Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, February 8th, 1917.

Prosecutions for drunkenness in Luton in the past year totalled 46 (32 males and 14 females) - the lowest number on record, according to Acting Chief Constable W. J. Hagley's annual report to the local Licensing Sessions yesterday. Of those, 43 were convicted and three discharged.

Ten males and three females out of the number were tramps or strangers to the borough, and one resident and one non-resident were before the court twice each. And one conviction was for being drunk whilst in charge of children of tender years.

The number of people licensed for the sale intoxicating liquor in Luton is 140, which is one less than the number recorded last year. That number consisted of 94 licensed victuallers, 14 beerhouse keepers, 25 off-beer sellers and seven in other branches of the trade. Taking the population of the borough at 49,978 there was one public house for nearly every 357 people.

Police made 2,796 official visits to licensed premises during the year (an increase of 833), resulting in the prosecution of four of the licensed holders - three for permitting drunkenness and one for allowing billiards to be played during the hours the sale of intoxicating liquors was prohibited. All four were convicted.

• The wedding (pictured right) of Sapper Sidney John Maskell, of the Royal Engineers stationed somewhere on the East Coast, and Miss Emily Ogden, fifth daughter of late bandmaster John Ogden, of 35 New Bedford Road, Luton, took place on Saturday morning at Christ Church. The bride is piccolo player in the Girl Guides' Band, and 26 Girl Guides formed an arch with their signalling flags under which the newly-weds passed. The bridegroom, who before enlistment was a painter and decorator living at 59 Dudley Street, Luton, returned to his military duties today.

• Up to Saturday morning the War Loan subscriptions received through the five local banks had reached the very satisfactory total of £250,000. Of this we hear that nearly one-tenth - £21,5000 to be precise - had been taken up by one local firm - Messrs A. Hucklesby & Co. We are in a position to say that very substantial amounts have been subscribed by several houses connected with the staple trade, but we are not at liberty at present to give the figures. For those engaged in the hat trade, the present is the most difficult time for them to invest, a moment when many thousands of pounds worth of goods have been delivered and stocks are at the highest point. Consequently there is little surplus cash.

• Wellington Street Baptists have taken a very great interest in the wedding of their Pastor (the Rev C. Evelyn Charlesworth. The ceremony took place on Tuesday in Highbury Congregational Church, Cheltenham, conducted by the Rev James Dann, uncle of bride Miss Dora L. Smith, who is a prominent Cheltenham lady.

• On Wednesday next boys of 18 (born in 1898) have to report for service at the Recruiting Office in Manchester Street, Luton, and those in Class B (born in 1899) have to report themselves within 30 days of attaining their 18th birthday.

• Nightly the scene in People's Park for some time past has been one of great animation. On Tuesday evening, for instance, about 50 adults on home-made sledges enjoyed themselves to the hearts' content until a late hour in this healthy exercise. And a similar picture has been presented on a smaller scale at the Dallow Road Recreation Ground.

• Some amusement was caused at the Board of Guardians on Monday morning by complaints that certain members had been 'pursued' by an eccentric man wearing a rosette and, on asking the meaning of the decoration, got the reply: "Because I am my own master!" Of the same individual the Clerk (Mr William Austin) said: "He is doing useful work this morning. He is going round telling people they should clear the snow from the pavement in front of their houses!"

• On Sunday evening, at St Hugh's Mission Church, Mangrove, members and friends joined in a special memorial service in connection with the late Pte Sidney Thomas Fleckney, who laid down his life for his country on Sunday, June 4th, "somewhere in France". He was entombed in a dug-out which was filled in owing to a mine explosion.

• Pathos and humour mingled in the excellent concert by the Biscot boys at the Assembly Hall on Saturday evening, when the hall was crowded and hundreds of people had to be turned away. The proceeds, which amounted to over £130, are to be handed to the mother of the late Gunner Jackson, who served in France in a trench mortar battery for over a year, and was accidentally killed a few weeks ago in the neighbourhood.