Page 504 - Reading Mercury
P. 504

Since  the  counting,  reported  elsewhere,  other  boxes  (out  for  a  year),  have  been
                   opened, as  follows: Royal Exchange, 5s 0½d.;  Mr. F.  Langley, £1 6s.  7d.; Messrs.
                   Heelas and Co. (Wokingham), £1 1s. 7½d.; while the Mayor kindly gave a donation
                   of 10s. to make the amount up to £90, so that £100 0s. 5d. has been paid into the
                   bank,-a most satisfactory result.

                                     GIRLS FRIENDLY SOCIETY ANNUAL SALE
                      The  G.F.S.  annual  sale,  arranged  to  be  held  on  Thursday  afternoon  at  the  “Old
                   House,”  the  Terrace,  by  kind  permission  of  Mrs.  F.  Piggott,  was,  owing  to  the
                   weather, held in the clubroom. The opening ceremony was gracefully performed by
                   Lady Liddell, introduced by the president, Miss E.M. Sturges, who welcomed her on
                   taking part for the first time in the activities of their branch. Lady Liddell expressed
                   pleasure  at  being  able  to  come  among  so  many  old  friends,  and  to  help  in  some
                   measure that most excellent society. She had heard much of the splendid branch at
                   Wokingham.  Among  others  present  were  the  Mayoress  of  Wokingham,  Mrs.
                   Murdoch, Mrs. Simpson, Miss Annyatt, Mrs. Wescott, Mrs. And Miss Robinson, Mrs.
                   G. Haye, Mrs. F.E. Chapman, Miss P.O. Watson, Miss Copley, Miss M.I. Ellison, the
                   Lady Victoria Villiers, Mrs. T.W. Martin, etc. Doris Fowler handed a bouquet to Lady
                   Liddell.

                                             TRIBUTE TO RAILWAYMEN
                      The following address was, on Monday, presented to the stationmaster and certain
                   men  of  the  Southern  Railway,  by  Admiral  Eustace  (Mayor  of  Wokingham),  Brig.-
                   Gen.  Grant  Wilkinson,  Mr.  Heelas  and  Mr.  T.B.  Pither,  the  Mayor  reading  the
                   address: “to those men of the Southern Railway at Wokingham, who remained loyally
                   at  their  work  during  the  General  strike  in  May  1926.  The  credit  for  the  peaceful
                   ending  of  the  General  Strike  is  largely  due,  among  other  causes,  to  the  steadfast
                   loyalty of some few brave men on our railway systems, who, despite much pressure
                   and bad treatment, and attempts to boycott their wives and families, remained true to
                   their salt, and refused to follow the leadership of certain seditious persons who tried to
                   destroy  England  and  her  constitution.  By  remaining  at  their  posts  they  gave  their
                   misguided comrades time to realise how serious it is to break a legal contract as well
                   as to stop the daily bread of their own homes. We residents of Wokingham who have
                   signed this letter are glad to show our admiration of those who were loyal to their
                   homes. Loyal to their King, loyal to their country.”

                         th
                   Sat 26  June
                                                      JOEL PARK
                      On  Sunday  the  Wokingham  Town  Band  (conductor,  Mr.  M.C.  Bretler),  played  a
                   capital selection of music in the evening at Joel Park, their first visit to this admirable
                   addition to the town’s open spaces.

                                                PAGEANT OF EMPIRE
                      Through the kindness of Mrs. Hatherall, the summer meeting of  the  Wokingham
                   and  district  branch  of  the  League  of  Nations  Union  was  held  at  Clare  Court  on
                   Wednesday. A feature of the occasion was a Pageant of Empire display of children
                   from  Arborfield  School,  under  Mr.  W.J.  Verrall  (headmaster),  Messrs.  C.F.
                   Meadowcroft and F.V. Randall (pianists), and Miss O.A. Barnfield, who trained them,
                   Glees  by  the  Wokingham  Conservative  Glee  Party,  conducted  by  Mr.  S.C.  Butler,



                                                                                                   502
   499   500   501   502   503   504   505   506   507   508   509