11th June 1926 - The Bazaar

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The Bazaar

The Bazaar in the Benson Hall on June 5th and 7th was a great success. The exact amoung of the takings is not yet known, but will be about £120. Large numbers filled the Hall on both days, and hearty appreciation was expressed at the price of the goods offered. The enormous stock was almost sold out.

There were eight stalls - fancy goods, coats and skirts, jumpers and blouses, underclothing, men's clothes, boots and shoes, refreshments, and a "Woolworths" stall at which every article was 6d. or less.

Among the sellers were the Rev. Mother and Sisters from the Convent, Mesdames Bennett, Castle, Dowding, Gabbitas sen., Gabbitas jun., Game, Leslie, Plumb, Watson; Misses Blakiston, Day, Graves, Knight, Leslie, Marriage, McCarthy, Morgan, Spencer, Wilkerson; Messrs. Castle, Charles Gabbitas, Fred Gabbitas, Rowley.

Among the side-shows were - 1, silver mine, in which the prizes went to Miss D. Spencer and Mr P. Castle; 2, guessing weight of lump of coal (113 and a half lbs.), correctly guessed by Mr M. Blakiston; 3, cake, won by Miss Marriott; 4, basket of eggs, won by Mrs Knight; 5, dinner (chicken, vegetables, sweets), won by Mr Balls; 6, table-centre, won by Mrs Leslie.

Father Owen, the former parish priest, gave great pleasure to his old friends, by motoring down from town with his brother and mother on the Monday afternoon.

At the conclusion of the Bazaar, Father Morgan thanked all the helpers, whose hard work had ensured this great success.

Bazaar Items

Parcels for the Bazaar came from all over England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

The promoters intended to keep a record of the number of parcels and boxes, but lost count after two hundred.

It took hundreds of hours to mark the goods.

One stall was marked "Here we are - Woolworths," every article being 6d. or less.

Buyers were five deep round some of the stalls. 

A big trade was done in hot tea and ices. No, the ices were not hot.

The weight of a lump of coal could be guessed for 1d. It was 113 and a half lbs.

Competitors were allowed to pick it up, but did not.

One of the guessers asked "Would it be a ton?" The frivolous custodian replied "It would be if it could, but it can't."

The coal was won (of course) by a man who uses no coal in his house.

A silver mine contained silver coins, the position of which could be guessed for 1d.

There was no strike of miners.

Guessing was popular. The weight of a cake could be guess for 6d, and the number of eggs in a closed basket for 3d.

Brigands in pretty dresses and bobbed tresses recorded the guesses.

Father Morgan guessed 19 lbs. for the cake. This was considered uncomplimentary.

Nobody said a cross word all through the Bazaar, and everybody seemed pleased with everything. There were many wonderful bargains.

27th Jan 1928 - Cumberlow Green, Funeral of Mrs Borlase

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Cumberlow Green

Funeral of Mrs Borlase

The funeral of Mrs Borlase, whose death we announced last week, took place at Rushden Church on Sunday afternoon last, the service being conducted by the Rev. E.F. Circuit.

The immediate mourners were: Mr G. Borlase (husband), Messrs Sydney and Bert Borlase (sons), and Mr Paul (brother).

Amongst those present were: Mr Holmes (Letchworth), Mr F. Radford (Bassingbourn), Mr E.J. Marshall, Mr and Mrs Bowman (Baldock), Mr and Mrs T. Bennett, Mrs Chalmers, Mr Griggs, Messrs W. Robinson, E. Marshall, L. Cannon, G. Cannon, T.J. Stick, P. Dudley, P. Hamilton, G. Scarborough Taylor, T. Kingsley, G.H. Maughan, B.E. Thody, J. Coleman, C.S. Knowles, W. French, N.J. Treise, O.F. Austin, P. Sergt. Dean and P.C. Ives.

Mr Borlase is a Cornishman, and before coming to live at Cumberlow Green, farmed extensively at Trelissick, St. Ewe, Cornwall.

[Transcriber note - In the first two reports of her death the surname is spelled "Borlace". I've kept both spellings in the tags.]

Death announcement for Elizabeth Borlace (Borlase).

Report on the death of Elizabeth Borlace (Borlase).

19th Oct 1928 - Death of Mrs C. Perry

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Death of Mrs C. Perry

We regret to record the death, which occurred recently, of Mrs C. Perry, who passed away at her daughter's house at Mardock, near Ware.

Mrs Perry was for some years a well-known and respected inhabitant of this town, and was the widow of Mr C. Perry, who served as a guard on the Buntingford branch of the Great Eastern Railway for over twenty years; he was one of the Company's most faithful servants.

Mrs Perry, who was 76 years of age, had been ill for some time, during which she was nursed by her daughter, Mrs Groom of Mardock.

The moral remains were conveyed to Buntingford by rail and carried to Aspenden, in which Churchyard they were laid to rest in the grave of her husband. The Rector, Rev. L.A. Ewart, conducted the service, during which the hymn "Jesu, Lover of my soul" was sung.

There were many old friends at the graveside to pay their last respects to the deceased. The immediate mourners were Mrs Ivory, Mrs P. Bennett, Mrs Baker, Mrs Groom (daughters), Mr Ivory, Mr P. Bennett and Mr Groom (sons-in-law), Mr T. Perry (son) and Mrs T. Perry (daughter-in-law).