Page 916 - Reading Mercury

Town Hall to the clinic—the borough’s war memorial in Denmark Street—and
condemned the lack of respect that the Roll of Honour received from townspeople at
last Thursday’s town council meeting.
The Public Buildings and Properties Committee had reported that the Roll of
Honour was seriously affected by dampness, and could not be re-erected in the Town
Hall without considerable renovation and re-writing of the names. The committee had
discussed the suitability or otherwise of the Town Hall annexe for the Roll of Honour
and suggested that it could be hung in the clinic.
COULD NOT BE MOVED
It had been resolved that the council ask the trustees of the Clinic for their views on
this suggestion—but Cllr. A.T. Ilott urged for the matter to be referred back to the
committee for further consideration. “They would be making a very bad mistake in
moving it.” It had been in the Town Hall for many years—and it was more than an old
shoe. It meant a great deal to many hundreds of people in Wokingham. To suggest
that it should be cast down to the clinic is wrong.
The committee chairman, Ald. S.L. Bowyer, said however that they had given the
matter a great deal of thought. It was in a disgraceful condition and something had to
be done. What the committee had wanted were some suggestions from the
townspeople and now they had got some which would be a big help.
After Cllr. Ilott had offered to re-write the names without cost to the council, the
meeting agreed to the reference back.

th
Sat 28 Nov 1959
SANTA ARRIVES
Arriving at Wokingham station, on Saturday afternoon, 'Santa Claus was welcomed
by the Dagenham Girl pipers who led his coach to the Market Place store of Heelas
Ltd., where he will spend his days between now and Christmas.

LUNCH AT THE HOUSE
The Member for Wokingham, Mr. W.R. van Straubenzee, entertained the chairman
of Easthampstead Rural District Council, Mr. Gordon Thrake, and his wife, to lunch
at the House of Commons on Wednesday. After lunch, Mr. and Mrs. Thake listened to
a debate.

ANOTHER POST
Mr. W.R. van Straubenzee, Member for Wokingham, has been elected secretary of
the Conservative New Towns Committee in the House of Commons. The chairman is
Mr. Frederick Gough, M.P. for Horsham, which includes Crawley, and the vice-
chairman is Mr. Martin Madden M.P. for Hitchin, which includes Stevenage.

TOWN HALL
The future position of the Roll of Honour, which for many years, has been exhibited
in the Town Hall annexe is causing many arguments at the moment. The British
Legion—whose views should carry some weight—are strongly opposed to the
transfer of the Roll to the Denmark Street clinic, as has been suggested. They would
prefer to see it moved to the opposite end of the hall, replacing the large gilt mirror.
Personally I think that the mirror detracts from the beauty of the hall rather than
adds to it, and I do not subscribe to the belief that because it was given by a former
Recorder and is an antique it should remain in the most prominent place in the hall, It
has been said, however, that many a member: of the council has curtailed his speech

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