Page 1134 - Reading Mercury

Thelma Chapman was a member of the British Legion and attended All Saints
Church while she lived in Wokingham during the 1950s and 1960s. Her husband
served in the Army education Corps, taught in Bracknell schools and served as a
Wokingham councillor. Mrs Chapman leaves two children, Alan, aged 47, and Roma,
aged 40, and five grandchildren.
Mrs. Chapman moved to the South Coast from Wokingham in the early 1970s, and
died in Bournemouth on April 3 after a respiratory illness. Her funeral was held in
Bournemouth on April 10.

th
Thur 9 May
WOODLEY AIR MUSEUM TAKES OFF
The Woodley Air museum was opened. Mrs. Jean Fostekew who is the museum
trustee formerly worked in Miles aircraft factory. Lloyd Robinson, chairman of the
Royal Berkshire Aviation Society which developed the museum said that the opening
was an achievement for a lot of people. Some of the members had put in thousands of
man-days to get the museum ready to open. Having revealed the museum to the public
the society, which was formed in 1983had achieved its first goal and was now hoping
to open the museum again in the future. The next step was to open for pre-arranged
visits of small groups followed by regular occasional open days and, eventually
regular opening in a couple of years’ time. Mr. Robinson appealed to any other
aircraft enthusiasts to come along and help get the museum off the ground.

Thur 23rd May
SOCCER CLUB GROUND IS UP FOR SALE
Wokingham Football Club has put its Finchampstead Road ground up for sale. The
ground is being touted around major developers in a bid to find a buyer to ease
crippling debts estimated at well over £100,000 and still rising. An announcement is
expected within the next few weeks. And the future of the Pin and Bowl pub which
fronts the ground on to the Finchampstead Road, is also in doubt. Owners Grand
Metropolitan are putting it on the market.
The present access to the ground is directly behind the Finchampstead Road railway
bridge and could—because of highway objections—put pay to any development on
the site. But demolition of the pub could provide an alternative access further up
Finchampstead Road. Any deal would hinge on an alternative football ground being
found.
Wokingham FC is a victim of its own success. Last year the club was forced to pay
out for vital ground improvements to meet new Vauxhall League standards.
Promotion to the Conference League seemed likely. As a result the ambitious decision
was taken to improve the ground still further by demolishing the old covered terrace
and build a new stand. Considerable costs were incurred but the work came to a
sudden standstill after the scheme ran into difficulties with the planning authority,
leaving the club owing thousands of pounds.

nd
Thur 22 Aug
HISTORIC PET SHOP SAVED FROM CLOSURE
Wokingham Pet Shop has been saved from closure by an eleventh hour deal. It was
due to close down this coming Saturday, with owner Michael Bowyer saying the
business was no longer viable. But on Friday, the business which has stood on the
Peach Street site since 1926 was sold to Woosehill man Richard Croyden.
He intends to keep the shop as a pet shop and will retain the business name as Henry

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