The death took place at 37, Clifton Road, Rugby, on Wednesday week, of Mr Jesse Jerome Brenchley, who had reached the advanced age of eighty-six years. Mr Brenchley, many years ago, was head gardener at Bitham House, and was well known and much respected by many people of the district. He went into the Rugby neighbourhood nearly forty years ago to superintend alterations to the grounds at Newnham Paddox, he being a clever landscape gardener, and he remained there as head-gardener to the late Lord Denbigh for fourteen years when he became sub-agent at Newnham Paddox under Mr H. H. Cave. This position he retained for eleven years, thus making twenty-five years of faithful and conscientious service on the Newnham Paddox Estate before he retired on a pension, and came to live at Rugby fifteen or sixteen years ago. Mr Brenchley has all his life been a very active man, and when at Newnham made the acquaintance of many visitors to the domain, the arrangements for whose accommodation and comfort were left in his capable hands. The late Mr Brenchley was a devout Catholic, and his demise came peacefully as a result of an illness extending over two years.

A family of Belgian refugees are now at Warmington. The arrangements for the welfare have been made by Miss Willock, and the parishioners are providing the necessary funds, furniture &c. The family consists of a man, wife, and seven-year old daughter. The hail from Malines. The refugees are accommodated in Windmill Hill Cottage, kindly lent by Mr Bawcutt.

F. C. Hughes, Fenny Compton, Warwickshire, baker. First and final dividend of 4s in the £, payable November 25th, at 14 South-Bar, Banbury.

The ancient church of this picturesque village is dedicated to St Leonard, so on Friday, the Feast of St Leonard, the patronal festival was observed. There was a celebration of the Holy Communion at 8 am, and also at 11 am, and choral evensong was held at 7.30, when the sermon was preached by the Rev. A. Hemsted, Vicar of Shuckburgh and Rural Dean. The festival was continued on Sunday, when the Vicar (Rev. J. H. Woodman) preached in the morning and the Rev. E. C. Esau, Rector of Stockton, in the evening. The services were bright and hearty. The collections, which were for the Worcester Diocesan Church Extension Fund, amounted to £1 4s. 6d. Miss Lizzie Boote presided at the organ, and both on Friday and Sunday evenings the ringers rang a peal on the bells. The following ladies had decorated the sacred edifice most beautifully: Mrs Johnson, Mrs Band, Mrs Malin, Miss Burbridge, Miss Jones, Mrs E. Cottrell, Miss H. Ivens, Miss M. Ivens, Miss Russell, Miss L. Boote and Mrs Woodman. it is usual to have a public tea in connection with this festival, but owing to the war this function was omitted this year.

These hounds met at Hanwell on Friday in showery weather. They found several foxes in the gorse, and hunted one by Mr A. Tustain’s buildings to the Horley Road, and then turned rightward along the strongly fenced vale to Page’s Gorse. They hunted him round the covert, and he went away along the top of the Warmington Bank, and circled back to the gorse, whereabouts scent fizzled out after a nice hunt of about forty minutes. Horley Vineyards held the next, but he only ran a short, sharp ring when he managed to throw off the pack. There were any quantity of foxes in Ragnall Gorse, and hounds finally got one away, and ran him a sharp ring before being beaten. This concluded the day’s sport, which will be much curtailed, as the hunting staff have only one horse out.

The Inspector said that the drainage matter at Avon Dassett had been seen to. Miss Perry had the work properly done as soon as she knew what was required. With regard to the case of overcrowding in the same village, he said he found that eleven people slept in the house, which had only one fair-sized bedroom. Ten slept upstairs, and one, an invalid, downstairs. He had urged upon the people the necessity of two of the grown-ups getting lodgings. He had seen Mr Wadland, upon whose farm the cottage was. He agreed that the matter was a serious one, and he (the Inspector) found the family were now leaving.

The Chairman said that was the case.

Meeting at Shotteswell, 14 November.

Parish Councillors

Wilfred J Weld – Chairman

George H Stranks – Vice Chairman

Henry Wadland – Parish Councillor

John Abbotts – Parish Councillor

Harry Keyte – Parish Councillor

Bills examined and ordered to be paid include:

John Checkley – carting and stone from Edgehill 7/-

R Spike – painting Reading Room £1 8/-

E Mullis – cutting down ivy and clearing up after wake at Reading Room 8/- 6d.

Avon Dassett Parish Council Minutes, 1914

Mr W. J. Weld presided at the meeting on Thursday, and there were also present: Mr Ridley Brown, Mr A. Spencer, Mr A. Fairfax (clerk), Mr George Elkington (surveyor), and Mr J. Smith (inspector).

The Late Lieutenant Holbech – Letters of Sympathy

Before proceeding with the business, the Chairman moved that a vote of sympathy be passed to Mrs Holbech of Farnborough, the mother of Lieutenant Holbech on his death in the service of his country, and also with Mr Ronald Holbech, his brother, who was formerly a member of the Council. he was sure they all sympathised with the family in the great sorrow which had befallen them, and he moved that letters of sympathy be sent to Mrs Holbech and also Mr R. Holbech.

The Chairman moved the adoption of the report, and said they were starting with ten boys.

The Clerk read a letter from Mr William Bliss, chairman of the Cottage Homes Committee at Wallingford, saying how pleased he was the Banbury Guardians were  adopting the system of a children’s cottage home, a system which was most desirable for the training of pauper children if they got the right officials at the home. At Wallingford, the children looked upon the superintendent as a father. Although the initial expenses might look heavy, it was really a good investment for the union as none of the children were likely to come on the rates when they had grown up. The children from their home were all in creditable positions and earning their own living. He hoped the Banbury board would be as successful as they had been (hear, hear).

The Chairman explained, in answer to Mr Butler, that they accepted the tender for bread at sixpence sent in by a Banbury baker on the ground that the North Newington baker went into Horley every day and they would have the advantage of getting the bread fresh.

The Local Government Board and the Relief of Widows and Children

A circular letter from the Local Government Board was read on this object, which was postponed from the last meeting. It had reference to the position brought about by the war.

Mrs Gillett said she thought the circular was a step in the right direction. It pointed out that they should feel, as Guardians, the responsibility with regard to every child they gave relief to, whether in out-relief or in homes and institutions. It would be well to ask their relieving officers to get out a list of all the children who were being relieved and they, as Guardians, ought to go and see them in order to find out if any were not being properly taken care of. She proposed accordingly.

Miss Colegrove said that she had thought over this matter for some time. They had already visited the children and tried to help them, but she felt, more and more, there was more work to be done in that direction. A great deal more could be done by careful supervision, and there was more than one or two could manage.

Mr Chard said that with the officers they had they would be able to treat all the cases on their merits.

Mr Preston seconded Mris Gillett’s proposition.

Mr Hollier said he thought the lady visitors and the relieving officers could do all that was necessary.

Mr Butler said they wanted the Guardians themselves to take a keener interest in this work. They were the people to give sympathy, advice and help. They could do it better than the officials. Officials were a nuisance and the more they had, the more trouble they would have – (laughter).

Glass Eye for a Pauper

An application was received in respect of a woman at Hook Norton who had broken her glass eye and wanted a new one.

A discussion was proceeding on the subject and Mr Bloomfield said he noticed in one Union that the Guardians had agreed to buy a woman a false nose in order that she might be more presentable when asking for employment – (laughter).

The Local Relief Committee

Mr C. Bradford, the honorary secretary of the local committee in connection with the Prince of Wales’ Fund, asked for the Board Room for hilding the meetings, and this was readily granted.

This was all the public business.