Luton to buy a second fire engine

Digest of stories from The Luton News: Thursday, December 6th, 1917.

Luton's first motor fire engine 1914

  • Luton's first motor fire engine, purchased in 1914.

Luton Town Council on Tuesday accepted a recommendation of Fire Brigade Chief Officer Andrew to purchase an additional motor fire engine. The back-up horse van was totally inadequate for use if the motor engine was already in attendance at a fire or was out of use for repairs or overhauling, it was pointed out.

The present engine was acquired nearly four years ago and, besides attending borough fires, has attended fires outside (earning £215 15s for the service). Authority was therefore needed to purchase an additional motor fire engine with escape attached and all necessary apparatus.

Moving the Fire Brigade report, Alderman Williams referred to recent serious fires [Brown & Green and Wing, Arnold & Wing] and said one could not help thinking that if there were two such serious fires within a week there was no reason why there should not be two fires at the same time. At the big fire at the Davis Gas Stove Co two years ago there were two simultaneous lesser fires.

Alderman Williams emphasised the need for further provision now that Luton had so many high buildings and he held that it would be a wise investment. He said the existing engine had cost nearly £1,000 and a new one should not cost a great deal more proportionately. The report was adopted unanimously.

  • Miss Margaret Bondfield yesterday addressed a large number of girls at the English and Scottish Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd at the cocoa and chocolate factory in Dallow Road. Her subject was to form a branch of the National Federation of Women exclusively for the girls employed there. It was decided to hold another meeting on Saturday to make further arrangements. There are two other branches in the town.

  • An alarming incident occurred about 5.50 pm on Monday when a horse, harnessed to a float belonging to Messrs Gibbs & Dandy, took fright and ran through the streets at a busy time. Something startled the horse as it stood outside the shoeing forge of Mr Potts in Stuart Street. The animal galloped down Stuart Street, dashed along Chapel Street and turned down George Street, finishing up safely in the yard of the Crown & Anchor, Manchester Street. By a miraculous chance no damage was done and nobody was injured.

  • With regret Lutonians will read of the departure of the Rev W. F. Hellyar, curate-in-charge of All Saints Church for nearly four years. He is the vicar designate of St Chad's, Chadwell Heath, Essex, and leaves Luton just after Christmas.

  • Moving the Watch Committee report at Tuesday's meeting of Luton Town Council, Alderman Oakley referred to the fact that there had been a little extra lighting of the town's streets. Smaller jets had been put on the gas lamps and the glass shaded. It was thought there was more danger from the darkened streets than from enemy aircraft, and there had been one or two accidents.

  • It will be of interest to Congregationalists and others in Luton to learn that the Rev P. Thompson, Pastor of Bury Park Congregational Church, is to go to France for four months at the beginning of February as a Y.M.C.A. worker. His church meeting agreed to the suggestion last week, and will make arrangements for the carry on of his work.

  • At Tuesday's meeting of Luton Town Council, Councillor Hawkes drew attention to the very unsatisfactory state of postal arrangements at High Town. Two months ago a new box was erected in Havelock Road, and on Sunday November 4th he had occasion to go there to post, but found the box so full he could easily have taken 30 to 40 letters from it. During the five succeeding Sundays the same thing had happened. He thought the Council should take the matter up with the Postmaster. That was agreed.

  • Last night there was a jolly gathering at the Town Hall when the Mayor (Councillor Charles Dillingham) invited the special constabulary to a tea and convivial evening. The spread was in accordance with the Food Controller's regulations, and was thoroughly enjoyed.

  • After only five months service in France, Pte Sidney Harvey (Queen's West Surrey Regiment), of 13 Chequer Street, Luton, has been killed in action. His wife received the news by a letter from the chaplain, which said that he had been told by some men that they had found Pte Harvey's body and he had been buried.

  • The news of the death in action of Pte Percy Herbert Moulden, formerly of 72 Ivy Road, Luton, was received by his wife at her home, 56 Dudley Street, Luton, a few days ago. A letter from one of his comrades said Pte Moulden was killed on November 3rd.

  • The anxious notification 'missing' was received by Mr H. J. Abrahams, of 46 Claremont Road, Luton, yesterday morning concerning his son Pte Herbert Harry Abrahams (Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment). He has been missing since October 30th.

  • Previously reported missing, Pte Harry Dennis Gutteridge, husband of Mrs Gutteridge, of 207 North Street, Luton, is now reported killed on February 7th.

  • In November of last year we announced the award of the Military Medal to Pte Andrew Wood, of the Bedfordshire Regiment, for gallantry and devotion to duty in operations on the Somme. Now the sad fact of his death has been received. The news was conveyed to his mother, Mrs Urquart, of 32 Shirley Road, Luton in a letter from Second Lieut Vivian E. Farr.

  • Mr and Mrs J. Finch, of Lower Sundon, have received news that their youngest son, Pte Francis Finch, of the East Kent Regiment, has been missing since October 12th or 13th.

  • One of the many sons of Mrs Groom, of 52 Lea Road, Luton, who are serving with the Forces, has been seriously wounded and badly gassed in the eyes. Gunner Stanley Groom had been wounded twice before and returned to the trenches three weeks ago. He is now in a critical condition at a hospital at Cardiff. Before enlistment he worked at the GPO.

  • Fortune has of late frowned upon the household of Mr 'Billy' Lawson, the popular Luton Town Football Club trainer. He recently learned of the death in action of his son 'Sonny,' and now that his eldest living son, Trooper Charles Lawson, has contracted a malady while on service in France which defied the skill of the doctors. He was sent on November 18th to Netley Hospital, where medical men have had some difficulty in discovering the nature of his complaint, although it is thought he is suffering from enteric fever.

  • Cpl T. W. White, whose home is at 63 Buxton Road, Luton, joined the Bedfordshire Regiment in September 1914, and has served 28 months in Egypt and the Dardanelles. He is now reported wounded in the head and is lying in hospital at Alexandria.

  • The services of Pte Fred King to the British Forces in Egypt - where he has been continuously for two years - have been temporarily checked by a wound he received on November 3rd. His wife, who lives at 28 Langley Road, Luton, has now heard that he is going on satisfactorily in El Arish Hospital, but is suffering from a wound in the right shoulder. Before the war he was employed as a baker by the Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd.

  • Mrs Boughton, of 58 York Street, Luton, who was notified a month ago of the wounds of her eldest son, Pte Charles Boughton, has now received a letter from the sister of a hospital in Egypt to say doctors had tried in vain to save his right leg, and it had had to be amputated above the knee.

  • Driver A. Emsden, of 153 North Street, Luton, is now home on convalescent leave. In September he was wounded by shrapnel in the stomach while serving with the Royal Engineers. He has made a good recovery in hospital at Tooting and will shortly join his depot. He formerly worked at Messrs Blundell Bros.