1894, January 18, Thursday
Cutting from Banbury Guardian, 18 January 1894
SIBFORD.
THE READING ROOM.—On Wednesday evening of last week a company of over 30 members and friends of the recently-established reading room sat down to a substantial old English dinner of roast beef and plum pudding, Mr. R. B. Oddie presided, and Mr. J. Platts, of Birmingham, occupied the chair. Full justice to the viands having been done, Mr. Oddie sketched the short history of the reading room, according the lion’s share of the credit of its existence to the kindly feeling and public spirit of Mr. Henry T. Dixon. He said that a comfortable room where the young men of the district could meet for improvement and recreation had long been a great want, and that the appreciation in which the provision of such a room was held was highly encouraging. He hoped the Sibford Reading Room would continue to prosper, and that it would be a means of good to all connected with it. Mr. Platts endorsed these remarks and expressed bis pleasure at being identified with the movement. Calls for speeches were made to Dr. Routh, Mr. Dixon, and Mr. F. Inns, but, not being responded to, the company settled down to a varied programme of songs, &c. This occupied over an hour, the party dispersing shortly after ten o’clock, much delighted with the way in which the first Reading Room dinner had passed off.
