Bob Hawkes, the well-known Luton Town footballer, again appeared before the Bedfordshire Appeals Tribunal on Thursday [June 29th, 1916]. The decision on the appeal lodged by the Military Representative against Hawkes' conditional exemption as a straw hat manufacturer had been adjourned for the Tribunal to receive the official instructions in regard to the official instructions in regard to the question of one-man businesses.

Mr Thomas Keens expressed the view that in this case it was evidently a one-man business, adding that he did not think Mr Gardner (the Military Representative) would have appealed had it not been under the impression that the case was principally a matter of income derived from football.

Mr Gardner said his point was that Hawkes' business had still been kept going while he was away from his home for a considerable time at football. Mr Keens replied, however, that the evidence was that this was not the case. Since April 1915 he had played as an amateur, and the only time he required off from business was on Saturday afternoons.

This Hawkes said was the case. Since they had been playing as amateurs they only played on Saturdays. They were at home one week and away the next, but going away did not necessitate leaving home before eleven or twelve o'clock. Even supposing football were now going on he could attend to his business and play football as well.

The military appeal was in the end dismissed.

[The Luton Reporter: Monday, July 3rd, 1916]