Page 337 - Reading Mercury

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Sat 10 Oct
WOKINGHAM NEW CHARTER OF INCORPORATION
The following is a summary of the Charter that was read out during the meeting:-
The Charter, for which a petition was presented in December 1883, is granted under
the Municipal Corporations Act, 1882.
So much of the Parish of Wokingham as is within the limits of the existing Local
Government District of Wokingham is created a Municipal Borough, by the name of
the “Borough of Wokingham,” the inhabitants to be one body politic and corporate by
the name of the “Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of the Borough of Wokingham,
who may assume armorial bearings, and take and hold lands vested in them, or
occupy lands or buildings necessary for their use, and shall have the powers and
privileges usually invested by law in the Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgesses of
Municipal Borough.”
The number of Alderman to be four, and the number of Councillors to be twelve.
Henry Trower Roberts, solicitor, of Wokingham, or, in case of his death, refusal, or
inability, John Frederick Sergeant, is to perform the duty of Town Clerk, and William
Goodchild, of Wokingham, or, in default of him, Jas. Weeks is to perform the duties
of mayor until the first election.
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The first election is to take place on the 2 November next (Nov. 1 being Sunday),
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and the first meeting of the Council is to be held on the 9 of November.
The first schedule defines the boundary of the Borough, which is the same as the
area under the jurisdiction of the Local Board.
The second schedule states that one-third of the Councillors, the four who are
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elected by the smallest number of votes, shall go out of office on Nov. 1 , 1886,
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another third, the four who received the next-smallest number of votes, on Nov. 1 ,
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1887, and the remaining third on Nov. 1 1888. The two Aldermen who shall be
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elected by the smallest number votes to go out of office on Nov. 9 , 1888, and the
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remaining two on Nov 9 1891.

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Sat 31 Oct
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It is proposed to celebrate the election of the first Mayor of Wokingham on the 9
Nov. by a display of fireworks.

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Sat 31 Oct
THE TOWN COUNCIL ELECTION
Mr. W. Goodchild, acting as Mayor for the Borough of Wokingham for the purpose
of the first election of Town Councillors, sat in the Town Hall on Monday to hear
objections against the nominations of some candidates. There were 29 nominations
for the 12 seats, but some persons were nominated twice over and some nomination
papers were thrown out, on account of a slight irregularity in filling in the forms. In
the end the number of candidates duly nominated was reduced to 21, the names and
descriptions being as follows:
C. Brant, butcher; H. Butler, grocer; G. Evans, saddler; W. Goodchild, gentleman;
W.J. Goatlee, stationer; H.E. Hall, stationer; T.W. Heelas, draper; D.N. Heron, wine
merchant; E. Ifould, butcher; F. Johnson, accountant; S. Knight, plumber; T.P. Major,
gentleman; T.B. Martin, gentleman; W. Moorcock, gentleman; W.B. Mower, corn
dealer; G.T. Phillips, timber merchant; G. Pigg, baker; G. Sale, furniture dealer; J.
Watts, auctioneer; J. Wicks, gentleman; and T.M. Wescott, gentleman. The polling
takes place on Monday.

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