[From The Luton Reporter: Tuesday, July 22th, 1919]

Folks tried to persuade themselves and their friends that common sense would rule, but it was impossible to avoid ominous illusions to another raid on the Town Hall, and there were one or two incidents in the town of decorations and illuminations being pulled down from private property which betokened that a spirit of wanton destruction was broad.

• Illustration by Hope Harris from the James Dyer/John Dony/Frank Stygall book, The Story of Luton (White Crescent Press).

[From the Beds & Herts Tuesday Telegraph: July 22nd, 1919]

[Beds & Herts Tuesday Telegraph: July 22nd, 1919]

Despite occasional drizzling showers in Stopsley during the day, the Committee of Management, among whom were Messrs F. K. Cain, W. Morsley, George Cain, A. Ward, J. Titchmarsh, A. T. Hucklesby and the Vicar [the Rev G. H. C. Shorting], are to be congratulated on the success of Saturday's Peace Celebrations, especially as one and all had worked very hard for several weeks to earn a happy day.

Despite the unfavourable weather and other drawbacks, the parishes of Leagrave and Limbury co-operated in their Peace celebrations on Saturday, and a most successful day was spent, reported The Luton News (Thursday, July 24th, 1919).

[The Luton Reporter, Tuesday, July 22nd, 1919]

While columns of newsprint were devoted to the riots of Peace Day 1919, The Tuesday Telegraph on July 22nd also recorded the planned elements of the day that had passed off peacefully.

[From the Beds & Herts Tuesday Telegraph: July 22nd, 1919]

The first sign that there was the likelihood of trouble was when the procession reached the Town Hall. A detachment representing the Comrades of the Great War was heading the column, and a halt was called in front of the Town Hall.

• The earlier appearance of this Comrades of the Great War float outside the rival DS&S club in Park Street had produced the first Peace Day booing, according to the Luton Reporter.

[From The Luton Reporter: Tuesday, July 22nd, 1919]

[From the Beds & Herts Tuesday Telegraph: July 22nd, 1919]

It is a terrible story, and a disgrace which the town will never forget. For the moment we do not intend to enter into the astonishing series of happenings of the past week or more, or to ascribe the blame; all that, we take it, will be the subject of later inquiry or debate.

The last formal event held before the burning down of Luton Town Hall was a public dance, admission two shillings. An advert appeared in the Luton News of July 10th, 1919, to publicise the weekly Saturday dance at the Town Hall - the next on July 12th - and explaining that the following dance would be brought forward to the Friday [July 18th].

[Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: July 19th, 1919]

A meeting was held at the Corn Exchange, Luton, on Wednesday evening (July 16th, 1919), presided over by the Mayor (Councillor H. Impey), when the question of formulating some scheme to recognise the gallantry of the 1/5th Beds Regiment was discussed.

The day is long past when there was any need to print in glowing colours the wonder deeds of the famous 'Yellow Devils.' and their claim to a proportionate share in the celebration of peace was freely recognised.

[Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: July 19th, 1919]

At the meeting of the Luton Trades and Labour Council on Thursday [July 17th], reference was made to the Luton Corporation housing scheme. The Council's committee, which is dealing with the housing question and fighting on behalf of tenants who are compelled to leave their houses under legal process, recommended that the Town Council be addressed as follows:

That on the general question we suggest the employment of direct labour in the building of the 1,000 houses.

[The Luton News: Thursday, July 17th, 1919]

The establishment of a Cadet Corps in connection with the Luton Modern School was the subject of a protest from the Luton Labour Party and Trades Council at Tuesday's meeting of the Governors, held at the Town Hall.

As the impasse between Luton Town Council and the local branch of the Discharged Sailors and Soldiers Federation came to a head over the use of Wardown Park for a drumhead memorial service, The Luton News (July 17th, 1919) made its observations on the situation. In an editorial comment it said: