Shefford and Stotfold Egg Collection

Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, Wandsworth, used as 3rd London General Hospital 

(Photograph: Henry Lawford under Creative Commons Licence via Wikimedia)

Sunday 7th May 1916: The village of Shefford has redoubled its efforts to collect eggs for the wounded since the Vicar published this letter from the Secretary of the National Egg Committee in the parish magazine last month:

“Rev. Sir, - The call for eggs from the Hospitals for the wounded men grows in its volume and anxiety. We have appealed to you in the past with success, and that result encourages us once again to ask you to assist us in our latest special scheme. Every week we are called upon to find more than a million new-laid eggs for this cause. Those who are in a weak state of health and require the eggs themselves are asked to contribute to our funds the value of the eggs consumed by them during Easter week.”

A successful collection was held at the church today at which no less than 771 eggs were contributed, beating the previous highest total of 660 by a considerable margin and bringing to total provided by the village to 2,604. The next collection will be held on Sunday 4th June from which the eggs will be sent to the 3rd London General Hospital at Wandsworth. This is a large Military Hospital with 1,500 beds, where the patients include both a large number of Australians and some Bedfordshires. Among them is the Vicar of Shefford’s son, Lieutenant A. E. Dakin, who was wounded in January [LINK to February 11th].

The children of Stotfold have also provided over 600 eggs. A correspondent in the village says “the egg collectors at Headquarters have “the cheek of Lambley Jack” as they say at Nottingham, when they wish to use a simile for any specially impudent person. They showed their “cheek” by sending two more boxes to be filled, without being asked to do so. Well, the boxes had come and it seemed a pity to send them back empty, so the Vicar in turn followed the example “Lambley Jack” (whever he was) and asked the boys of the Council School, and the girls of our Church Schools, whether they could not find us some more eggs – and more, as a result have gone. Send more eggs, friends, for they provide “shells” for our soldiers.”

Source: Stondon,Shefford and Stotfold Parish Magazine [P83/30/1]

Oranges for the Navy

Boys from Stotfold Council School with 

fruit and vegetables for the navy [Z1306/115/19/4] 

Sunday 12th March 1916: The village of Stotfold has responded admirably to an appeal to provide oranges for the Royal Navy, sending a grand total of 3,078 to the Fleet. The boys of the Council Schools gave nearly 500 oranges, while the girls and infants of the Day Schools gave five shillings and seven pence to the collection. The district as a whole has sent over 15,000 oranges.

Source: Stotfold Parish Magazine [P83/30/1]

Soldiers at Stotfold

Mill Lane, Stotfold 1913 (corner of Baptist Chapel on right)

[Z1306/115/11/4]

Saturday 15th January 1916: The special constables of Stotfold were busy last week arranging for the billeting of two hundred or more soldiers in the village who were expected to arrive tomorrow. However, late on Friday evening a telegraph arrived with the news that the accommodation for men and horses would not be required after all. This caused some regret as expenses had already been incurred in making preparation for the soldiers’ arrival.

One soldier who did arrive in the village is Private William Huckle, who is home on leave from France. He joined the 8th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment in March and was sent overseas in August where he has since been in the thick of the action. A physically strong man, he has been distinguished by his endurance and ability to resist the sickness that has afflicted many of his comrades, and has now won a promotion. He has many interesting and thrilling stories to tell, particularly of the Battle of Loos, and is due to give an address to the congregation of the Old Baptist Chapel this evening.

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 21st January 1916

A Letter from Gallipoli

Stotfold, 1911 [Z1306/115/3/6]

Wednesday 27th October 1915: In August our military colleague heard from Private E.J. Albon of Stotfold who is serving as a signaller with the 1/5th Bedfords at Gallipoli. He has now written to his parents with the news that he is out of the trenches for an eight day rest, although he complains that “it is practically the same as being in the trenches both for work and rifle and shell fire.” Fortunately since the action in August he has been moved to another part of the line where the casualties are much fewer and they are “just losing a man or two when we are in the trenches, but that’s caused mostly by rifle fire”.

Like the East Anglian Royal Engineers the Bedfords are becoming creative in their use of rations. Private Albon says “We are getting quite expert cooks now. We make an oven of a biscuit tin buried in the bank and turn out some decent tarts using powdered biscuits for flour and when we don’t get bread, which is very often, we have rice puddings and anything like that, so long as we can manage without our inevitable biscuits and bully”. He hopes that when he returns to the trenches he will be fortunate as he was the last time, when he was posted to the telephone station attached to the Quartermaster’s Stores about a mile from the firing line. As a signaller his worst job is dispatch carrying, but as that duty lasts only for a 12 hour stretch “I don’t mind doing my bit any time”. 

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 29th October 1915

Stotfold News

Boys from Stotfold Council School with 

fruit and vegetables for the navy [Z1306/115/19/4] 

Friday 6th August 1915: The residents of Stotfold have been making their own contributions to the war effort. A meeting of the Hospital Demonstration Committee was held on Wednesday at the Church Schools to allocate the money collected at a demonstration held a few weeks ago. The decision was taken to send £12 to Hitchin Hospital, £2 2s. to Bedford Hospital, £2 2s to Addenbrooke’s Hospital at Cambridge, £1 1s to the Beau Site Convalescent Home at Hastings, and £1 1s to the Convalescent Home at Hunstanton. The Honorable Secretary of the Hospital Fund thanks all those who contributed and those who worked hard to make the demonstration such a success. Special thanks were due to the gentlemen who made and gave collecting boxes, to those who used the boxes to collect money, and to the ladies and gentlemen who decorated vehicles and cycles for the procession.

The children of both the Council and Church Schools have been photographed with their latest contribution of fruit and vegetables for the Navy which are the best yet in both size and quality. During the holidays the children will be able to take their contributions to the village depot at Vaughan Farm between 1.30 and 2.30pm every Wednesday. At the end of the holidays all those who have given fruit and vegetables will receive a certificate autographed by Lord Charles Beresford. Connie Billington of the Church Schools has received the following letter of thanks from HMS Claire:

“Dear Connie, All my mates join me in thanking you for your kindness in sending us some rhubarb. We did enjoy it. The cook got some custard powder and made us stewed rhubarb and custard, so you see we had a fine turn-out, and there wasn’t a bit left. It is nice to know that while we are out on the North Sea, sweeping for those dreadful mines, you are thinking about us at home, and doing your little bit to make our lives brighter and more happy. You may rest comfortably at home; the Germans won’t come for you while there are stout hearts and strong arms waiting here for them. I hope you remember us in your prayers at bedtime. I think I  can rely on you doing that. You must be a sweet young lady to think about the sailors as you do.

Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 6 August 1915

Vegetables for the Navy

Collectors of fruit and vegetables for the Navy, 1915 [Z50/115/51]

Friday 16th July 1915: Henlow has been asked to join Arlesey and Stotfold in collecting fruit and vegetables for the sailors of the North Sea Fleet. Gifts of fruit and vegetables can be taken to the Vicarage on Wednesday morning, from where it will be taken to the Three Counties Asylum at Stotfold for packing. Produce from Arlesey and Stotfold is already reaching the Fleet and a number of letters have been received from grateful sailors. The skipper of a trawler-minesweeper has thanked Miss Helen Barnes of the Three Counties Asylum for a bag of gooseberries on behalf of his officers and crew. Lettuces sent by two Arlesey girls, Sylvia Allen and her sister, were enjoyed by the happy recipients for tea on the day they were received, and Master Cyril Pinnock of Avondale Terrace has received the following interesting letter from a member of the crew of H.M.T. Gucca:

“Dear Master Cyril, I am writing on behalf of myself and crew of this ship to give you many thanks for the nice cabbage you were kind enough to send us. We have often received vegetables when we have returned to our base, but up to the present have not been able to give the kind friends our thanks, because we have not known where to write, but the steward found your address among the cabbages today so was able to write. We have often talked it over and said we should like to be able to write and thank the kind friends who send us nice vegetables. Well, we are sweeping in the North Sea under very favourable conditions, different to what we had a few months ago. We are not getting a lot of mines at present, only keeping Channel clear by sweeping them daily for the passage of merchant ships going up and down into different ports, but at present we do 12 days out sweeping then have to go back to our base for coal and stores etc. We are eight days out today and are due to go in about the 6th inst. I must say again how grateful we are to you. We had some of the vegetables for dinner today. I must tell you this is my thirty-second year in the navy, and I have never had to write a letter that has given me greater pleasure than this. Trusting this will find you in good health. I remain, yours sincerely, Fred Hand”

Source: Biggleswade Chronicle, 16th July 1915

Bedfordshire Regiment Recruiting March

The Recruiting Band, 2/5th Bedfords, 1915 [Bedfordshire Standard]

Thursday 20th May 1915:  Six officers and 144 men of the 2/5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, led by Major Richard Rouse Boughton Orlebar [1], have begin a three week recruiting march through the county. This battalion consists of Imperial Service men who are unable to go to the Front, in most cases because they have not reached the qualifying age of 19.The aim of the march is to recruit 500 men and raise a new battalion which will become the 3/5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment; this Battalion will be used to reinforce the 1/5th Battalion when it gets into the firing line. The marchers travelled by train from Newmarket, where they are billeted, to Baldock. From there they began their march accompanied by both the bugle and brass bands of the battalion; they will be stopping today at Stotfold, Arlesey, Henlow, Upper Stondon and Shillington. The recruiting party is expected to arrive at Luton on Sunday and will spend the Whitsun Bank Holiday there. The Lord Lieutenant Mr. Samuel Whitbread has issued this appeal to the public:

MEN, JOHN THE NEW BATTALION.

MOTHERS, LET YOUR SONS GO.

SWEETHEARTS, PERSUADE YOUR BOYS.

ALL JOIN IN AND HELP.

The march is scheduled to take 22 days and to cover a distance of 226 miles; the soldiers will be billeted in the towns and larger villages and will visit the smaller villages en route. It is scheduled to end at Bedford on Friday 11th June. Those wishing to enlist need not wait for the recruiters to arrive. They can sign up at any time either at the Luton Corn Exchange, where recruiting officers have been located, or at the battalion’s headquarters at 46 Gwyn Street, Bedford.

Sources: Luton News 20th May 1915; Bedfordshire Standard 4 June 1915

[1] The husband of Faith Orlebar, commandant of Hinwick House Hospital