Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, January 18th, 1917.

The funerals of the victims of the sad accident at the Chaul End Works took place on Saturday. The funeral of Horace Crump, of Ash Road, took place at Caddington Churchyard, and that of Herbert Andrews, aged,17, who lived with his parents at Cold Harbour, Harpenden, at Harpenden Parish Church.

Mr Crump (pictured) was a native of Caddington and lived there all but the last 10 months of his life. He was a sidesman at the Parish Church, and a member of the choir for some years. He took a keen interest in the old village, and was loved and respected by all. He leaves a widow and seven children, the eldest of whom is on service in the Beds Yeomanry in France.

The cortege left 90 Ash Road, Luton and arrived at Caddington at 3.30, when the Rev W.F. Duckworth, with the robed choir, met it at the gate and walked to the church for the first portion of the service. A large number of relatives and friends gathered at the church, and representatives of the employers were also present.

On Sunday evening, the Vicar made a sympathetic allusion to the suddenness of the death of Mr Crump, who, with his family, only the Sunday before spent the afternoon with some relatives in Caddington. By request, deceased favourite hymn, Forever with the Lord, was sung.

Wreaths were sent to the funerals of both men by the directors and staff of Messrs G. Kent Ltd.

• The Sister and staff at Wardown V.A.D. Hospital were praised by Chief Officer Andrew, of Luton Fire Brigade, for acting promptly to evacuate wounded soldier patients and tackle a blaze in the Annexe Ward with chemical extinguishers. The Brigade responded to an emergency call in under four minutes, but the flames had been extinguished on their arrival.

• Luton Education Committee's Schools Management Committee reported on a letter from the Home Office, calling attention to the serious increase during the war in the number of offences by children and young persons under 16 years of age, and stating that several representatives of the leading organisations of boys' and girls' clubs were of the opinion that their work of providing employment and recreation for boys and girls in the evenings would be extended if it were easier to obtain the use of schoolrooms. The Committee favourably viewed the loaning of schoolrooms, if practicable, and suggested that steps should be taken to ascertain what accommodation would be required.

• After being sent back from Alexandria, 'heart' subject Pte Gilbert Taylor, who was formerly in the 1/5th Beds Regiment, was stationed at Shoreham before being drafted to the Royal Fusiliers and going to France four months ago. On January 8th he was wounded in the left leg and thigh, and has written home to his mother at 15 Milton Road, stating that he expects to be sent home to England. Pte Taylor is 21 amd formerly worked at Messrs Carruthers Bros, George Street West.

• At the annual meeting of the Luton Tradesmen's Association on Tuesday evening, Chairman Mr J. H. Webb called attention to the question of Sunday trading. He referred to an old lady who kept a shop an objected to Sunday trading, but her next-door neighbour opened an she had found her weekday custom also suffered as a result and she was forced to open. An approach had been made to the Council, but nothing had been done and that was bound to increase this type of unfair competition. One member mentioned that in one town the Chief Constable had threatened to prosecute shopkeepers if there was Sunday trading and the consequence was that all shops were closed. It was decided to approach the Town Clerk for advice.

• To one who visits the Biscot concerts, the striking amount of talent displayed by the men is very noticeable. A recent arrival is Gunner Gerald Carne, the popular son composer who writes under the nom-de-plume of Jack Trelawny. One of his most popular compositions is Happy Summer Song, a much requested item in the concert repertoire.

• The Corporation's offer of six acres of land free for two years to ratepayers who desire allotments resulted in 27 applications - a response so poor as to cause considerable surprise. Apparently, the cause of this paucity of applicants was due to the fact that the security of tenure is far too small - two years not being regarded as anything like a reasonable period.

• Luton Education Committee approved increases of salary of between £2 to £5 in the cases of 69 of its teachers. The Committee also congratulated Mr G. Wells (Hitchin Road Boys') and Mr R. Cook (Secretary's staff) on respectively gaining the Military Cross and the Meritorious Cross for service as soldiers in France.

• A new train (Saturdays only) is announced on the Luton and Dunstable branch of the Great Northern Railway, leaving Luton at 1.07 pm and arriving at Luton Hoo at 1.14 and Harpenden at 1.19.

• Mrs Angell, of Breachwood Green, is very anxious to receive information concerning her son, Pte Stanley Angell, Bedfordshire Regiment, who was reported missing on June 23rd last. Pte Angell, whose age is 23, enlisted on March 19th, 1915, and went to France in November of the same year. [Stanley Angell is recorded as killed in action on November 16th, 1916.]

• Mr Will Thorne MP was the speaker at a joint meeting on Sunday night in the Winter Assembly Hall of the Luton Trades and Labour Council and the National Union of General Workers. Mr Thorne is the Secretary of the latter union, and his subject was Trades unionism and after-the-war problems. He predicted that after the war there would be thousands of men and women unemployed - he wished he could think otherwise. There would be fierce and inhuman competition between the works, and the employers would attempt to lower wages.

• Instructions have been received by Messrs Daniel Smith, Oakley and Gerrard to sell the Bedfordshire and Essex estates belonging to the late Right Hon Lord Lucas,which extend to some 15,000 acres. It was his lordship's express wish, so far as possible, that the present tenants should not be disturbed. The main part of the extensive Bedfordshire estate is known as Wrest Park.