Secret Wokingham

The Berkshire town of Wokingham has over 1000 years of history. A history that is interwoven with the bigger story of England. Underneath the vestiges modern town, it is still possible to uncover Wokingham’s secret past; a past that includes bull baiting and highwayman, breweries and medieval fairs. This book will look at the history of the town from its founding through to the current day, covering among other things Wokingham Town Hall and its unique form of governance, provisions for the poor and old in the Lucas Hospital almshouses and the Old Workhouse, poaching in nearby Windsor Forest and Wokingham’s first cinema The Electric Theatre and other entertainment, and the role of the town’s schools. Wokingham’s original mediaeval Rose Street and surviving ancient houses are explored, with associations with the British Empire, as well as the town’s oldest pub and its brewing history and the transformation of the town with the arrival of the railways despite Victorian rail disasters to today’s thriving and prosperous settlement.With tales of remarkable characters, unusual events and tucked away or disappeared historical buildings and locations, Secret Wokingham will appeal to all those with an interest in the history of this historic town in Berkshire.