Page 347 - Reading Mercury

high in the air, visible for many miles around. The cattle were, fortunately, all turned
out at the time, and the pigs were safely driven across the yard.
Crowds of people congregated, many from long distances, attracted by the blaze,
but all were orderly, and Superintendent Atkin, who, with one or two constables was
promptly on the spot, had little or no difficulty with them. The fire was burning during
the greater part of Wednesday and gradually burnt itself out.
The damage is roughly estimated at about £1,000. The buildings are ensured in the
Sun Office, and the corn was declared some weeks ago.

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Sat 19 Nov
NEW LAMP
A splendid new lamp has been erected by the Drill Hall in Denmark-street. It was
lighted with as for the first time on Thursday evening on the occasion of the County
Ball.

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Sat 24 Dec
CHRISTMAS SHOW OF MEAT
The butchers of the town have had during the week excellent shows of Christmas
meat. Messrs Goodchild and Ifould, in the Market-place, exhibited some splendid
beef from animals bred and fed by Mr. Garth, Major Allfrey, and Mr. Best, Binfield; a
quantity of Exmoor and Down mutton, and a large and varied display of game. Mr.
Medcalf, also of the Market-place, had on view beef of excellent quality fed by this
Marchioness of Downshire and Mr. J. Linders, Bridgewater. Mr. Hollis and Mr.
Brant, Broad-street, Mr. Lainsbury, Peach-street, and Painter, Denmark-street, also
showed a large quantity of prime meat.

1888

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Sat 7 Jan
THE LIGHTING OF WOKINGHAM
STORMY MEETING AT THE TOWN COUNCIL
The monthly meeting of the Wokingham Town Council was held on Thursday
evening. There were present the Deputy Mayor (Ald. T.M. Wescott), in the chair:
Alderman Martin and Moorcock; and Councillors White, Knight, Cheeseman, Evans,
Hall, Brant, Sale, Watts and Heelas.
Ald. Wescott said he had been asked to explain the item of £268 8s. 2½d. appearing
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in the balance sheet for lighting the town for the 10 months to September 29 , 1887.
Hs disputed a statement of Councillor Hall that there had been 1,800 hours more light
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in the 10½ months than they had under the Gas Company. He said that from May 9
the lamps were lighted from dusk to daylight, and, taking an average lighting of 10½
hours per night during the 144 nights, this would give only 1,512 hours, reckoning the
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whole time. The item of £268 8s 2½d. was made up as follows:- Oil from Nov. 20 ,
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1886 to Sept. 29 , 1887, £49 15s. 2d.; labour, £48 5s, 2d.; sundries, wicks, glasses,
&c, £3 15s 4d; lamp-post, lanterns, and experiments, £100 17s 2d; balance due to gas
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company to Nov. 9 1886, £65 15s 4½d.—total, £268 8s. 2½d.He (Ald. Wescott) had
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to report that from November 3 to December 30 , there had been expended for oil £18
19s. 6d., and for wages, £11 16s. 10d. – total 30 16s. 7d for two months, or £92 9s.
9d. for six months for oil and labour only, exclusive of wicks, glasses, and other
items. As to their future lighting, Councillor Hall had promised, owing to complaints

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