Page 937 - Reading Mercury

TO HELP THE ELDERLY
Mr. M. Evans, superintendent of the “Oakfield” hostel for elderly people, had a
special word of praise this week for the many tradesmen and business houses who
helped him in his first-money-raising effort since taking over the hostel. This was a
whist drive, held in the Church House, Wokingham, on Friday last week. The effort
realised over £42 for the combined Christmas and television fund started at the home.

AUTUMN FAIR
rd
The 3 Wokingham Scout Group held their annual Autumn Fair in the Drill Hall,
Wokingham, on Saturday—but owing to the heavy raid attendance was well down on
last year and the profit was only £50. The fair was opened by Lady Liddell, who was
met by a guard of honour, and to whom a bouquet was presented by Cub Andrew
Clark. Among the attractions was a puppet show. During the afternoon the Group
Scoutmaster, Mr. A.J. Butcher presented “thanks” badges to Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Bullen
for their many efforts on behalf of the Scout movement.

DESIGN FOR WOKINGHAM TOWN HALL
Marlow Man Wins £1,000
Prize-winners in the competition for designing a new Town Hall and municipal
offices at Wokingham were announced on Thursday and received their awards from
the Mayor, Coun. A.G. Skedgel.
The assessor, Mr. Clifford Culpin, gave first place—which carries a premium of
£1,000—to Mr. John G. Fryman, of Marlow, whose work is to be seen in the town at
Messrs. Radio Heaters, Ltd. Messrs. Grenfell, Baines and Hargreaves, of Preston,
came second, for which they will receive £500, and the third award, £250, goes to Mr.
William Ryder, of Bruton Street, London, W.1. From the remaining 21 entrants, Mr.
Culpin singled out Mr. G.P. Schoon, of Camberley, and Mr. Martyn Wheatley, of
Luton for a special commendation.
In his report to the council, Mr. Culpin said that 105 sets of conditions were issued
and these produced 11 entries, offering a range of solutions to the problem and
generally the standard of design was high. Many competitors had lost sight of the
fourth dimension—cost—although it had been stated that a lavish scheme was
unlikely to receive the approval of the Ministry. The estimated cost of the most lavish
scheme was more than four times that of the lowest. Of the winning design Mr.
Culpin said “It is economical and workmanlike and will enable the Town Council to
invest public money in buildings of which they can be proud.
Mr. Fryman’s scheme is said by the assessor to provide “a simple, direct and
economical solution of the problem posed.” Advantage of the fall in the site had been
made in the provision of car-parking accommodation at two inter-connected levels,
and the existing trees had been preserved. The office block was well-planned with the
less important shallow rooms on the Wellington Road frontage, the principal rooms
looking north-east over a sunlit square. Provision was made in the plans for the re-
arrangement of partitions to give varying sizes of rooms.
Simple and dignified
The council site was described by the assessor a “simple and dignified,” and has one
of its attractive features, a “members lobby,” overlooking the pedestrian square.
Below this suite a covered colonnade would provide a direct link between the office
block and public halls. These had been planned with great economy—in contrast to
many of the other schemes—and the arrangement of the large and small halls enabled

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