Page 546 - Reading Mercury

took it out of a schoolboy by birching him over the boundary stone. The C’lect Erbs
Band, arranged by Mr. E. Maris came along in their motor-lorry and entertained the
company with a rip-roaring version of “The Stein Song,” and parties were formed and
set out right and left to traverse the boundary. The boys in the party which passed over
the Emm Brook were ducked in the stream.
At the other end of the town another party was performing the bumping ceremony
near the Plough Inn, with Ald. P. Sale as leader, and they divided and struck out in the
opposite directions to meet the other two parties. One party met two policemen
cycling into the town and duly bumped them. The whole boundary was traversed, and
the “bumpers” arrived back in Wokingham about mid-day after jolly cross-country
tramps on an invigorating September morning.
TRIAL OF MRS. GRUNDY
Wokingham has no place for Mrs. Grundy and she was roughly handled and
severely dealt with when she imposed her gloomy presence on the bright young
people of the town. She appeared near Carnival house in Reading Road about 2 p.m.
and was immediately beset by a bevy of scantily clad young ladies who chased and
harassed her, knocking off her absurd little bonnet and disarranging her black
voluminous clothes and big umbrella. The “police” were informed of her presence in
the town and she was immediately arrested, taken to the Market Square for trial before
the Mayor and a jury of young people
The Mayor presided over the court. The prisoner, Mrs. Grundy, was impersonated
by Mr. A. Rogers. Mr. C. Pell was the prosecuting counsel and Mr. Garnett Hall
defended.
Mrs. Grundy was charged with causing a disturbance in the streets of Wokingham
on Carnival Day, and with making herself a public nuisance. She adopted a hostile
and defiant attitude throughout the trial, while the crowd hurled imprecations at her.
A “constable” gave evidence that he saw the troublesome woman causing a
disturbance among the carnival workers at Carnival House and finding fault with
spectators. She had admitted to being a secret drinker and to having consumed large
quantities of beer; she had stolen carnival decorations and sent the fire engine to quell
an imaginary fire at Barkham Docks. “She has been a nuisance all her life,” said the
“constable.” “The old camel ought to be thrashed and I ought to be promoted for
getting rid of her.”
Defending counsel said Mrs. Grundy was one of the most respectable citizens of
Wokingham and she had been shocked and horrified to see a number of ladies in
bathing costumes, “and they could not have been going to bathe,” added counsel,
“because there was no bathing place in Wokingham.
Mrs. Grundy did not give evidence herself, but called two half-naked negroes, who
testified that the lady had been upset by the sight of the bathing beauties.
Prosecuting counsel urged that the evidence of such people might be accepted in
such outlandish places as Barkham and Arborfield, but it could not be accepted for a
moment in such highly civilised and “refined” place as Wokingham.
The jury found the prisoner guilty without a moment’s hesitation, and before
sentencing her the Mayor told her that Wokingham could not tolerate such people.
The punishment of the court was that Mrs. Grundy should publicly beg pardon at the
feet of the Carnival Queen and take part in the carnival procession, accompanied by
two “policemen.” She collapsed on hearing the sentence and was carried out of court
unconscious.
Then a fairy or something equally feisty took the stage and heralded the approach of
the Carnival Queen (Miss Cynthia Potter, aged 11). She arrived with her retinue of

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