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READING DIRECTORY— 1919.

13

quarter Sessions for the borough are held at the Sessions house, V alp y
street, in the same month as the sessions for the county. The County
Council holds all its full meetings at the Assize courts, and the various
committees meet at the County offices.
T he Corn Exchange, built in 1854, is about 100 feet long and 50 feet
wide, and has a glass r o o f; it is approached by a narrow covered way
from the Market place, and over the entrance is a small tower with
clock: the same covered w ay gives access to the Covered M arket, a
narrow confined structure in Broad street, erected in 1854. Stalls have
been erected in the Covered M arket, and in continuation of this building
a fine arcade has been built through into F riar street. The market days
are— Saturday for corn and stock cattle and M onday for fat cattle. Fairs
are held on February 2, S lay 1 for cattle, July 25 for cattle, Sept. 21 for
cheese and cattle.
~
The Cattle market and abattoirs, the property of the Corporation of
Reading, are on the west side of the Caversham road and close to the
stations of the Great W estern, the South Eastern and Chatham and the
South Western railways.
There are six banks— Lloyds Bank Lim ited, - M arket place; sub­
branch, Oxford r o a d ; (Capital and Counties branch) Broad street j sub­
branch, B ridge street, Caversham ;
B arclays Bank Limited,
with
which is incorporated J. and C. Simonds and Co. (Reading B ank ), K in g
street and Oxford ro a d ; a branch of the London County Westminster
and Parr’s Bank Limited, in M arket place; the London Joint City and
Midland Bank Limited, Broad street; a branch of the National Provincial
and Union Bank of England Limited, in Queen Victoria street, and
Farrow ’s Bank Limited, in Broad stre et; there is also a Savings Bank,
founded in 1817, in London street, with branch offices in Oxford road
and Wokingham road.
His Majesty’s Prison, situated on the east hide of the abbey ruins
in Forbury road, includes within its precincts the foundations of the
eastern portion of the church; it w as erected in 1843, and is a
castellated building of red brick, w ith white stone dressings, arranged
to hold 224 prisoners; it w as one of the first prisons built on the
separate system.
The Borough' Police Station is at The Forbury.
The head quarters o f the county constabulary are at Reading, the
station being in A bbey street.
The Masonic H all, in Greyfriars road, is a structure of brick and stone,
relieved with emblematic designs, and is used for the meeting of the
Union, Greyfriars, Kendrick, M artin and M orland lodges.
The Baths are in K in g’s meadows. There is also a Swimming Bath
for ladies and gentlemen in the Tilehtirst road, built b y the Corporation,
and opened in October, 1912.
The A rth u r H iU Mem orial Baths, in
K ing s road, were erected in 1911 by the children of the late Alderman
H ill in memory of their father.
. ■Th® Royal County Theatre, in F riar street, near the railw ay stations,
is a very spacious and elegantly decorated building, and is lighted
throughout by electricity, and ranks as one of the

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