Diary: Works firemen in competition

 

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, April 26th, 1917.

Skefko fire brigade team 1917

A unique competition will take place on Saturday in connection with the fire brigades attached to the different Luton works.

It will be the first of its kind ever held in Luton, and the directors of the firms, recognising that efficiency is only to be gained by continuous practice, have shown much enthusiasm in the forthcoming competition, which gives a spur to the men in their practice. The suggestion was made as long ago as December last, and Chief Officer Andrew, of the Luton Brigade, recognising in this effort a means of adding to the town's fire fighting efficiency, became one of the prime movers in the matter.

The competition will take place in the highways department adjoining the fire station. It will not be open to the public owing to lack of accommodation, but a large number of invitations have been sent out. Five out of the seven works brigades in Luton will appear in the contest, these being Vauxhall, Skefko, Kent's, Thermo and Commer Cars.

Prizes and medals will be given to the value of £80, each firm having subscribed, and Mr Walter Kent will afterwards present the trophies, which include a challenge cup to be held for one year by the brigade which gains the highest aggregate of points. [The competition would be won by the men of the Skefko Fire Brigade, pictured above].

  • On Tuesday evening about 6.30 an alarming accident occurred at the Skefko Works in Biscot Road. A new building is being erected and, owing to some cause at present unknown, some of the coping stones round the building gave way and fell, bringing most of the scaffolding with them. Several tons of stone and other materials crashed to the ground, and a great amount of damage resulted which will take a considerable time to repair. The most remarkable fact is that nobody was injured.

  • A smart military wedding military wedding was solemnised at Luton Parish Church on Saturday afternoon, when Miss Helena Agnes Merchant, daughter of Councillor and Mrs W. W. Merchant, of 55 Brook Street, was wedded to Lieut R. H. Johnston. A unique touch of the old days was the introduction of a brougham to which were harnessed half-a-dozen fine artillery horses, driven down in style from Biscot. At the back were two soldiers acting as trumpeters.

  • Last Thursday the billiard championship final was played between officers and men in the Biscot Y.M.C.A. before a large and enthusiastic audience composed of all ranks. The match proved a very interesting one, the men eventually winning by a narrow margin of 40 points.

  • Roll of Honour (click on the names in yellow for more details about individuals): L-Cpl Robert Stokes (Beds Regiment), 10 Alfred Street, Luton;Pte Charles William Soper (Beds Regiment), 81 Boyle Street, Luton; Sapper Horace George Andrews (Royal Engineers), 34 Ashburnham Road; Pte Frederick Reginald Allen (Beds Regiment), 63 Havelock Road, Luton; Pte Herbert Corney (Beds Regiment), Francis Street, Luton; Second Lieut Frederic George Thompson (Beds Regiment), Barclays Bank, Luton.

  • Pte Reginald Bigg (East Surrey Regiment) told his story of being on board the torpedoed hospital ship on March 30th-31st. He was on home leave at 115 Tennyson Road, Luton, for a few days with a frost-bitten foot that had led to his ordeal.

  • Cpl Stanley George wrote to his mother at 58 Belmont Road, Luton, about his experiences in Egypt with the Bedfordshire Regiment. He wrote: "We have been having it a bit rough lately. After walking about 20 miles we went straight into action. We lost an officer, and one chap was wounded on the same day while trying to take a village. Our company had three killed and some taken prisoners, besides the wounded. I thought it was bad enough in Gallipoli, but this beats it, I think, as the ground is so open and there is nowhere to go for cover. When the officer got killed we were just coming away, about 20 of us, when shrapnel burst over us and a piece struck him in the back of the head. We are at present behi8nd the line on water supply. Prisoners are coming in in great numbers, and they don't half look fed up, not a rag to wear."

  • Last evening about 6pm, Elizabeth Collarbone, a young woman from Hatfield lodging at Selbourne Road, Luton, was working at Chaul End when one of her left hand fingers caught in a machine. The top joint was severed. First aid was rendered at the works, and she was then taken to Dr Lloyd, who ordered her removal to the Bute Hospital.

  • A somewhat serious accident befell Mr Claude Tofield, of Kingston Road, Luton, on Saturday morning. He had a nasty fall at the Vauxhall Motor Works and broke his left arm in two places - the second time he had broken that arm since August. Following X-rays at the Bute Hospital he was allowed home under the attention of Dr Harmar.

  • Many of the men from Biscot who frequent the Dunstable Road Church Army hut will feel a sense of loss at the resignation of Mr and Mrs Anderson, following a breakdown of health. They have supervised the hut since last March, and Mrs Warner is to take charge of the hut now.

  • A letter to Luton Town Council from Mr T. A. Spencer and Mr H. C. Middle asked for consent to us the Palace Theatre in Mill Street, the Grand Theatre in Waller Street or some other suitable public building on Sunday, May 6th, for a public meeting in support of the new Government and regime in Russia following the deposing of the Tsars. It was agreed to defer a decision until the consent of a theatre had been given.

  • An inquest would be held tomorrow afternoon into the death of a boy aged about seven who stepped into the road while following a threshing machine proceeding through Stopsley and was hit by a motorcycle which fell on his legs. He died in a cart taking him home to Butterfield Green.