A Terrible Accident

Monday 31st August 1914 (Bedford): News of a tragedy which cost the life of one of their number has reached the Highlanders billeted in Bedford. A group of soldiers visited St Neots yesterday and went to Eynesbury to bathe in the river. When they arrived they realised it was ladies’ day and sat some distance away. After a time they realised two girls had got into difficulty and two of the men went to their rescue. One of these, Walter Taylor, was bringing one of the girls back to the bank when the other caught hold of him. The poor lad sank and was caught in the weeds where he drowned. The girls were rescued by others of the group of soldiers who found a punt. Young Taylor came from Aberdeen, where ironically his address was Bedford Road. His funeral is to be held tomorrow at St Neots.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 4th September 1914

Excitement in Wardown Park

Lake and bathing pavilion, Wardown Park c.1910 [Z1306/75/8/3]

Sunday 30th August 1914 (Luton): Both soldiers and civilians gathered at Wardown Park this afternoon to listen to the band. After the concert there was some excitement when a small boy fell into the lake and had to be pulled out by the Territorials. When the soldiers removed his wet clothes they realised he was wearing little more than rags and dressed him in one of their coats, much to his delight. Later in the evening there was pandemonium when a group of soldiers were seen chasing two men wearing civilian clothes. Everyone naturally assumed the men must be German spies. It turned out however that they were just local Luton men who had been giving out cigarettes to the Territorials. The soldiers had heard stories of a man travelling the country giving drugged cigarettes to troops so had became suspicious. After the men were identified they had to be sent out of the park by a back way to avoid the crowd.

Source: Luton News 3rd September 1914

Belgian Refugees in Luton

Ruined entrance to Termond, Belgium 1914 [Z160/484]

Saturday 29th August 1914 (Luton): Two families of Belgian refugees are now staying in a boarding house in Luton. The fathers are both businessmen from Brussels who escaped on the morning of the very day the Germans arrived in the city. One of them had stayed in Luton many years ago, having been sent here to learn English, so the two men decided to bring their families to the town rather than go to London. They are said to be remarkably cheerful and calm despite the loss of their homes and their uncertain future. There are reports of terrible things having been done to the Belgians by the German invaders, but the refugees saw nothing of this as they had left before the Germans arrived.

Source: Luton News 3rd September 1914

Rugby Fixtures Cancelled

Goldington Road Stadium. Image: Wikipedia

Friday 28th August 1914, Bedford: Many of the young men of the town will be disappointed to hear that all Rugby football fixtures for Bedford have been cancelled for the foreseeable future. The team were due to play both Harlequins and Northampton in September but both those matches have been called off. Many of the team are already serving in the forces and others have joined up as volunteers. Even if there were enough players to make up a team, the Goldington Road ground cannot be used as the premises have been taken over by the army. The scrum hall is being used to store food for the troops, the grandstand is full of fodder for the horses, and the pitch itself has been badly damaged by horses and vehicles. It seems unlikely that there can be any matches at Goldington Road before Christmas.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 28th August 1914

School Matters

Thursday 27th August 1914 (Luton): An announcement has been made today about schooling arrangements. The children are due to return to school next week after the summer holidays, but many of the school buildings are being used to billet troops. Special arrangements have had to be made with a number of schools having to double up and share premises. Where this happens children will only get three days schooling a week and will attend school on alternate days, either Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No doubt many of the youngsters will be happy to have unexpected freedom on the days they do not have to attend. Their parents' feelings may be rather different!

Source: Luton News 27th August 1914

Spy Fever Strikes Again

Application by George Alger for a post as clerk at the Bedford Bank, 1841 [BD413]

Wednesday 26th August 1914 (Bedford): Spy fever has struck again in Bedford. Mr R. W. Alger was wheeling his elderly mother down the Goldington Road in a bath chair when he heard a German speaking in broken English. He reported the man to two Highlander officers and continued walking. Two mounted soldiers were sent to inform the police, but there was obviously some mix up over the message as they pointed out Mr Alger to a policeman as the suspected German. He and his mother were then taken to the police station. Meanwhile word got round the town that the old lady in the bathchair was a German in disguise! A hostile crowd gathered outside the police station and shouted some very choice words at those inside. Fortunately all was quickly resolved as Mrs Alger’s late husband had been a manager at the Bedford Bank for fifty years and the family is well known to the Chief Constable. Mr Alger and the old lady were escorted out the back entrance of the bank and order was restored.

Source: Bedfordshire Times 28th August 1914

Intruder at the Waterworks

Bedford Corporation Waterworks 1912 [Z293/1]

Tuesday 25th August 1914 (Linslade): Last week an incident took place at the waterworks in Linslade when one of the guards saw something creeping along the side of the fence and fired three shots. The area was searched carefully but nothing was found. It was feared that an intruder may have poisoned the water in the reservoir and a sample was sent to the Public Analyst for testing. Linslade Council held a special meeting today at which the analyst's report was read. No trace of poison has been found and the water has been declared safe to drink. In any case the reservoir had already been thoroughly cleaned and the filtering sand replaced. A lot of fuss and work was created by this supposed "intruder” which it is now suspected was probably nothing more a dog or fox.

Source: Luton News 27th August 1914