Page 850 - Reading Mercury

Mr. H. Banks, Wokingham’s Town Crier, has been invited by the News of the
World to compete in the 1954 National Town Criers’ Championship, to be held at
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Hastings on August 14 . The General Purposes Committee of the Town Council have
resolved that his name be entered. Mr. Banks has been Town Crier for the borough
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since January 1 , 1925, but last year was the first time he competed in the national
championships, when he was the oldest entrant, as well as the longest serving town
crier.

YOUNG LIBERALS BRANCH
Mr. John McQuade, prospective Liberal candidate for Wokingham, speaking at a
meeting held on Saturday, at Church House, Wokingham, to re-form the Wokingham
Young Liberals, said: ”It is up to the young people to right the errors of elder
politicians.” He deplored the present political apathy. Mr. Peter Carr, the chairman of
the Home Counties Young Liberal Federation spoke in support. Among those present
were six Young Liberals from the Denham branch, who gave the new branch a fine
send-off. The new secretary is Mr. O.J.P. Sykes, of Pinegrove, Crowthorne.

WEATHER RECORDS
Records show that 1953 was a dry year for Wokingham Borough, the year’s total of
21.16 inches being just over 4 ins., less than the average for 53 years, 25.17 ins. The
driest year on record was 1921, when only 13.83 ins. was recorded. Wettest day last
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year was October 31 , when 94 in. was recorded, but this was far less than May 25 ,
1911, the wettest day on record, when 1.97 ins. fell. Records show that there were
167.47 days with more than .01 in. of rain.
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Lowest temperature during the year was 20 degrees, recorded on February 7 .
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Highest temperature in 1953 was 87 degrees—on August 12 —six degrees cooler
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than the highest recorded, on July 29 , 1948.

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Sat 20 Feb
SALE OF SAXHAM LODGE
Messrs H.E. Hall & Son, Chartered Auctioneers, Wokingham, submitted Saxham
Lodge, Fairview Road, Wokingham, a gentleman’s small residence for sale by public
auction at the Rose Inn, Wokingham, on Wednesday. Although the property failed to
reach the reserve at the auction it was sold immediately afterwards at a satisfactory
figure.

READERS’ LETTERS
THE WOKINGHAM TOWN HALL CLOCK
Sir,--I was interested in your notes about the Town Hall at Wokingham in the article
on Wokingham in your last issue. It is said that the face of the clock from the old
building was bought by the vestry of Yately church and placed on the church tower,
where it still is. Our old clock had, for about 250 years, only struck the hours, but in
1865 new mechanism was added and the dial purchased. The clock is still
substantially the ancient movement of about 1600 and keeps very good time.
SYDNEY I. LOADER
(Church Clerk)
St. Peter’s, Yately,
St. Gwithian, Darby Green,
Blackwater, Camberley.

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