Page 292 - Reading Mercury

Buckhounds, the Earl of Cork, gave orders to have the deer uncarted near All Saint’s
church. The “Doctor” on being let out, bounded off over the meadows by Stokes farm
and Marchfield to Binfield church, and then turned to the right to Warfield where he
was taken. A second deer was uncarted near the “Thee Frogs,” and after a sharp run
was captured at Newland.

th
Sat 25 Feb
THE EDUCATION QUESTION
A meeting was held in the Town Hall, on Wednesday afternoon, of members of the
committees of various parochial schools and others, to consider the financial
condition of the several schools in the Parish of Wokingham, with reference to
“Elementary Education Act, 1870” at which there were present Mr. Alderman
Goodchild, the Revs. J.T. Brown, W.T. Henham, T.P. Brandram, F. Robinson, and
H.R. Morres, and P.G. Scorey; Capt. Walter, Messrs. J.L. Roberts, E. Morres, C.M.
Viall, T. Cooke, E. Roberts, E. Weight, J.S. Kerritt, T. May, S. Hankey, W. Gibson,
E. Frankum, E. Dalley, E. Butler. G. Jameson, T.S. Brown, T.M. Wescot, and J.
Heald. Mr. A.L. Goodchild having been declared chairman, the Rev J.T. Brown gave
a lucid epitome of the new Education Act, and a discussion ensued on its provisions
and the regulations of the Council of Education, and the condition, financially and
otherwise, of the schools.
It was then proposed by the Rev. W.T. Henham, seconded by Mr. J.L. Roberts and
resolved, “That the schools of the parish be carried on the voluntary principle at
present.” It was proposed by Capt. Walter, seconded by Mr. May, and resolved “That
application be made to all the owners and occupiers I the parish for aid towards the
maintenance of the schools.”

FIRE
On Saturday afternoon about half-past three, much consternation was caused by the
discovery of a fire at the residence of Mr. H. Trickey Dunning, wine and spirit
merchant, in the Market-place. The fire was first discovered in a bedroom at the back
of the house by the smoke issuing from a closet containing clothes, and an alarm was
instantly raised, but as the premises are very old and contain much timber the fire
rapidly made progress between the ceilings and the roof. In a few minutes plenty of
willing hands set to work, and the Wokingham fire engine being close to the spot was
got to work without delay, but as the flames were under the roof it was impossible for
some time to get at the fire, although dense volumes of smoke poured out of the
windows and through the roof.
By pulling off the tiles an entrance was affected but the smoke was so great that it
was difficult to ascertain precisely where to direct the water, but one or two,
regardless of danger got in with the hose, and after about half an hour succeeded in
subduing the flames, indeed, when it could be got to bear on the fire so great was the
force of water from the engine that it seemed to beat out the fire directly and to the
fact that our fire engine being in such an excellent condition we attribute the escape of
the town from a sad calamity as buildings all round are very old, and the stock-in-
trade of course of a very inflammable nature.
Indeed so great did the danger appear at one time that the engines from Reading
were telegraphed for, and within an hour the “County” engine arrived, but it was not
used as all danger then had ceased. The cause of the fire was found to be an old flue,
(the existence of which was not known), and which after the fire was discovered
behind the paper of the bedroom.

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