Page 778 - Reading Mercury

of the lack of cooperation, we had to secure the information desired by personal
inspection.
Having seen the interior of the completed buildings, attention was given to the
remarkably efficient method of erection by a comparatively small gang of erectors.
Each of the four sections which arrived on the lorries in their proper order is driven
under a gantry where, within a few minutes, the floor of the building is located on
special iron fittings and attached by means of steel pins. The section is then lifted by a
winch, the lorry drives away and the section, which weighs about 3½ tons, is lowered
on to two bogies running on rails at right angles to the lorry. The pins are quickly
released and the erectors push the section along the rails where it is joined with its
adjoining section and firmly attached by means of bolts at the top and bottom.
While our representatives were present one complete bungalow was erected in little
over an hour. It was learned that the first two buildings were completed in two
afternoons.

th
Sat 30 Nov
TOWN COUNCIL TO PURCHASE SWIMMING POOL
The Town Council formally accepted the report of the General Purposes Committee
and agreed to accept Mr. William Thomas Martin’s figure of £12,000 for the pool and
equipment payable by 30 annual instalments of £400 with the option of paying off the
balance outstanding at any time.

th
Sat 28 Dec
FIRE OUTBREAK AT YE OLDE ROSE HOTEL
Burning Beams Under Roof
An alarming outbreak of fire occurred at Ye Olde Rose, the well-known hotel in the
Market Place, Wokingham, on Saturday night last. A member of the staff noticed a
smell of burning at about 11 p.m., emanating from a cloakroom on the top floor. The
door of the room had been left locked by a plumber who had been busy there during
the day attending to a water pipe burst caused by the frost, and there was some
difficulty in effecting an entry.
The N.F.S. were summoned from the nearby Town Hall and attended immediately
with a pump-escape. The firemen found that several oak beams were smouldering.
They had some difficulty in getting at the seat of the outbreak, having to remove some
slates from the roof. It was not until nearly four hours later that the outbreak was
effectively dealt with and the firemen were able to leave, satisfied that there was no
further danger.
An adjoining bedroom was at one time involved and much damage was done by
smoke and water. The difficulty in dealing with the outbreak when it was first
discovered was increased by the fusing of the electric lights. Members of the staff had
to carry pails of water upstairs in the dark. The hotel was taken over only recently by
Mr. Lester Welsh.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS
Christmas festivities in Wokingham did not seem to be restricted to any serious
extent by rationing. Patients at Wokingham Emergency Hospital began the day in the
right spirit with ham for breakfast. Chicken, pork and time-honoured Christmas
pudding appeared at dinner-time, and iced cake, fruit jellies and trifle were enjoyed
for tea. On Tuesday the staff sang carols in the evening, and on Christmas Day they
put on a show with Father Christmas as the star turn to the delight of children of the

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