Page 990 - Reading Mercury

A colourful interpretation of Humpty Dumpty earned first prize in the non-
commercial class for the Wokingham and Bracknell Training School for mentally-
handicapped children. Wokingham Old Age Pensioners’ Songsters Group were placed
second in this class
Within half-an-hour of the opening ceremony and cutting of a large lardy cake the
rain came down, and hundreds made their way from the carnival field. But hundreds
stayed to watch the various attractions that carried on regardless of the weather. This
included wrestling, a demonstration of tent pegging by the Royal Corps of Transport,
Aldershot, a fire-eating display by Stromboli and Sylvia and a programme of tug-of-
war finals.

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Sat 23 July
OLDEST MACE-BEARER
The man who has advised and guided 17 Wokingham mayors was honoured at a
reception in the Town Hall, Wokingham, on Saturday evening when mace-bearers and
chauffeurs from adjoining boroughs presented him with a tankard.
Mr. Cecil Nibbs (74) of Cockpit Path, Wokingham, was the oldest mace-bearer in
Britain when he retired from office last month. His work as mace-bearer spanned 26
years of mayorality, starting with the late Alderman Ernest Reeves in 1940 and ending
with the town’s comparatively new Mayor, Cllr. William Smith. Mr. Nibbs agreed to
carry on being mace-bearer until Cllr. Smith had taken office.
Born at Medmenham, Mr. Nibbs moved to Henley in 1901 and lived in the riverside
town until 1940. He regards Henley as his native town and gained immense pleasure
when he was allowed to carry Henley’s £1,000 mace at the civic hall in Henley earlier
this year.
Newly-instituted civic heads have always been grateful to Mr. Nibbs for his words
of wisdom, and two months ago a cheque from former mayors and members of the
council was presented to him at the Mayor-making ceremony.

th
Sat 17 Sept
NEW BUILDINGS
The first second and third year pupils of Wokingham’s St. Paul’s Primary School
have moved into one wing of the new school in Murray Road. The remainder of the
pupils will transfer into the new building when the school is completed, probably next
Easter.

MOTORISTS’ EVENING
Wokingham Accident Prevention Committee are organising a “Motorists’ Evening”
th
for September 29 . For four hours the general public will be able to test themselves
on a reaction timer and take part in road sign quizzes. Also on view will be Road
Research Laboratory experimental data. Entrance will be free and the special evening
will take place in the Old Town Hall.

NEW TEACHERS
Wokingham’s newest school, Embrook County Secondary Modern, this term
welcomed four new teachers. They are Mr. K. Docking, Mrs. B.A. Booth, Miss J.
Hewitt and Mrs. A. Marcus. Wescott Road primary School, Wokingham, have three
new teachers this term. They are Mrs. D. Murray, Mr. M.C. McBride and Mrs. D.
Owen.

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