Page 858 - Reading Mercury

got under way the traffic, which had received warnings of the carnival on the main
approaches to the town, was frequently brought to a standstill. And to accompany the
laughter which over-ran the town there came, after a few early spots of rain, welcome
sunshine.
A “Shave” For The Mayor
Carnival Day began, appropriately enough, with a Reveille call which summoned
raggers to their briefing point outside the Town Hall. Over loudspeakers, cheerful
music began to draw the attention to the town centre. And here, to their amusement
and delight, their chief citizen, the Mayor (Cllr. R.H. Brimblecombe), was the victim
of one of the first stunts of the day. He was hauled up on to a platform and underwent
a treatment that looked—even if it was not—very uncomfortable for him. A bunch of
raggers, using an outsize wooden razor and a whitewash brush, gave him a shave that
he will not easily forget. Among other discomforts he experienced was one that would
have gladdened the heart of Sweeney Todd. The mayoral throat was efficiently “cut”
and the red velvet used for effect proved a satisfactory substitute for what in serious
circumstances would have been blood.
Hardly had he recovered from this “onslaught” than he found himself being escorted
to the borough boundary for the ceremony of the beating the bounds, which had not
been carried out in the town since 1935.
To describe it as a “bumper” success would not be inaccurate, because, still
dishevelled from his earlier experiences, the Mayor received a hearty bumping beside
the boundary post in Sandhurst Road. A similar fate awaited his predecessor, Cllr.
A.T. Ilott, who is vice-chairman of the carnival committee.
While the Mayor returned to the Town Hall, the beating party toured the bounds and
reported that all was quiet. Ten o’clock saw the start of the balloon race. The Mayor
released the first balloon, and as it soared skywards, bigger by far than any of the
other balloons in the competitions, a little group of amateur meteorologists watched
its flight with satisfaction. As it soared higher so did their hopes of a fine day, and
sure enough, by mid-afternoon the weather was really benevolent. Nine-years-old
Heather Ruff, daughter of the organisation secretary, Mr. Peter Ruff, assisted the
Mayor to release the first balloon.
A parade through the town by the Farnborough St. John Ambulance Pipe Band
culminated in the Market Square with an impressive display of Highland dancing,
which attracted so many people that buses and other vehicles had to be re-routed.
The children, of course, were not forgotten, and among the many attractions
provided for their amusement were a Punch and Judy show and a colourful puppet
show stage by a Well-known entertainer, Dick Giles.
Crowning Of The “Queen”
Not surprisingly, it was the crowning of the Carnival Queen, attractive Audrey
Frost, which drew the biggest crowd. Looking radiant in her full-length white gown,
and deep red cloak, she arrived with her attendants, Margaret Naish and June Pither,
just as the sun came out for the first time. Waiting to receive her were the Mayor and
Mayoress, the deputy Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr. W.G. Jackson and Mrs. W.J. Willey,
Police Superintendent A. East and Mr. Peter Ruff.
For probably the last time in his long career as Wokingham’s official Town Crier
74-years-old M. Harry Banks made a public appearance at the ceremony. After her
had called for silence, the Mayor invited the Mayoress to crown the Queen.
There was a record entry for the children’s fancy dress parade. Over 160 children in
costumes that had obviously been designed with skill and considerable thought
(mainly by their parents) paraded before several thousand people on the Wokingham

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