22 | HERITAGE
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WokinghamRemembers A local architect’s scandalous connection Exploring our heritage with wokinghamremembers.com
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What REVIEWdoes a Victorian sex cult from Clapham have to do with Wokingham’s police station? Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, as DAVID HUNTER from the Wokingham U3A explains
The past which has shaped our present...
This week MikE ChuRChER reviews Quaker and became County Surveyor HIGH Court case receiving the Wokingham Remembers articles national press coverage in for Berkshire from 1872 to 1905. of theNovember past four months and discusses 2016 struck a chord He was undoubtedly a most members of Wokingham talented architect designing many some with of the factors which contributed U3A (University of the Age) public to the making ofThird Wokingham and its buildings. History of Buildings group who have He was responsible for many new environment. recently been studying development in Police Stations including Wokingham
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VERat the past months Wokingham the turn of thethe 19th and Wokingham Remembers page has 20th centuries. been providing an earlyTimes pictureon A headline in The Sunday of how a small market town and a November 6 read “Sale of £1m church few villages on the edge of a forest vicar’s is today uncovers scandal of defrocked ranked as one of the country’s leading Victorian sex cult”. communities. The case revolves around who Education, religion, industry, transport, should inherit the proceeds from the social structures, national politics and sale the formerare Church of the Ark of localof government all important the Covenant in Clapton, East London. pieces in building the great Wokingham ThisHere church the London jigsaw. nowhad is abeen summary of our HQ of the culttoofdate the and Agapemonites contributions a few ideas on who achieved the next round notoriety of articles.in the late Victorian era. Education, Education, Agapemone in Greek means “The Education Abode of Love”. Today’s Wokingham is renowned as The connection with Wokingham is one of the country’s centres of excellence that the renowned Berkshire Architect, for education; this is partly due to strong Joseph Morris, responsible for much of school performance and the motivated the expansion ofinWokingham designed parents who live one of the most the spectacular Clapton church (now highly educated communities in the UK. Grade II*look listed) sect.of If we intofor thethe history Apparentlyschools he did we notcan charge Wokingham’s see a fee for servicesisand alsointo contributed howhis education woven its DNA. financially theWar, acquisition of the Prior to the to Great Wokingham was surrounded by manor houses and land for the church. members thebeen landed gentryup who Morris of had brought as a wanted to be close to the levers of power; i.e. the royal households of Windsor. In turn these upper echelons possessed a serious sense of duty and a responsibility to ensure their community received at least a basic education. Wokingham also had a powerful professional class, a strong church community (including the nonconformists) and together they shared a strong belief in the importance of teaching. The result was with the skills, the motivation and the finance available, there developed a culture of education which still holds strong to this day.
Wokingham transport
Transport is probably the single most important factor in Wokingham’s development, in both its rail and road systems. Future articles will look at the introduction of the railways and the
major impact they had on the town and and Maidenhead, several schools and we have alreadyto made start Berkshire with the improvements the aRoyal road system by mapping out the course of Hospital. the old Forest Road. Alongside his official public While the building of the M4 had a duties, Morris, also ran a successful major influence on the introduction of the architectural practice designing many high tech businesses which now surround other churches the South Wokingham, it isthroughout the A329M which of England and in 1975 cut off theurban Forestvillas Roadfor andthe its wealthy middle classes locally. natural connections between Emmbrook andInthe villages of Hurst and Binfield. The Wokingham he was a founder love Chairman and hate relationship with our rail and of the People’s and roads continue to this day!developed Investment Company which the former Batty’s Barn Estate. Wokingham’s military This is the area around heritage Easthampstead Road and Murdoch As 2015 is the bi-centenary of the Road the former Presentation Battlewhere of Waterloo, there have been a Convent substantial private this number ofand articles commemorating world changing event. houses designed by Morris, his son, The area has always been noted for Francis (Frank), and daughter, Violet, its contribution to the nation’s military still exist.
Above: The former Wokingham Police Station designed by Joseph Morris Below: The former Presentation Convent in Easthampstead Road, Wokingham designed by Joseph Morris as a house called “Ochilton” . Wokingham Railway Station viewed from Wellington Road looking Now in its redeveloped form it is called Chapel Gate. Picture: D towards Hunter St Pauls Church. The story was told in June, and also historians, Sarah Huxford, also took its replacement: local government. Clapton Common. commemorated the 800th anniversary us on a journey to the old battlefields Wokingham’s wild side He took refuge in the sect’s of the Magna Carta, signed at nearby in search of their graves. This story Before we believe too much in the idea commune in near Bridgwater Runnymede inSpaxton 1215. reflects only a microcosm of the losses that Wokingham’s development was a in Somerset with a female convert. capability, with Arborfield’s REME, around the county of Berkshire, but solidly sedate experience, May’s article Shining a light on The Agapemonites He was eventually defrocked for RFA and Remount connections and the affirms the importance of the wars in the told the story of the rioting in the town The Agapemonites achieved Wokingham’s ‘Dark Ages’ Sandhurst and Wellington Colleges all immorality and died in 1927. development of our local character. centre during the time of the 1857 General To bring us to date theof August situated very nearby. rites certainly not notoriety involving Despite theupreputation this sect it Election. Wokingham and articles are focused on thelater kidsVictorian who are Evenwith the Duke Wellington took to in line mainofstream religions and continued through the Such events were a common sight in now entering into their summer holidays. the Royal Forest living in Stratfield Saye, which today is attracted a large number of wealthy period to attract enough trusting the town and this short and bloody battle Looking at today’s community, it is What better way to use this month’s only 30 minutes away from Wokingham’s well-heeled Agapemonites to fund the single ladies. between the Whigs and the Tories also difficult to visualise just how rural the editions than to tell the stories of the town centre. Ark of the Covenant Church and the highlighted the Bush and Rose hotels in area once was and in part explains the Romans, the Celts and the Saxons Church of Wokingham’s community at Spaxton. Market Place as the headquarters of these sometimes fragile relationship between influence on the area before Wokingham the Good two feral groups. hisaretirement in 1905 Morris benefactor culture Shepherd, the old and new Wokingham; few wasOn even twinkle in old Wocca’s eye? The story was also able to reflect also moved toFord Spaxton andalived The area around Wokingham was areas in the UK have witnessed such David Nash provided set ofin Clapton, upon the national scene and the corrupt a cottage by hismakes daughter, surrounded by many remarkable extraordinary growth and change in the articles anddesigned puzzles which formerly Violet. fun for the young and no doubt individuals and they were instrumental in nature of general elections before the profile of its population. history known as introduction of the private ballot. building the much needed infrastructure Mercury reported Although Wokingham’s history willThe alsoBridgwater catch the interest of the parents the Church Future articles will include further which underpinned the establishment of has always been intertwined with who willMorris’s be looking overin their child’s Joseph death 1913 of the tales of anarchy and revelry in this old a strong community. the surrounding villages by providing shoulder. describing him as a a prominent market town. ofof the We will later be telling the Ark story the a market place for agricultural and Here’s to round of articles! member ofthe thenext Agapemonites for Covenant. Walter family and their contributions to commercial produce, it was also a Forest Thanks go out to our contributors: Steve Wokingham at War many years. Picture: Fin the building of Wokingham but in April Town. The term ‘forest’ did not mean a Bacon, Bell, David Nash Ford, Sarah There are watershed moments in His Jim impressive portfolio of works first weekly issue, we told theFahey story of the cluster of trees, but a system of laws laid Huxford, Roger Long, Trevor Ottlewski history which mark the moment of great in Reading and Wokingham was also much loved Arthur Hill, the 6th Marquess down by royalty for that the protection of change in a society and the Greatwas Warone of and Peter Shilham for all their continuing It was reported at a meeting The founder of this church mentioned. of Downshire. their 1914-1918 is one such time. contributions. at hishunting house, grounds. in 1902, in Craven Road Henry James Prince. One can only much Although one of Britain’s wealthiest These onerous rules restricted local Therefore a number of centenaries All this work is wonder providedhow by our Reading, Morris announced that He died in 1902. of the profits from developing landowners, Arthur Hill doubled as the people from using large parts of the land between 2014 and 2018 will local historians free of charge and “Jesus Christ has come again” His successor was John Hugh Wokingham went support this chief of the local Fire Brigade and was a for sustenance and in part led to the commemorate the great losses of war can be found on the to front page of the is alleged have Smyth-Piggott who claimed to somewhat dubious religious sect. riseSmyth-Piggott of local highwaymen and to general major financial contributor to this part of which scarred the people of Wokingham Wokingham Remembers website The former Presentation Convent in Easthampstead Road, Wokingham designed by fled from London protected by police be whose David Hunter is the Convenor lawlessness. As a result, the subsequent for Christ the restincarnated of the 20thand century. www.wokinghamremembers.com Wokingham’s public services. when he of was pursued by mob after descendants are claiming share Joseph Morris asina house called "Ochilton" . aheavily Black Act 1723 came down on May’s edition followed thea story Thanks alsoof toWokingham Mark Ashwell at History U3A Later articles will illustrate the failing‘Wokingham to walk on Blacks’ water on pond in at TradeMark for supporting the proceeds offrom the “Ark” site. these andthe resulted of two brothers Langborough the paper’s demise of these great manors and their of Buildings Group either their transportation or execution. Roadininits Wokingham town. One of our incumbent social system and the rise of Now redeveloped form it is called Chapel Gate. Photo D.Hunter commitment to this project.
The Agapemonites
Windows doors and The founder of this conservatories church was one Henry James Prince.that He died inlast 1902. Hisa successor was John Hugh Smyth-Piggott who claimed to be Christ incarnated and whose descendants lifetime beyond are claiming a share in the proceeds of and the "Ark" site. The Agapemonites achieved notoriety involving rites certainly not in line with main stream religions and attracted a large number of wealthy single ladies.
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It was reported that at a meeting at his house, in 1902, in Craven Road Reading, Morris announced that "Jesus Christ has come again" Smyth-Piggott alleged to have fled from London protected by police when he was Unit 20, Headley Park 10 (next to isScrewfix), Woodley RG5 4SW 0118 9699322 pursued by a mob after failing to walk on water on the pond at Clapton Common. He took refuge in the sect's commune in Spaxton near Bridgwater in Somerset with a female convert. He was eventually defrocked for immorality and died in 1927.