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.
