One of the most interesting and praiseworthy features of the public entertainments of Luton is the very excellent work that has been carried on all through the autumn and winter months by the management of the popular Palace Theatre in entertaining and cheering up the men who have been brought back from the war wounded and disabled and placed under treatment in hospital in this neighbourhood.
Men who have given their best service, who have fought and bled for their country on the shell-torn fields of France or father afield in this great war - surely nothing could appeal more strongly to kindly thought and patriotic feeling than these efforts to provide them with pleasure and entertainment.
Nearly every week when the conditions have been favourable for the motor ride, large parties of men from the hospital have been honoured guests at the Wednesday matinees at the theatre, and on several occasions the whole of the Palace Variety Company, with the full orchestra, have made the 10 mile trip to Wrest Hospital to give a performance there, more particularly for the benefit of the men who are unable to leave their beds or are not fit to make the journey to Luton.
The above photograph of the entertainers and the entertained on the terrace in front of the hospital housed at the Wrest Park mansion was taken on Thursday, May 4th, 1916. The entertainment was under the experienced management of Mr Mark Lorne, the resident manager of the Palace, and it was a great show.
In the photograph, reading from left to right, appear the following. Front row - Frank Maura, Jacxk Smiles, Cissie Curlette, Nan Saunders, Mr Mark Lorne (resident manager of the Palace, Luton), Mr W. N. Blake (managing director of the Empire, Bedford), Dr Kirkwood, Mr L. Lyons (managing director of the Palace, Luton), Simosa San, Mrs Melbourne and Mr Melbourne (Musical Melbournes), Andy Carr, Mr Tempus and Mr Reid.
Second row - Kipper M. Walbrecq, Miss Handerson, M. Williams, Mr Wheble, Mr Creswick, Mr D. H. Purvis (musical director, Palace Theatre), Pte Jackson, Mr Radcliffe, L. McMahon and Miss Wheble. Third row - Mr Webb, Kenneth Stavordale, Mr H. Panter (stage manager, Palace Theatre), Sgt-Major Kingsley, Mrs H. Read and Mr F. V. Morris (Palace Theatre).
There are now some 140 wounded soldiers accommodated at Wrest Park, about 80 of whom belong to a batch which only arrived a fortnight or three weeks back, and all but the very worst cases were enabled to take part in the entertainment. Some lay in their beds, others were propped up in cosy easy chairs, and those capable of greater freedom of movement made themselves comfortable on the floor of the handsome staircase, and in fact anywhere where accommodation presented itself in the magnificent hall, which served on this occasion the purposes of a temporary theatre.
For a space of two and a half hours the patients had their thoughts completely whirled away from what they had passed through by what was enthusiastically described by the Medical Officer as really the finest show they have had at Wrest Park.
The hospital for wounded soldiers at Wrest Park was established by Lord Lucas under the care of his sister, the Hon Miss Herbert.
[The Luton Reporter: Monday, May 8th and 15th, 1916]
On September 14th, 1916, a disastrous fire brought an abrupt end to Wrest Park Mansion's use as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Two weeks earlier a concert party from the Palace Theatre had given another of their shows there. David Wilson, a caricaturist with The Performer newspaper, recorded the event in his own way. His cartoon sketch (below) was reprinted in The Luton Reporter on September 11th, 1916.
