A NEW book charts the changes to the centrepiece of Wokingham’s bustling town centre.
Published by The Wokingham Society and written by Paul King, Wokingham Market Place 1900-2019 records the shopkeepers from Victorian times to the present day.
And it also looks at what day-to-day life would have been like.
It has been compiled by carefully researching contemporary newspapers, including The Wokingham Paper and our predecessor, The Wokingham Times.
Also consulted are trade directories and local and national government records.
The society said that some of the shopkeepers changed premises several times over the years as their businesses expanded. While others kept to the same premises for many decades.
And the impact of national retail chains on Wokingham was felt quite early on.
The author hopes that the book will bring back memories for people who have lived in Wokingham for many years.
For relative newcomers to the town it will give a taste of what Wokingham was like before they came.
Peter Must, Chairman of the Wokingham Society, said: “We are delighted to have been asked to publish this very important contribution to Wokingham’s social history, and we congratulate the author on the thoroughness and enthusiasm that is reflected in its pages.”
And Mr King enjoyed conducting the research that made the book a reality.
“I have discovered lots of shops which have long since disappeared,” he said.
“For instance, Bullocks was a lovely family-run ironmongers.
“I hope readers will have as much enjoyment perusing the book as I have had in researching it.”
The book costs £6.50, and is on sale from Wokingham Town Hall’s information centre and Henry Street Garden Centre in Arorfield.
It can also be ordered via eBay through seller jodiescraft.
Its ISBN is ISBN 978-1-871514-03-2.