Trooper Fred Quartly, of the Warwickshire Yeomanry, who was on the Wayfarer, which was torpedoed off the Scilly Isles, gives a somewhat graphic account of the affair in a letter. He states that they had about a thousand horses on board, and one man to ten horses, the rest going by another boat. It was about two o’clock on the Sunday, when just off the Scilly Isles, there was an explosion in the bottom of the ship,  making a hole forty feet long and twenty feet wide in one place, and the engine room was filled with water, drowning two of the stokers immediately. The men were got into the boats, one of which capsized, five men being drowned, and then another ship seeing the distress flag flying came along and picked them up. They could not use the wireless as some of it was broken by the explosion. Then as the ship did not sink, the ship’s officers and one of the Yeomanry officers went back again, and they sent for twenty men to come back and feed the horses, and another ship came and took the rest back to Falmouth, and then the ship that picked the first lot up towed the disabled vessel to Queenstown, arriving on the Tuesday evening.  Two salving boats met them on the way back and kept pumping water out of her, or she would undoubtedly have sunk. Trooper Quartly was one of the men who went back to feed the horses, those on the lower deck being three-quarters immersed in water. There was a half gale on the Monday evening, and the disabled vessel sank four feet, and she could not have stood the strain much longer. It was a terrible experience for the men who went back.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Mrs Gardner of Fenny Compton, has received a notification from the War Office stating that her husband, Private William Gardner, was killed in action on June 8th. Private Gardner was a son of the late Mr Thomas Gardner and Mrs Gardner of Priors Hardwick, and was thirty seven years of age. He enlisted in the first Battalion of the Royal Warwicks on January 10th, and went to the front a fortnight before his death. He leaves a widow and one child.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Tait Sons and Pallant

Are favoured with instructions from Mr Charles T. Wiggins (Carrier to Leamington, Warwick and Banbury), who has purchased a motor bus.

TO SELL BY AUCTION AS ABOVE

ON WEDNESDAY NEXT, JULY 14th, 1915, Two useful half-legged HORSES; Grey, 9 yrs, 15½ hands, bred by Mr Smith of Kineton; Black, about 15 hands, both good workers and thoroughly recommended. Wagonette for 12, ditto by Shanks for 8; Oak panelled CARRIER’S LIGHT VAN for 12 by Goodman; Green-painted BOX-CART for 9 by ditto; Sets harness, carriage lamps, stable requisites etc. Particulars in catalogue.

Sale at Two o’clock pm

Offices, 23 Albert Street, Rugby

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Hopspital Parade

It has been decided to have the Hospital Parade on the first Sunday in August.

The Schools

The managers have decided to have only one week for the summer holidays, in consequence of the schools having been closed for seven weeks on account of measles. In order that harvest work may not be inconvenienced, it was decided to have the afternoon session from one til three.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

Licensing

The license of the Rose and Crown, Ratley, was transferred from Mr George Steele to Mr Jabez Clutterbuck of Farnborough.

Motor Cases

William John Cooper, engineer, 15 South Street, Grimsbury, was summoned for driving a motor-cycle and failing to produce a license at Ratley on May 30th. Defendant pleaded guilty. PC Heavens proved the case and said defendant looked in his bag for it. Defendant said he had the license with him, but forgot to look in his hip-pocket where it was. Fined 10s.

John W. Hyam, draper, 24 Leicester Street, Leamington, was summoned for driving a motor-cycle and failing to produce a license at Ratley on June 6th. Defendant pleaded guilty, Inspector Packe said defendant produced a licence which expired on May 21st.  Fined £1.

John Price Summers, coal dealer, Brackley, was summoned for driving a motor-cycle with rear number obscured, at Ratley, on June 13th. Defendant pleaded guilty. Inspector Packe proved the case, and said that defendant’s friend was riding on the back of the cycle, and his coat covered the number. Defendant was fined 10s.

Unburied Carcase

Jane Charlton, Brookhampton, Kineton was summoned for failing to bury the carcase of a lamb at Combroke, in June 18th. Defendant’s son said he could not find the lamb which was very small. PC Taylor said from information received he visited Brookhampton, and found the carcase of a lamb, which was putrid. He proceeded to the farm and met the defendant’s son, and asked him when he was round shepherding last. Mr Charlton said, ‘Are you come about the lamb?’ and witness replied in the affirmative. Mr Charlton said he knew the lamb was dead, but could not find it. He promised to bury it the next morning. Fined 10s.

Drunk and Disorderly

Richard Taylor, labourer, Warmington, was charged with being drunk and disorderly at Warmington on June 19th. Defendant pleaded guilty. PC Heavens proved the case. Defendant said he had a little drop too much, and it took effect on him. Fined 2s. 6d.

Wilful Damage at Combroke

Munday Hobday (18), ploughboy, Combroke; Edward Oldham (14), ploughboy, Combroke; and Philip Hancock (12), schoolboy, Combroke, were summoned for throwing stones to damage of property at Combroke on June 15th. Defendants stated that they threw stones at the washhouse windows, but the glass was all broken previously. Alfred Oldham said he saw the three boys throw stones, but they did not break any glass whilst he was there. PC Taylor said the boys admitted breaking panes of glass. Mr W. W. Hutton, estate agent for Lord Willougby de Broke, said that his Lordship decided to prosecute as so much damage had been done to the window at 4s. Mr Oldham said the window was already smashed. Mrs Hancock said the panes had been smashed for months and months. The Chairman said Hobday was big enough to know better, and would be fined 2s 6d. The other defendants would be fined 1s each.

Alleged Attempted Suicide

George E. Boulton Kineton, was summoned for attempting suicide by taking poison. Inspector Packe said that on the 21st of June he received information of this affair, and that morning saw the defendant and told him he had a warrant for his arrest for drinking  a quantity of ringworm dressing. He said, ‘Yes, I am guilty. I am very sorry. I had been drinking for two or three days previously, but I vow I shall never have any more drink nor do such a foolish thing again.’ Defendant was discharged on entering into a bond of £50 to be of good behaviour for the next twelve months.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

The Engine House

The engine house at Kineton sewage works is to be insured against fire in the sum of £200.

Higher Education

At the annual meeting of the Kineton Higher Education Committee, the following schemes for the winter session were approved: Avon Dassett, nursing; Burton Dassett, dressmaking; Combroke, shoe-mending and dressmaking; Fenny Compton, plain needlework, hygiene and sanitation, and veterinary lectures on “Citizenship”; Warmington, woodwork and dressmaking or lectures on “Citizenship”; Kineton, shorthand and typewriting, dressmaking and ambulance; and Lighthorne, horticulture. Those present at the meeting included, Mr H. V. Mills, the Hon. Mabel Verney (secretary, Kineton), the Rev. J. R. Brown, Mr Pollard (Fenny Compton), the Rev. W. Westacott (Burton Dassett), Miss Willock, Miss Sharples (Warmington), the Rev. A. H. Watson and the Hon. Mrs Walter Verney (Lighthorne).

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

The charming grounds of Shotteswell Vicarage were the scene of a very interesting gathering on Tuesday afternoon on the occasion of a fete and sale of work for parochial objects opened by Miss Loveday of Arlescote, whose family have long been associated with the Church-life of the district. The grounds had been made very attractive by a willing band of workers. Streamers of small flags spanned the carriage-way between the Church yard and the vicarage and the front lawn was tastefully arranged with stalls with a maypole in the centre, and daintily laid tea tables in the orchard below. The ladies assisting were Mrs Sproule, Mrs Dunn, Mrs Tompkins, Mrs T White, Mrs Pearson, Miss Reading, Mrs Stileman, Mrs Johnson, the Misses Keys-Wells, Miss James, Miss Tompkins, Miss Muriel Johnson, Miss Sproule and Miss Isabel Spencer, Miss G. James, Miss A. Spencer, Miss Gladys Spencer etc. Miss Loveday was accompanied by her sister, Miss E. Loveday, and amongst the leading people present, in addition to the ladies already mentioned were Lady Stonehouse, Mrs Holbech, Miss Holbech, Miss Newington, the Rev. R. P. and Mrs Willock, Mrs R. Reading, Mrs A. E. Knott, and parishioners generally, the attendance increasing as the day advanced.

The Vicar and Mrs Sproule gave a hearty welcome to the visitors and at the time of the opening ceremony Mr R Sansbury of Bridge Street, Banbury photographed the company.

The Vicar, in introducing Miss Loveday to the Company, said his task was a very pleasant one. He only wanted to say a very few words before calling upon Miss Loveday to open the sale of work and fete. He observed that Shotteswell was in a peculiar position, a statement which would be thoroughly appreciated by those who knew the working of the parish. They were so situated that they had no squire amongst them. He did not think anybody in the parish paid super-tax and the majority paid no income tax at all. Some of them were engaged filling up the third page claiming abatement. In that way they did not get much support in a large way. They were dependent upon what they could realise by voluntary effort and in special ways like the one in which they were engaged that day, and whereby they hoped their parish funds would be increased. Whilst they did not go exactly begging to their neighbours they asked them to come and lay out their money, for which they provided them with an equivalent for the same in the shape of articles upon the stalls. They had no desire to over-price articles and they hoped that visitors would be gratified with the return they got for their money. They hoped those who visited them would go away with full hands and empty purses, and by that means they hoped to raise for parochial objects sufficient to carry on the work of the parish. There was no need in Shotteswell to introduce Miss Loveday to the inhabitants. She was known far and wide by her kind deeds, and her family had been associated with those parts for generations. On reference to the Church Book he found that from 1840 to 1857 the Rev. W. C. Loveday was the curate in charge of that parish. In those days, Shotteswell had no resident Vicar. The village, he believed, was served by Warmington. Many of the older members of the parish had heard how Mr Loveday used to be going in and out amongst them, performing his daily work and administration amongst them.  The Loveday family were known for their good deeds and kindly words, and they felt it was very kind of Miss Loveday to come and help them in the way she had that day coming to open the sale of work (applause).

Miss Loveday who was the recipient of a basket of beautiful roses, thanked Mr Sproule for his very kind words about herself and her family. She could just as a little child remember her uncle having sole charge of Shotteswell. He used to come over on a Sunday and during the week at a time when there was no resident Vicar. The only vicarage was a cottage with one room. Shotteswell had always had a special place in the thoughts and memories of her family. She thought some of the older parishioners might just remember her uncle. She had great pleasure in declaring the fete and sale of work open and in wishing it every success (applause).

Mr C. F. Stileman, one of the churchwardens, on behalf of the village thanked Miss Loveday for coming to help them in the way she had. It was only another occasion of her practical sympathy.

The Rev. R. P. Willock seconded the proposition, which was cordially carried and Miss Loveday having briefly replied, the company adjourned to the attractions of the fete.

The maypole dancing was very picturesque and well-performed by the Sunday School children under the direction of Miss Sproule, Miss Isabel Spencer playing the accompaniments. The tea was well patronised and the stalls seen shorn of their contents.

In the evening the Horley band attended, and there was a dance on the lawn to conclude the day’s gathering.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

A member of the Warwickshire Yeomanry writing from Egypt says: The public gardens here are very beautiful, and of course more interesting to us because the majority of flowers and trees are strange. In one of them a little stream runs through with hundreds of gold fish in. I saw rather an amusing incident in one of the gardens last night. About a dozen soldiers were sitting on a bank singing hymns, and they were singing very well such hymns as “Onward Christian Soldiers” and “Rock of Ages”. They had an admiring circle of natives of all ages and both sexes. Presently along one of the paths appeared about a dozen natives of the class which in England we describe as “Nuts,” marching in half sections and each one playing a guitar or similar musical instrument. When they reached the “choir” party they halted and turning to the scholars solemnly played the chorus of “Tipperary” through twice, then with many bows and good nights, passed on. By the way, we have heard “Tipperary” played and dung more times since we left England than we should have done in twelve months at home. Once we had it played for our benefit by a band on a French battleship and we responded by singing, or trying to, their National Anthem.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915

The committee of the Warwickshire Chamber of Agriculture and the Stratford-on-Avon District Farmers’ Union formed to deal with the question of agricultural labour in Warwickshire, state that offers to help agriculturists in this present labour crisis have been received from the London Teachers’ Association, Fleet Street, the masters of Rugby School, and the Association to Promote the Employment of Women in Agriculture.

Banbury Guardian, July 1915