Sol Joel playing field, Earley, Berkshire

Sol Joel Park located in Earley, on the Wokingham Road was given to the Corporation of Reading in 1927 by Solomon Joel and its official opening was a grand affair, as it was opened by the then Duke of York, who became King George VI.

The Town Council has been in negotiation with the Borough Council for some years now regarding the possibility of the transfer of ownership. A breakthrough in the negotiations came in 1998, when the Borough Council agreed to a 25 year lease of the old hard tennis court area on which the Town Council wished to erect a Sports and Skate Park. This facility, which has been entirely provided by Earley Town Council, was officially opened in July 1999 by Councillor Andrew Long; Chairman of Earley Town Council. It includes two sports courts. One is available for both netball and skater hockey, although it could also be used for five-a-side football. The other court is specifically for five-a-side football and/or basketball.

Skate ramps have been provided suitable for rollerblading and skateboarding. The equipment provided includes a half-pipe with spine, a fun box, a grind rail and two quarter-pipes. At the present time, the equipment provided can only be used at weekends and during the summer.

Solomon Barnato Joel (May 23, 1865 - May 22, 1931) was a South African financier and mining, brewing and railway magnate.

[edit] Career
Known as "Solly", he was born into a Jewish family, being one of three sons of Joel Joel (a London tavernkeeper of the King of Prussia), and Kate Isaacs, who was a sister of Barnett Isaacs, later to be called Barney Barnato. Along with his brothers Jack and Woolf, he was taken under the wing of Barney Barnato and made a fortune from the Barnato Diamond Mining Company. Within ten years he had become a millionaire, primarily by buying seemingly worked-out diamond mines in South Africa. On Barney Barnato's death in 1897, Solly became head of the family business, Barnato Brothers. Despite having a keen interest in diamonds, he played a greater role in the gold industry. He established the Van Ryn Deep in 1902, the Government Gold Mining Areas (Modderfontein) in 1910 and the New State Areas in 1918. He acquired control of Langlaagte Estate and Gold Mining Company and Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Company from J.B. Robinson and became a director of the Diamond Syndicate.

[edit] Politics
Early in his business career he supported the Uitlanders against Paul Kruger's government, and was a prominent member of the Reform Committee. Having been found guilty of high treason for his part in the Jameson Raid, Joel never dabbled in politics again.

[edit] Family
Solly married a beautiful young actress named Ellen "Nellie" Ridley. While highly successful in business, in his personal life familial relationships were not always cordial. His dislike of his daughter Doris' choice of spouse continued until she divorced after four years, at which point he resumed normal relations. Solly also disapproved of one of his son's Stanhope's marriage for two years. His daughter Eileen became the first woman jockey to win an open race when she rode Hogier to victory in the Town Plate at Newmarket. His son Dudley Joel was elected the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Dudley but was killed in action during World War II.

Solly Joel's interests were wide and varied and included many business concerns. He was also kept busy with his enlarged family’s diamond and gold mining interests, activities in brewing, the theatre (the Drury Lane Theatre in London) and railways (the City & South London Railway).

[edit] Thoroughbred horse racing
Solly Joel had success in thoroughbred horse racing and breeding. He owned Polymelus who sired Pommern, the 1915 English Triple Crown champion. He also established a stud at New Farm, which was re-named Home Stud Farm located near his own estate. The Joel Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse is named in his honor.

In 1903 Joel purchased the Maiden Erlegh Estate in Earley, near Reading, Berkshire. He was renowned for being a generous man who purchased the first motorised ambulance for the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Another illustration of his generosity, was exhibited when Sol Joel Park close to his estate was given to the Corporation of Reading in 1927. The official opening was undertaken by the then Duke of York, who became King George VI and was again an extravagant event

Solly Joel died in 1931 and immediately his estate and possessions were sold at auction. The Home Stud Farm was sold in 1932 but continued until the 1980s.

In the Sol Joel estate Maiden Erlegh there was a huge orangery which was sold and moved piece by piece to the Stanbury Mansion estate in Spencers Wood (about four miles away to the South West) in the 1950's.