Page 1135 - Reading Mercury

Bowyer and Son. He is also planning to keep on two of the full-time staff and two
part-timers although he plans to manage the shop himself.
Mr. Croyden, a director of Wokingham Football Club, was born in Wokingham and
went to school with Michael Bowyer.

Thur 28th Nov
CHRONICLE CLOSES END OF 1991
The Wokingham Chronicle has ceased publication, ending an unsuccessful two-year
long bid to establish a foothold in the town. Launched with a banner headline “We’re
here to stay,” the paper finally gave up the unequal struggle last week. A spokesman
admitted it had failed and would not be reappearing.
Its failure is no surprise since the Wokingham Chronicle’s launch, your TIMES has
enjoyed unprecedented successes, winning national trophies as the fastest-growing
weekly in the country. In July this year we were able to proclaim a further audited
circulation rise of more than 11%. And by the end of the year we confidently expect
to have more good news for our loyal and increasing number of readers.
There’s geed news too for our advertisers. An in-paper competition run in
conjunction with Wokingham clothing store, Hudson Bay, to win £250 worth of
clothing has attracted more than 650 entries—clear proof of the pulling power of your
TIMES.

th
Thur 12 Dec
PRIDE AND SADNESS AT THE LAST PARADE
Soldiers began moving out of Arborfield Garrison on Friday—and a last emotional
passing out parade was held to mark the occasion. Defence cuts announced on Friday
decreed that the Training Battalion and Depot, with its 150-180 permanent staff and
around 300 recruits would have to go. The departing battalion will set up its new
home in Pirbright, Surrey and will be known as Rowecroft Company. But the
R.E.M.E. staff band will remain in Arborfield.
During Friday’s farewell parade speech Major General Mike Heath, Director
General of R.E.M.E. (the Royal Engineering and Mechanical Engineers) referred to
the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and said it would have a direct effect on the Army.
He urged those passing out to press for excellence in everything they did and referred
to the honours bestowed on R.E.M.E. Members for their work in the Gulf War.
To the strains of the Lily Bolero, a tune the R.E.M.E. Band had made its own, the
flag was lowered at Rowecroft Barracks for the last time. A sundial memorial was
unveiled by Major General Heath to be left as a permanent reminder of the 32 years
that the Training Battalion and Depot had been at Arborfield. With the departure of
the battalion around thirty civilian jobs such as clerks and typists will be lost. Local
businesses, such as milk suppliers, will also feel the pinch as the Army families move
on. The move is expected to be completed early in the New Year.

1992

Thur 5th March 1992
CHURCH PLANS TO DIG UP BODIES
Wokingham Baptist Church in Milton Road is planning to dig up 150 graves to
make room for a new hall. The human remains will be reburied at the Wokingham
free Church Cemetery unless relatives come forward wanting to arrange the reburial
or cremations themselves.
The removal will be done by hand early in the morning and the graves screened as

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