Wokingham Library (Wokingham)

United Kingdom / England / Wokingham / A321 Denmark Street
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Central library for Wokingham district

The character of Tom the chimney sweep in Charles Kingsley's classic childhood story The Water Babies was based on the life and times of a Wokingham boy called James Seaward, who was a boy sweep in Victorian times. In his later years Seaward swept the chimneys at Charles Kingsley's home at the Rectory in Eversley, Hampshire. Seaward was elected Alderman of Wokingham from 1909 until his death in 1921. He had 12 children and many of his descendants still live locally. The Water Babies are the subject of Wokingham's first public sculpture, installed in 1999, which graces the upper level entrance of this building.
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Coordinates:   51°24'29"N   -0°50'8"E
This article was last modified 11 years ago