Wokingham’s ‘Coat of Arms’
Jim Bell continues his journey to provide us with an overview of Wokingham during the 19th and 20th centuries. This time he visits the archives to extract Wokingham’s news from old Reading Mercury newspapers. They go as far back as 1859 (see post), but we start here from the last 30 years of the 19th century.
1868
1st Nov. Windsor Forest Turnpike Trust expired at twelve o’clock. The gates will be thrown open, and no further tolls taken. From then onwards road repairs fell on the various parishes through which it passed.
1870
20th July The first rectory of St. Paul’s Church was dedicated.
24th December John Balston Walter (b. 1845), eldest son of John Walter, died while trying to rescue relatives who had fallen through the ice of one of Bearwood’s lakes whilst skating.
The Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Sebastian was created.
The Wesleyan Methodist Church was built. It occupied the site of the old Barn Methodist Chapel in Rose Street and of the Eagle Brewery that stood behind it. Torrential rain fell on the day of the stone-laying ceremony and the Baptist Minister, Rev. P.G. Scorey, offered the use of the Milton Road Chapel for a service, saying that he was usually anxious to get people into the water, but that this time his desire was to get them out of it.
1871
July Wokingham’s first brass band, comprising players from St. Paul’s and All Saints’ Churches, was formed.
November Provision was made to form a Reading Room at St. Paul’s Schools for the young men of the town.
Keephatch House was built in 1871 by Colonel De Vitre on his return from India. It was occupied until 1987
1872
20th February Work commenced to enlarge St. Paul’s Church.
1874
January St. Paul’s Church was reopened after enlargement and restoration.
August The Wokingham Fair was abolished by the Home Secretary.
Bearwood mansion was completed. It was said to have rivalled Windsor Castle in size and opulence which is probably why Queen Victoria apparently disliked John Walter III.
1874-85
The local Government Board relieved the Common Council of responsibilities under Public Health Act
1875
1st January The Act to Regulate the Employment of Children in Agriculture came into force.
30th September Palmer Schools, Rectory Road were opened.
1876
9th November The Wokingham Fire Brigade was formed at a public meeting held in Wokingham on the 9th November 1876. From then until September 1939 the force has provided a continuous service as a voluntary fire brigade. Finance was obtained by private donations and subscriptionsfees for attending fires and the proceeds from the annual fire brigade ball.
c. 1876
Heelas of Wokingham opened a savings bank.
1877
1st January The Education Act came into force. It declared for the first time that, ”It shall be the duty of the parent of every child to cause such child to receive elementary instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic.”
Permission was given with many conditions for the fire brigade to have one horse-drawn fire engine below Wokingham Town Hall in the covered market.
18th July The Wokingham Art Loan Exhibition was opened by John Walter III.
1880
21st April Wokingham Water Works found an abundant supply of pure water 340 feet below ground.
11th May The Board of Management of Berks. Hospital agreed to supply a trained nurse to visit the working class sick in their own homes.
October The Post Office Penny Savings Bank commenced.
1881
November National Insurance was to be introduced
1882
25th January The Drill Hall was opened by Captain Arthur Fraser Walter who built it at his own expense.
October Wokingham received its first ambulance carriage.
The Municipal Corporations Act came into force.
1883
The inhabitants of Wokingham petitioned the Privy Council for grant of Charter of Incorporation under 1882 Act.
1884
October: The Parish of Wokingham’s first nurse (Nurse Swadling) was appointed.
1885
The Victorian Charter established a Borough Council for Wokingham with full municipal powers. The Alderman renounced his ancient Saxon title, the only one in the country, to become an ordinary Mayor. 1885 was a landmark in Wokingham’s history as it also saw the end of the Wokingham Borough Court of Quarter Sessions and the vesting of the municipal charities (embracing nearly all the older charities) in seven trustees.
1886
December Mr. H.T. Roberts was appointed Wokingham’s first Town Clerk.
1887
2nd April A foundation stone was laid in the walls of the two Queen’s Jubilee Almshouses by the Mayoress, Mrs. Wescott.
21st June Wokingham celebrated Queen Victoria’s Jubilee. Dinner was served to 1,100 Wokingham residents in the Market Place.
1888
Isaiah Gadd bought Montague House and let it to a succession of tenants
1889
Origins of Wokingham Club. In March a few cyclists, including Arthur Heelas and Frederick Wells, brother of H.G. Wells, formed a Cyclists’ Club which, in 1892, amalgamated with the Working Men’s Club (of Peach Street) to form the Wokingham Club. The Market Place premises were purchased in 1910 by Mr. Howard Palmer, who had become President in 1901. The Club closed in the late 1950s. Fred Wells was an employee of Heelas’ in the Market Place; his brother used to visit him in Wokingham.
1891
Wokingham Company of the Boys’ Brigade was formed by the Rev. E. C. Leslie, Curate of St. Paul’s Church.
1893
25th May The Mayor’s chain and robe of office were presented to the Mayor.
24th June (Saturday) at 12.30 p.m. The clock in St. Paul’s clock tower started for the first time.
20th July St. Paul’s Parish Room and clock tower were officially opened by John Walter III.
1894
The Civil Parishes of Wokingham Within and Without were created.
3rd November Wokingham’s greatest benefactor, John Walter III (b. 1818) died.
1897
June Wokingham celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria
1899
November President Kruger of South Africa visited Wokingham.