Page 334 - Reading Mercury

th
Sat 17 May
SALE OF THE LATE JOHN HEELAS’S PROPERTY
The sale of the household property in the town and neighbourhood took place in the
Rose Hotel on Wednesday afternoon. There was a large attendance. The confectionery
premises in the Market-place were purchased by William Chambers, the occupant for
£800; the house tenanted by Mr. E. Frankum and the adjoining house were purchased
by Mr. Alderman Goodchild for £800; the two dwelling houses close by fetched £500;
a piece of building land 4½ acres abutting on the Langborough-road was bought by [G
P???] for £730; and a small piece opposite fetched £185. The other lots at a greater
distance from the town were disposed of at far prices. Several lots had been
previously disposed of by private treaty.

th
5 July Berkshire Chronicle
SERIOUS FIRE AT WOKINGHAM
The largest and most serious fire which has occurred here since the destruction of
Mr T.M. Wescott’s premises in Peach Street 12 years ago took place on Thursday last,
resulting in the total demolition of the paper mills in King Street, near Emmbrook, the
property of Messrs Wescott & Sons. About 12.45 a.m. on Thursday morning P.C.
Mason, who was in Wokingham, saw flames bursting forth in the direction of
Reading. He immediately gave the alarm at the Fire Brigade Station, and, proceeding
in the direction of the lurid light, met a messenger hastening to summon aid. The
Wokingham Volunteer Fire Brigade, under the command of Captain E. Ifould, with
admirable promptitude, was soon on the spot, and at once discerning that all efforts to
subdue he fierce conflagration already raging in the mill would be simply futile, they
confined their efforts to prevent the flames attacking the engine house (the engine in
which is valued at £1,200) and Mr Wescott’s residence, situate only 15 yards from the
fire.
lt is entirely owing to their strenuous exertions and admirably disciplined work that
these two places have not met the unfortunate fate of the mill itself. By daylight the
mill was entirely gutted. The charred masses of paper, &c., buried in the ruins
continued to smoulder throughout Thursday, and about 9 p.m, gave such ominous
symptoms of again bursting forth that the brigade - some of whom had retired to rest
to make up the loss of the previous night’s rest –were again summoned and succeed
in preventing further damage.
The fire was first discovered by the night watchman. No cause can at present be
assigned for the outbreak. The damage, which cannot yet be precisely estimated, will
amount to several thousand pounds. The property is insured in the Liverpool, London
and Globe Insurance Company. We are glad to state that no serious personal accident
resulted. Fireman Chambers, however, received a slight bruise on the face from a
falling brick. The workmanship-like manner in which the brigade handled their engine
and efficiently carried out the orders of their captain does them infinite credit and
deserves the warmest thanks of those upon whom the loss of valuable property, saved
by their skill and application, would have fallen.

rd
Sat 23 Aug
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE
The Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance office has appreciated the exertions
of the Wokingham Volunteer Fire Brigade at the recent fire at Messrs. Wescott’s
Paper Mill, by which much valuable machinery was saved, by liberally presenting the

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