Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 870
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Image Details
| Title | Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 870 |
|---|---|
| Page number | 870 |
| Date | 1919 |
| Edition | |
| Publisher | Unknown |
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OCR Text
Y.M.C.A. HUT WEEK IN READING.
THE LONG, LONG TRAIL OF PENNIES.
The Y.M.C.A. Hut Week in Reading received a splendid send-off on Saturday, O ct. 26th, 1918, in the shape of a penny trail. The unique event attracted a large number of people, and by the time the proceedings began that portion of Broad Street that adjoins the General Post Office was well filled with sightseers. Punctually at 9.30 the Mayor of Reading (Mr. F. A. Sarjeant), wearing his gold chain of office, emerged from the Cinema Picture Theatre and, mounting a chair, briefly addressed the assembly. After drawing attention to the unique character of the occasion and urging the beneficence and importance of the work of the Y.M.C.A. was engaged in at all the various fields of war, the Mayor described the mode of operations, to which the name had been given of the "penny trail". The trail was intended to cover the whole of Broad Street, with King Street at one end and Oxford Street at the other, the distance from one end to the other and back being roughly about a mile. A mile of pennies laid end on would, it was estimated, number 50,668, and the value thereof would be £211 4s. He commended the effort to the citizens of Reading, and trusted that one and all would co-operate in making it a big success.
At the close of his Worship's remarks Patrol Leader Gibbins, of the 1st Reading Troop of Boy Scouts, and Scout Eckhart, of Oxford Road Wesleyan Troop, sounded a bugle call. This was taken up by buglers at each end of the trail, and was the signal for the laying of the pennies to begin. The first coin, was laid by the Mayor in front of the Cinema, and about the same time each of the scouts and other helpers - guards they were called - placed three pennies in front of where he stood. Meanwhile M. Pierre J. Dechaine, of The Cinema, played the opening bars of "The Long, Long Trail", and the popular song was expressively rendered by Mrs. Willcocks.
It had been intended to line the route rather closely with guards, but unfortunately about thirty - mostly ladies - were unable to be present through illness, and the burden of guarding the kerb fell upon a few scouts and a number of friends. Thanks to the splendid organizing ability, coupled with the very hard work of a committee led by Miss Oakeshott and Mr. Mens, everything was carried through without a hitch, and long before the afternoon the trail was indeed a trail of coppers, two, three and in some places four deep, eloquent testimony that the practical interest of the public had been gained. It is satisfactory to know that the copper harvest realised no less than £101 10s. 3d.
The flag day enabled the committee to gather in £112 15s., this amount including the sum collected by two ladies who most assiduously performed on a barrel organ. The collection itself was made under the direction of Mrs. Max de Bathe, who laboured untiringly in the good cause. Messrs. Huntley and Palmers, Ltd., gave the fund a good send-off by a donation of 1,000 guineas. The collection at Mortimer, which was undertaken by Lady Mowbray, realised the excellent sum of £41 5s., while Mrs. Blackall Simonds raised £7 12s. 5d. in a similar manner at Goring Heath.
Although the promoters did not succeed in raising the £5,000 they asked for, they managed to collect £3,100, not a bad amount, when the number of appeals that had been made to the people's generosity is taken into account. To this sum must be added Mr. A. W. Sutton's promise of £800 for "Sutton's Station Hut". This gratifying amount was made up as follows: Donations to Mayor' s appeal, £1,744 16s. 6d.; other subscriptions and donations, £146 11s. 6d.; works collections, about £400; house-to-house collections, £359 18s. 7¼d.; church collections, £3 9s. 9d.; schools, £9 5s. 2¾d.; flag day, £114 8s. 6d.; the trail, £101 10s. 3d.; shop boxes, 18s 5d.
[photo, group, exterior] THE MAYOR (MR. F. A. SARJEANT) GIVING AN OFFICIAL "SEND-OFF" TO THE PENNY "TRAIL".
[photo, group, exterior] A PORTION OF THE LONG, LONG TRAIL OF PENNIES.
[Photos by Goddard, Southampton Street.]