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R E A D IN G A n a n c i e n t and v ery considerable m arket and assize tow n and a parlia­
m entary and cou n ty and m unicipal borou gh w ith separate ju risdiction , the
cou nty tow n o f B erk sh ire, the head o f a p oor law parish, in land revenue
collection , p e tty sessional division and cou nty cou rt district, in the
Southern division o f the cou nty, in the rural deanery o f B ea d in g, arch­
dea con ry of B erks and diocese of O xford ; it is 8 m iles south-w est from
H enley-on -T ham es, 26 south-east from A b in g d o n , 68 from B a th , 13
south-w est from M aidenhead, 17 east from N ew b u ry, 26 south-east from
W a n ta ge, 16 w est from W in d sor, 16 n orth from B a sin g stok e, 45 from
Sou th am pton, 15 south-east from W a llin g ford , 28 south-east from O xford
and 36 b y rail o r 39 b y road from L on don , and is situated on tw o small
em inences w hose declivities fall in to a pleasant vale, th rou gh w h ich flow
tw o branches o f the K en n et, u niting w ith th e Tham es a t th e extrem ity
of th e t o w n : on the banks of the K enn et, w h ich is navigable to N ew b u ry
and F roxfield, are som e excellent wharves : four bridges cross this river,
and th ere is also an iron bridge over the T h am es, and a fo o t b rid g e
at C aversham W e ir, con stru cted in 1885. T he K en n et and A v o n canal
opens up a com m unication w ith the Severn.
R eadin g is an im portan t station on the G reat W estern railw ay (som e o f
the trains running from hence to P addin gton — and v ice versa— w ith ou t
stoppage), and is the ju nction of the B erks and H an ts branch to
N ew b u ry, H u n gerford and B asingstoke w ith th e m ain line. In 1897-1899
th e station w as v e ry m uch enlarged at considerable cost. R ea din g is
also a term inus o f the South E astern and Chatham (R ea din g, G uildford
and R eiga te branch) prnd South W estern railw ays, w h ich occu p y a join t
station im m ediately south o f the G reat W e ste rn station.
The to w n is w ell bu ilt and has several g ood streets, w hich are w ell
paved and ligh ted w ith gas from w orks th e p r o p e rty o f th e R eadin g
Gas Co. and also b y electric ligh t, and the in habitan ts have a constant
su p ply o f w ater from the K en n et w orks in the B ath roa d , b elon g in g to
the C orp oration ; the houses are m ostly bu ilt o f red b rick .
Tramways, the property of the Corporation, are laid down throughout
the town, and have been provided with electric power since July 22nd,
1903 ; the generating station is in M ill lane.
T he b orou gh , fo rm e rly d iv id e d in to ten w ards, w as b y “ T h e R ea din g
(Extension) O rder, 1911,” w hich cam e in to force on th e 9th N ovem b er,
1911, extended to include the U rban D istrict o f Caversham and parts
o f the parishes o f Theale and T ileh u rst, and n ow consists o f thirteen