Page 1019 - Reading Mercury

He lived in the cottage and leased the house which he renamed Buzzacott Hall, to
the Salvation Army. When the lease terminated the building became derelict and was
bought by a building company. Some of the land was used to build Buckhurst Drive.
Mr. Buzzacott continued to live in the cottage He was a regular attender at the
Baptist Church, and then the Methodist Church, and gave a substantial sum towards
the rebuilding of the organ at the Baptist Church. He also contributed to Wokingham
hospital.

The following articles have been taken from the Wokingham Times for 1971 only and
the Reading Mercury 1972 to 1976.

1971

th
Thur 7 Jan
WOKINGHAM CLUB BUILDING TO BE DEMOLISHED
st
It was decided on the 1 January that the building of the former Wokingham Club is
to be demolished owing to its dangerous condition. It was of the late regency and
early Victorian period.

BLACKSMITH’S SHOP TO HAVE A NEW FUTURE
The results of a structural survey of the blacksmith’s shop in Peach Street will be
submitted at a meeting at Wokingham Public Works Committee tonight. The
committee is looking into uses for the premises which it is understood are to be
preserved.
In his report Mr. H.G. Bathurst, the borough engineer and surveyor, says the ridge
tiles of the roof are defective in several places and tiling battens appear to have been
split or deflected at several points particularly near the double doors on the north side.
Tiles are also missing in several places. A number of roof timbers are suffering from
wood beetle and there is some breakdown of the surface timbers possibly due to
chemical or smoke action over the years.
Apart from the peculiar bonding arrangement in places the walls are solid and show
very little evidence of face erosion. Some of the window lights are made up of varied
size panes and in some cases lack proper support beading but otherwise are
substantial. The large double doors on the north side need urgent attention. It is
evident that either no proper lintel was initially provided or the lintel has failed at
some time. The resultant sag of the roof wallplate has trapped one leaf of the double
doors as a support and has caused the roof to assume a dish shape at this point which
has probably deformed the tiling batons and moved the rafters slightly. The existing
floor is virtually natural ground with loose boarding laid over one small area.
The estimated cost of essential work to bring the building into a reasonable state of
repair is £200. Other works which it is suggested might be carried out include the
provision of a concrete floor with damp proof membrane, a damp proof course to the
external walls replacement of some of the windows and the thorough cleaning out and
repainting of the inside of the building. The estimated cost of these works is £300

Thur Jan 14th
MOTHER OF CLLR. CHILD DIES
Mrs. Mabel Child, mother of Cllr. N. Child died in a nursing home at Hindhead.
Mrs Child, a great grandmother and widow of Ernest Child who was well-known in

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