Page 949 - Reading Mercury

Despite attempts by a Wokingham garage proprietor to extinguish a small fire,
which started in his garage on Saturday evening, the blaze resulted in the destruction
of nearly all the contents, including many personal belongings.
The proprietor, Mr. Reginald Hiller, was in the D. & A. Garage, in Plough Lane,
Wokingham, welding holes in a car silencer, when a spark is believed to have ignited
a small tray containing petrol. Mr. Hiller attempted to beat out the flames with an old
mackintosh, but a drum of paraffin also caught alight. The fire spread to the wooden
roof, and he had scarcely pulled containers of oxygen and acetylene out from the
garage when the whole building caught fire. Firemen from Wokingham and Bracknell
dealt with the blaze and were working there until midnight.
Among the articles badly damaged were cameras, a radiogram, and a television set,
but a violin—which he had had since childhood—was later found to be undamaged in
its case. A built-in office was completely destroyed, but the only vehicle to suffer
harm was a wreck of a Wolseley. This, acting as a shield, prevented the flames from
reaching any of the other cars.

rd
Sat 3 June
CHANGE OF NAME
The name of Radio Heaters, Ltd., of Eastheath Avenue, Wokingham, has been
changed to “Radyne Ltd”.

PRESENTATION CONVENT
In veneration of the Blessed Virgin, the May procession was held in the grounds of
the Presentation Convent, Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, on Sunday. Father
Maurice Wallace led the procession which started at the chapel and finished at the
shrine. Following this was the benediction in the chapel, and the hymn “Faith of Our
Fathers” was sung.

FLAG DAY RAISES OVER £127
Over £127 was collected in Wokingham on Saturday, when the Berkshire Aftercare
Association organised a flag day. The local collections were sponsored by the
Wokingham zone, whose chairman is Mrs. C.E.A. La Bouchardière.

TO REMAIN IN MINISTRY
At the unanimous request of the Wokingham Methodist Church—confirmed by the
Reading Circuit authorities—the Rev. Leonard Hale has agreed to continue as
minister of the Rose Street Methodist Church until August 1962. Some months ago,
the Rev. Leonard Hale indicated that he wished to retire in August.

DARTS
If past records counted for anything, Chris Saxe should have won the house singles
championship at The Ship Inn, Wokingham, on Tuesday. Not only had he recently
won the divisional singles title, but also the championship of the Reading and District
Hop Leaf Darts League. But in George Thexton, vice-captain of the successful Ship
Inn Team, he came up against strong opposition, and narrowly failed to win the house
championship.

GIFT TO CHURCH
In his current letter to parishioners, the Rector of All Saints’ Church, Wokingham,
refers to the difficulties faced by those responsible for arranging to have a new

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