the martial art of
Aikido in Whitton and
Aikido in Reading:
Home page
of White
Oak Aikido UK Info
for Beginners
- some more
details about Aikido and
what to expect if you come
along to either our
Reading or Whitton dojos.
Or
please Contact
us if you have any
questions about Aikido
classes in Reading or
Whitton.
The three pictures above
show the
Reading University Aikido
Club training at the
London Road Gym pre-1980.
After moving to the
Wolfenden Sports Centre (now
SportsPark) on the main
campus for some years and to
the Bulmershe Gym, the
Reading University Club then
returned to the updated
London Road Gym.
Aikido at he Reading
University London Road Gym
in 1988.
Aikido at the Reading
University London Road Gym
more recently.
White Oak Aikido
