Page 1147 - Reading Mercury

Thur 29th Sep
FAREWELL CHICK
Former Wokingham Town Crier Herbert (Chick) Biddle has died, aged 85. Mr.
Biddle, of Sale Garden Cottages, was a well-known and much-loved face around town
throughout 22 years as the voice of Wokingham Town Council. He passed away
quietly at the Royal Battle Hospital, Reading on Thursday (Sep. 22).
The distinguished ex-servicemen joined the Warwickshire regiment at only 14 years
old. He went on to have a long career with the Army serving as a recruitment officer
in Reading until he retired in the sixties. He was later awarded the British Empire
Medal and recently became a member of the Wokingham British Legion.
Mr. Biddle became Town Crier and mace bearer in 1966. He retired in November
1988 due to ill health. Albert Dunham, mace bearer at the Town Council took over
from Chick in 1981 but he knew him before that.

Wokingham Times
1995–1999

1995
Thur 12th Jan
BUTCHER DIES AT 87
Former Wokingham butcher Cecil Belcher died at the weekend. Mr. Belcher passed
away quietly surrounded by his family at their home in Blagrove Lane, Wokingham,
on Sunday. He was 87. He leaves a wife, Vera, six children, 11 grandchildren and six
great-grandchildren.
Mr. Belcher first moved to Wokingham in 1933 and established himself in
Evendons Lane where he successfully ran a butcher’s chop for 30 years. He was well-
known throughout the town and was chosen to be featured standing outside his shop
in the book, A Pictorial History of Wokingham. Mr. Belcher was also a local freeman
and was involved with the lodges in Wokingham.
His funeral will take place at Holy Trinity Church, Sunningdale, tomorrow (Friday)
at 2 p.m. His daughter, Beryl Williams said, “We chose to bury him there so he can be
next his parents.

Thur 19th Jan
EMMBROOK HALL FURY
A catalogue of complaints has marred the long-awaited re-opening of Emmbrook
Village Hall. Angry town councillors listed a number of concerns about the way the
refurbishment had been carried out at a public meeting last Tuesday. And they later
threw out members of the public to discuss the matter behind closed doors, causing
speculation as to the full extent of the problem. Hall users too although seemingly
unwilling to rock the boat, have admitted in private that they are appalled by the long
list of things still to be done.
More than £20,000 of council money was set aside to repair the hall after it was
found to have been damaged from underground flooding over the years. Councillors
spent months deciding on how they wanted the work to be carried out amid
widespread criticism that they were wasting time juggling red tape. The hall was
eventually closed for repairs in August and many of the area’s clubs and organisations
were forced to find alternative venues while the work was carried out.
Last week, the doors were opened for the first time in five months. But instead of

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