Page 407 - Reading Mercury

CARRIAGE ACCIDENT
At East Heath, on Wednesday afternoon, an accident of an alarming character
occurred, with results that might easily have been far more serious. It appears that
Mrs. Garrard, of East Heath Lodge, and her two daughters, had been driven in a
carriage and pair by her coachman (Evans) to the Finchampstead flower show, at
Northcourt, the residence of Sir John Watson. The party were returning, and when
near the Finchampstead old police station, the horses, alarmed by a motor car, became
frightened, and bolted in the direction of their home. They proceeded at a terrific pace,
and unfortunately the coupling strap of the double reins broke, thus depriving the
coachman of the control of the most restive of the two animals. Continuing, the horses
traversed the two and a half miles to The Poplars, East Heath, in a very few minutes.
Here they turned to the right, and instead of proceeding down the hill and under the
S.W.R. bridge, dashed with great force into the wooden fence of Mr. Wescott’s
meadow. One horse seems to have jumped over the obstruction, while the other
dashed into the rails. A post in the centre held firm, and the horses were thus brought
to a standstill, one on each side of the fence, with the vehicle behind them. Evans was
pitched clean over the horses’ heads into the meadow. He picked himself up, and
assistance quickly arriving, the ladies left the carriage, while the coachman was able
to walk to his home near at hand. He was later seen by Dr. Ward and his injuries
attended to. Mrs. Garrard and her daughters were naturally much alarmed, but
fortunately escaped injury. The horses were considerably cut about. The coachman
Evans was subsequently found to be suffering from a dislocated thigh bone.

th
Sat 8 Sept Reading Observer
ALARMING FIRE
On Sunday morning, about 9.30, on the S.W. railway just above the Tangley
footbridge, the grass beside the track became ignited, presumably by a spark from a
passing engine. The fire was soon put out by a couple of lads. Two hours later a more
serious blaze took place. This time the grass in the field as well as that on the
embankment caught alight, spreading to neighbouring fences, hedges, and even to the
trees in Gipsy-lane. Crossing the lane, it set the hedge alight surrounding the garden
of Brace’s Cottage, in the occupation of Mrs. Aldridge. The flames were at one time
so close to the cottage that some creepers growing on the walls were burnt.
Several members of the Wokingham Fire Brigade, including Lieut. F. Caiger, and
Fireman A.T. Heelas and F.G. Martin, were present, but were, from lack of water
supply, obliged to confine their efforts to removing different objects from the course
of the fire, and to beating it down with branches. A ganger’s shed on the embankment
containing a barrel of tar and numerous sleepers was burnt out. The planks covering a
stack of bricks belonging to Messrs. Stimson and Sons were also badly burnt. The
safety of some pigs in a sty belonging to a Mr. Langley, was for some time in doubt
but the animals were safely removed. Numbers of people were drawn to the scene by
the sight of the smoke and flames.

th
Sat 29 Sept 1906 Reading Observer
TERMINATION OF OFFICE OF W. CHAMBERS
With the termination of Mr. W. Chamber’s tenure of office today (Saturday) as
Town Hall Keeper and Collector of Tolls for the Municipality of Wokingham, an
interesting family collection with the civic life and history of Wokingham become a
closed chapter. The name of Chambers and Wokingham municipal affairs have for
wellnigh two centuries been inseparable. A. Chambers has carried the mace, “cried”

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