Page 970 - Reading Mercury

240 BURST PIPES
Local plumbers have been given a pat on the back by the Housing Committee of the
Wokingham Town Council. “Their valuable co-operation during the emergency”
earned them a vote of thanks when the committee were told that 240 burst pipes etc.
had been dealt with.

th
Sat 16 March
OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE NORREYS BARN THEATRE
The chairman of the Wokingham Players, Mr. Arthur Bradbury, hit out on Friday
last week against those who urged local authorities not to support the appeal by the
Theatre Royal Windsor, for funds from public money. He was speaking at the official
opening of the Wokingham Players’ theatre on the Norreys Barn Estate—a theatre
bought and built by the company with very little “official” support. He said that the
man who had inspired the theatre project was Mr., Ted Sherlock—he had designed it
and done much of the physical work in building it. In this he had been helped by the
company, and by his “right hand man” Alan Aplin.
Looking back to the time when the theatre was just a dream, Mr. Bradbury said that
at first the company had thought in terms of a rehearsal hall. They had raised £85 in a
quarter-of-an-hour at a meeting, and with the cash in hand this enabled them to buy an
old Army hut for £100. Then the hard work started, and they were encouraged by the
response to an appeal at one of their shows, when during one week the Players’
audiences gave or promised £300.
Later when more money was needed, the Players approached the Town Council and
were asked to submit a detailed application. This was done and the figure asked for
was £800. The response was a gift of £20.
The Players’ president, Mr. Stephen E. Sale paid tribute to the hard work of the
company and in asking the Mayor, Dr. P.P. Pigott, to declare the theatre open,
congratulated her on being nominated for a third term of office.
Cutting a pink ribbon across the stage, the Mayor said, “It gives me great pleasure to
declare this theatre open.”

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Sat 8 June
PRINCESS ANNE RIDES AT WOKINGHAM
Princess Anne was an unexpected entrant at the Wokingham Pony Show and
Gymkhana held at the Elms Field, Wokingham, on Whit-Monday. She won the trophy
for the best rider under 13.
The show was organised by the Garth Hunt branch of the Pony Club (Wokingham
sub-branch) in conjunction with the Wokingham Division of the St. John Ambulance
Brigade.

th
Sat 15 June
WOKINGHAM CLUB—OWNER’S APPEAL
The owner of the Wokingham Club in the Market Place planned to pull it down and
re-build it as a shop with storage space, living accommodation and offices—using as
much of the original material as possible. Berkshire County Council thought that the
character of the present building is such as to lend dignity to the Market Place and
they refused permission for development.
At a local inquiry on Thursday the owner of the club, Mr. R. Palmer, appealed
against the County Council decision.

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