Page 866 - Reading Mercury

with a cow which was straying on the road. The cow was attended by a veterinary
surgeon. The car was slightly damaged.

JOINT PARTY
The local branches of the British Legion and the Royal Artillery Association joined
forces on Saturday to give members’ children a New Year party. And as a result 120
boys and girls between five and twelve thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon. After a
first-class Christmas tea, the children played games and watched a film show,
arranged by the Mayor, Cllr. R.H. Brimblecombe, who, together with the Mayoress,
called in to see the youngsters having a grand time. Main feature of the film show was
a short version of “Scrooge”—appreciated as much by the adults present as by the
children. Before the children left each was given an orange, a bar of chocolate and a
balloon—and each responded energetically to the invitation by the Legion president,
General P. Malloy, to give “a big hand” to the organisers. In the evening, it was the
adults’ turn and Legion and R.A.A. members enjoyed a social.

UNLUCKY FOOTBALL CLUB
FIRE DAMAGE TO PAVILION BOILER HOUSE
A fire which broke out in the boiler house at the rear of the Wokingham Town F. C.
pavilion at 6 a.m., on Sunday caused hundreds of pounds of damage. The wooden hut
which housed the boiler was completely demolished, and the asbestos roof over the
bathrooms and changing rooms was also destroyed. Flames leapt 50 feet into the air as
firemen raced to the scene.
On the rear walls of the bathrooms, nothing remained after the fire but charred
embers, and there was considerable interior burning. The spectators’ seats, however,
were practically undamaged. The Supporters’ Club’s catering utensils and tea urns
were saved, however, as was much valuable electrical equipment in the Supporters’
Club office. Had the wind not taken the flames outwards away from the building, the
damage would have been far greater.
Coming so soon after the recent storm damage to the stand on the opposite side of
the grounds, Sunday’s fire was a great blow to the club, who have been faced with
much greater expenditure since they joined the Metropolitan League at the beginning
of the season.
The pavilion, which was opened in 1936, was insured against fire. In this respect the
club are now more fortunate than with the damage to the stand roof, which cost more
than £200. It was ironic that the fire should have started less than two days after
repairs to that roof had been completed.
Footnote: The club’s black and amber flag was still flying over the pavilion on
Sunday morning.
On Sunday morning Supt. A. East of the Wokingham Police, and Divisional Officer
Cowle, of the Berks and Reading Fire Brigade, conducted an on-the-spot
investigation. They decided the most probable cause of the fire was an overheated
domestic type boiler. The damage was said to be “between £500 and £1,000.
The fire was reported by Mr. W.G. Love, of 38, Langborough Road, Wokingham,
who saw the flames from the signal box at Wokingham Station where he was on duty.

th
Sat 12 Feb
RATEABLE VALUE
The total rateable value of the borough had been increased by £96 to £68.040.

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