The Reading Room
From Lacey Green History
click Amenities for others
Research by Joan West. An amenity created by John Forrest
The Reading Room, Main Road, Lacey Green, Built 1886.
The Reading Room was constructed just 7 feet to the north of Lacey Green School. It was built by John Forrest of Grymsdyke Lodge to give the men a club to which to go rather than to the public houses. It was on the land of Stocken Farm, at that time owned by John Forrest. click John & Evelyn Forrest for the lives of the Forrest's
The building. It was a wooden structure, lined with varnished match-boarding, heated by a stove, fitted with chairs, tables, bookshelves and lamps.
Reading material. It was weekly supplied with the ‘Graphic Illustrated London News’ and the ‘Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News’. Two daily and other papers were added by the committee. It contained useful volumes, an atlas, dictionary, map of England and others.
Management. It was managed by a committee of 6 members, mainly labourers. In 1891 the funds were such that they voted to give a ton of coal to the widow of George Adams who was killed by a lightning strike at a cricket match.
There were 30 members in 1909, owing to the growth in numbers Mr. Forrest had it enlarged in 1899.
23rd September 1921. A public meeting was called at The Reading Room. The meeting was to consider the formation of a new club to be known as 'The Lacey Green and Loosley Row Sports Club' and it was to cater for Cricket, Football and Tennis. click The Sports Club for the stories of this club.
Sold about 1923 to John William 'Johnnie' Saunders of Lacey Green, builder. Conveyance. All that piece of land at Lacey Green, containing 5 poles, together with the bungalow thereon, formerly used as a Reading Room. click John William & Daisy Saunders for more about John William Saunders.
30th July 1952 Conveyance. William John Saunders, builder, sold to Gordon Ernest Davis of High Wycombe, for £812, the land and bungalow thereon, formerly a Reading Room. (conveyance archived in Lacey Green Village Hall)
Research by Joan West in conversation with Trudy Saunders, wife of Mosh Saunders who lived there as a young boy. click Mosh & Trudy Saunders for more about Mosh and Trudy
More room needed. John William’s son, William John Saunders and his wife Flo. were living at Idle Corner. They had 1 son, Ted, and were expecting twins and needing more room, so John bought the old Reading Room for them. He extended it one end, making it 3 rooms with a narrow kitchen at the back.
1939 to late 1951 this bungalow was let to Mr and Mrs G Rixon.
30TH July 1952 Conveyance. William John Saunders, Lacey Green, builder, sold the bungalow for £812 to Gordon Ernest Davis of High Wycombe,
Gordon Davis and his wife Pat had two children. A further bedroom was added in the 1960s, also a precast concrete garage in the grounds. They left late 1970s
Conveyance. Sold to Bucks County Council as a residence for the school caretaker. When it fell into disrepair it was demolished.
Site Divided. In the early 1980s the land was divided between Lacey Green School, making room for a new childrens’ entrance. and the property next door called Coolangatta.