Stories from The Luton News: Thursday, July 20th, 1916.

With 12,000 munition workers - mostly women and girls - in Luton, the official opening by Lady Wernher, of Luton Hoo, of a YWCA hut in Upper George Street for their leisure time was warmly welcomed.

The hut, on a site at the corner of Dunstable Place that was designated for a future Post Office, had been erected at a cost of £400, money donated by the directors of Nestlé Ltd. Lady Wernher had sent a cheque for £250 to help equip the building and had also provided the items for a reading room. George Kent Ltd, employers of many munition girls, also subscribed £150, and there were smaller donations from individuals.

Lady Wernher said that in days when women were contributing so large a share to the defence of the country she hoped the club would mean a great deal to the girl life of the town.

Other speakers included Lady Procter, President of the YWCA Welfare Committee, who said she wanted young folk to regard the club as a happy home, and its lady superintendent as their guide, counsellor and friend.

• On Monday afternoon the sad news was received by the young wife of Pte Alfred 'Bert' Walker, of the Beds Regt, that he had been killed during the recent active operations on the Western Front. A sergeant wrote to Pte Walker's widow at 130 Wellington Street, Luton, that he husband was killed while providing dressings for a comrade during a heavy bombardment.

• At a deacons' meeting on Tuesday evening at the King Street Congregational Church, the pastor (the Rev E. B. Mahon) made the sad declaration that, judging by a letter he had received from comrades in the field, there was little hope for his son, Rifleman Arthur Thomas Mahon, who had been reported missing in the July1st advance.

• The young widow of L-Cpl Stanley Dean Swift, 7th Bedfords and a native of Luton whose home was at 37 Tavistock Street, was notified by the Church of England Chaplain at the 21st Casualty Clearing Station in France, that her husband had died there following wounds sustained in the advance. He had been laid to rest in the burial ground at the hospital.

• The Wesleyan Chaplain of the 7th Bedfordshire Regiment wrote to Mr and Mrs Walter Fensome, of 63-65 Duke Street, Luton, to inform them of the death of their son, Pte Stanley Walter Fensome, who was killed on the first day of the advance, July 1st. Pte Fensome was one of the 300,000 for whom Lord Kitchener asked on the outbreak of war.

• A typical 'Tommy Atkins' was Pte Harry Bacchus, brother of Mrs Warner, of 6 Bolton Road, Luton, who has been killed in action while fighting with his regiment, the 2nd Bedfords. He is buried in the cemetery at Maricourt.

• A notification was received from the War Office on Sunday by Mr and Mrs W. J. Butcher, of 'Bandrose,' Braithwaite Road [off Studley Road], that their son, Sec-Lieut Richard Norman Butcher, was wounded in France on July 11th. The slight wound to his face had been dressed and he had returned to his regiment, 20th Liverpools. [Sec-Lieut Butcher was wounded again on July 30th and died as a result on August 5th, 1916].

• Cpl Herbert Percy Parsons, 22, of the Beds Regiment and son of Mr and Mrs Sidney Parsons, of 128 Park Street, had a narrow escape when he was struck down on Thursday by shrapnel that shattered his lower jaw, severely damaged his right hand and injured a small toe. On Saturday he was brought to London and is not in Queen Alexandra's Hospital.

• Luton-born Pte Sam Sandon, son of Mr and Mrs Sandon, of 70 Old Bedford Road, and his Dunstable chum Pte A. Spittel were both now prisoners of war while fighting side by side with the Beds Regiment on April 19th. Pte Sandon had married in November and had been living with his wife's parents, Mr and Mrs William Sanders, at 41 Edward Street, Dunstable.

• By kind permission of Commandant Mrs Green, the men of the 1st (Luton) Section V.A.D., were received on Monday evening at Wardown by Second Officer Andrew, of the Fire Brigade, for instruction in saving life and dealing with fire. Sister Cooper arranged the business for the men, who speedily got to work. A 'patient,' supposed to be helpless and weighing 12 st 7 lb, was bodily removed without injury, bumping or in any way being distressed out of bed, out of the ward, across the corridor and down two flights of stairs in 30 seconds.

• Mrs Lawrence, daughter of Mr and Mrs Ward, of Wardown Park, has just received a letter from her husband 'Jack' Lawrence, of the 24th Londons, saying that he has been promoted from platoon sergeant to company sergeant-major. He was home on leave in May and was then married at Christ Church, Luton.

• On Monday Mr Charles A. Irons, the town crier (pictured right), had an experience unique in the 35 years he has held office as herald of the manor when he visited nearly all the schools in Luton to announce the exhibition of Lord Kitchener's letter in a marquee in front of the Town Hall and he did it in his inimitable way. The boys were lined up military fashion in the schools and heard the proclamation: "Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! Kitchener is watching you from the other shore, and England expects that every lad in this school this day will do his duty and pay a visit to the tent in front of the Town Hall." The exhibition realised £70, divided between the National Red Cross Fund and Prisoners of War Funds.

• Yesterday afternoon a horse and coal trolley, the property of Messrs Godden and Rudd and driven by Alfred Adams, of 14 Collingdon Street, was standing in Upper George Street when a tram driven by motorman Penman ran into the back of the trolley, causing the horse to bolt. It ran down George Street, John Street, Cheapside and into Chapel Street, where it was stopped by Sgt E. Janes. Fortunately no one was injured.

• Mr Thomas Puddephatt, one of Luton's first councillors and aldermen, passed away on Monday evening at his home, 29 Rothesay Road. He was aged 88 and was first elected a member of the Town Council on June 6th, 1876, soon after the Charter of Incorporation. He served on the council for 22 years, was a member of the Board of Guardians for 18 years, was probably the oldest Oddfellow in the district and a regular attender at Chapel Street Wesley Church since it was built. He erected many properties in the town, notably in the Rothesay Road and Napier Road districts.

• The Rev Charles Jennings, who succeeds the Rev A. Fawcett in the pastorate of Church Street Primitive Methodist Church and the Luton No. 2 District, took up his duties this week. Last evening there was a hearty reception meeting of the congregation and members of the circuit.

• The annual children's treat of the Park Street Baptist Church took place on Saturday in a large field at Ramridge End, by kind permission of Mr Saunders. The junior portion of the school was conveyed by four tramcars to Round Green, when they walked to the field, where there were sports, games and amusements.

• A special general meeting of members of Luton Chamber of Commerce carried without dissent a resolution proposed by Mayor Alderman J. H. Staddon, that a proclamation signed by himself, the President of the Chamber of Commerce and the Chairman of the Retail Association, as representatives of the various branches of industry in the town, should be issued, requesting everyone to to carry out the wish of the Government and not close down businesses for a holiday during August Bank Holiday week.

• We understand that Harry Edward Stanton and Bernard Bonner, two of Luton's conscientious objectors who were sentenced to death in France, are at present in Winchester Gaol undergoing ten years penal servitude. They are cheerful, and visits have been paid by relatives and friends, as is possible during the first week of civil confinement, for they are now under civil control.