15th October 1926 - Board of Guardians Monthly Meeting

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Board of Guardians

Monthly Meeting

The monthly meeting of the Buntingford Board of Guardians was held on Thursday (yesterday).

Present: Mr C. Hummerstone (in the chair), Mrs Dimsdale, Capt. E.T. Morris, Capt. H.H. Williams, The Rev. L.W. Wright, Messrs G. Graves, A.J. Hayes, G.C. Wilson, H.E. Dudley, T.J. Stick, with the Clerk (Mr E.C. Clarke), the Master (Mr F.W. Butler) and the Relieving Officer (Mr H.H. Macklin).

House Committee

The following report was submitted.

The House Committee visited the House today, the work of distempering the male casual ward has been completed, and the condition of the building is very satisfactory.

The committee have no suggests to make involving further expenditure.

Katherine J. Dimsdale, Harold H. Williams, G.C. Wilson.

Master's Report

The Master reported as follows:

Number of inmates - men 15, women 15, children 2. Total 32.

Number admitted to casual wards 16.

Corresponding figures for last year - men 20, women 16, children 2. Total 38.

Tramps 2.

Two females, aged 70 and 92 respectively, have been admitted during the month.

A committee of the Hertford Guardians paid a visit on September 5th, and left a report in the visitors book.

Gifts

The following gifts have been received and much appreciated by the inmates.

Cheque £2 - Hertford Guardians.

Eggs - Salvation Army.

Papers - Mrs Dixon

Fruit and vegetables - Westmill Harvest Thanksgiving per Rev. A.G. King.

Fruit, vegetables and eggs - Meesden Harvest Thanksgiving per Rev. W. McKerr

Grapes and fruit - Layston Harvest Thanksgiving, per Mrs Howard

Daily Mail for past year - Mrs Anderson

Weekly Mail for Blind - Mr H.C. Marshall

Books and magazines - British Red Cross Library

Mrs L.M. Baker brought her pupils and sang Harvest Hymns in the sick wards and distributed tea, eggs, fruit &c.

Casuals

During the past month 78 have been relieved, against 13 last year.

Labour Master

Mr R. Budd, the labour master, has been appointed porter at Luton. Would the Board kindly give Mr Budd a testimonial.

The Chairman said it was pleasing to note the number of gifts received during the month. The Board were very grateful to the donors and especially to Miss Baker and her pupils for giving the aged inmates a share in the thanksgiving of Harvest.

It was decided to give Mr Budd a testimonial and the Chairman was authorised to sign it.

Fire Protection

The Minimax Co. reported that the fire extinguishers at the Institution had been recently inspected and found to be in order.

Books

Mrs Dimsdale stated that the Hormead School Library Committee had several books which they would be pleased to hand over to the Guardians for the use of the inmates of the Institution.

The Chairman said he thought the books would be very acceptable, and no doubt the Master could put up some shelves.

Captain Williams and the Rev. Wright expressed their thanks to Mrs Dimsdale for the offer.

The Late Mr E. Pigg

The Clerk read a letter from the family of the late Mr Edward Pigg expressing their thanks for the expression of sympathy passed at the last Board meeting and for the wreath sent.

Hertford Boarders

A letter was read from the Hetford Union authorising the continuance of relief to persons resident in the Buntingford Union and relieved on behalf of the Hertford Union, for a further period of 14 weeks.

Visitors

The following remarks were entered in the House Committee register by visitors from the Hertford House Committee:

"We visited the Institution and found the inmates most comfortable and happy.

The Master and Matron are particularly patient and kind to all. The Box girls are greatly improved. With regard to the Dimsdale Charity, any surplus money might be used on 'bus rides or little outings in any way the Matron and Master think best."

24th December 1926 - Charity Trustees Meeting

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Charity Trustees Meeting

A meeting of the Trustees of the Town Charities was held at the Technical Institute on the 9th inst.

Mr H.C. Marshall presided, and there were also present Rev. L.W. Wright, Capt. H.H. Williams, and Messrs. C. Fraser, W.J. May, P. Hamilton, G. Armstrong and H.H. Macklin (clerk).

The income arising from the charities amounted to £80, which is in excess of last year, a fact welcomed especially as the money has to be dispersed in coal according to the trusts.

The old Bigg's Bread Charity produced an income of £4 9s. 4d. This was administered by the Clerk in small loaves to cottagers' families as stated in the terms of the bequest.

Between 400 and 500 of these small loaves were needed, and they were supplied by Mr C.S. Coates, of Buntingford.

3rd December 1926 - Death of Mrs Mary Bye

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Wyddiall

Death of Mrs Mary Bye

It is with much regret that we record the death of Mrs Mary Bye, which took place at Royston Hospital on Wednesday in last week.

The deceased had been in ill health for some time, and was removed to Royston early in November. Both Mrs Bye and her husband have lived in Wyddiall for a number of years, and have been respected by all who knew them.

Mr Bye, who is a very conscientious workman, is at present in Royston Hospital and we understand he is going on well.

The funeral of the deceased took place at St Giles' Church, Wyddiall, on Monday afternoon, when a large number of friends and relatives were present to show respect and sympathy. The coffin, which bore a place inscribed - Mary Bye, Died November 24th, 1926, Aged 69 years, was covered with flowers.

The service was conducted by the Rector, the Rev. L.W. Wright, who spoke highly of the deceased.

The immediate mourners were - Mr H. Bye and Mrs B. Woods (son and daughter), Mr W.  Bye and Miss A. Bye (son and daughter), Mr F. Bye and Mrs G. Smith (son and daughter), Mr B. Woods and Mrs H. Bye (son and daughter-in-law), Mr G. Smith and Mrs W. Bye (son and daughter-in-law), Mrs C. Catley and Mrs T. Coxall (sisters), Mr and Mrs T. Coxall (brother and sister-in-law), Mr and Mrs W. Coxall (brother and sister-in-law), Mr and Mrs W. Bye (brother-in-law and sister-in-law), Mrs Catley and Mrs Bentley (sisters-in-law), A. Bye, I. Catley, and J. Bentley (nephews). Others present were Mr H. May, Mr T. May.

Amongst the numerous wreaths was one from her sorrowing husband and children, and one from her loving sister and cousins.

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Mr D. Bye and family wish to thank all friends for the many expressions of sympathy received in their recent bereavement.

28th January 1927 - Buntingford Petty Sessions

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Buntingford Petty Sessions

Cambridge Undergraduate Fined for Dangerous Driving

Foxhounds Injured by Motorist

Friday last, before Sir Charles Heaton-Ellis C.B.E., and Captain H.H. Williams.

John Daniel Hawthorn (21), of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, appeared on a charge of drivinga motor car in a manner dangerous to the public, at Buckland, on 20th November.

The defendant, who was represented by Mr Grafton Pryor, Barrister, of Cambridge, pleaded not guilty.

Mr G. Passingham, Solicitor of Hitchen, outlined the case for the prosecution. On November 20th (the case had been adjourned till now, because of the defendant's absence in America), the Puckeridge Hounds had just drawn a wood, and were on the highway between Buntingford and Royston, when a car, driven by the defendant, appeared two or three hundred yards away.

The car was travelling at a very fast pace, and the huntsman held up his hands as a signal for the driver to slow down. The drive did nothing till he was within 20 yards of the pack when he put on his brakes and skidded into the hounds, injuring three couples.

Robert Gardner, the Huntsman of the Puckeridge Hunt, said he was in charge of the pack on the day in question. The hounds were on the road when he saw a car about 200 yards away, and put up his hand as a signal to the drive to slow down. The driver did not try to stop till he got within 15 to 20 yards, when he put the brakes on, and the car skidded into the pack. Three or more couples were knocked over, one hound being pinned under the car.

Cross-examined by Mr Grafton Pryor: It was a wet day and the road was greasy.

P.S. Dean, of Buntingford, said that the width of the road at the point of collision was 17ft. 6in.

James Hewins, 1st Whip, corroborated the evidence of the Huntsman. While the hounds were being extricated from under the car, the defendant admitted that he saw the huntsman hold up his hand.

Arthur W. Griffin, the seocnd whip, also gave evidence.

Mrs E. Hargreaves, of Royston, said she was riding directly behind the pack on the day in question, when she saw a large motor car coming down the road at great speed. The came right on top of the pack, and the hounds were howling and screaming, some being pinned under the car. Some of the hounds were carried along on the front axle.

The defendant, in a statement made from the witness box, said he was the owner of the car, which was a 30-98 Vauxhall. It had four-wheel brakes, and was known as a "super-sports" model. On the date of the accident he was driving from Royston to Ware, and his speed was about 35 m.p.h.

As he came over the rise, he saw a man on horseback and thought he was meeting a detachment of soldiers. He put on his brakes, but the car kept going as the brakes would not hold. The hounds took up all the road, and there was no room for the car to pass. As soon as he realised what he had done, he jumped out and apologised. He had been driving a car for nine years, and had never been charged before.

Anthony Patrick Adamson, of Jesus College, who was riding in the front seat with the defendant at the time of the accident, also gave evidence. He said that the defendant did all in his power to pull the car up.

Jeffrey Thomas, another undergraduate, of Trinity Hall, who was sitting at the back of the car, said the defendant applied his brakes as soon as he saw the Huntsman raise his hand.

Addressing the Bench, Mr Pryor said that no one regretted the accident more than Mr Hawthorn. The defendant was not in the habit of driving at great speed and, as the Bench had heard, he had been driving a car for nine years, and had not been previously charged. The brakes of the car were defective and the weather conditions were bad. He (Mr Pryor) hoped that the Bench would "temper the wind of the defendant because of his clean sheet."

The Bench retired for ten minutes, and on returning, the Chairman said the charge against defendant had been proved. He wished to say that it was a very serious offence indeed to drive a high-powered car on a slightly foggy day down hill at the excessive speed of 35 miles per hour, whether there were sheep or hounds on the road.

The Bench had very seriously considered whether to suspect the defendant's licence for a considerable period but after what his Solicitor had said they had decided to inflict a fine of £5 and £3 7s. 0d. cost.

The defendant's licence would also be endorsed.

Ardeley Fowl Stealing Charge

H.G. Stroud, of Wood End, Ardeley, appeared on a charge of fowl stealing at Ardeley. The defendant, an Ex-Sergt. of the Garrison Artillery, had an excellent record, which saved him from prison, the Magistrates imposing a fine of £5 and 15/- costs.

Evidence was given by William H. Livings, a farmer of Gt. Munden, who said that on January 12th he received information that his fowlhouse at Orange End had been broken into. He saw footmarks near the house, and later found that 28 fowls were missing. These he valued at 10/- each. The defendant had previously been to him and asked for work.

P.S. Dean gave evidence of interviewing the defendant in company with Inspector Herbert.

Defendant at first denied all knowledge of the matter, but later told the Sergeant that he had taken 12 fowls, and hearing that the police were making enquiries as to their loss, he took them to a field and released them. The Sergeant and the Inspector went to the field, but there was no trace of the fowls.

Supt. Wright said the defendant had served 11 years in the Army, having served in France from 1915 to the end of the war. After the war he obtained work as a temporary postman, and later was employed at Woolwich Arsenal, where he was discharged in September, 1925, with a good character. He was a married man with two children.

The Chairman said it was a dreadful thing to see a man in defendant's position. Here was a man with a excellent character stooping to petty foggy stealing. He, the Chairman, saw no reason why the defendant should not go to prison.

Mr Livings said he was prepared to assist the defendant, whereupon the Chairman said that defendant would have to pay Mr Livings £5 and the Court costs 15/-, further than that the defendant would be placed on probation for 12 months.

"Mr Livings has treated you very leniently," said the Chairman to the defendant.