Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 970

WAR HOSPITALS SUPPLIES DEPOT.

Its Magnificent Work Comes to an End.

All the helpers connected with the War Hospital Supplies Depot, Duke Street, Reading, were invited to a "closing-down" € gathering on March 12th, 1919, and so well was the invitation responded to that the spacious rooms were crowded to their utmost extent. Among the crowd one noticed the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. S. Hayward), Mr. and Mrs. A .
W. Carter, Mr. Dryland Haslam, jun., Mrs. Howard Palmer, Miss Wheble, Mrs. West, Mrs. Clayton, Mrs. Fryer, the Misses Radcliffe, Miss Scott-Russell, Miss Beach, Mrs. Fred Blandy, Mrs. Piggott, Mr. W. R. Howell, Mrs. Pretty, Mrs. Goodall, Mr. Stanley Bulford, Mrs. Hampshire , Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Chidell, and many others. There was tea for those who could get it, and some instrumental music to while away the time , but the interest of the guests was not awakened until Mr. Dryland Haslam, jun., hon. secretary and treasurer, mounted a chair and delivered a kind of funeral oration. This consisted chiefly of an account of the sums raised during the 3½ years the depot has been in existence. Nothing could better exemplify the manner in which the public rose to the occasion and supplied the funds to carry on the beneficent work of providing the many articles necessary in war hospitals. There were, for instance, personal donations amounting to £3,624, other sums raised including: Ladies working at depot, £130; outside working parties, £117; money box in the depot, £87; boxes in offices and shops, £145; collections in various business houses and offices, £569; making a total of £4,674. In addition, £203 was raised from materials bought and afterwards sold; the sale of gollywogs and other toys raealised £128; two splint and bandage days brought in £936; and the "silver w eek" £475. They owed thanks to Mr. Neale, who instituted a campaign on their behalf in the "Berkshire Chronicle", which realised £1,715. The grand total raised during the whole of the period the depot was in operation up to a week ago was £9,286 1s. 5d., and even that sum would be increased before the accounts were closed. He reckoned that the payments for timber, textile fabric, postages, and the various other expenses would leave them with a balance in hand of about £1,000. The committee were considering what to do with the balance, but part of it would be spent on continued orthopoedic work.

Miss SCOTT-RUSSELL read a list of the articles made, both at the depot and by outside parties. These totalled altogether 642,118. Of them, 14,976 knitted comforts, such as mufflers, mittens, socks and helmets had been sent to the troops in France, Flanders and Mesopotamia. To the British wounded in hospitals at home and on all the battle fronts had been sent 597,334 articles, comprising all kinds of hospital requisites from both the textile and wood work departments, while the hospitals of our Allies benefited to the extent of 29,208 articles.

The HON. SECRETARY stated that by far the greater part of the articles forming the magnificent output which the Registrar reported were made at Duke Street, although the outside parties gave very great assistance. At the beginning the textile room at the depot was managed by Mrs. Hanbury and Miss Wheble, and after Mrs. Hanbury left Reading the committee were fortunate in securing the services of Mrs. Howard Palmer in her place. Mrs. Palmer came at a time when the stress of the work was telling on the workers, but she put new life into the depot, and was the means of starting and developing new departments of very necessary work, notably the papier mache and plastic work. In this she was well supported by Miss Wheble and the heads of the various rooms, amongst whom were Miss Sellwood, Mrs. West, Mrs. Clark, Miss Leonard and Mrs. Goodall who had charge of the evening work party. In the receiving and dispatching room Mrs. Chidell first took charge and she was succeeded by Mrs. Clayton, who had been a most regular and hard worker from the beginning and worked right on to the end, and for some time Mrs. Fryer (of Henley) acted as joint superintendent with Mrs. Clayton with the greatest success. These four superintendents have been presented by the workers with delightful little mementoes as a mark of their appreciation of all they have done. The registrar's work was excellently done by Miss Scott Russell, assisted at one time by Miss Shrubsole, and of late by Mrs Knapp. The woodwork department was until last autumn under Mr. Lennox Bartholomew's capable direction, and since then Mr. Staveley Bulford (who so successfully worked up the Maidenhead Depot) has been in charge. The committee is preparing a souvenir in which particulars will be given of what has been done, and by means of which they hope to convey to all the workers their immense appreciation of their untiring and devoted labours.

An amusing speech from Mr. CARTER, giving the history of the depot from the moment when the idea was conceived by the Reading Chamber of Commerce, followed, and the interesting function came to an end with a vote of thanks to the committee, proposed by the MAYOR.

[photo, portrait] The late Pte. J. HERBERT, Motor Transport, son of Mrs. Herbert, 39, East Lockinge, Wantage. -” Died of malaria.

[photo, portrait] Capt. H. E. COLLIER, M.B., R.A.M.C., attached 1st Gloucester Regiment, son of Mr. E. P. Collier, J.P., of Reading, who has been awarded the M.C.

[photo, group, interior] LOCAL DESPATCH RIDERS IN GERMANY.
The only remaining original despatch riders of the 32nd Divisional Signal Company (the second company formed by Mr. L. G. Sutton), who first trained at Wantage Hall, and went to France in 1915. The photo was taken in Bonn, Germany, where the Division were forming part of the Army of Occupation. Reading from left to right the names are: Corpl. A. E. Fletcher, Corpl. C. Bruden (standing), Sergt. F. W. Thompson, Corpl. R. A. Gordon-Tull, and Corpl. E. Bowles.