Page 1011 - Reading Mercury

At Brackenhale School, Bracknell where he was senior master an internal memorial
service was held on Friday.
During his five years as senior master he rendered tremendous service to the school.
He had a concern for young people and respected their rights which was of immense
value. The Deputy Mayor, Mrs. Davy is performing mayoral duties until Cllr. West
assumes office as Mayor. The funeral service will be at All Saints.

Thur 28th May
THE NEW MAYOR’S TOP AIM
Within minutes of being elected last week, Wokingham’s new mayor 50-year-old
Coun. John West, was launching a “clean-up” campaign in the town. He vowed he
would be a “happy man” if Wokingham was a tidier place by the time he retires from
office next year. Among those responsible for the present mess were the fish and chip
eaters and people who discarded pieces of paper at random. The Mayor, the longest
serving councillor, called for a concerted effort from all residents to keep Wokingham
clean.

Happy Man
The ‘Keep Wokingham Tidy’ plea came shortly after the red-robed Coun. West, a
men’s hairdresser, had been sworn in as Wokingham’s 43rd Mayor since 1885. He
succeeds Coun. Bill Chapman, who died in a London hospital on May 14 and whose
funeral took place at All Saints’ Church, Wokingham, the day before the mayor
making ceremony. The new mayor was first elected on to the town council in 1947.
He remained on the council until 1955 and then, after a four year’s break, he was re-
elected in 1959 serving continuously since that year. The mayor said that since he
joined the council the number of homes provided by the council had been increased
from 50 to 1,000-”A considerable achievement.”
But he warned that although the council’s parks committee would strive to provide
amenities, the facilities themselves might be some time in coming and liable to prove
expensive.
The Mayor was proposed by Alderman Norman Lawrence and Councillor Peter
Johnson was seconder.
“John West is my idea of a local councillor,” said Coun. Johnson. “He knows
everyone, goes round everywhere and is always willing to take on a case.
During local elections the Mayor became “Wokingham’s own Hansard down
detailed facts and figures in a little red notebook. Tributes were also paid to the
former Mayor, Coun. Chapman by Coun. R.R. Crail, who had served with him on the
town planning committee.

LADY VICTORIA VILLIERS WAS GOD-DAUGHTER OF QUEEN VICTORIA
The death was announced on Saturday of Lady Victoria Villiers, a former president
of Wokingham British Legion Women’s Section for 30 years and a god-daughter of
Queen Victoria, to whom her mother and grandmother were Women of the
Bedchamber.
Lady Victoria was a daughter of the 7th Duke of Roxburghe. Her mother, born Lady
Anne Churchill, was also Mistress of the Robes and a sister of lord Randolph
Churchill. Lady Victoria was thus a first cousin of Winston Churchill.
Marriage
In 1901 she married Charles Hyde Villiers, Royal horse Guards. Previously a
member of Portal’s expedition to Uganda, he fought in Jameson’s Raid and the South

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