News from Eaton Bray

High Street, Eaton Bray c.1905 [Z1306/39/2/2]

Saturday 27th April 1918: News has been received in Eaton Bray of two deaths, a prisoner and a wedding. Mr. Lewis Ruffett has been informed that his son, Private Fred Ruffett of the Bedfordshire Regiment was killed on 24th March, only two weeks after returning from leave. Private Ruffett had enlisted under the Derby Scheme in February 1916 and was sent to France in April 1917. His brother lost a leg in France eighteen months ago. Corporal Charley Chanin of the Lancers was killed in action a day earlier, on 23rd March. Corporal Chanin enlisted at the beginning of the war and served in Ireland during the 1916 rebellion. The mother of Lance-Corporal William Neville has received a card from her son telling her that he is now a prisoner of war at Cassel, in Germany. He was the first man from the village of Eaton Bray to join up, in September 1914.

Happier news comes from Canada, where Miss Annie Hebbes, the second daughter of Mr. J. A. Hebbes of Eaton Bray has marries Mr. H. G. Tice of Truax, Saskatchewan. The wedding took place at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan on 22nd March. The bride’s brother, who has been farming in Alberta, Canada for some years was present. The new Mrs. Tice was formerly the assistant matron at Leighton Buzzard Workhouse.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 30th April 1918

Sugar for Jam Making

Advertisement for Chivers’ jam and jellies c.1907 [X704/198]

Monday 25th March 1918: The Local Food Office in Linslade, which also covers the Eaton Bray and Wing areas, has received details of a scheme under which sugar for jam will be distributed to fruit growers. Applications for sugar must be made by the growers themselves, and two separate permits will be issued: one for soft fruit available between the 8th June and 31st July, and the other for hard fruit available between 1st August and 30th September. Rhubarb will be included among soft fruits, and vegetable marrows with the hard fruits. The total amount of sugar for making jam for home consumption will not exceed ten pounds for each member of the household. Anyone expecting to have quantities of fruit which would enable them to use more sugar than this will be expected to place jam at the disposal of the Local Food Committee at wholesale prices.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 26th March 1918

Bread, Meat and Sugar

Yirrell’s butcher’s shop, Old Road, Linslade c.1900 [Z50/74/15]

Friday 21st September 1917: The Emergency Committee of the Linslade Urban and Wing and Eaton Bray Rural Joint Food Control Committee has been dealing with issues regarding the implementation of the Bread Order which came into force on Monday. This required all bakers’ stocks to be recorded on the previous Saturday evening – no simple task when there were twenty villages in addition to the town of Linslade to cover. With the introduction of the Order the price of flour dropped from about 60 shillings to 44 shillings and three pence, and bakers were to be compensated for all stock in hand which had been purchased at the higher price. All stocks were to be inspected, with invoices proving the price paid to be presented to the inspector. At last week’s meeting of the Committee it was decided that the sub-committees recently appointed for each village should be given responsibility for the task, and a single Linslade committee member should carry out the inspection in the town. At today’s committee meeting it was reported that the matter had been dealt with satisfactorily. Only one Linslade baker required adjustment as all the others had cleared out their stocks by Saturday evening. The village sub-committees had not yet made their returns due to a delay in sending out forms

The Committee also considered butchers’ scales of charges. The Committee was informed that only five had sent in lists of their meat prices. Offenders were to be sharply reminded of their obligations and warned that failure to meet them was punishable by a £100 fine and imprisonment. Butchers were now also required to exhibit their prices but in a number of cases this was not being done. The position of itinerant butchers under the regulations was questioned, and the committee Chairman advised that they were required to display prices in the same way as any other butcher, with their cart being treated as a shop for this purpose. Notices have been sent out asking those butchers who have not already done so to display their price list as ordered by the Food Controller. There was concern that as butchers were allowed to make £10 on each bullock price manipulation was taking place. Butchers with a high-class trade reduced the price of poor cuts which they did not sell and increased the price of better joints, while those who traded mostly in cheap cuts lowered the official prices for the more expensive parts and charged more for the rest.

The committee was given a long list of applications for registration as retailers of sugar, with all but one approved. There was some surprise at the number of sugar retailers, with the village of Wing having as many as eleven certified as having sold sugar during the year 1915 – it is thought that some only ever sold sugar in the form of sweets! The Linslade applicant whose claim was disputed explained in a letter that his business was opened in July 1916 and dealt mainly with boat people who were concerned about their future supply of sugar. It was recommended that the application should be refused as there were two other shops near the canal where supplies could be obtained.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer 18th and 25th September 1917

Lighting Offences

High Street, Eaton Bray c.1905 [Z1306/39/2/2]

Tuesday 22nd August 1916:  The need to keep lights shaded is still causing difficulties for local residents. Henry Impey of Eaton Bray has pleaded guilty to failing to subdue the lights in his house on 1st August. He was asked to do so by special constable Edward William Brown who was on duty that night due to air raid reports. He saw a light in Mr. Impey’s cottage at Chapel Yard at 12.15 and told Mr. Impey to put it out. Mr. Impey did so, but at 2.10am another light was visible through the sides of the window blind. The defendant said that one of his three children was very frightened of the dark and had to have a small light. He had now altered the blind and shaded the light so that it cannot be seen through the window, but he was still fined nine shillings with costs.

Emily Evans, a domestic servant at “Northcourt”, Leighton Buzzard also pleaded guilty to failing to sufficiently reduce or shade an inside light on the same night. Special Constable T. H. Bishop said that he had seen the light through the trees at the side of “Northcourt” while on air raid duty in Heath Road at 1 a.m. The window blind was up and the light full on. When he called out the gas was immediately put out. Nineteen year old Miss Evans said she was the only one in the bedroom, and the light was only a candle. She was fined ten shillings.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 22 August 1916

Chequers Inn, Eaton Bray

Wednesday 17th May 1916:  An application for the transfer of the license of the Chequers Inn, Eaton Bray from Leonard Charles Durrant to Walter Long was discussed at Leighton Buzzard yesterday. Mr. Long said he was 32 years old, and had no previous experience in managing a public house. When asked if there was any reason why he should not go to the Front he replied that he expected he would be called on, but had not attested. The Chairman of the Bench was surprised that he wanted to take on the responsibility of a licensed public house when he would have to go, but he explained that his wife would look after it in his absence. He also added that he had four children. Despite this he was certain that she would manage it all right, although she also had no experience.

The Chairman said he was a brave man to sink his savings into a business of which he knew nothing, but Mr. Long was clear that he wished to proceed. He was told “It will be no good coming to the Tribunal saying you have invested your money in a public house and asking for exemption from service on that account” and that he was “running a big risk to take this house and then leave your wife in charge”. Mr. Long did say he had a “slight idea” that he would not pass the Army medical examination. The Bench agreed to grant temporary authority for a month; Mr. Long was to report back in a month’s time on his position regarding military service.[1]

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 23rd May 1916

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[1] Licensing records show that Mr. Long remained the licensee of the Chequers until 1920.

Salvationist in Court for Lighting Offence

Salvation Army group at Ampthill, 1906 [Z1306/1/35/1]

Saturday 18th March 1916: A Salvation Army officer from Cheddington has appeared in court and pleaded guilty to allowing lights to shine from the windows of the Salvation Army Barracks at Eaton Bray on 4th March. Police Constable Storr noticed a bright light at 9.25 p.m., entered the building and found three lamps alight. Wesley Kitto expressed his regret at the offence, explaining that there had been boards against the windows, but that evening one had been removed to make an improvised table for a tea party. He was fined 10 shillings and 6 pence, including costs.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 21st March 1916

A Recruitment Meeting at Eaton Bray

The Square, Eaton Bray 1908 [Z1130/39/14]

Wednesday 10th March 1915: A recruitment meeting held at the National School, Eaton Bray yesterday evening was well attended. The meeting was organised by the South Beds Recruiting Committee, presided over by the vicar, Revd. E. Sutton, and included a varied concert programme with a comedian, Mr Edgar Wane, and the drum and fife band of the Luton Volunteer Training Corps among the entertainers.

Revd. Sutton said that if the country was conquered by the Germans certain things would be governed well, such as sanitary matters, but that autocracy would replace our free institutions and men should be willing to lay down their lives to protect our priceless liberty. Mr Hugh Cumberland hoped that Eaton Bray would improve its recruitment record. The 5th Beds Reserves were short of 250 men, and the 5th Battalion could not be deployed until the Reserves were fully manned. He did not think the Reserves would see any fighting “but if they did and lost their lives, well – it was a noble end”.

Mr H. Inwards, secretary of the South Beds Recruiting Committee, also appealed for the eligible men in the village to join the Bedfordshire Regiment, and pointed out that Mr Cumberland had a gallant son in the Bedfords and also two daughters engaged in Red Cross work. He had been visited by Major Brighten, commanding officer of the 5th Beds, who had warned him of the urgent need to strengthen the Reserves. Both Major Brighten and the Lord Lieutenant had told him that in the 1st Battalion the Bedfordshire Regiment had one of the finest fighting units in the country.

Mr Inwards read an extract from a soldier’s letter sent from near La Bassee where heavy fighting was going on; the writer could not comprehend why men at home did not feel a sense of urgency to protect their country:

“As we see and realise all the destruction caused by the enemy, we citizen soldiers are glad that we are here, for we know that we might have seen this havoc in England, and we might have seen our homes ruined, our churches desecrated. And yet they tell us that there are those at home who still regard their personal comfort as of more importance than their country’s safety! Is it that they do not realise what this war means? What will rouse them from their awful lethargy?”

Colonel Fenwick, a former officer of the Dorsets, drove over from Tilsworth to join the meeting as an unofficial speaker, asked “Why should the Vicar’s three sons and my son fight for you, and men eligible to go do not do so? Every family from the highest to the lowest should be represented“. His son, home recently on a short leave from the trenches, hoped that more men would be sent out as “the Germans were jolly good fighters, and the Allies were up against a tough thing”.

Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 16th March 1915; Luton News 11th March 1915

Tipperary Cake

Eaton Bray girls with May garland, 1913 [Z467/43]

Tuesday 16th February 1915: The girls of Eaton Bray school have been busy making cakes for the fifty Eaton Bray men now serving in the forces. A large “Tipperary” cake – red, white and blue, iced and decorated – red-cross biscuits, and seed and coconut buns have been sent off to the Front. The girls have also sent hard boiled eggs with messages written on the shells, and letters for the soldiers. Eleven year old Norah Pipkin wrote:

“My dear Tommy, I have heard you came to the Eaton Bray school before you went to the war. I hope if you get near the Kaiser you will cut off his moustache. If you are spared to come back to Eaton Bray after the war is over I hope you will come to the old school and tell us of the hardships you have had to put up with. We have made some cakes to send you, and I hope you will enjoy them and give some of the cakes to your Eaton Bray comrades. I think if the Kaiser caught you he would not give you cakes, but he will give you ‘beans’. God bless you. I remain, your little friend, Norah Pipkin.”

Mr Paddock, the headmaster of the school has received a letter of thanks from  Lance-Corporal William Holland, an old boy of the school now serving with C Company of the 1st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment:

“Dear Sir,  Please accept my own and my chums’ heartiest thanks for sending the nice parcel. Tell the cookery girls it was eagerly looked for after I received your letter. I was very pleased to read the letters from the children, and I shall look forward to the time when I can pay you a visit and tell you my experiences. I was quite surprised to find that young people could cook so well. The hard-boiled eggs were a special treat, being the first I have had out here. We are having cold weather now, but we have got warm clothing. If you could see me rigged up you would not recognise me, having so many clothes on. We are quite happy here, but we shall be happier when the war is over. The chief necessity out here is scarcity of socks. I will now close, thanking you and Mrs Paddock. Yours sincerely,  W. Holland.”

Sources: Luton News, 4th February 1915; Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette, 16th February 1915