Page 327 - Reading Mercury

to the roofs of houses in the Market-place and also to the top of the Town Hall to
show the dead pressure. From the roof of the hall, the dead pressure from the reservoir
threw a considerable jet, showing a height of 75 feet; and when it is remembered that
the hall stands on ground higher by 40 feet than some parts of the town, it will be seen
that the pressure is all that could be desired for extinguishing fires and for every other
purpose.
At two o’clock about 80 gentlemen sat down to luncheon in the Town Hall, Mr. W.
Landsdowne Beale the chairman of the company presiding………..

Sat 25th June
NEW DRINKING FOUNTAIN
A handsome new drinking fountain of polished Peterhead granite, with troughs for
cattle and dogs, the gift of the Rev. G.E.D. De Vitre, has this week been erected
against the Town Hall opposite the Bush Hotel. In consequence of some
misunderstanding as to the supply of water, however, it cannot, at present, be used.

rd
Sat 3 Sept
THE PROPOSED NEW DRILL HALL
The tender of Mr. Wescott, builder, Wokingham, for the erection of the new Drill
Hall and Cottage proposed to be erected under the instructions of Captain Walter has
been accepted. The amount of the estimation is £2,350 and the architects for the work
are Messrs Brown and Albury of Reading.

th
Sat 10 Dec
NEW CLUB FOR WORKING MEN
On Monday last the new rooms of the Wokingham Working Men’s Club were
opened by the Rector of this parish. The rooms have been built behind the Coffee
Tavern in Peach-street, and comprise a room for games, a reading room, and a third
room for dressing, while the Coffee Tavern adjacent supplies refreshments in its own
rooms and some excellent beds for those who require lodging. Already 70 members
have joined the club.
At the opening of the rooms, the Rector (the Rev. E. Sturges), having referred to the
pleasure with which the clergy had worked with the committee, composed chiefly of
working men, and the additional means of friendly intercourse which he hoped the
rooms would afford them for many years to come, said it was right that it should be
stated by what means the Club came into possession of those capital premises. They
were indebted to the Rector of St. Paul’s, to Col. Newdigate, to Mr. Nicholson, and
other friends for valuable contributions and presents. But they could not have been in
a position to avail themselves of these if it had not been for the generosity and
kindness of his good friends and parishioners—the Rev. G.E.D. De Vitré and Mr.
Wescott. To them the credit was due of having selected the site for the Coffee Tavern,
and at their own expense fitted it up for the purpose.
The appropriation of the spare ground for club-rooms was an afterthought, but it
was the outcome and extension of the work which they had begun single-handed.
Having declared the rooms open, he said that before the proceedings closed he should
propose a vote of thanks to the Rev. J.T. Brown, the Rector of St. Paul’s, for his
generous gift of the furniture of the rooms. After some words from the Rev. J.T.
Brown, Mr. Nicholson, and Mr. Wescott, the company separated to the different
tables for games and reading.

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