Page 972 - Reading Mercury

of Toronto. Mr. Nibbs was travelling with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Coffin, of Stanley
Road, Wokingham.

th
Sat 19 Oct
IMPROVEMENTS AT ST. PAUL’S
The St. Paul’s School, Wokingham, now has a hall—for the first time in its history.
This was stated at the annual meeting of the Parent Teacher Association. It was agreed
that a letter should be sent from the association expressing their appreciation of the
interest in the school taken by the Berkshire Education Authority.
The head mistress, Miss Foy, reported that since Easter three new Terrapin
buildings had been erected in the playing field, and the whole of the school interior
had been repainted in attractive colours.
The Infant and Junior Schools had been amalgamated under one head, and new staff
had been engaged to cope with the increasing number of children—there were now
180 juniors and 98 infants with the prospect of a further intake at Christmas.
Officers elected were: president, the Rev. J.J. Williams; chairman, Miss B.G. Foy;
vice-chairman, Mrs. P. Rogers; secretary, Mrs. H. Glendenning; treasurer, Mr. S.J.
Postlethwaite.

th
Sat 26 Oct
WOKINGHAM CLUB SOLD
After being in the market for three years, the former Wokingham Club premises
have been sold. On Monday a board announcing this was fixed to the front of the
th
early 19 -century building that has been the subject of much speculation and planning
disputes.
This week, Mr. Colin Farnell, sole principal of Messrs. H.E. Hall and Son,
confirmed that the freehold of the property, owned by Mr. R.H.R. Palmer, had been
sold to a London property investment company. The undisclosed price is understood
to be substantial and running into five figures.
It is likely that the building will be let in suites of offices. Frustrations, setbacks and
disappointments have all risen from the proposed use of this building, since the
Wokingham Club failed to pay its way.
The original application to the planning authority to develop the building as a shop
with living accommodation and offices was granted in December 1960. But it was
subject to a condition that the character of the building be preserved—a condition
considered to be ambiguous and impossible to put into practice.
After months of work a plan for taking down the existing front and rebuilding, using
the old bricks was turned down. The refusal was the subject of an appeal to the
Minister. Whilst dismissing the appeal, the Minister stated that this would not
prejudice a further plan being submitted on the lines of taking down the existing front
of the building to facia level, and fitting slightly larger, paned shop windows.
And this is the most likely development—although the building will still remain
listed as being of special architectural or historical interest under the 1947 Town and
Country Planning Act.

th
Sat 9 Nov
WORK ON WOKINGHAM’S NEW TOWN HALL STARTS SOON
Work on the first stage of the new Wokingham municipal buildings and public hall
is expected to start by April next year, it was said at Tuesday’s meeting of

970