Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, December 14th, 1916.

• Chief Constable David Teale seated front row (centre) a year into office.

At twenty minutes past eight yesterday morning, Mr David Teale, Chief Constable of Luton Borough Police Force, entered into his final rest. Three weeks ago he was taken ill, the seat of the trouble being the lungs.

The late Mr Teale was bown on March 20th, 1859, and was therefore in his 58th year. As a young man he realised that in the police force was an opportunity of advancement, and he joined the North Riding Constabulary in his native Yorkshire.

He served in forces in Yorkshire and Lancashire, rising to the rank of chief inspector before being appointed Chief Constable of Luton in succession to David Jaquest. He entered upon his duties on October 1st, 1894, so he has completed 22 years and two months service in this borough.

• Part of the staff of Luton Post Office have transferred to the basement of Waller Street Chapel. Postal officials have for a long time felt the need for greater accommodation, and it is unfortunate that the war interfered with the arrangements for the proposed new Post Office in Upper George Street. The congestion resulting from the enormous growth of Luton postal traffic during the past few years has necessitated an immediate extension of working accommodation. The actual transferring and occupation to Waller Street Chapel took place last Friday and the sorting desks and other accessories were ready for the commencement of work on Saturday night.

• Self-styled "Ambassador of God" William Dudlick John, of 47 Biscot Road, Luton, appeared at a special sitting of Luton Borough Court on Tuesday and was fined £2 and handed over to the military authorities as an absentee. He had failed to find work of national importance, as required by the Central Tribunal and then failed to present himself at the recruiting office, as instructed.

• Mrs Higgs, of 85 Chapel Street, Luton, has this morning received a letter from her only son, Gunner Francis Edward Higgs, aged 24, of the Lincoln R.F.A., stating that he has been the recipient of the Military Medal. The telephonist and linesman had received the medal for devotion to duty in mending wires under heavy fire, especially in Sanctuary Wood and Maple Copse on the Somme in August.

• The gallantry of another Lutonian also met with recognition through the award of the Military Cross. L-Cpl William Cain, son of Mr and Mrs Cain, of 78 North Street, had only recently been informed he had been awarded the medal for holding a trench against a German attack over 12 months ago.

• Thanks to The Luton News and Saturday Telegraph, Mrs Thurlow, of 216 Wellington Street, who has been waiting anxiously since last August for news of her son, Pte Percy Thurlow, of the Beds Regiment, has at last received letters from two of his friends stating that he is had been in a convalescent home in Cairo.

• News had been received by Mr and Mrs Puddephatt, of Slip End, that their son Pte George Henry Puddephatt, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, was killed in action on November 13th.

• Local MP Mr Cecil Harmsworth, in a letter to South Beds Liberal Association, said he would be extending the same faithful and hearty support to the new Government of Mr David Lloyd George, as he accorded to the recent Coalition Government of Mr Asquith.

• Mr Michael Cook, Chairman of the Luton Board of Guardians from 1871 to 1891, died at his London residence in Highgate Road on Sunday morning at the age of 90. He came from an old Houghton Regis family, had been a grocer there and represented the village on the County Council. He later resided for some years in Luton and Dunstable before finally taking up residence in London.

• Mary Jane Atkinson, wife of Cornelius Atkinson, painter of Houghton Regis, died suddenly at Chaul End on Friday evening at the age of 45. She had been cloakroom attendant at Messrs Kents for about 11 months, and had suffered with heart trouble practically all her life. She went to her duties as usual about 7am and about 9.30 was found seated with a broom in her hand and in a semi-conscious condition. She died about 10.15am with a doctor in attendance.

• At 10.30 on Sunday evening a call was received at the Fire Station from Mr H. Bale, of 12 Ramridge Road, to the effect that a fire had broken out at No 10. Bedding and flooring in the back bedroom were burnt but comparatively little damage was done otherwise.

• Last weekend the Luton No 1 Corps of the Salvation Army celebrated their 34th anniversary. Since their organisation, steady progress has been made and they now possess 400 members. The Temple in Park Street, which seats 1,000 people, is open every night for public services, and is now under the direction of Commandant and Mrs Paul, who came to Luton six months ago from South Shields.

• Yesterday at the Borough Court, four boys aged between nine and 12 were charged with stealing three tins of jam from Biscot Camp on December 9th. One 12-year-old was ordered to received six strokes of the birch, the others three each with their mothers in attendance.

• A presentation was made at Dallow Road Schools on Tuesday evening to Mr E. W. Edmunds, a well-known master at the Modern School, upon his recent resignation. On behalf of old students, the Rev A. E. Perry said Mr Edmunds could teach almost any subject and always made his lectures interesting and a good foundation for a university career.

• The 52nd annual sale of Christmas fatstock held by Messrs J. Cumberland and Sons at their stock yard on Monday was completed in record time and with record prices. There was a large and representative gathering of of buyers and the usual fine show of stock.

• The last contribution to reach us for the Tommy's Christmas Pudding Fund arrived this morning from Mr and Mrs George Jackson and family, of Lincoln, Idaho, with the dollar equivalent of 8 shillings. The fund's final total was 7,863 shillings - the original target was 5,000 shillings.