• Luton Court House 1858-1937

Stories from the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph: September 9th, 1916.

There was excitement at the local Police Court this morning. There was a rather bigger attendance than usual at a Saturday sitting, the gallery being full to overflowing, including many men of military age.

Judge then the flutter when the military authorities appeared on the scene with the object of being assured that there were none among the company who should be serving in the Army, and that those of military age possessed documentary evidence that they were medically unfit or exempt in some way from serving.

Capt Alston attended from the Recruiting Headquarters in Manchester Street, and in his presence the police rounded up the likely soldiers, some 25 or 30 being promptly escorted to the guard room of the police station, where they were required to satisfy the authorities on the points mentioned.

Some of them possessed badges, but very few had upon them the necessary papers. Names and addresses were taken, some of which had to be verified before the young men were allowed to depart.

It is understood that the military, having obtained the addresses, intend to satisfy themselves as to the credentials of all concerned and it is possible, therefore, that something further will be heard of the raid later.

• Cook Minnie Daniels, of 27 Crawley Green road, was remanded until the following Wednesday charged with stealing a quantity of tea and sugar, valued at £1 2s 6d, from the Biscot Huts between February 19th and September 6th. Following complaints from a captain and a lieutenant in the officers' mess at Biscot, a search warrant was obtained but the woman denied having any Biscot Huts possessions in her home. She later admitted she had taken a little tea and sugar at a time and taken it home." She was bailed in the sum of £5.

• At their meeting on Wednesday, the Luton Borough Tribunal dealt with a report concerning men exempted on condition that they should join the Volunteer Training Corps. The Town Clerk [William Smith], presenting the names, said that some of the men thought the Tribunal did not mean what they said. Some of the men were not present when the Tribunal imposed the condition and some were unfit, but one unwilling Volunteer who was told the Army was still open to him had changed his view rather quickly.

• The Telegraph quoted an article in The British Weekly in which it was stated that it was intended to call up a million more men, with the possibility of the upper age limit being raised to 45.

• On Monday evening, Vic Weldon's Concert Party visited Wardown Hospital to entertain the wounded. The party comprised quite a variety of artistes with the popular 'Jimmy' Smith as the able chairman. The boys gave three hearty cheers at the conclusion, and lady members of the party distributed cigarettes among the wounded.

• Last night a first-rate concert was given for the men of the London R.F.A. in the Y.M.C.A. hut at Biscot Camp, and we believe it is the forerunner of a good series. Next week a committee will be formed to arrange concerts twice a week, one for the Y.M.C.A. hut and the other at the recreation room.

• The spot at Cuffley on which the German airship fell last Sunday morning has been presented to the Daily Express in trust for the nation. Mrs Kidstone, of Nyn Park, Northaw, the owner of the property, has made the generous gift on the understanding that a monument is erected there by public subscription to commemorate the heroic exploit of [British pilot] Lieut Robinson VC and the downfall of the first German airship on British soil. The Daily Express has accepted the gift and has started a fund to which it has contributed an opening subscription of £50.

• Irish bacon dropped in price on the London Provision Exchange yesterday. At Smithfield it was expected that, owing to a temporary increase in the supply of meat, prices would be slightly reduced. Pork was 2½d per lb cheaper yesterday than on the previous Friday - 10½d, as compared with 1s 1d.

• Another Luton home plunged into mourning and sorrow by the sad toll of war is that of Mrs Fountain, of 52 St Saviour's Crescent, whose husband, Gunner Montague George Fountain, of the Royal Field Artillery, was killed in France on August 24th, after having been in France less than a fortnight. He was 32 years of age and joined the R.F.A. at Biscot Camp in March.

• Pre-war Southern League rivalries returned to Luton with today's first London Combination match of the season on the Town ground, against West Ham. A game full of dazzling football saw the sides level at 2-2 at the interval, but with the visitors going on to win 4-3. Roe and Butcher scored for Luton in the first half before Roe gave the Town the lead for the only time in the match after the interval, but the Hammers scored twice more to seal their win. Wounded soldiers from Wardown occupied the reserved seats in the stand for the game.