Page 833 - Reading Mercury

Dull weather following heavy rain, did not deter the people of Wokingham from
streaming into the Market Place in their hundreds to watch the arrival of the Garth
Hunt for the first Boxing Day Meet there for the past 18 years.
As the pink-coated riders on their sleek mounts trotted into position, they were
welcomed by the Mayor, Cllr. A.T. Ilott. So large were the crowds that those who
arrived after 11 o’clock found it impossible to penetrate to the centre of the Market
Place, where the more fortunate members of the Hunt were enjoying the stirrup cup
provided by Ye Olde Rose Inne.
Led by the joint Masters of Fox Hounds, Miss Effie Barker and Mr. Vivian
Simonds, the hunt made its way via Rose Street to Mr. Reginald Palmer’s residence,
Stokes Farm. Crowds on foot and families in cars followed. Many of the former saw
several foxes during the day, a brace being killed.
Miss Effie Barker afterwards expressed to a “Wokingham and Bracknell Times”
reporter “the Masters’ appreciation of the splendid welcome afforded us by the Mayor
and people of Wokingham.
The Hunt celebrated its centenary this year. It was founded in 1852 by Thomas
Colleton Garth.

1953

th
Sat 25 April
CROWDS SEE THE QUEEN
Wokingham’s main streets were crowded on Wednesday morning with people
hoping to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty the Queen as she motored through en route
to Badminton. With the Queen travelled Princess Margaret. As she passed the Queen
smilingly acknowledged the waving crowd.

TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD
The first birthday party of the Wokingham Townswomen’s Guild was held in the
Wokingham Club on Tuesday. Guests included members of the Reading Afternoon
and Evening Guilds, and the Embrook W.I. The party was organised by Mrs. C.
Buchanan and her committee. Games, a dancing display, and a one-act play, “Our
Husbands,” acted by Guild members, made the evening a happy and entertaining one.

OLD AGE PENSIONERS
The meeting of the Wokingham No.1 branch of the National Federation of Old Age
Pensioners’ Associations in the British Legion Hall on Wednesday took the form of a
sale, in aid of the outing fund. It was opened by the Deputy-Mayoress, Mrs. W.J.
Willey, and it hoped that the money raised will be enough to meet the cost of the two
free summer outings—to Blenheim Palace and Hindhead—later in the year.

BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL
The Baptist Sunday School celebrated its anniversary over the week-end. Morning
and evening services were conducted by the Rev. W.H. Brackenbury, of Reading. The
was a large congregation in the afternoon service, guests coming from the Methodist
Sunday School and the new Sunday School opened by the Baptists at Toutley. Items
were given by the primary department and a play, “The Sign the Master Gave,” was
presented by junior and senior scholars.

WOMEN’S ANNIVERSARY

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