Page 808 - Reading Mercury

th
Sat 16 Dec
FILM STARS VISIT WOKINGHAM HOME
Michael Denison, accompanied by his wife, Dulcie Gray, are the latest of Britain’s
top screen stars to visit the Cinematograph Trades Benevolent Fund Home at
Glebelands, Wokingham. On Saturday the two stars were received by the president
and chairman of the home, Mr. Reginald Bromhead, and the matron, Mrs. W. M.
Marshall, and taken, after lunch, on a tour of the spacious grounds. While passing
through the rooms of Glebelands, Michael Denison and his wife met and talked with
residents about their latest work. “The Franchise Affair,” yet to be released, is the title
of the third film they have made together.
The guests left early in the afternoon to appear at the Ambassador Theatre, London,
in the last night of their play “Four Poster.”
Dulcie Gray was a pupil at Wokingham Luckley Girls’ School for one year before
the war.

1951
th
Sat 6 Jan
WOKINGHAM CINEMA CLOSING
THE REASON—HIGH ENTERTAINMENT TAX
The Savoy Cinema, Wokingham, is to be closed after the last showing of “The
Champion,” tonight, Saturday. It is to be sold. The reason for closing was given to a
Mercury reporter by Mr. H. Handford, the owner, who said:” The high rate of
entertainment tax and the impossibly of complying with the quota regulations have
been the deciding factors.”
Forty per cent of the takings go in entertainment tax, and regulations lay down that
30 per cent of the films shown must be British. Mr. Handford declared that this quota
was impossible to obtain, as it was a case of the small owner competing against large
circuits.
The Savoy was converted from a shop to a cinema just before the first world war —
in the days of the silent films.

th
Sat 13 Jan
The building of Wokingham’s Secondary Modern School just off London Road will
begin this spring. Although it is not expected to be completed until 1953-53
preliminary steps to appoint a head-teacher are to be taken by the Berkshire Education
Committee.

NEW LIBRARY
The Ministry of Education has now confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order for
the acquisition of Montague House, Broad Street, Wokingham and the development
st
of the premises for a library will begin on October 1 .

th
Sat 20 Jan
PENSIONERS’ REST ROOM
Permission has now been given by the Town Council for the Old Age Pensioners’
Rest Room in the Town Hall, Wokingham to be opened during the afternoons as well
as the mornings. Two afternoons a week will be reserved for women Old Age
Pensioners—on Thursdays and Fridays, from about 1.30 to 5 p.m. Tea will be served
and books from the County Library may be taken out loan free. The room was

806