Corridor Press has been producing “local books by local people for local people” for over thirty years. The Community Publisher, Corridor Press, was established in 1992. Its name comes from its original location within the M4 Corridor of Berkshire, England. Books on topics such as Buildings, Food, Football, Gardens, Health Remedies, Music, Poetry and Reading’s Twinning Links were produced with all age groups from schoolchildren to nonagenarians being involved in the writing, designing, publication and publicity.
Initially funded by grants from Reading Borough Council and Southern Arts, it has been a club of volunteers for the last twenty years, encouraging them to produce their own books as well as joint ventures.
Fourteen years ago we moved from the Reading area and re-established ourselves in Exmouth, Devon from where we now publish books by local people for local people which have connections with both Devon and Reading.
More about our publications
Following the popular photographic record George Palmer School in photographs produced in 2004 and updated in 2014, many of Corridor Press' titles have encompassed aspects of schools and education, although Taylor-made Jackpot in 2012 tells the story of a Reading born and bred back-street bookie who developed his own chain of Bookmakers shops (Taylor’s Racing Service).
In 2015, Exmouth's ROLLE was launched maintaining that theme of education but this time looking at the life and history of Rolle College, Exmouth and its predecessor on the site, Southlands School. This was author and historian Daphne Barnes-Phillips' (photo left) first book with links to Devon - it was launched on 23rd May 2015 at an event for over 150 people in the author's home and garden and is proving to be extremely popular. Copies are available directly from ourselves or can be ordered through any bookshop.
In September 2017, Daphne launched Long may our Lion Roar which charts the 140 year history of one of Reading's most successful Schools - Kendrick School in London Road. Daphne had been a pupil at Kendrick from 1955 to 1962 and has maintained strong links with the school and her peers. Kendrick School celebrated its 140th Birthday with a special event for over 300 old girls (see top photo on left) on Sunday 1st October, 2017. You can read more about Long may our Lion Roar on the web page dedicated to that book.
Exmouth's FIRSTS is Daphne's second Devon book and was published in 2019. That book celebrates the achievements of 24 people who were either born, educated, worked or died in Exmouth. From the 1st picture of a female powder monkey to the 1st 4-year-old to hold an art exhibition, many FIRSTS have been achieved by Exmouthians in the past 250 years in a variety of fields and by a variety of ages. Some have already received full recognition for their achievement whereas others have only recently been recognised globally.