Page 652 - Reading Mercury

Flight-Lieutenant Tommy Rose, the noted airman, and Freddie Fox, the well-known
jockey, were among the 250 people who attended a dance held at the Drill Hall,
Wokingham, on Wednesday, under the auspices of Wokingham Post Office Staff.
Proceeds of the dance were for the Royal Berkshire Hospital Centenary Appeals Fund
and the venture was a success in every way.
Cllr. and Mrs. J. Egerton Thorpe (Mayor and Mayoress of Wokingham) gave the
dance civic recognition, Mrs. Thorpe presenting the prizes won in various
competitions. The secretary, Mr. S. Lawrence, and the organising committee were
thanked for their efforts by Major C.B. Crabbe and Major F. Cozens, of the Hospital
Appeals Committee, their remarks being endorsed by the Hon. Mrs. Corfield, who
was also present. Music was played by the Queries Band, the M.C. being Mr. N.C.
Lawrence.

th
Sat 25 Feb
AIR RAID SHELTER FOR WOKINGHAM
Erected by Mr. W.T. Martin
STATEMENT AT FIRE BRIGADE DINNER
“A GREAT PIECE OF WORK”
A splinter-proof air raid shelter, large enough to accommodate 200 people, has been
built by Alderman W. T. Martin close to his swimming pool at Wokingham. This was
announced .for the first time by the Mayor of Wokingham (Councillor J. Egerton
Thorpe) at the annual dinner of the Wokingham Fire Brigade on Tuesday, and
Alderman Martin was thanked by the Mayor for his public-spirited action.
The Mayor presided over the dinner, and there were also present Chief Officer W.B.
Martin, Captain Edwards, Dr. H.F. Curl, hon. surgeon, Chief Officer A.F. Edwards
(Sonning), Aldermen E. S. Whaley, F. J. Barrett and A.E. Priest, Councillors A.H.
Beale and J.H. Titterington, the Rev. Mr. Connolly, Mr. J. H.. Elliston Clifton, Mr. A,
Morland, Dr. R. Rose, Mr. H.W. Leaver, Mr. C.H. Davey, Mr. Whittington-Moe, and
Second Officer E. Hawkins.
Dr. H.F. Curl proposed the toast of “The Mayor and Corporation,” and referred to the
fact that he himself had sat in the chair occupied by the Mayor and had served on the
council for a number of years. He thus knew the difficulties which the Mayor faced.
He knew many of the members of the council well, continued the doctor, and, he
could say without fear of contradiction that there was not one man there who was not
doing his best to steer their little ship of state safely into harbour. Things were altering
considerably. The railway had been electrified and Woodley was becoming a town.
The council would have difficulty in maintaining the personality of Wokingham and
yet at the same time bring them their share of the prosperity surrounding them.

TRIBUTE TO ALDERMAN MARTIN
About the time of the crisis, continued the Mayor, the Government issued a
statement that the town councils would have to provide shelters or dug-outs for l0 per
cent of the population. That meant some 800 people in Wokingham. They had dug a
little trench in Denmark Street and it was quite a costly thing to do. Since that time the
Government had decided to spend £20 millions to provide little dug-outs to be put up
in back gardens. He did not think they would get any in Wokingham because he
believed it was regarded as a safe area.
While they were awaiting instructions from the Government, however, Alderman
Martin had built a splinter-proof safety chamber of reinforced concrete by the side of
his swimming pool. It was quite commodious hidden in a bank and had an entrance at

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