Reunion Venue
1999 saw the launch of The Boathouse – a brand new purpose built meeting room for 25 people on the banks of the River Thames.
Now owned by a private, local entrepreneur who clearly loves the hotel, a multi-million pound refurbishment programme is planned for later on this year.
We simply couldn’t pass up this wonderful opportunity of holding our 2015 Reunion at this beautiful Berkshire hotel on the Thames, especially as it has the Savill/de Gaulle, ‘French connection’.
We hope you’ll join us at our next retunion; if you need any information at all, please be in touch:
Built in 1859 over 150 years ago, Oakley Court is situated along a stretch of the Thames known as Water Oakley. Seen behind the beautiful Streatley Steam Boat above, Oakley Court was originally built for Sir Richard Hall Say and legend has it that he built it in the style of a French Chateau to comfort his homesick young French wife.
In 1880 Oakley Court was sold to Lord Otto Fitzgerald, then to a John Lewis Phipps and in 1908 to Sir William Avery of Avery Scales. In 1919 Mr Ernest Olivier purchased the property together with 50 acres of Berkshire woodland for the sum of £27,000.00 He was a very eccentric character who frequently entertained foreign diplomats and as a courteous gesture flew the flag of the nation they represented on the original flagpole which still stands today.
It is believed that the Court was used during the last war as the British Headquarters for the French Resistance and President De Gaulle is reputed to have stayed in one of the mansion bedrooms.
In 1955, Bray Studios moved to Down Place, just next door to Oakley Court. After Mr Olivier’s death in 1965 the Court lay uninhabited. For the next 14 years it became an ideal setting for many of the films made by Southern Pictures. During this period, some 200 films were made in and around the property, most notable were:
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•the St. Trinians series
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•The Rocky Horror Show
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•Half a Sixpence starring Tommy Steele
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•Murder by Death, starring Peter Sellers
Perhaps most famous of all were the Hammer House Productions, notably Dracula when the directors obtained an eerie effect by using candles to light the entire Court.
In 1979 conversion began and, wherever possible, the furniture and plaster were restored. Two extensions were built onto the mansion; the Riverside and Garden Wings. There are also 8 carefully restored suites in the main mansion itself.
On 7th November 1981, after 2 years of renovation and the sum of £5 million spent on the property, Oakley Court opened its doors as a hotel.
In June 1997, a third wing was added known as The Courtyard Wing- with an additional 21 air cooled bedrooms and a Health and Fitness Club consisting of an Indoor Heated Swimming Pool, Sauna, Steam Room, Solarium, Gym, Beauty Treatment Rooms plus 2 all weather Tennis Courts and a 9 hole par 3 golf course.
Below an arial view of the hotel, its proximity to the river Thames, Queen disembarking at the hotel on her private charter and it taking part in the Jubilee celebrations in London...
