Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: June 17th, 1916.

A jury at an Under Sheriff's Court at Bedford awarded £400 damages to Mr E. Graham Falcon, proprietor of the Grand Theatre in Luton and the Royal County Theatre at Bedford, against Mr Donald Arthur, a London proprietor of touring theatrical companies, for breaches of contract.

Judgement had been given for Mr Falcon in the High Court and the case was remitted to the Sheriff's Court to allow a jury to assess the amount of damages. In June 1915 Mr Arthur entered into a contract to produce Mr Charles Morritt in "The Mysteries of Maskelyne And Devant" at The Grand from November 1st to 6th and at the Bedford theatre from November 15th to 20th. Failure to produce the play unless prevented by fire, flood or tempest, would involve a £200 breach of contract in each case.

Mr Falcon (pictured right) issued his engagement sheets and refused other companies the dates arranged with Mr Arthur. On October 11th he received a letter stating that Charles Morritt was engaged at the Polytechnic and offering a deputy for matinee performances, with Mr Morritt appearing in the evening performances. But Mr Morritt later wired Mr Arthur to say he would not appear at Luton or Bedford under any consideration.

• Luton Trades and Labour Council reported that it now had eight members on three public bodies in Luton, whereas at the close of last year they had none. It was felt this augured well for prospects at the municipal elections in November. Meanwhile, a large number of female workers at munition factories were reported to be joining the two branches of trade unions established in the town.

• On Thursday afternoon a horse attached to a Great Northern Railway Company dray was left unattended in Dunstable Place when the animal bolted. Fortunately, it was pulled up by Mr Bloomfield, baker, of Stuart Street, who had rushed out of his shop on seeing what was happening. No-one was injured.

• Yesterday afternoon a five-year-old child from North Street was crossing High Town Road when she was caught by the guard of a passing tramcar driven by John Hine, of Highbury Road. She was knocked down and sustained bad bruises on the left leg, but was otherwise not seriously injured.

• "Somewhere on the East Coast" two battalions of the Bedfordshire Regiment, along with other regiments of the garrison, had recently been reviewed by his Majesty the King [George V].

• The annual "Court Leet and View of Frank Pledge with the General Court Baron of Lady Wernher, the Lady of the Manor of Luton" once again went through its ancient ceremonies at the Corn Exchange on Thursday. It was announced by the Town Crier [Charles Irons] under the arbour of the beech boughs, which is a survival of the shelter of the open market place, where the Court was held in times gone by. Mr W. Smith was reappointed bailiff, hay warden, and fish, flesh and ale taster; Mr F. J. Rignall was appointed affeerer (fines collector); and Mr Charles Irons was appointed pound keeper [for stray animals] and bellman [Town Crier].

• One item for discussion at the Court Leet was the erection of fences on common land at the Horse Shoes Inn end of Leagrave Marsh to allow commoners' cattle to be turned out to graze untended. When a plan for fencing had previously been publicise, there was a great deal public opposition and the fences had been pulled down. It was suggested that opposition was now less and that it might be possible to introduce the fencing through the Rural District Council.

• A memorial service for the late Lord Kitchener was held at Ampthill Park last Tuesday. At 9 am the Bedfordshire Training Depot, nearly 1,000 strong, paraded on the plateau which in days gone by was the site of the residence of Henry the Eight's first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Marching in slow time, the battalion in column of fours slowly descended the gorse-clad slope to the Lower Parade for a service conducted by the Rev C. R. Dickinson, Acting Chaplain to the troops at Ampthill. The service ended with bugles sounding the Last Post.

• Monday was a wet, dull day and most people were glad that a wise ministry had creed that it better to work than play over the cancelled Whitsun Bank Holiday. Said one woman: "It's been nothing but rotten weather since they tampered with the clocks [Daylight Saving]. Now it's mid-winter in June, and we can't even weather the straw hats we bought. No Whit, no sun, but plenty of wet!"

• The most novel excuse for attempting to obtain deferred exemption from military service came from a bald-headed man at a Tribunal in Leeds who feared his appearance "would cause merriment," said the Telegraph. He had found a hair-restorer which appeared to be effective but the ingredients had to be mixed together with hot water - "and you can't get hot water in the Army". An unsympathetic Tribunal poured cold water on his appeal.