BECCLES NEWSPAPERS 1940-41

 

 

1940 BECCLES & BUNGAY

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Jan     GRAVESEND COUNTY SCHOOL for BOYS who had come here as evacuees moved their school premises this week and have had the opportunity of getting accustomed to their new home. On Monday the school assembled at the Shipmeadow House for the new term, once again gathering under one roof.

                                             Previously the school had been spread through various halls. Various improvements and alterations have been made to the interior to make it suitable for a school of 300 boys. The boys can make the three-mile journey from Beccles comfortably by bus and cycle.

                                             The school may well regard itself as highly fortunate in having been able to secure such a roomy building as Shipmeadow House, and it is to be hoped that its stay there will be thoroughly successful.

1940     Places Where they Sing      AUTOBIOGRAHY by Lionel Dakers: My father took up the school’s offer to evacuate its pupils to Beccles in Suffolk where I [aged 15] was billeted with a motherly widow, Mrs Foyster [Widow of William Sidney Foyster, 72 Grove Road], who was responsible for looking after three of us and who fed us almost exclusively with baked beans on toast (which I anyhow loved), though food was already beginning to be in short supply prior to full-scale rationing. The winter of 1940 was an exceptionally harsh one, so much so that each day we had to plod our way on foot through the snow three or four miles each way to Shipmeadow for lessons in a rambling, cold, and disused workhouse which was our school. I was soon motivated towards the splendid parish church in Beccles where the elderly organist allowed me to practise but constantly warned me of the privations of a musical career, regularly showing me his down-at-heel shoes and telling me that because he was an organist his poverty extended to his being unable to afford having them repaired.

1939+  Workhouses on Internet       Ted JENKINS WRITES: 0n the 3rd September 1939, 400 boys and staff of The Gravesend County School for Boys (now the Grammar School), were evacuated on the MV Royal Daffodil from Gravesend, Kent, to Lowestoft and were eventually billeted in Beccles. A search for a building for use as a school with the boys and staff under one roof showed that the only one available was Shipmeadow House. This was, at the time, being used to store ARP equipment for the area. The House was renovated and school furniture and equipment brought up from Gravesend in the autumn of 1939 and schooling began on the 1st January 1940. In the following May, Beccles was brought within a new defence area against the possibility of a German invasion and all evacuees were ordered to move, possibly to the Midlands or to South Wales. However permission was given for the boys and staff to move to Bungay so that they could continue to use Shipmeadow House as a school. The school continued until the summer of 1942. After exams, a number of the boys left school and teachers were needed at the school in Gravesend so the whole school went home to Kent. I believe the House then became a chicken farm.

                                             I was one of the evacuees - we were the lucky ones. Three years in the lovely Suffolk countryside. The generosity and kindness of the local people will be remembered always. We became quite fond of the old House and can always say that went to school in a workhouse!

                                             This was later used as a pig-farm, but the buildings have now been converted to residential use.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Jan     PHOTOGRAPH: Dagenham Evacuees in Christmas Party in Public Hall page 4

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Jan     DAGENHAM EVACUEES: Party at the Public Hall visited by the Mayor & Mayoress of Beccles & the Mayor & Mayoress of Dagenham. Party of 160 infants & juniors who have attended the Peddar’s Lane School since they came to Beccles on the outbreak of war. After tea a present was given to each child by Father Christmas (Dr Henry Wood-Hill). The Seniors had a party on Wednesday.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Jan     GRAVESEND COUNTY SCHOOL: Party for evacuees in Public Hall, senior scholars on Friday & Juniors on Wednesday.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Jan     SHIPMEADOW WORKHOUSE: Many improvements were effected by the Board of Guardians which was in charge of the Institution until its transfer to the East Suffolk County Council in 1930. From 1930 until the closure of the building in January 1938 splendid work was done by the Household Management Committee. It was in the cause of good administration that the County Council found it necessary to decide upon closure in consequence of surplus accommodation at building in other parts of the county. During the months prior to the war the building was used for the storage of ARP equipment.

1940     Chronicle 20C 8 Jan           FOOD RATIONING INTRODUCED: Butter 4ozs; Sugar 12 ozs; Bacon or Ham uncooked 4 ozs; Bacon or Ham cooked 3 ½ ozs.     

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Jan    TREES PLANTED to beautify the roads of the Borough during the last few years have been damaged recently, particularly some young trees in Upper Grange Road

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jan    PURCHASE of SITE in Hungate Lane for street improvement vetoed by the Council as a result of intervention by Rear Admiral Johnson.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jan    LIBRARIAN: RC Dunt said that average issue of books in December (all days 2.30 to 4pm) Tuesdays 250, Wednesdays 60, Thursdays 140, Saturdays 170.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Jan    FARMERS’ SUCCESS: Beccles National Farmers’ Union the most efficient unit in Suffolk for the 10th time. Total membership in Suffolk was 2513.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Feb     REFUGEE CHILDREN: Proposal by the Chief Billeting Officer; Children should change billets after three months and go to different hosts for three months and return to their original hosts for the next three months, so giving the hosts a break. Beccles will await a reply to this proposal from the Regional Headquarters at Cambridge.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Feb     DEATH of Mr MW Guton of 82 St George’s Road. Born at Belton in 1866, the son of a farm bailiff to Mr Brightwen & Sir Robert Palgrave. Apprenticed to Worlingham blacksmith, Mr Welton, took job as a porter at Seven Sisters, Tottenham. Became a signalman, moved to Chingford and after 11 years to Walsingham and finally Beccles, from which station he retired in 1932 after 43 years with the LNER.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Feb     SOCIAL INSTIUTE AGM: A satisfactory financial position was recorded by the Chairman, Mr WE Downing, who has been associate with it since it was founded by his father-in-law, William Elliott in 1903.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Feb     FIRE DESTROYS GARAGE of Mr AW Denny [in Peddar’s Lane?], together with 5 lorries, 3 of them loaded with goods ready for transit.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Feb     DEATH of George Robert Lincoln of 46 Fair Close aged 72. Appointed to the Board of Management of the Co-Op in 1901, and President since 1919. He was employed in the composing department of the Caxton Press for nearly 60 years until his retirement in 1938.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Feb    HOUSING INQUIRY in Wainford Area postponed

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Feb    BREWSTER SESSIONS: The Magistrates: Capt BW Blowers (Chairman), The Mayor of Beccles (Mr Allden Owles), L-Col BG Baker. Mrs E Baxter, EJ Hindes, J Brindy, AE Jordan & AE Pye.

                                             There were 27 full, 5 beer  “on” & 4 beer “off” premises (of the latter, 3 were grocers). At the last District Census the population was 8894, giving one “on” licence holder to 287 people.

                                             There have been only 4 convictions for drunkenness in the last 5 years.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Feb    DEATH of Mrs DOROTHY FORWARD at Waveney House, wife Mr BRYAN FORWARD, Lowestoft & Beccles Solicitor, who has been for 25 years Town Clerk of Beccles.

                                             Mrs Forward, born at Beeston, Notts, she had lived in Beccles 25 years, and previously at Lowestoft. She had been an invalid for the last 4 years. Last November her elder daughter was married to Mr GF Ludovici. After a short honeymoon they sailed for Karachi, India.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Feb    PHOTOGRAPH of SNOW being cleared on Beccles to Ringsfield Road.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Feb    DEATH of Mr Alfred DARBY aged 83, of 15 Smallgate. Born in London, Mr Darby came to Beccles as a child and spent practically all his life in the town. After serving his apprenticeship with Mr Mills, a photographer, he went to Bradford for a short time. He returned to carry on Mr Mills’ business and carried it on for about 60 years.

                                             Mr Darby was for some years a member of the old Volunteers at Beccles. He had belonged to the Beccles Adult School since it was founded in 1900. A lifelong teetotaller , he was a member of the local tent of Rechabites.

                                             A widower for the last five years, Mr Darby leaves four sons and two daughters. One of the sons, Mr Claud S Darby, for some years has been the Beccles & Bungay advertising representative of our series of newspapers.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Feb    SPARROW KILLING organised by the Lothingland Young Farmers’ Club, paid ½d for a dead adult bird, to protect the food supply.

 1940    Beccles & Bungay 17 Feb    PEACE OFFENSIVE by Dr AD Belden, a Congregational Minister and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Division. “Toryism had made the war.... If this major war is loosed there will be such destruction on both sides that all possibilities of a new Europe will sink in the welter of blood and agony and hate ... The war must end in a revolt of the common people. That was the only decent way for it to end. The masses must be rallied together and the Church must lead them.”.

                                             Mr Belden said they were not going to smash Hitler by brute force. It could not be done. What he would like to see was a proclamation on the part of the British Government as to the kind of peace it desired in Europe. These terms could be put into the hands of a friendly Power for canvassing with the other side. Then there should be a representative world conference. He added that they could make a better world if the common people were massed well enough for it

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Feb    YOUR MEAT RATION: Rationing of butcher’s meat on a value basis of 1s 10d for each person over six years old will be introduced on Monday 11 March. Those under six will receive half the ration. A family of three persons will be able to purchase 4lb of best English sirloin; or 8lb of boiling cuts of best home killed beef, such as pate, brisket or flank; or 5lbs of imported sirloin. Liver, kidneys, tripe, heart, ox-tail and sausages will not be rationed. Restaurants will be able to serve meat without coupons.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Feb    WEATHER: For practically the whole month [of January] there was snow about. Temperatures were always low and in the first fortnight it was uncommon for anything between 10 and 29 degrees of frost in the night. In many places there was good skating and in the Waveney Valley it was a unique privilege to be able to enjoy it on the river itself. The first heavy snow-fall was experienced on 16th with blizzard conditions. In no time great drifts of snow were whirled off the fields on to the roads, with the result that communication from place to place was practically out of the question until the snow ploughs had been put into action.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Feb    WORKERS for Council have more wages as a result of the war. Men to have 3s rise a week & charwomen 2s extra.

                                             EVACUATION REPORT by the Evacuation Officer, WS Clark: Of the 418 unaccompanied children from Gravesend 23% had returned home. For the whole country the percentage was 43%. Teachers received 94, of whom 49% had returned. Of the 158 mothers, 95% had gone home. Altogether 1,689 evacuees had been received & 54% had gone back; 749 remained.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Feb    CAMPAIGN against RATS in Beccles organised by the County Council: A penny will be paid for the tail of each rat. By the end of last year 1195 tails had been taken to the Corporation Depot.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Feb    EVACUEES: The unaccompanied children, teachers and helpers are connected with schools which have been officially evacuated to Beccles and which are getting on well in their new surroundings. One of these is the Gravesend County School for Boys, which has Shipmeadow House as its headquarters since the beginning of this year. The boys and staff are very happily settled and have contributed in no small measure to local activities. That the school is deeply appreciative of their reception is shown by the fact that Mr Samuel Lister, the head master has spoken of it at the Incorporated Association of Head Masters of Secondary Schools in London & at a recent sermon at St Michael’s.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Feb    WORKERS for Council have more wages as a result of the war. Men to have 3s rise a week & charwomen 2s extra.

                                             EVACUATION REPORT by the Evacuation Officer, WS Clark: Of the 418 unaccompanied children from Gravesend 23% had returned home. For the whole country the percentage was 43%. Teachers received 94, of whom 49% had returned. Of the 158 mothers, 95% had gone home. Altogether 1,689 evacuees had been received & 54% had gone back; 749 remained.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Feb    CAMPAIGN against RATS in Beccles organised by the County Council: A penny will be paid for the tail of each rat. By the end of last year 1195 tails had been taken to the Corporation Depot.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Mar    CENTENARY of EAST SUFFOLK POLICE FORCE on 5th March. Road casualties in East Suffolk during 1939: 24 people killed, 748 injured in 594 accidents. 11 of those killed were pedestrians.

                                             There were 571 crimes in 1939, of which 330 were detected o 57%

                                             There were 129 people of German or Austrian nationality in the County.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Mar    WOMEN’S VOLUNTARY SERVICES for Civil Defence, formed well under a year ago under the chairmanship of Mrs Wood-Hill. It was in the weeks that followed the outbreak of war these ladies were particularly busy with evacuees. 2,100 articles of clothing and boots have been given out to evacuees by this organisation.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Mar    ARTHUR PYE replies to Dr Belden: As an old member of the Lowestoft Divisional Party Executive and also a fellow Congregationalist, I regret the passing of the resolution at the recent meeting at Beccles. I am quite sure it does not represent the views of the overwhelming majority of supporters in North Suffolk, and is in direct opposition to the declared policy of the National Labour Party.

                                             Lord Halifax and Mr Chamberlain did everything humanly possible to avert this catastrophe. From every church and from thousands of individuals prayers were offered that war might be averted. All this and the propaganda of the Pacifists was interpreted by Herr von Ribbentrop & Herr Hitler as a sign of weakness and decadence on the part of Great Britain.

                                             To follow the procedure of this resolution would be futile.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Mar    DEATH of Mrs Grimmer of Mettingham Hall. She was the daughter of Mr & Mrs Betts of Fritton Grange, Long Stratton. They lived first at Ellingham, the at Shadingfield for10 years. They moved to Mettingham Hall, which the family has farmed for a lengthy period.

                                             Mrs Grimmer served in the forage corps during the Great War & was a founder member of the Mettingham Women’s Institute.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Mar    THREE CARS IN COLLISION at BARSHAM opposite the church. Nobody was injured.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Mar    AIR RAID SHELTER: As a result of various structural alterations which have been carried out the old Wine Vaults in Hungate have been converted into a capital air raid shelter. Credit is due to Mr Meen, the borough’s ARP organiser and Chief Air Raid warden who supervised the work. There are two large vaults with a plainly marked entrance at the Exchange Square end of Hungate and an emergency exit into Blyburgate. Dry, spacious and well ventilated they have comfortable seating for 120 persons. There is also room for several other people to stand in the vaults, which are illuminated by electric light and have been provided with sanitary accommodation. The shelter will be manned by air raid wardens attached to the post, which has its headquarters directly opposite. It will serve as a place of refuge for those who happen to be caught in the streets when an air raid occurs. The Council suggests that people should leave their front doors unfastened during a raid, and people caught in the street should shelter in the nearest house or premises.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Mar    EVACUEE’S ESSAY: “I miss the wide streets of Gravesend, for although the streets of Beccles are very clean, they are very narrow.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Mar    NEW HOSPITAL MATRON: Miss Phyllis E Sutton is taking the place of Miss M Annand who is leaving for service with the Forces.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Mar    ADVERTISEMENT: “The Stars Look Down” all next week at the Odeon Lowestoft.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 16 Mar   BECCLES CHURCH: Good financial situation with the church. The Rector (Rev Harold Birch) presided, supported by the Churchwardens AE Bunn & W Fowler & the Secretary of the Parochial Church Council Mr BW Goodin. The former National Schools in Ravensmere had been empty for a year and had been requisitioned by the Town Council as an Auxiliary Fire Station. The legal position of a school, which was closed, was rather conflicting. The school was built about 70 years ago. In the High Court it had been decided that if a building ceased to be a church school the ground reverted back to the person who had sold the site or his descendants, even though he had received money for it. The Rector said, “It affects us this way, that although we no longer have the school we are not able to sell the property.” Efforts were being made to trace the descendants of the man who sold the site.

                                             The Church Tower had its roof re-leaded during the year at a cost of £82

1940     Beccles & Bungay 16 Mar   PHOTOGRAPH: Digging for Victory page 12

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Mar   COUNCIL RATES 12s/6d in the £, the same as last year.

                                             SUFFOLK County War Agricultural Committee was asked for advice on the use of the Marshes. They replied that two small Marshes on Goose Green of 2 & 3 acres should be ploughed up. This did not satisfy the Council and they sought more information.

                                             BATHING PLACE: During the absence of Mr BL Moore, the attendant, on the East Suffolk Police War Reserve, his brother & sister to act instead.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Mar   Mr & Mrs George Strowger of the Angel Inn, Ballygate celebrated their golden wedding. Coming from an old Beccles family Mr Strowger was born at Norton Subcourse. On leaving Beccles in the early part of his life he spent in the service of Norfolk gentry. After several years as stud groom to Mr Henry Birkbeck of Westacre High House, he returned to Beccles in October 1909 to take over the licence of the Angel Inn. Until recently Mr Strowger continued to work as a horse trainer. Hunting, coursing & bowls have made a great appeal to him. Until it ceased to function a few years ago the Coursing Club had its headquarters at the Angel.

                                             Mrs Strowger comes from Devon and is a member of the Conservative Association. They were married at Banningham Church, near Aylsham. They have two daughters.

 1940    Beccles & Bungay 30 Mar   DEATH of Mrs Eleanor Stebbings, aged 93, of the Butchers’ Arms, Ilketshall St Andrew, who had never been out of the parish.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Mar   DEATH of Mr JJ King aged 78 of Blyburgate. He was a native of Bury St Edmunds and came to Beccles when he was 19. He was in business as a baker & confectioner for 59 years, disposing of the business six months ago. Until 8 years ago he was superintendent of the ex-Primitive Methodist Sunday School for 40 years. He succeeded his father-in-law, William Harper, who founded the school and had charge for 30 years.

                                             He was a preacher for 40 years on the Loddon, Bungay circuit. The service was held on the 22nd anniversary of the death in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle of his third son, AE King.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Mar   BILLETING of EVACUEES: Every household is required to fill in a leaflet about their readiness to house evacuees. The original survey discovered that 3,700 billets were available in the town. Last September 1,700 evacuees arrived, but 1,000 have returned home. In the case of bombing in the evacuees areas a further 300 places are required. It is hoped these can be found from volunteers otherwise compulsory powers will be used.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Mar   MARRIED in Vancouver: Mr Frank Clayton Wilkinson, 3rd son of the late Alderman John Quinton Wilkinson with Miss Muriel Mabel Hart, daughter of Mr & Mrs John Hart of Vancouver. Mr Wilkinson emigrated to Canada in 1922 & since then has been working for General Motors.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Mar   SPELLING BEE & GENERAL KNOWLEDGE competition to be held in the Public Hall on 6 April, compered by Dr Wood-Hill

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Apr     WOMEN’S VOLUNTARY SERVICES, Beccles branch praised for distributing half of all garments in the county to evacuees. They had distributed 2070 out of 4070 in the whole county.

1940   date chart 9 Apr                       HITLER INVADES DENMARK & NORWAY

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Apr   KEW GARDENS & its association with Sir William Hooker of Norwich& Halesworth and Sir Joseph Hooker

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Apr   RETIREMENT of Thomas Henry Ward aged 75 of Guist, Grove Road from Caxton Press after 62 years - the record of years of employment by the firm. Born in Beccles, he started at the Press aged 13½ as a compositor’s apprentice. After completing his time he continued in the composing department. 20 years later he was promoted to the Reading Department. Much of the work he had to handle was of a technical and legal character.  

                                             When he was 15 he learned and when a cricket section of the Athletic Club was formed he was Captain foe 11 years and for most of that time was also is secretary. As a Rugger player he was outstanding. He was a fullback and the only time he did not turn out for his own club was when he accepted an invitation to play for Suffolk County. Owing to a shortage of Rugby Clubs in Norfolk & Suffolk soccer was introduced at the Caxton Press in the 1890s. Rugby & Soccer matches were played on alternate Saturdays. A leg injury in 1893 made him retire from rugger and he took up refereeing Soccer until 1915, being regularly seen at Norwich City ground.

                                             He has been a member of the Typographical Society (for 47 years) a member of the “Temple of Friendship of Oddfellows (since he was 18) a member of the Board of Management of the Co-Op.

                                             Mrs Ward was born at Brandeston & they have a son & a daughter. The son, Tom Ward of Sheffield  specialises in executive work in connection with swimming. The daughter is a teacher?

                                             RETIREMENT of Mr WOOLNER last year, who had completed 58 years with Clowes

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Apr   DEATH of ALFRED PARR, aged 57 of Holmlea, St Anne’s Road. A native of Kenninghall he came to Beccles 36 years ago and 9 years later set up business as a motor engineer.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Apr   ****BANKRUPTCY (proceedings at Yarmouth) of former owner of ASHMAN’S HALL, Mrs Elizabeth Irene Lauriston Scott and later of Forest Edge, Farley Hill, Berks.  She was married 15 years ago to Major Henry Stewart Lauriston Scott [he was born 29 December 1885 and appears in the Olympic Games as a Show Jumper in 1912 at Stockholm]. Until 1939 she received a substantial voluntary allowance from abroad. The allowances stopped in January 1939. She was receiving £200, £250 and in one case £300 a month.  She wrote the name and address of the person sending the allowance on paper and handed it to the Official Receiver “You will of course recognise why that is not being mentioned in open court. As I understand it that was purely voluntary. It is obvious that at the present time you are not in receipt of that allowance.”

                                             Receiver: Was it on the strength of the allowance that in January 1937, you took a three year tenancy of Ashman’s Hall?” - “My husband was a director of some companies and had fairly good prospects.”

                                             Mrs Scott: She was given an option to purchase at £2,150. She paid no rent during the first year owing to the money spent on improvements and alterations, apart from electricity installation.”

                                             Receiver: “ In your husband’s bankruptcy there was a claim for this”

                                             Mrs Scott: In April 1938 the property was valued at£3,500 on a forced sale basis. In December 1938, she exercised the option to purchase for £2,150.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Apr   LIFEBOAT INSTITUION: Every week since hostilities started the average number of lives rescued has been 62. During the last month the total of lives saved from drowning was 77. The first seven months of this war have been the most crowded and hazardous in the history of the lifeboat service.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Apr   PAY of COUNCIL EMPLOYEES: Council uncertain on situation, enquiring of other local authorities.

                                             ROAD CORNER IMPROVEMENT at junction of Ballygate & St Mary’s Road: Removal of a boarded fence & substitution of a live hedge, together with a public seat in a recess in the new hedge. The seat was given by Dr Wood-Hill.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Apr   BECCLES DRAMATIC SOCIETY stage “The Private Secretary” a comedy by Charles Hawtry.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Apr   DEATH of SIR GEORGE BUCHANAN aged 74 at his home at Ditchingham. He was a distinguished Civil Engineer.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Apr   BECCLES IN THE SEVENTIES [1870s] by Miss Tracy to the Historical Society at the YMCA Hut

                                             On 12 August 1872 she and her two younger sisters arrived to stay with her grandmother, who had hired a house in London Road [No 18] now occupied by the Mayor & Mayoress, until their mother arranged their future home.

                                             Peaceful green meadows and cornfields existed where were now Alexandra, Denmark, Gosford, Gresham, Kilbrack, St Benedict’s, Grange, Ashman’s and Priory Roads, as well as a large part of Ravensmere, Swine’s Green and Lady’s Meadow. By far the most picturesque entrance to the borough was by way of Bungay Road, where the fine old trees at the end of Ashman’s Wood met another group on the opposite side of Ringsfield Road now occupied by the Catholic Minster, and the row oaks and elms in the Fauconberge School playground. Now all were gone. A pretty grass slope edging the road and path in front of the two old cottages opposite the former Sir John Leman School and an ancient pump has been removed and a raised path with concrete steps provided instead.

                                             Love Lane, as St Mary’s Road was then called, was really a lane. On one side was the playground and part of Homefield and on the other a huge cornfield extending right up to the waterworks and Ringsfield Road. Half way down the lane was a stile and a pretty winding footpath through the cornfield to the entrance to London Road, where there was another secluded style stile that was very well remembered by many who were then young men and girls. Priory Road had completely buried that little pathway. In London Road the main feature, which struck everyone going up the road, was the two beautiful copper beeches on the left hand side. Unfortunately they grew so large and darkened to such an extent the houses they fronted that they had to be cut down. Another feature was the tall tower mill, but when its sails were revolving and their shadows were falling on the windows of the houses opposite conditions for the occupants were rather trying.

                                             By demolition Northgate, Blyburgate, Saltgate and Ballygate had lost some of their oldest houses, and the old home of the Crowfoot family in Blyburgate had been purchased and pulled down so that its site could be laid out in building plots. A level crossing and wooden footbridge led to the Avenue, then recently laid out. This was a well-made gravel roadway across a marsh and had wide borders on either side filled with young trees, flowering shrubs and plants. The Avenue was crossed at the far end by a wooden bridge over a wide dyke on which several swans and sometimes cygnets swam about waiting to be fed with bread by the children. This was a delightful walk to the Common, but its maintenance apparently being considered an expense to the town it grew shabby and neglected. Soon the flower-beds disappeared altogether and the whole stretch was gravelled.

                                             The river provided great sport during the winter, for when there was an extra high tide and the water could not get away quickly enough under the low bridge the marshes were flooded. When this water froze there were acres of ice for skating. Sometimes the frost lasted for weeks, and in the middle of the day the town would be almost deserted. Everyone, who could get away, flocked down to the ice and learned to skate in no time. Some years they skated to Bungay or Oulton Broad. One winter a carnival was held on the ice on the river, a donkey and cart going up and down selling oranges and buns and hot potatoes roasted on a stove.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Apr   FARMING 137 acres at Ilketshall St Andrew:  Visited by the Minister of Agriculture in June 1939, farmed by William Bell. Some years ago the old farmhouse had burnt down and Bell was slowly rebuilding it. In February 1939 he purchased the farm for £2,000 - with his savings as a smallholder in Hampshire. Rough grass, which he let out to grazing and bushes were growing in all the fields where once corn had flourished. He slept in the large old barn “to keep the rats from the chickens.” He had about 500 pullets and a few pigs, but he hoped to stock it some time in the future.

                                             Now a big transformation has occurred. He was hard at work with a tractor drawing a harrow. “I have ploughed up 30 acres of grassland which I used to le for rough grazing, and am going to do some more soon.”

                                             He is planning to purchase some cattle this year. Because of the war, there were times he could get no feeding stuffs, so he sold his chicken and his pigs. He is now married to a Kentish girl, and he had a bungalow built on the Halesworth Road at Redisham.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Apr   REDISHAM HALL ESTATE of 400 acres is on the market again. Less than three years ago it was purchased by Capt WW Dowding, who spent a great deal of money modernising the residence. He has now been called up for active service. It is well wooded. Through the park runs the little Hundred River. There are plenty of trees in the park, among them some huge cedars, which are obviously of great age. The previous owner, Lt-Col Charles Lysaght Motimer lived in Beccles up to his death in March 1937at the age of 86.

                                             The first Hall on the site is believed to have been that of Nicholas Garneys who was High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1592 and is commemorated by an unusual monument on the exterior of Ringsfield Church. The Hall was pulled down in 1820 to make way for the new mansion of Mr John Garden, enlarged in 1904.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Apr   TRAMP BEGS at door of MAYOR of LOWESTOFT: “He has made himself a great nuisance to the people of Beccles” said Major Humphery, the Mayor. James Cooper, 77 Castle Hill, Beccles: He said his health had been ruined by war service & he had suffered from shell shock. He had been on relief since the last war and definitely for the last ten years. He received 32s 6d public assistance. The authorities held that his present disability was not due to war service.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Apr   HSTORICALSOCIETY: Owing to petrol rationing it was not possible to plan excursions a considerable distance away. Mr HR Davis, a retired London Headmaster living at Weston is to give a lantern lecture at the Society’s AGM on stained glass. The first tour to Southwold in June

1940     Beccles & Bungay 4 May    ORGANIST of St Michael’s: John Hammond of Pakefield is appointed Organist & Choirmaster in succession to W Storeton-West of Lowestoft who has been organist for 10 years. Mr Hammond was formerly a pupil of Dr Heathcote Statham, the organist of Norwich Cathedral and has been Organist at Pakefield for six years. He has the advantage of being a young man.

1940   date chart 10 May                   HITLER INVADES HOLLAND & BELGIUM

1940   date chart 10 May                   WINSTON CHURCHILL BECOMES PRIME MINISTER

1940     Beccles & Bungay 11 May    BEQUEST of £4,000 from Mrs Margaret Waring of Chorley, Lancs to children of late Rev Alfred Pagan of Beccles.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 11 May  DEATH of Mrs Mary Elizabeth Cowles, aged 93, widow of Charles Cowles of Beccles. She was daughter-in-law of William Cowles, Mayor of Beccles 1858-59 &proprietor of a school at 44 Northgate (Staithe House) for nearly half a century. Mrs Cowles lived in Beccles until about 1915.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 18 May  RED TRIANLE CLUB AGM: The President, Rear Admiral Johnson said the Club had been asked to provide educational facilities for the Gravesend County School for Boys at the lowest possible cost. The hut was blacked out, heating & cleaning also being undertaken. The transfer to Shipmeadow has eased the situation. The Town Council asked the Club to provide meals for the parents of evacuee children, but this resulted in a loss because the parents preferred to go to the billets and see the children there.

                                             Successful provision had been made for members of the Forces. A wireless and additional papers were provided.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 18 May  Lt Col Lush awarded Certificate of Merit by the British Legion. The branch was founded by Col Lush & Sam Wade, Petty Officer, RN.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 18 May  AIR RAID ADVICE: During an air-raid or air battle overhead, do not go out doors to watch, and if you are out doors go into a shelter or a house, or if you are in open country lie down in a ditch. “Many people in Spain, Poland & Finland lost their lives by not obeying the rule at once. after a short time the survivors learnt do that”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 18 May  WHIT MONDAY treated as a day of normal work following the Government announcement.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 18 May  PHOTOGRAPH: Factory in Norwich doing work of National importance.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 25 May  ACCOUNT of INVASION of HOLLAND by Norwich Firm’s branch manager.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 25 May  BLACK DOG OF BUNGAY

1940     Beccles & Bungay 25 May  PHOTOGRAPH: Women workers on the Farm

1940   date chart 28 May                   BELGIUM & HOLLAND SURRENDER TO NAZIS

1940   date chart 31 May                   BRITISH TROOPS ENCIRCLED on FRENCH COAST

1940     Beccles & Bungay 1 Jun     SCHOOL CHILDREN to be EVACUATED from LOWESTOFT was announced on the radio on Sunday, 26 May. Evacuations commence on Sunday 2 June to Herefordshire and Wales.  The scheme covered children attending school and not infants or parents, but included children aged 3 to 4 if accompanied by an older brother or sister. The children must take with them their gas masks, identity card, ration card, food for the day, a change of underclothing, handkerchiefs, stockings, plimsols or house shoes, comb, tooth brush etc. They will travel in the care of teachers and voluntary helpers, and parents will be informed of the address of the children as soon as possible. The Mayor of Lowestoft said: “I hope all parents will, if possible, evacuate their children. I hope they will not put obstacles in the way, and that they will keep calm when they are seeing their children off. I appeal to everyone to keep calm.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 1 Jun     DAY OF NATIONAL PRAYER: Between 1,400 and 1,500 people attended the Day of National Prayer service in St Michael’s Church, Beccles. The church was packed by one of the biggest congregations in living memory, and many were accommodated on chairs put in the aisles. The Mayor & Corporation and officials attended. The service was taken by the Curate, Rev CD Hulbert, and started with the first verse of the National Anthem & “I will lift up Mine Eyes”. In the sermon Rev HL Birch said,  “In response to the call of their King millions of men and women were gathering together in tens of thousands of churches and chapels throughout this country and all round the world. Clearly the occasion was not for preaching, but for praying.

                                             It was generally recognised in the conscience of men throughout the world that in this tremendous struggle Great Britain had right on her side and that her cause was the cause of freedom and justice and regard for the rights of man.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 1 Jun     BECCLES SCHOOL CHILDREN: “There is no intention whatsoever to evacuate any Beccles school children. The only local places where evacuation of school children is to be effected are Lowestoft and Yarmouth.” The Kent & Essex evacuee children are to be moved fro areas within ten miles of the East coast. The Gravesend County School for Boys pupils will move to Bungay so that they can continue using the Shipmeadow House as their school.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 1 Jun     ESCAPED: Mr OL Gill of Ypres, who has been in charge of the Imperial War Graves Commission’s horticultural work in Belgium, Germany and Holland, has reached his brother’s home at Beccles. He is a native of the town.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 1 Jun     MINISTRY OF INFORMATION loudspeaker address in Beccles Market Place on Friday afternoon by Mr JF Coales (the former Conservative Agent for Lowestoft Division) & Mr Knowles: “The recent formation in this country of a new Government was a proof of the unity that existed. If ever there was a time when every individual should place his services at the disposal of the State it was now.”

                                             Mr Knowles emphasised that people should carry their gas masks always, should see that their blackout was perfect, and should not receive or spread rumours. He appealed for support for the Mayor in any action he took”.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 1 Jun     HISTORICAL SOCIETY have cancelled their programme of visits, but the lecture on “Old Stained Glass Windows” would take place on 5 June.

1940   date chart 4 Jun                       BRITISH TROOPS EVACUATED FROM DUNKIRK

1940     Beccles & Bungay 8 Jun     EVACUEES LEAVE BECCLES: About 176 Dagenham children left the station on Sunday morning by special train accompanied by 27 teachers and helpers.

                                             Nearly 200 pupils and staff of the Gravesend School for boys on Monday left Beccles for their new billets six miles away in Bungay and in neighbouring villages.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 8 Jun     DEATH on ACTIVE SERVICE - died of wounds: Mr Robert FA Throckmorton, aged 20, youngest son of  Captain HJA Throckmorton, RN (Retd), of The Grange, Grange Road, Beccles and grandson of Sir Richard Throckmorton of Coughton, Warwickshire, who joined the army at the beginning of this year. He was educated at Sir John Leman School, Beccles & at Beaumont College, Old Windsor. Afterwards he studied as an accountant. He was a member of Beccles Amateur Sailing Club, of which his father is Commodore, and in 1938 won its Coronation Challenge Cup.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 8 Jun     PROTEST by WAINFORD RDC at Government proposals to send evacuees to this area. Capt BW Blower said that in view of the dangerous position he thought it was time some protest was made about the proposal. He stressed that residents were perfectly willing and ready to help by taking the children, but there was the question of the wisdom of sending the evacuees to an area so near the East coast as Wainford.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 8 Jun     LOCAL FASCISTS ARRESTED. Two from Lowestoft, three at Kings Lynn one of them a churchwarden, two at Eye one a Councillor, one from Sheringham.

 1940    Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    DEATH IN ACTION: Able Seaman Ralph F Ward, second son of Mr & Mrs RP Ward, of 42 Station Road, Beccles, killed by a German bomb while carrying out his duties as leading torpedo-man on the last destroyer to take part in the evacuation of Dunkirk. He was 29, had taken part in the Altman rescue. He had been in the Navy 15 years having joined at the age of 14½. A native of Yarmouth, he was an old choirboy of Beccles Parish Church. His father had been in the railway booking office for many years. The funeral took place at Gillingham, Kent.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    MAYOR’S APPEAL: “In view of the great needs of the borough for more volunteers to help in the various organisations in being for the defence of our country, I make this urgent appeal to all who are not at present giving some of their spare time towards the national effort.

                                             One of the most urgent calls at the moment is for the Auxiliary Fire Service, in which those between the ages of 36 and 45 preferably are required for rescue and decontamination parties, and 16 to 19 as messengers and telephone operators.

                                             Application should be made to the Mayor at the Town Hall.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    NO MOTOR BOATS on BROADS without a licence - which would not be issued except for urgent public affairs. Rowing boats & sailing boats may continue to be used.

                                             The public were advised to “Fish for Victory” as well as “Dig for Victory”. There were hundreds of tons of fish in the Broads and Rivers.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    FARM WORERS EXTRA PAY. The rate of pay will go up from 38s 6d a week to 48s 6d a week.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    FARMERS are asked by the Ministry of Agriculture to build their haystacks in the middle of grass fields to prevent enemy aircraft landing. If the field is large two or more stacks should be built.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    HISTORY of SOUTHWOLD, USA

1940     Beccles & Bungay 15 Jun    HOSTEL CLOSED. The Hostel for sick evacuees in Blyburgate has been closed as the evacuees have now left the town. Since September 11th last year an average of 16 beds have been occupied weekly. Practically all the occupants have been Dagenham evacuees.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    COUNCIL debated question of extra pay to employees of the Council in Services to make pay up to peacetime level. Future cases will be decided on merit.

                                             OLD FIRE STATION in Newgate to be sold to Messrs Clowes - it does not suit present requirements. Old National School to be adapted. Hiperson’s to do work within three weeks at cost of £73, plus electrical work of £25.

                                             CEMETERY SUPERINTENDENT (Mr AW Robinson) to be replaced as a result of the District Auditor’s Report: salary £3 - 6s and free lodge.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    SAVINGS DRIVE in BECCLES next week in order to help finance the war. The WVS under Mrs Wood-Hill have had about 40 members going from house to house to endeavour to interest all residents in the National Savings campaign.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    BISHOP at SPEECH DAY of Sir John Leman School.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    OLD GERMAN GUN at Beccles is to be sold by the Corporation for scrap to assist in the metal campaign.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    DRIVER KILLED by Tyre Burst. Sidney John Day, aged 35 of 7 Gladstone Terrace, St George’s Road was employed by Robinson’s Transport (Beccles) Ltd as a lorry driver. He and Ernest Sharman, of Ellough Road were seriously injured when the tire they were mending burst, throwing Day against a neighbouring lorry. Mr George Robinson, the employer paid tribute to Day who had worked for him for 12 years. The Coroner found it a case of accidental death.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    PHOTOGRAPH: Watch for the Enemy Planes (page 6)

1940     Beccles & Bungay 22 Jun    EVACUATION OF CHILDREN: 3,000 more to leave East & South-East Coast Towns next week going to the Midlands & South Wales. 39,000 were evacuated from these areas on 2nd of June. 120 school children will be moved from Aldeburgh & Southwold to Warsop in Notts.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 29 Jun    BECCLES REGATTA cancelled

1940     Beccles & Bungay 29 Jun    WEDDING at St Benet’s Roman Catholic Church: Sergeant Reginald G Jones, son of Mr & Mrs GV Jones of Fair Close and Miss Irene M Hughes, daughter of Mr & Mrs J Hughes of St Anne’s Road, Beccles. The Bridegroom joined the RAOC some three years ago. He was one of those recently evacuated from Dunkirk. For the past seven years the bride has been in the service of the LNER at the Lowestoft Central goods office.

                                             At the reception held at the Three Bees Cafe, Rev Father GW Tate, OSB, paid tribute to the Bride who had been organist at St Benet’s, a position he understood had been filled by the Groom before he joined the Forces.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 29 Jun    FIRE BUCKETS: Chief Officer CL Hamby of the Beccles Fire Brigade has asked the public to give assistance in the event of the enemy dropping incendiary bombs, to place one or two buckets of water outside the front door, which will enable any party with a stirrup pump to get to work at once to render ineffective any incendiary bomb that may fall.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 6 Jul      EVACUATION PLANS: The whole of the East Coast of England is now a defence zone. Persons proceeding to any point in the area that is within five miles of the coast must produce satisfactory evidence that they are engaged on business or for similar good reasons. Otherwise they will be required to leave.

                                             This will apply to all holidaymakers and persons engaged on any kind of pleasure trip.

                                             Circumstances may well arise under which the compulsory evacuation of the bulk of the population of certain districts threatened with invasion will require to be directed as a matter of military necessity.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Jul     DEATH of Albert Edward Orford, age 74, of 52 Blyburgate. After completing almost half a century’s service with the LNER & the GER Mr Orford retired in 1931, on reaching the age limit. As pilot of the trains over the bridge crossing the Waveney between Beccles and Aldeby that Mr Orford became well known. He started work at St Olave's as bridge assistant. After coming to Beccles for duties as assistant pilot of trains over the river bridge he went in turn to Somerleyton and March junction, then to Foulsham as porter signalman, Cantley as signalman, and Whitlingham, first as signalman and then as foreman porter. In 1890 Mr Orford returned to Beccles swing bridge as pilot, remained there about 35 years until the present electrically operated bridge [1926] was opened about 14 years ago. He finished his service as a gatekeeper at Grove Road crossing, Beccles.

                                             The opening of the bridge [to allow river traffic to pass] was performed in about three minutes. “Before the Great War there used to be a lot of Sunday League and other excursions and the passengers would look out when the train stopped at the bridge. I would get up on the engine on the side of the bridge, pilot it over, and get off where the double track started on the other side.” All the time he was on duty there was not a single accident.

                                             Mr Orford’s son, Mr E Orford has been a parcels porter at Beccles Station for some years.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Jul     SAVINGS WEEK: The total receipts during the National Savings Week at Beccles raised £8,289, which represents about £1 a head.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Jul     YARMOUTH MAGISTRATES sent to prison for 14 days for her third blackout offence.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Jul     NAZIS bomb East Anglian Town. [no location given] Several civilians killed in daylight raid.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 13 Jul     PROTECTION IN AIR RAIDS: Basement or semi-basement rooms are usually the best because their lateral strength is secured by the surrounding earth.

                                             Rooms facing soft ground or gardens are safer than those looking out on the street.

                                             Ground floors of flats should be set aside and strengthened. Occupants of upper flats might be welcomed. They will usually be willing to share the cost of preparing the refuge.

                                             Ceilings should be supported in case of the collapse of a roof or upper storey.

                                             If the walls are thinner than 13½ inches of solid brick or stone, boxes filled with earth can be usefully be piled to a height of six feet.

                                             Householders can paste muslin, calico, and cotton over the glass. If loss of light is not important cardboard may be pasted over the windows.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     COUNCIL: AIR RAID SHELTERS: More needed: suggested sites: Shelter to accommodate 40 to 60 people on vacant sit in Saltgate and to convert a section of Crisp’s Maltings in Station Road for 150 people. Asked Mr Meen to draw up plans for Communal Shelters in parts of the town where residents cannot provide shelters.

                                             PUBLIC HALL CHARGES:  Theatrical entertainment: 30s for the first day, 20s the second day & subsequent days; local concerts or theatrical entertainments 20s; bazaars, religious or charitable 20s etc.

                                             MINISTRY OF HEALTH: All restrictions on keeping pigs and poultry on local authority housing were suspended.

                                             GAME LICENCES: J Leggett, Blyburgate; Mrs E Balls, New Market; LR Tilney, Smallgate; WJ Seppings, Hungate.

                                             ALLOTMENTS: Council will approach owners of vacant land to use as more allotments

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     CURATE of BECCLES Rev Charles Hulbert, to be new Rector of Halesworth, He has been Curate of Beccles for two years and has done excellent work, particularly among young people. Thanks to him and his wife the St Michael’s Youth Fellowship is playing an important part in the life of the parish.

                                             The most distinguished Rector of Halesworth was Richard Whatley, who held the living from 1822 to 1831 and subsequently became Archbishop of Dublin. One of Whatley’s friends was John Keble, the divine and poet, who wrote part of his most famous works at Halesworth.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     FINANCIAL PLIGHT of EAST COAST towns because of the War

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     TOWN SWIMMING CLUB to carry on during war.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     WVS MESSAGE from the Regional Administrator: If all 60,000members in the region keep calm, courageous & cheerful spirit during the difficulties their influence will be of the utmost value to this country.

                                             There are three things of special importance if an invasion should be attempted;

                                             1. They should stay in their houses and not “take to the road”

                                             2. People are worried when sirens are not sounded whenever an enemy aircraft is thought to be in the area. We should trust the C-in-c Fighter Command as to whether it is wise to have warnings or not.

                                             3. Do not listen to or spread rumours.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     PROPERTY MARKET: Southelmham St Michael: The Poplars Farm, 216a including two double cottages, farm house & agricultural premises - Bought JB Ashford, for a client, £800

                                             The others withdrawn.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 20 Jul     OVERTIME for HARVESTERS: Adult male workers employed on the corn harvest in Suffolk to get special minimum rate of 1s 3d per hour for overtime.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Jul     SCHOOLBOYS TO FELL TREES: Next month senior boys of the Sir John Leman School, together with male members of the staff are to undertake felling of trees at Broome under a Government scheme. The Headmaster, Mr GS Humphreys will be in charge and catering at the camp will be carried out by mistresses at the school.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Jul     Herbert Symonds, 11 St George’s Road, Bailiff of the County Courts sued Thomas William Cook of Chapel Farm, Ilketshall St Andrew, for assault while in the execution of his duty. Symonds had a warrant of execution for £5 10s and he visited his farm accompanied by Mr Baker of St Michael’s to value some calves. Cook attacked Symonds and then came out with a gun and threatened to shoot them. He was fined £2. He said, “I shan’t pay.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 27 Jul     ALL LOFTS & ATTICS must be cleared of all moveable articles as a precaution against fires caused by incendiary bombs. It will also benefit salvage schemes for paper and scrap metal.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Aug    NORWICH HIT by single GERMAN PLANE; 5 people killed and others injured.. Windows a quarter of a mile away were broken.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Aug    FOUR TEACHERS at SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL to go into Services.

                                             Mr Frank Glover, senior master, in charge of athletics to go into the army. He served throughout the last war finishing with the rank of Captain. He came to the school when the present building was opened in 1914. He is a well-known cricketer, having captained Lowestoft & played for Suffolk.

                                             Mr Robert E White, Art master at Beccles & Bungay Grammar Schools for the last year was married at Guildford on Saturday and joined the RAF on Wednesday. He was presented with a standard lamp by the Headmaster.

                                             Both Mr F Newborn, the PT organiser & Mr Lindsy R Tilney, swimming instructor, have been appointed to the RAF. Mr Tilney who is an all-round athlete has been instructor for secondary & elementary schools in the East Suffolk area. He is due to leave next week.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Aug    MARRIAGE: Patrick A Spashett, younger son of Mr & Mrs HA Spashett of Market Street & Smallgate & Miss Hilda Bezentin Abbotts, Hollow Hill, Ditchingham. The groom is well known as a newsagent and stationer in business in Bungay & Ipswich. For the past 13 years his parents have run a similar business in Beccles.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Aug    SWIMMING GALA in Beccles for under 16 year olds. Entries totalled over 150 in spite of the fact that the event was not planned until last week.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 3 Aug    RURAL AREA CURFEW now in force including the area east of the road from Acle to Beccles, following the line of the railway through Beccles, Halesworth, Saxmundham, Woodbridge and Ipswich.

                                             Those areas not in the confines of any town or village: no person may be out of doors one hour after sunset and one hour before sunrise, except in case of special necessity such as will satisfy any police officer or member of Forces. The curfew applies to all persons whether in vehicles or not, except for urgent & sufficiently important duties. People out at night must carry their identity card. These restrictions do not apply to A or B roads.

1940     Beccles & Bungay10 Aug    BECCLES FAMILY in SERVICES: All five sons of Mr & Mrs HW Fitt of Beccles are in the services. Each had joined up before the outbreak of war, the youngest entering the Navy in July last year.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Aug   WEDDING of old pupils of Sir John Leman School: Harry Croucher, only son of the late FJ Croucher & of Mrs Croucher of 37 Fair Close, who was joint secretary of the Old Students’ Union for 12 years & a member of Beccles Parochial Church Council for 10 years. The Bride was Miss Phyllis Castell, only daughter of Mr & Mrs A Castell, formerly of Worlingham, now Norwich. She is Captain of 1st Beccles Girl Guides, and members of her company formed a guard of honour at the church. For the past 3 years she has been on the staff of Halesworth Area School, where she will continue teaching. Previously she taught at Stowmarket and at the now closed Beccles National School. [Photograph]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Aug   AIR RAIDS Those who have no official duties to perform are asked to keep off the streets during an air raid warning. The police and the ARP will want the streets free so that they can carry out their duties. It is also in people’s best interest to keep under cover. Not until the “all clear” is sounded should shelter be left.

                                             THE HOSPITAL is in need of more subscribers - it needs every penny it can get.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Aug   RETIREMET of RECTOR of SHIPMEADOW, Rev GL Manson, who has been Rector for 11 ½ years. He said that during the last century there have been 5 Rectors& he paid tribute to the first of the, Rev Maurice Suckling. The faithful ministry of his predecessors had made his own work easier, and like theirs his chief aim was to foster the family spirit in the church.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Aug   St MICHAEL’S: CHURCHYARD: Credit is due to the Verger (Mr C Boggis) for the well-kept appearance of the Churchyard in which beds of roses have been a feature this summer.

                                             BOY CHORISTER WANTED: Mr John Hammond, the new organist wishes to increase the number of choristers. Choir practices are held on Monday, Wednesday & Friday evenings.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Aug   KILLED IN ACTION: Mr & Mrs W Martin of 55 St George’s Road have received news that their eldest son, Bertie Martin was lost when the Orama was sunk by the enemy. He leaves a widow and one daughter aged 18 months.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 10 Aug   RETIRING from the CAXTON PRESS Reading Staff: Mr George Saunders who had been employed for more than 50 years & John Hughes of 38 years service. Mr JH Hayward, head of the Reading Department did presentations.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   SHIPMEADOW CHURCH: The church is now without a Rector. The single bell in the tower bears the inscription: “John Brend made me 1640”. The maker, a member of an old Norwich family of founders who cast many bells for churches in widely separated parts of Norfolk and Suffolk. For 170 years there has been only one bell in the tower, but in 1553 the church was stated to possess three “great bells” & one of the Sanctus type. In 1602 “The Chancel is in ruin and so hath been twelve months, by default of the parson there, Mr Thomas Tunstall.” In c 1290 Flixton Priory granted to Adam de Walpol a free chantry in his manor of Shipmeadow.

                                             THE SHIPMEADOW WORKHOUSE: in 1801 there were more than 300 inmates, but by the time it closed in January 1938 the number was down to about 60.

                                             NUNNERY FARM, Shipmeadow was the place where an institute was founded, which moved to Ditchingham. This today is the Allhallows Country Hospital. The Shipmeadow property, which stands just off the Beccles Bungay Road, where a rough cart track goes towards the river from the bottom of the hill, was known as the Norfolk & Suffolk Penitentiary. In 1855 there were 18 inmates [see White’s Suffolk 1855]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   AIR RAIDS on SE ENGLAND

1940     Later Paper Aug              1945           Beccles & Bungay 15 Dec  WARTIME BOMBING: In August 1940 incendiary bombs were dropped on Hill Farm, Weston the home of Mr Philip T Skete. The incident occurred about four o’clock in the morning. Those of course were early days in the use of these missiles and the total number was four. One incendiary set fire to a small clover stack, the outbreak being tackled promptly by the parish [fire] wardens. Beccles Auxiliary Fire Service was summoned, but was unable to prevent the stack being destroyed. This was the brigade’s first call to a wartime fire resulting from incendiaries. The other bombs fell on open fields and were dealt with by the wardens.                    

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   SALVAGE at BECCLES of waste paper and card since April 5th raised £165 for just under 40 tons

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   FOOD WASTE: It is now illegal to throw food away or to buy more than is required by Ministry of Food Order.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   “BATTLE OF BRITAIN HAS STARTED”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   CONSCINCIENCIOUS OBJECTOR Arthur Edward Cousins summoned for failing to submit to medical examination contrary to National Service Act 1939. The Clerk said Cousins failed to appear before the local tribunal and his name was struck off the register. The Bench issued a warrant for Cousins to be brought before the Court.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 17 Aug   [WIRELESS: There was only one radio station and only one programme. Broadcasting started at 7am with news and finished at 12 midnight with the news. During the day there were programmes such as concerts of light music, “The Kitchen Front”, News in English, Welsh, Gaelic and Norwegian, the BBC Military Band, “The Six Counties at War, an impression from field, farm and factory in Northern Ireland”, “Women in War, the Land Army”, Sunday service, Piano solos, Octets, Quintets, the Polish Army Choir, A talk by Dorothy L Sayers, “Escape into England” - a talk by Clemence Dane, the National Anthems of the Allies, the Halle Orchestra, “And so to Bed”.

 1940    Beccles & Bungay 24 Aug   RESIGNATION OF ALDERMAN DC Smith [photo] from Council as he has been appointed Milk Officer For Wainford and Beccles. A former Mayor 1929-30, he has been a member of the Council since 1922 and an Alderman since 1937. Mr WH Simmons [photo] was elected Alderman in his place. Mr EW Swindells, who has been managing secretary of the Co-Op for some years, was co-opted to the Council.

                                             REFUGE ROOMS for air raid shelters. Some houses had rooms that could be made refuges by the construction of a wall across the back projections to prevent blasts and splinters entering the rear rooms or kitchen. Another part of the town consisted of terrace houses with a passage between. A wall or barricade across the front and back of the passages protection could be given to the occupants.

                                             LAND FOR ALLOTMENTS: Five owners of vacant land in Blyburgate, London Road, (Beccles Central Estates) Ashman's (Dr SF Smith) Ringsfield Road (Miss Smith) & Grove Road (Mr G Humphrey Durrant) were prepared to place tem at the disposal of the Council for the period of the war. The cultivation of land in St Anne’s Road and Caxton Road would be arranged by the owners.

                                             THE TOWN PLANNING OFFICE at Lowestoft had been closed.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Aug   Dr WOOD-HILL entertained the Historical Society at Staithe House. Speaking of Northgate he said that in 1607 a mighty flood swept over all but its upper portion. The first mention of a bridge was in1265, and later constructions were in 1437, 1653 and 1884. The early bridges were probably of timber.

                                             Staithe House was in part probably Tudor - especially the round windows in the gable. This wing was built in English bond. Beneath the red plaster over the door lengthy spanning beams were supported by undressed pine props, the walls being completed with wattle and clay. Wattle and clay, rubble and clay, and unbaked clay bricks played an important part in their earlier buildings. Later additions to Staithe House were made in the era of William and Mary down to Georgian times. This period was also responsible for much of the construction of other houses in the street. Montagu House, Oswald and Northgate Houses. They indicated a century of affluence. Each had indication of a chequered existence, adapted and altered, and in some cases reconstructed out of buildings even more ancient.

                                             Before transfiguration Montagu House was two, if not three, houses. On the other side of the railway line what must have been a most attractive early building [now destroyed] was now divided into three cottages. On the west side were houses built on the escarpment during various times. Many ha Flemish gables and spoke of the influence of this country’s trade connections with Northern Europe. Numbers 5 and 7 were humble Jacobean frontages and their piled-up roof angles at the back made an attractive skyline. Shanrahan was older than it looked and had some late 17C panelling. The former Lord Nelson had a good steep pitched roof, which was characteristically Jacobean, while the late Marquis of Granby, disguised by plaster, was Tudor or Jacobean.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Aug   CONSCIENSCIOUS OBJECTOR, Arthur Edward Cousins, aged 22, of 3 Alexander Road registered in the usual way. The next step for him was to be medically examined. He was asked to attend in April but failed to do so.

                                             When he was interviewed by the manager of the exchange at Beccles he stated that he did not intend going into the Forces. “My philosophy of arts and science is hostile to materialism and I refuse on intellectual grounds to submit myself to the Forces.” The Bench ordered him to be detained and be taken before the next Medical Board.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 24 Aug   NEW BISHOP of St EDMUNDSBURY: Ven Richard Brook, Chaplain to the King Archdeacon of Coventry and Rector of Rugby. He was ordained priest in 1906.The present Bishop, Dr WG Whittingham has been Bishop since 1923.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   “MANY AIR RAIDS on SE ENGLAND - Incendiaries start disastrous Fire at Maltings

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   POLICE INSPECTOR RETIRING: Inspector Howe, now of Lowestoft. In 1900 he joined the East Suffolk Police and was stationed at Beccles [not mentioned in my newspaper extracts]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   APPEAL to BECCLES to “Grow More Food” through Allotments

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   “BUY YOUR OWN SITFIRE”: Campaign by Capt HJA Throckmorton, RN, retired, of Beccles. The residents of the Waveney Valley between Diss & Burg St Peter now have an opportunity to buy their own Spitfire. The members of the Auxiliary Fire Service have contributed £5. At least £5,000 is needed. “The marvellous achievements by our Spitfire fighters and their masterly pilots, particularly since the air warfare over and around our island livened up in the middle of June, have thrilled every one of us. Every day there are fresh exploits of skill and bravery.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   POSTERS: Four scholars at Beccles Council Junior School, Colin Baker, Gordon Eady, David Soanes & John White have posters on view at an exhibition of war savings posters designed by schoolchildren at the Dorland Hall in London

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   RAF VOLUNTEER: Mr Peter Atkin, who has been a journalist in the Beccles district for nearly five years has left to join the RAF. [He became a Corporal; he lived at “Mill Site”, London Road.] He has taken a particular interest in the Conservative Club & its Bowls League. His wife and daughter have moved to Palmer’s Green, London.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   “AERIAL BLITZKREIG STILL RAGING”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   PHOTOGRAPH: Remains of a Dornier

1940     Beccles & Bungay 31 Aug   YARMOUTH: For driving cars into a Defence Area without a permit five motorists were each fined $5.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 7 Sep     BECCLES BOY KILLED by Armoured Car. Anthony Grimson, aged 9, son of AJ Grimson of 42 Ellough Road, knocked down by an armoured car while walking towards Lowestoft in the Worlingham Road. The overhang of the vehicle struck the boy. The driver had pulled close to the kerb because of an approaching lorry, which had overtaken a stationary bus. The armoured car was travelling at 15mph. “Accidental Death” verdict.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 7 Sep     WAR FARMING: The ploughing-up campaign was severely hampered by firstly, the exceedingly wet autumn, and afterwards by snow and frost. Work was therefore not possible until February. Since then, by having the use of 22 Government tractors & a large assortment of implements, 2032 acres of land had been ploughed.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 7 Sep     MAJOR ALLAN ADAIR, MC awarded DSO. He is the heir of Sir R Shafto Adair of Flixton Estate.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 7 Sep     St MICHAEL’S CHURCH CRYPT: manuscript notes made by Tom Angell, formerly Town Clerk. At the time of the Restoration of the church in 1857/9 they cleared out the vault. It was a place for the deposit of the bones dug up in the churchyard by fresh graves being dug. These bones were carted away to the burial ground in Ingate near the Black Boy, [Blyburgate?] where a great hole was dug, and the bones shot in. The great mound in the graveyard is the result of this reburial. It took men with two tumbrils ten days to cart them away, so many there were. When they had taken 140 loads they came upon a lot of bones laid out in the most complete order, thighbones all together, skulls, etc. This particular lot of bones was supposed to have come from the Leper Hospital, now the Fauconberge Grammar School. At the restoration of the church the restorators had to lower the whole floor of the church some two feet or more, for the purpose of getting the steps to the chancel & communion rails. They had for that purpose to disturb a few people who had been buried in the aisles. It was thought to be a very curious thing that no leaden coffins were found, save one of a person who had been buried only a few years. [I am deeply sceptical about most of this!]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 7 Sep     NATHANIEL GODBOLD’S VEGETABLE BALSAM

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    “BRITAIN AWAITS THE INVADER -Premier says Attack may come at any Moment”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    POLICEWOME NOT REQUIRED in East Suffolk. This is the seventh time the issue has been opposed in Suffolk since 1920.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    BECCLES CONSERVATIVE CLUB: in the absence on active service of Mr Walter D Robinson, the President, Mr F Foster took the Chair.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    SHELTER AFTER AIR RAID: In the event of an air raid in Beccles feeding and shelter stations would be opened immediately after a raid and would be available to persons rendered homeless and who were unable to find alternative accommodation with relatives or friends.

                                             Persons requiring financial assistance would be dealt with by the Unemployment Assistance Board, which would be opened in the borough if necessary.

                                             Local ARP services would be responsible for the salvage of furniture and personal effects from any damaged houses.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    PARADE of SERVICES & CHURCH: Col RW Brooks acted as marshal for the parade of Organisations in the Old Market: The Home Guard, Special Constables, St John’s Ambulance Division, Red Cross, Women Air Raid Wardens, Women’s Voluntary Services.

                                             The Mayor expressed the pride of their fellow citizens at what these voluntary workers are doing day after day and night after night, regardless of personal pleasure and interests. Great sacrifices have been called for and given willingly.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    WEA LECTURES on “Russia & her Neighbours” by Count D Tolstoy of Trinity College, Cambridge, a relative of the famous Russian author.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Sep    CHILDREN BEFORE BENCH: Two boys aged 13 & a girl of 9 pleaded guilty at Lowestoft Court to stealing 61 cakes of soap, gloves & an attaché case from a house partly used as an office. One mother, asked why the children were not evacuated, said she wished to be with her children, and the other said she promised her mother she would not part with her children under any circumstance.

                                             The Bench adjourned the cases for a week to give the parents an opportunity of evacuating the children.

                                             “You really must get your children away,” said the Mayor. “They would then get some schooling. They will do no good at all hanging about here.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Sep    Rev H HARDY HOLDER, Pastor of the Congregational Church since 1927 leaving to become Minister of the church at Southwick near Brighton. [Photo]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Sep    SOUTH ELMHAM St PETER with Flixton, The Rector, Rev Kenneth MacKinnon resigning because of ill-health, and he and his wife have moved to Ditchingham. The new incumbent Rev AE Gledhill [Photo],

                                              who has been Rector of Holy Trinity Bungay since March 1929. Mr MacKinnon has spent his 33 years ministry in Norfolk & Suffolk. He was ordained in 1911.

                                             Mr Gledhill was ordained Priest in1899, becoming Vicar of Borden, Kent in 1907, after 10 years he moved to Coventry and in 1921 to British Columbia. He will continue as Rural Dean of South Elmham which he has held since 1934.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21Sep    SPITFIRE FUND: Total from Beccles District so far: over £700.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Sep    CHILDREN BEFORE BENCH in Lowestoft: [see last week] The parents of one boy consented to his evacuation, but the second mother at first flatly declined this course, but later the boy himself agreed, and he was placed on probation provided he evacuated and remained away. The other boy was placed on probation.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Sep    DEATH of Edward Bostock of Circus fame, who has died aged 81. He was successor to and grandnephew of “Great Wombwell”. He owned the Hippodrome in Norwich. He had bought a house in the city with intention of retiring, but to a man of such energy and organising ability a less active life was impossible. From Norwich he organised tours of South Africa and the Continent for two of his road shows.

                                             He had his brother-in-law as a partner, formed in 1903,when they had a lease of the Theatre Royal. While in Norwich he imported from America a number of horses, which he helped to train. Later he bought a large building in Glasgow, which he converted into a Zoo.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Sep    WARNING ABOUT NOTICEBOARDS: The Eastern Regional Commissioner (Sir Will Spens) issued a direction under the Defence Regulations warning people to only take notice of official public notices and treat with suspicion any others.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Sep    “German Preparations for Invasion are Proceeding”.  Armada assembled at Channel ports.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    LIBRARARIAN says that 5,000 books have been delivered to troops in East Suffolk. Special books required for students taking exams would be provided.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    MEDIEVAL HERMITS: Lecture given by Rev Harold Birch to Historical Society: the common idea of a hermit was an eccentric person who abandoned the society of his fellow creatures and cut himself off from life , dwelt in a cave, in the woods or in a sequestered hovel, far removed from the haunts of men.

                                             In fact he was a totally different sort of person.  He was a sober-minded civilised person who dressed in a robe, very much like that of other religious orders, lived in a comfortable little house of stone or timber. Like other folk, he lived on bread and meat, beer and wine, and if he were not a priest, he had a chaplain to say Mass for him and sometimes a servant or two to wait upon him.

                                             A Hermit was a regularised religious order into which nobody could enter without the consent of his Bishop.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    FOOD RATION by LORD WOOLTON who warned the nation that they must not expect the same in the second year of war as the first year. “When you realise that quite suddenly we lost all supplies of butter, eggs, bacon and condensed milk from our main sources of supply - Holland and Denmark - you will agree that during this last year we have had everything we could expect - except tea. In the second year of war you will have enough to eat, but I shall have to ask you to be prepared for changes from time to time.

                                             The blitzkrieg has begun in earnest, - while I was preparing this talk three bombs fell very close to me. You and I must be prepared together to meet the consequences of this blitzkrieg.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    SIR JOHNLEMAN SCHOOL: Miss Varley of Lowestoft Technical School has been appointed art mistress in place of Mr R White, who is serving with the RAF. She holds a London University Diploma and is an expert at handwriting.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    PRESENTATION to Mr JM Murray for 20 years service to the YMCA. Mr Murray became the Club’s second secretary in 1920, a few months after it opened. Four years later he was appointed its Treasurer. Mr Murray said the YMCA was very happy to engage in work for the troops during wartime. At present about 50 centres in the Eastern Counties Division were serving the troops in one way or another. A new feature of the YMCA’s work was the mobile canteen. Today there were more than 250 of them in the country. The resident officials in Beccles were Mr & Mrs EE Moore.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    “THE BATTLE OF LONDON” continues without intermission.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    CONTROL OF BUILDING: Private building or construction operations which have not been licensed are forbidden by Ministry of Labour except for operations undertaken by the Government, operations costing less than £500,and works of maintenance, repairs or decoration

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Sep    ROYDON HALL hit by bomb. The domestic wing was destroyed. One person (the cook) was killed and three were injured. The owners escaped injury. While the rescue work was going on there was heard the barking of a dog and, to the surprise of everyone, when the debris was sufficiently removed to permit of escape, the dog scampered out of its kennel to welcome its mistress. [PHOTO]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 5 Oct     DETAILS of BARSHAM CHURCH by Pedlar

1940     Beccles & Bungay 5 Oct     WOMEN’S INTITUTE: Chain letters were in circulation again, telling people to send copies of the letter to four different people or there was the liability of a curse being put on the recipient, either by death, accident, or some other misfortune. The Chairman, Mrs E Chevalier said, “When we get back to our homes we should tell our friends that if they receive one they should burn it. If everybody does that the chain letter fiend will stop.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 5 Oct     “LONDON SCARRED, BUT UNBOWED”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 5 Oct     LOWESTOFT MAN KILLED in bomb attack on a Milford Haven trawler when four members of the crew were killed as the ship sank. Five were picked up. The dead man was JW Tobutt, third hand

1940     Beccles & Bungay 5 Oct     OLDEST MEMBER of NUR. Mr William Welham of Buxhall, Upper Grange Road 92nd birthday.  He joined the London & South Western Railway as a lad being given a job as a cleaner in the engine sheds at the Nine Elms Depot. He joined the engine men’s club in 1868 and the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants in 1873. 62 years ago he started working for the Great Eastern Railway Co. for 35 years he was a driver on the Waveney Valley Branch, retiring in 1911. He lives with a daughter.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 12 Oct    MORE EVACUEES to Wainford District: Mothers & children from the bombed areas of London.

                                             The Clerk (SW Rix) said that 1,000 could be taken into the 33 parishes, but another 500 extra were expected.  300 of the original evacuees were still there.

                                             Mrs Seamans (Holton) said that when the children in the village left, relations moved in, so there was only room for 20 in the village. Canon Durnford (Sotterley) & Rev HS Verrels (Ringsfield) supported Mrs Seamans.

                                             The Clerk: “There are 1000 empty rooms in the District I am quite certain.” He pointed out that it was a case of one person, one room.

                                             Rev EG Clowes (Weston) said his parishioners had offered to take in 57 evacuees, which he thought was wonderful. What he thought was marvellous was that they were willing to take in mothers.

                                             Mr Walter Rogers (South Elmham): “What strikes me that they may be here tomorrow. We must make arrangements for accommodating them in large empty houses, village halls, etc.”

                                             Medical Officer of Health (Dr HCG Pedler) “In Hartismere we had twelve hours notice to do it - quite apart from any argument.”

                                             It was agreed that the Clerk to inform the Ministry that they could not possibly accommodate more than 1,000 people.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 12 Oct    DEATH of Mr Charles Freeman of North House, Ravensmere, aged 73. He was prominently concerned with the now defunct Beccles & District Coursing Club and was well known as a Suffolk farmer.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 12 Oct    PRISONER OF WAR: Private Herbert Moore, youngest son of Mr &Mrs H Moore of 107 Denmark Road, of the Royal Norfolk Regiment is a prisoner of war. He joined the army about a year before the war began. At one time he was employed at the Caxton Press, where his father has been a bookbinder for half a century.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 12 Oct    DEFENCE AREA PROBLEM: Alfred Bradley, fruit merchant’s traveller of London charged with driving a private car without a permit in Oulton Broad. The Minister’s statement in Parliament stated that if a man was on legitimate business a permit was not necessary, but it did not state when a car was specifically prohibited. He came on September 20th,when he was stopped six times, each time producing his identity card and driving licence. Each time he was passed on, the last being as he left Beccles.

                                             The Mayor mentioned that there was nothing to indicate where a defence area started, and his fellow magistrates agreed that prominent notices should be posted at the borders.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    SOLDIER KILLED AT RAVENSMERE BRIDGE: Cpl William Charles Atkinson, aged 24, of Walthamstow, standing in an army truck failed to duck his head under the low railway bridge in Ravensmere and received fatal injuries. The driver, Pte Henry Roberts, said that he approached the bridge at about 20 to 25 miles an hour, knowing there was a good clearance. As he was going up the incline from the bridge he heard his passengers shouting to him and was then told to drive straight to the Hospital.

                                             There were warnings at both sides of the bridge, but the coroner thought they should be larger. “Accidental Death” recorded.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    BECCLES NOW A “NEUTRAL” AREA. The Government did not intend to send a large number of evacuees from the bombed area to be accommodated. It was possible for persons from the evacuation or bombed areas, who could find their own accommodation with relatives or friends, and had the necessary certificate, to be billeted. In the last few weeks 56 mothers and children had been billeted in this way.

                                             SCHEME for OFFERS of ACCOMMODATION for persons rendered homeless by enemy air attack. Up to date 209 voluntary billets had been found.

                                             AIR RAID SHELTERS: A public Shelter in Gosford Road had been completed, one in Saltgate was in course of construction.

                                             Mr MEEN, the ARP ORGANISER said that although repeated applications had been made to the Regional Officer of the Ministry of Home Security no definite news had been received regarding the supply of Anderson Shelters. The Town Clerk was to write to the Ministry asking for immediate attention to this matter.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    KILLED IN ACTION: AB Kenneth Robert Cross, youngest son of Mr HG Cross of Mutford who lost his life in HMT Comet [Photo]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    MAYOR of BECCLES: Mr Alden Owles is to continue as Mayor of Beccles for a third year. [Photo]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    CABBAGES & APPLES ROT in North Suffolk because of lack of means of getting them to market.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL First Aid Lectures are being given by Dr Wood-Hill

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL: Mr W Johnston Browne, BSc (London) was appointed to the staff of the School to teach Maths & Science.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 19 Oct    GELDESTON & STOCKTON Mother’s Union pageant of Famous Women [Photo page 1]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 26 Oct    FIRE IN CENTRAL NORWICH [PHOTOGRAPH page 1] 20 shops a Hotel & other premises destroyed.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 26 Oct    GOLDEN WEDDING of Mr & Mrs George Buckenham. There are three sons, six grandchildren. He was an assistant in a grocery business in New Market for 35 years. He also helped his father with farm work. After the last war he and his son, Rupert Buckenham took on a milk business in Hungate and have been in partnership ever since. His wife, formerly Grace Ward, is the last surviving member of the large family of Benjamin Ward.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 26 Oct    BECCLES AUXILIARY FIRE SERVICE - the champion squad. The leader, Auxiliary Fireman J Woodrow holds the silver cup given by Mr CL Hamby, Chief Officer of Beccles Fire Brigade, which the squad will retain for a month [Photo page 3]

1940     Later Paper 31 Oct           1945           Beccles & Bungay 15 Dec  WARTIME BOMBING: Thursday, 31st of October 1940, was one of the wildest days of the year, with a southerly gale and heavy rain. In this locality there were four alerts between lunchtime and 9.30 pm. When the last of them came through at 7.20 pm, the electricity current was off owing to a breakdown and police-officers had to go round Beccles giving the alarm on their whistles. On the previous warning, which extended from 5 to 6.25, one of the Luftwaffe’s machines flew over this part of the Waveney Valley. Shortly before six it dropped a couple of high explosives on a field belonging to Mr Clem Cook of Upland Hall, Bungay. Although they fell a short distance from the house and buildings no damage was done. After travelling a few miles in the direction of the coast the raider dropped half a dozen more bombs in the western part of the Parish of Weston. Three exploded when they hit a field cultivated by Mr AE Alexander at Ringsfield Corner. Fairly wide, but not particularly deep craters were made in the clayey sub-soil. It was remarkable that although the missiles fell within a short distance of several houses no external damage was caused. No one was hurt. A steamroller, which happened to be drawn up for the night on the side of the road leading to Ringsfield Church, was smothered with mud. Investigations on the scene when daybreak came revealed an unexploded bomb, the four whistles attached to the fin to give a screaming effect as it rushed through the air, being plainly visible. The three other bombs in the same part of the parish exploded in the vicinity of the railway line from Beccles to Ipswich.

                                             Just after crossing the railway line it disposed of half-a-dozen which exploded just outside Weston Rectory. Six were on a field and the other fell right on the narrow road running from Weston to Ellough, which was blocked. The raider was so low that, as at Ringsfield Corner, it was clearly visible when it came out of the clouds, darkness not having fallen completely. Although the missiles were within a few yards of the Rectory, none of the four occupants was injured. These people, Canon EG Clowes, Rector of the parish; Mrs Fitch and Miss Clowes, his sisters, and Mr Sidney Cowles, his brother – happened to be in different rooms and were saved by heavy curtains at the windows, which stopped the flying glass. No fewer than 28 windows in the house were broken. The adjoining Church Hall and the roof of the Rectory stable were badly damaged. The raider dropped six more bombs at Sotterley.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Nov    GALLANT RESCUE by GUNNER: Mr & Mrs WE West, of 1 Ashman’s Road, have been informed of an act of gallantry by their youngest son, Gunner Willie West.

                                             At 10.50 one night an NCO & 2 men, sent to patrol a harbour mouth, were approaching a ferry landing stage when they heard shouts and saw a light flashing in the air. Sent to investigate, gunner West discovered a man struggling in the water while a companion stood on the bank shouting for help.

                                             “Gunner West, with no thought of personal danger”, says the official account of the incident, “made a quick & prompt decision and scrambled down the steep slippery side of the embankment. In spite of the extreme darkness of the night, he crawled along a narrow, slippery plank, jutting out over the river, and hanging on with his knees, caught hold of the drowning man by the hair.” This was in spite of the struggles of the man. Gunner West is unable to swim.

                                             There has been an official expression of Gunner West’s courage and prompt appreciation of the situation.”

                                             Gunner West is an old boy of St Benet’s Roman Catholic School, Beccles.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Nov    WEDDING: Mr R Dyer & Miss A Self, both of Beccles were married at the Parish Church on Saturday [Photo page 3]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Nov    DEATH from FALLING off PLATFORM: While waiting at Ipswich Railway Station for a train home, Mr Martin S Kerry, aged 72, of Woodside, London Road fell of the platform. He was educated at Eye Grammar School. As a young man he joined the army & saw service in Malta, Egypt and India. He returned to England in 1913 and retired two years later after 21 years. He came to Beccles as a timekeeper at the Caxton Press, where he was later night watchman. He retired several years ago. He was Sunday School Superintendent of the Baptist Church for a while. Then he became a deacon and treasurer and more recently secretary. He had suffered from high blood pressure. He had had previous fits of dizziness and had then suffered from a haemorrhage of the brain.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Nov    SPITFIRE FUND now nearly £2,000

1940     Beccles & Bungay 2 Nov    CAR WITHOUT PERMIT: John Wilson, shipyard manager arrived in Lowestoft without a car permit. He was coming from London to take up residence in the town and did not know he required a permit. He was fined 10/-s.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Nov    DEATH of Mrs Eleanor Ann SMITH, aged 71, widow of WJ Smith of Newgate, daughter of Robert Briggs, who rode in the Charge of the Light Brigade. Mr Briggs lived at Beccles before he made his home in Norwich, where his medals are preserved in the Castle Museum. In the Charge his horse was shot under him and he saved the life of Sergeant-Major Bond.

                                             For some years he was coachman to Miss Lillistone who lived at 6 New Market.

                                             Mrs Smith has been a widow for 11 years. Her husband was employed by Elliott & Garrood Ltd as a fitter and turner, for more than twenty years. She leaves a son, who is a petty officer in the Royal Navy and two daughters.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Nov    “EVACUEES ARE HAPPY” said Mr Ellis, the additional Sanitary Inspector about the evacuees to  Wainford Rural District. On October 11th 500 mothers & children were met at Halesworth station and taken to the Area School for medical examination, and then transferred to the various destinations by bus. on October 19th a further 183 mothers and children were received. Better arrangements were made. They were taken to the Beccles area School where they were given a hot dinner before being medically examined and transferred to the parishes.

                                             This presents a real difficulty, in spite of carefully arranged plans, for invariably the number given by the Ministry does not agree with the actual numbers to arrive. Some refuse to board the train at the last minute. Then again the size of the families tend to upset calculations, and certain parties refuse to be separated. However, with the welcome help of the WVS the scheme for the reception and distribution worked quite well.

                                             For the use of the evacuees The Clerk said he had requisitioned five houses at North Cove, two at Rumburgh and one at Willingham. There is no rent -it is a matter of compensation after the war.

                                             Authority was given to the Medical Officer of Health to licence any condemned houses that it might be necessary to use in an emergency.

                                             Expectant evacuee mothers could be confined at Hartsmere Hospital at Eye. Transport could probably be arranged through the WVS. Confinements could take place in the billets if conditions were satisfactory.

                                             Those present were: CS Skinner (chairman), Rev EG Clowes (vice-chairman), Canon CW Baron-Suckling, Canon EFP Durnford, Rev FN Keane, Captain BW Blower, Mrs JEF Seamans, Messrs A Bradnum, AJ Aldrich, WE Rogers, AS Thurlow, JG Baker, HH Watts & L Lithgow.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 9 Nov    ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY consecrated the new Bishop of St Edmundsbury, Ven Richard Brook in the Cathedral last Friday [Photo page 1]

                                             Also present were the Bishops of Liverpool (who was the second Bishop of St Edmundsbury), Coventry, Norwich, Peterborough & Dunwich & Bishop Whittingham who has just relinquished the See. The Dean of Winchester preached the sermon.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 16 Nov   MARRIAGE of Sergeant Claude Forder, of the Loyal Suffolk Hussars & Miss Joan Woolner, both of Beccles at St Benet’s Catholic Church on Wednesday. [Photo page 1]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 16 Nov   RETIRING of JAMES CUTLER from Caxton Press after 52 years. He worked in the composing room. For the past 25 years he has worked as deputy overseer, for 20 years under Mr JH Gower and the last five under GE Brown. He was Captain of the first Caxton team to win the Suffolk Senior Cup in the 1892-93 season when they beat Framlingham College by two goals to nil. At that time he played outside right and one of the fastest in Suffolk football. He was also a god swimmer and took part in the first water polo match to be played at Beccles fifty years ago. For many years he was a member of Caxton Cricket Club and was a fast bowler.

                                             He has been a member of Beccles Choral Orchestral Society. For many years he was conductor of Beccles Symphony Orchestra and has been musical director of Beccles Amateur Dramatic Society since its inception. For a number of years he played in Barsham Church Choir.

                                             For 26 year he was a member of the Artillery Volunteers and holds a King Edward VIII long service medal. He was bandmaster for a number of years rising to the rank of Brigade Bandmaster.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     DEATH IN BOMBING of BECCLES: Elderly Couple Killed: When an East Anglian town [Beccles] had its first raid of the war early on Sunday an elderly retired couple lost their lives. A high explosive bomb scored a direct hit on their semi-detached house, which was demolished. The woman was blown out of bed on to the pavement. Her husband, who was severely injured, died in hospital a few hours later. A family in the adjoining house had a remarkable escape from serious injury.

                                             At the other end of the road a young married couple were practically unhurt when their house was demolished by another bomb. Two women in an adjoining house and a family of four on the other side also escaped and were rescued when their homes were extensively damaged. One of several other bombs exploded in a school playing field.

                                             Before the attack the enemy machine circled the town three times at a low altitude and dropped flames and incendiaries. The latter were quickly put out.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     DEATH through BOMBING: A Double Funeral took place on Wednesday: Mr & Mrs William Tricker, of Kilbrack and who were 65 and 63 respectively. A Suffolk man, Mr Tricker was one of the best-known residents of the town and was held in high esteem. For the early part of the century he was colour-sergeant-major of the “B” Company, Beccles, of the 5th Suffolks. He lived in the former Drill Hall in the Old Market. Then he became Regimental-sergeant-major under ... recruiting scheme in different parts of the country and in Ireland. Mr Tricker had also served in many places abroad during his thirty years in the army. He was in the Boer War.

                                             On demobilising he settled at Gillingham, but after a few years of retirement returned to Beccles to take over the stewardship of the Workingmen’s Conservative Club. This he held for about 14 years, retiring in June of this year.

                                             Mr & Mrs Tricker leave six sons, all except the youngest being married. Two - Mr KW Tricker & Mr RE Tricker - are serving with the Forces. At one time or another all have played football for Beccles Town Club. Mr R Tricker, the eldest, who is a schoolmaster at Hornsey, formerly assisted the Arsenal.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     BECCLES FIRE BRIGADE RESIGNATIONS:  Captain of Brigade, GB Long in interview with Mr CL Hamby (the Chief Officer), Mr GF Robinson (Chairman) and Rear Admiral CS Johnson. Captain Long said in view of the important Government work he wished to resign. Also resigned: Supt Catchpole, Engineer J Long, Fireman S Long, & Sergt H Davey. Appointed to Captaincy AE Aldous (Section Officer of Auxiliary Brigade). Letter to thank Supt Catchpole & Sgt Davey for their long service.

                                             TREES to be placed in the derelict site in Saltgate where houses had been demolished. They would also screen the Air Raid Shelter. An amendment to cancel this by Rear Admiral Johnson: “We should restrict our expenditure as much as possible.” was defeated after Dr Wood-Hill said “We must remove the unsightliness left through demolition work.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     NEW BECCLES PASTOR: Rev Alfred W Poulson, a Suffolk man, who has been minister of Dovercourt, since May 1934, has accepted an invitation to become Pastor of the Congregational Church at Beccles. After finishing his training at Paton Congregational College, Nottingham Mr Poulson was ordained to the ministry of South Cliff, Lowestoft where he remained from 1919 to 1934. [Photo page 1]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     BRITISH LEGION AGM:  Col Lush: “The real problem will arise when this war is over. The dependants of men now serving will need help, and when millions of men are being discharged there will be a new unemployment problem which no Government, however wise, can wholly prevent. It is up to those men now serving to help us bring the Legion to a strength equal to the need.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     BECCLES TANNERY, talk to the Historical Society by Mr AAE Smith: The tannery, formerly owned by the Garrod family was closed about 50 years ago. It was reopened in 1900 and continued in use for 14 years. He started as an office boy in early 1901, the owners being John Lees & Co. Mr Lees, was manager and Mr Nash, secretary, the former providing his first acquaintance with amateur dramatics.

                                             On arrival the bullock hides were weighed, the average being 70 to 80 lbs apiece. Then they were spread out skin side uppermost, to be examined for cuts or warbles. The horns were removed and thrown in a corner, where they would remain for about a week, before being taken in barrows to the horn house. This was at the back of the slaughterhouse in Ravensmere, near the present Infants’ school, and was emptied about twice annually. The house was built of brick, being about the size of an average room. It was partly underground.

                                             The next process with the hides was to chain and take them into the lime yard. There they were put into weak lime for a start, gradually being removed from pit to pit into stronger material. From the lime yard the hides were taken to the beam house and put into a pit of clean water for a day or two in readiness for the removal of the hair. Then they were placed in another pit for a rinse preparatory to fleshing. After another rinse they were cut and stamped with the date. The butts and shoulders were strung and hung on poles. Then the hides were taken to the tan yard.

                                             There used to be some salted hides. These were put in the River Waveney for a time in order to take out the salt. Crocodile, seal, pig and dried skins also received attention at the Tannery. These came from abroad, and were stretched out in the sun. Before getting too dry they were folded up into bundles and tied. When received they were like boards and could not be unfolded. To soften them the method was soaking in a solution of pigeon manure and water.

                                             When the hides got to the tan yard they were put into weak liquid, being kept for some weeks in covered pits. After some weeks they were removed from the poles, and with the flesh side at the bottom, were placed flat in other pits. The liquid was gradually strengthened, and towards the end of the period of soaking a shovel full of the bark was thrown over each hide. Mixed in steeps on the premises, the liquid was made from oak bark. Messrs Darby Bros, provided most, but some was obtained from the timber yards on the Henham, Benacre and Raveningham Hall Estates. He used to weigh it all in, and extra men were engaged for stacking.

                                             Before going into the sheds they were dried, rolled, and oiled, this process taking three to four weeks. If they were dried too quickly or oiled insufficiently they would crack, which meant that great care had to be taken. While the butts were in the sheds and still soft, some were cut right down the middle lengthways into what were called bends. Before the butts were quite dry they were rolled up and finished off like that, but bends, shoulders, bellies, and heads were dried flat. Most of the leather went to London.

                                             Mr Smith thanked Mr Fred Law and Mr “Cuddon” Markwell, also former employees, for their help in refreshing his memory.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 23 Nov     MAKING A NEW EUROPE: “The nations of Europe must be welded into some form of unit after the war” said Professor Denis Saurat, Director of the French Institute in London, in Norwich. “One of the fundamental causes of the war was the fact that Europe was divided into groups of peoples, it must be made into a group of people totalling somewhere in the neighbourhood of 200,000,000.”

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Nov   HELP for the HOMELESS if your home has been destroyed by enemy action or affected so you cannot live in it for the time being, and you cannot go at once to relatives or neighbours, you should go to one of the prepared rest centres at which meals and temporary shelter are provided for a day or two while other arrangements can be made. These are situated at the Public Hall, the Area School, and the two Nonconformist schoolrooms in Station Road.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Nov   NEED to GROW MORE VEGETABLES in gardens and allotments. Especially grow vegetables for winter, carrots, onions, peas & beans for salting down.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Nov   WEDDING: Pte Alan G Sturman, Royal Norfolk Regiment, youngest son of Mr & Mrs E Sturman of White House, Gillingham and Miss Kathleen M Harvey, only daughter of Mr & Mrs William E Harvey, of the Laurels, 11 London Road, Beccles [Photo]

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Nov   EIGHT LAND GIRLS are on the farms of Mr JA Keith at Barsham and Egmere. They have spent the last year ploughing, pig tending, corn dressing, muck-spreading and working in the fields of sugar beet, swedes, cabbages and mangolds. And they like it. One of them said she would not change the job for any of her pre-war jobs. The others agreed. Before the war they wee working as a housekeeper, a commercial artist, in home duties, in offices and at school.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Nov   TRADESMAN RETIRES: Mr Samuel White, jeweller and silversmith, of Ye Olde Shoppe, New Market,  who is 81 is the oldest Tradesman in Beccles and is retiring. The business was established in 1804.

                                             Mr White is well known in Freemasonry and a life-long member of Beccles Parish Church choir, is retiring to Leman House, Ballygate, which he purchased 30 years ago.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 30 Nov   POPULAR CONCERT in the Public Hall: J Leggett, junior was the compeer, contributors: Miss Mann (soprano), AH Ling & J Gilbert (bones & tambo), W Green (piano accordion), & Cpl Hitchley (monologues). The orchestra consisted of Miss Rose (violin) F Bowes (piano) & W Spall (drums). 

1940     Beccles & Bungay 7 Dec    NEW BISHOP CONFIRMS 69 Candidates at BUNGAY from Beccles, Bungay and surrounding villages.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 14 Dec   PAPER MISSING

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Dec   COUNCIL SUPPORTS OPENING CINEMAS on SUNDAYS during wartime by unanimous vote. Chance for objections was to be given before it is finalised. It was proposed by Dr Howard Warner & seconded by GF Robinson.

                                             RATE of Pay of Council Workers increased, despite amendment by Rear Admiral Johnson to prevent it.  Dr Wood-Hill: “He was satisfied that it was fair to grant the increase because if there had been no war it would have been a proper claim to make,” Mr Pye “ This week the Minister of Labour claimed that the cost of living had increased by 24% since the war began & other authorities claimed it was 30%. The recommended increase to the men employed by the Council would make their increase 12% since the war started. The men were actually worse off than they were before the war and accepting a lower standard of living.” The cost to the Council would be an extra £214 a year or a rate increase of 1.5p in the £.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Dec   DEATH of ALFRED W SALTER aged 83 and the oldest member of Beccles Town Council on which he had served for 18 years, for the last two as an Alderman. He was a member of the Wangford Board of Guardians, which was dissolved in 1930. He had been a member of the Beccles Historical Society since its foundation some years ago.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Dec   NEW BANK MANAGER: Mr BS George succeeds Mr Allden Owles as Manager of Barclays Bank on retirement of Owles in January 1941

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Dec   RETIRING: Thomas Biddle Bunney of 13 Kemp’s Lane after 42 years service with the Great Eastern & the London & North Eastern Railway, all but the first two having been spent as gatekeeper at Ingate crossing.

                                             Mr Bunney came from Coventry, joined the GER at Stratford and before coming to Beccles, in consequence of an accident in which he lost his left arm, had a short period at Yarmouth. His successor is Mr Brock.

                                             Mr Bunney and his wife are regular worshippers at the Ingate Mission Church

1940     Beccles & Bungay 21 Dec   AIR MARSHAL AW TEDDER, who has arrived in Cairo and taken up duties as deputy to the Air Commanding Officer Middle East is the nephew of Mr AE Tedder, Mr OH Tedder & Miss E Tedder of St Joseph’s, Grange Road, Beccles. Air Marshal Tedder has paid various visits to Beccles since his relatives came to live in the town eight years ago. Miss Tedder is superintendent of Beccles Nursing Division of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Dec   RAILWAY STAFF: It would be hard to find a more loyal staff than that serving in the departments of the London & North -Eastern Railway at Beccles and whose members number about one hundred.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Dec   MORE FLAX TO BE GROWN. Norfolk asked to double acreage.

1940     Beccles & Bungay 28 Dec   BECCLES BOYS’ THEFT: Three Beccles boys sent for one month’s imprisonment for the theft of 17,600 cigarettes valued at nearly £48, Toilet requisites worth £9 & 3 bottles of wine. They were stolen from a railway truck in the local sidings during the black-out. The three boys were Reginald C Loades (17) 19, Old Mill Terrace; David John Baldry (18) 3 Bridge Street; and James N Goffin (19) 14 Old Mill Terrace.

BECCLES NEWSPAPERS 1941

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST in Beccles in succession to Rev G William Tate, OSB, who came to Beccles two years ago on the death of Rev HM Campbell, who had been priest at St Benet’s for a long time.  Rev FW Knowles, Order of St Benedictine, comes from Fort Augustus, where he has been Abbot.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     NEW RATION BOOK

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     DEATH of Captain HJA Throckmorton, RN of the Grange, Grange Road, Beccles, who was aged 69. He became a Lieutenant in 1898, Lieutenant Commander in 1906 & Commander in 1917. During the Great War he was in command of HMS Havelock. He retired in 1919 with the rank of Captain. During the last few months Capt Throckmorton has acted as Chairman of the Waveney Valley Spitfire Fund through which £3,000 was sent to the Ministry of Aircraft Production in December.

                                             Very fond of sailing, Captain Throckmorton has been Commodore of the Beccles Amateur Sailing Club since April 1939.

                                             He had lived in Beccles since 1925 and previously at Lowestoft. In 1912 he married Ethel Mary, daughter of the late Frederick Stapleton-Bretherton. She died in 1929. He is survived by two sons - Lieut Nicholas JA Throckmorton, who is serving abroad in the army & Anthony JB Throckmorton, who is a student for the Roman Catholic priesthood, and a daughter, Miss Barbara Throckmorton.

                                             He will be a loss to the Catholic Church - one of its staunchest supporters.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     METHODIST CIRCUIT: Mr WE Downing of Upper Grange Road is now the senior local preacher. Next to him is Mr FE Balls of Northgate.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     DEATH of Charles H Randlesome aged 32, youngest son of Mr & Mrs John Randlesome of Geldeston, who was drowned on Boxing Day when he fell overboard from a Lowestoft drifter at Stornoway. Unmarried, he had been a fisherman ever since he left Geldeston School.

 1941    Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     DIAMOND WEDDING for Mr &Mrs Charles Wilson of 19 Pound Road, Beccles. Mr Wilson is 80 and is a coal merchant. They have lived in Beccles for half a century, and he set up in business on his own 35 years ago. They have a family of 6 sons and 6 daughters. There are 22 grandchildren, of whom 7 are serving with the Forces, and 4 great grandchildren.  [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     DEATH of Arthur Trevenen Coode, a Cambridge Cricket & Football Blue of the late nineties. He was born at St Helliers Jersey in 1876, was at the Fauconberge School about the same time as GL Jessop was at Beccles College, and they were together at Cambridge, Jessop at Christ’s College and Jessup at Jesus.

                                             Coode & Jessup were in the Cambridge cricket eleven of 1898, which suffered defeat at Lords by 9 wickets.

                                             Coode’s average for Cambridge that year was 17. He had 17 innings and his aggregate was 256 only 17 less runs than Jessop. He was described as “an attractive, stylish batsman and likely to develop into a first class bat”. He made one appearance for Middlesex, but his subsequent appearances for the MCC in first class cricket were infrequent.

                                             He won a Blue for Cambridge at Association Football in 1898 and 1899, being on the winning side each season. He was a strong & clever halfback. 

                                             He died at Haslemere.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     WEDDING: Seaman William C Horking of Penzance & Miss Margaret CJ Saunders, Plantation Cottage, Barnby.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     WEDDING: Sergeant Dick Smith of the Scottish Horse Artillery, son of Mr & Mrs Richard Smith of Castle Hill & Miss Ellen May Brighton, daughter of Mr & Mrs H Brighton of 52 Ellough Road. [Photo on 11 January issue - page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     WEDDING: Mr Kenneth Metcalf of Exeter & Miss Ivy Pleasants of Beccles [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 4 Jan     FIRE WATCHING TO BE COMPULSORY: Every factory, every shop, every house - occupied or unoccupied - must have its firewatcher. Mr Herbert Morrison, Minister of Home Security, broadcasting on Tuesday, urged everyone to organise fire parties at once. There ought not be to be need for compulsion. People must take turns during raids, watching for the fall of firebombs and dealing with them, as they would be shown.

                                             Many stirrup pumps were ready.  Have a sandbag ready and a rake. Go and see your Warden at once.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 11 Jan    MISS KH JONES HONOURED. A former Beccles resident, Miss Katherine Henrietta Jones, matron-in-chief of Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service at the War Office, has been awarded the Royal Red Cross (first class).

                                             Miss Jones is first cousin to Mr SW Rix, Clerk to the Beccles Bench and to Wainford District Council. Born in India, she was the daughter of the late Samuel Jones, a Civil Servant in that country, and the late Mrs Grace Wilton Rix, a sister of the late Mr FS Rix of Beccles. In turn she lived at Saltgate, the New Market and the Moorings, Waveney Road. She had come to England after her father’s death and lived in Beccles to be near her relations. Miss Jones became an army nurse and eventually rose to her present position.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    MISS KH JONES: Prior to the present war she was mentioned in despatches for her organisation work in Palestine where she had charge of a Hospital. Some time ago she was appointed principal matron at the War Office, and went out with the BEF as head of the nursing services. Since her return she has been promoted matron-in-chief, the highest position to which a woman can rise in connection with the army nursing profession.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    BARSHAM INTHE PAST: Miss Olive Turney’s Lecture to the Historical Society.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION Local Chairman, Mr AT Bent, of Northgate. A considerable sum of money was raised last year for the Lifeboat.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    SUFFOLK LIFEBOATS at DUNKIRK:  Boats involved Motor vessels from Gorleston, Lowestoft, Southwold, Aldeburgh (two), and Walton-on-the-Naze. Sub-Lieutenant Dickison, a lifeboat district inspector, now serving with the Royal Navy, found the Southwold boat off the beach at Dunkirk and worked in her till she broke down and was abandoned under gunfire and air attack. Subsequently he worked in that from Gorleston. “At one time it was believed that four lifeboats had been lost, but the Southwold one was picked up derelict and towed in considerably damaged.” During the whole period of the evacuation an emergency party provided by the Institution was busily engaged at Dover repairing & refitting motor boats which kept putting in either damaged or otherwise in trouble.”

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    SPECIAL CONSTABLES praised by Captain BW Blower, the senior officer, and other senior officers. The success of the evening in the White Lion Hotel was partly due to Mr Frank Foster, the Beccles head “Special” who made the arrangements. The evening was at the invitation of Capt Blowers..

                                             Captain Blowers was in the chair supported by Supt Herbert Clarke (in charge Halesworth Division), Inspector SJ Hopes (Beccles), F Foster Beccles, Head “Special”)  GH Lawson (Deputy Head “Special”) etc.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    DEATH of Mr WT Wagstaff of the Nurseries, Grove Road. He was 75. Born in Herefordshire where he was trained as a Nurseryman, he came to Beccles 51 years ago as manager for Messrs Laws & Son. During the last war he set up in business on his own. He was connected to St Michael’s and its Sunday School.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 18 Jan    WILL of Mr Arthur T Wyatt of 73 Denmark Road, blacksmith left £1,197. He left £150 to the Congregational Church & £50 to its Sunday School.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 25 Jan    SUNDAY CINEMAS APPROVED: Objections were received from the churches in the tow, but the British Legion voiced unanimous support. When the Rector heard that Sunday music would be impractical he said from the pulpit “I, for one, under the special circumstances of the time, consider the lesser ill to be that cinemas should be opened.”

                                             ALDERMAN GOLDSMITH elected in place of the late Alderman Salter.

                                             Mr AT BENT elected Councillor.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 25 Jan    RESIGNATION of HEAD TEACHER: Miss BK Snell resigns as Head Teacher from Peddar’s Lane Junior School from31 March. Miss Snell began her teaching career at Beccles Infants’ Board School in January 1895 and except for eight and a half years under Surrey Education Committee has taught in the borough all the time. She has been a keen worker in the cause of National Savings and has made a fine contribution to the welfare of the Congregational Church, of which she is a Deacon.

                                             It was decided to appoint Miss Gertrude Fuller, Head of Ravensmere Junior School to the post. Miss Fuller has been in charge of this school since it was built in 1913 and has had outstanding success teaching young children. She has done good service as Secretary of Beccles National Savings Committee. She is an ardent member of the Historical Society.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 25 Jan    AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS: During the last few days bags of dry sand have been delivered to most houses and premises in Beccles. The sand must be kept dry and away from frost in a position easily accessible.

                                             If the top rooms are not in use curtains should be left open at night so that if a fire occurs in these rooms it can be seen easily from outside.

                                             A supply of sand should also be kept on the upper floors

1941     Beccles & Bungay 25 Jan    TO ALL WHO OCCUPY LAND: “The Minister of Agriculture has stated that the next winter will be a crucial time for our food supplies. ... It is undoubtedly the duty of everyone who rents or occupies any land to decide whether that land is being used to produce the maximum amount of food per acre.

                                             Farmers are asked to decide whether it is possible to increase production by additional manuring.

                                             Householders are asked to decide whether they can grow any more vegetables for their own use, could plant vegetables in their flower gardens, could cultivate an allotment or could cultivate any waste or derelict sites.

                                             Public bodies should decide whether parks, public places and schools can produce food

                                             County Agricultural Organizer, East Suffolk

1941     Beccles & Bungay 25 Jan    ACCIDENT to WARD’S LORRY in Halesworth when it ran out of control and went through a plate glass window and the front of an inn on the other side of the road. There were no injuries. Wards minerals and wine and spirit merchant in Beccles.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Feb     BECLES TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD: The first in Suffolk, 74 members enrolled. Meeting organised by Mrs GS Odam, wife of the Headmaster of the Area School, where the meeting was held. It was non-political and non-sectarian. The annual subscription was two shillings.

                                             The President: Mrs Owles (Mayoress); Mrs Wood-hill (Chairman); Mrs GS Odam (Vice-Chairman); Mrs AM Emerson (Secretary); Mrs AE Pye (Treasurer); Mrs EA Hadingham; Committee of ladies: WS Clarke, F Rackham, FC Poyser, N Gill, I Pagan, A Barkway & U Moyes.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Feb     WEDDING: Mr FV Spalding, RAF of Beccles & Miss ED Hostler of Lowestoft

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Feb     ET GOLDSMITH as ALDERMAN: He came to the town in 1908 and was elected to the Council in 1932 on the appointment of Mr CG Napier Trollope as an Alderman. He served throughout the Great War. He was in the Suffolk Regiment and during the German offensive of 1918 was severely wounded. Some years ago he received an invitation to be Mayor, but business interests prevented him from accepting.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Feb     EVACUEES CLUB: It is hoped to open a club for Mothers & families evacuated from the bombed areas of London to the villages of the Wainford area staffed by the WVS. - In Beccles the need to provide some haven for mothers and small children, often stranded for hours between buses has been obvious to many. A small circulating library is being opened. [This was in New Market - but no address given]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Feb     DEATH of George Carr, of 35 Newgate, aged 73. He retired 3 & ½ years ago from the Caxton Press. After serving his apprenticeship he enlisted in the 2nd Life Guards, with whom he served for 21 years. He then returned to Beccles to take up his previous employment. He was an enthusiastic bowls player. He joined the Home Guard and became voluntary caretaker. He is survived by his widow, two sons, four daughters, and four grandchildren.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Feb     BECCLES CO-OP: Nearly sixty employees are now serving with the Forces.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Feb     NEED for VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS in villages. Mr CS Skinner, chairman of Wainford Rural District Council. “The main difficulty with the proposal was that most people are already in some voluntary service.”

                                             Mr Bradnum said that at Westhall members of the Home Guard, special constabulary, and ARP services totalled 35, but they had still been able to enrol some others. Ultimately they hoped to have three or four fire-fighting parties in the parish. They had five stirrup pumps to use.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Feb     AIR TRAINING UNIT to be started by Mr GS Humphreys, Headmaster of the Sir John Leman School at Beccles. Any boy of 16 and over interested in belonging to an aircrew or ground staff may apply.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Feb     FIRE WATCHING IN CHURCHES: The Bishop of St Edmundsbury said that incumbent should form groups of volunteers to act as fire-watchers and fire-fighters and arrange a rota of duties for them. In some cases it may be necessary for one or two persons to sleep in the church every night. There ought to be in all our churches a stirrup pump, sand, rake, etc. and during all alert periods there ought to be one or more watchers in the church.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Feb     PARSON WOODFORDE WROTE in his Diary in August 1796: “Serious apprehensions are entertained by many in high rank of the French invading England. Preparations are making.”

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb    DEATH of HENRY EDWARDS, aged 83, of 10 Frederick’s Road [from 1906], who worked for the Caxton Press for 60 years. He was born in Blyburgate 14 February 1857, the youngest boy in a family of 10. He entered the employment of the Caxton Press on 11th March 1871, being appointed by Mr William Moore. He remembered the days when certain members of the staff went to work wearing tall silk hats. In his spare time he studied chemistry, geology and animal physiology and secured the South Kensington certificate in drawing as well as first and advanced certificates in magnetism and electricity. Under Mr Bruce at Beccles College, he took a course of mathematics.

                                             When he was eleven he started to study photography by sun-printing with silver-sensitised paper. Seven years later he bought for £35 the outfit of a deceased photographer, paying the money by monthly instalments. As the result of years of persistent study he mastered the art of wet and dry plate photography. He produced both line and process blocks and was the person in the East Coast to make a half-tone block.

                                             In March 1882 he entered the reading department at the Caxton Press and he specialised in mathematical and chemistry works. He also superintended the publication of the Geographical Journal from 1893. He retired on pension in 1931. He and FT Peachey were joint editors of the Caxton Press Magazine.

                                             In 1878 he took over from his father the secretaryship of Branch 74 of the Rational Association Friendly Society, a position he held for over 50 years. He was a volunteer in the 4th Suffolk Artillery from 1873 to 1893 when he reached the rank of sergeant. He rejoined for a further period of seven years, and gained the Long Service Medal. In January 1915 he joined the Volunteer Training Corps and served as a sergeant until the time of demobilisation.  [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb      DEATH of Mr EDMUND HOLLOND, of Benhall Lodge, Saxmundham, grandson of Rev Edmund Hollond, who gave Ingate Mission Church to St Michael’s Parish in 1884 at a cost of £1,000 [he also gave the Old Rectory in Ballygate].                               

                                             The Benhall Estate was purchased in 1808 from the trustees of Sir Hyde Parker, 5th baronet of Long Melford Hall by Edward Hollond, cousin of his successor, Rev Edmund Hollond.

                                             Benhall Lodge was built in 1810 by Mr Edward Hollond, but was partly destroyed by fire in the late 19th century.

                                             The Estate had been in 1598 by Mr Edward Duke of Brampton and Shadingfield. His grandson was created a baronet in 1661, but the title became extinct in 1732 on the death of the 3rd baronet.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb      DEATH of James Burton of 22 London Road, the youngest son, was born in Norwich in 1849, but removed to Beccles after a period with Messrs Fletcher, the printers. He joined the Caxton Press where he worked for 52 years. For 30 years he was a member of the old Norfolk Volunteer Artillery, which used to have a couple of garrison companies stationed in Beccles.

                                             Mr Burton’s father, William Burton had a Waterloo medal, which he wore together with a red rose on the anniversary of the battle until his death in 1864. He served as a farrier in the 7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars. [I imagine he fought at the Battle of Waterloo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb      RAVENSMERE SCHOOL HEAD:  Miss GM Woolner, only daughter of Mr & Mrs F Woolner, of Kemp’s Lane, Beccles. She has been on the staff of the Area School since it opened nearly two years ago and previously was at Peddar’s Lane

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb      CONGREGATIONAL MEMBER Mr Thomas Cocks presented with the Church Diploma, for anyone serving the church for 50 years, which he has served in various capacities.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb    INDOOR SHELTER for AIR AIDS: The Morrison Shelter [PHOTOGRAPHS - page 5] to be erected inside houses and will be available from March. It resembles a large dining table of stout steel. Underneath there are springs to support a mattress and walls of steel netting to prevent injury from flying debris. It would give shelter even if a house collapsed on it. Two adults and one child can be accommodated at night, by day it can be used as a table.

                                             A proportion of the shelters will be distributed free to people with incomes below £350. Others will be on sale to those with higher incomes, at between£5 and £8.

                                             At first the shelters would be available only to badly bombed areas.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb    STAINED GLASS WINDOW in Norwich Guild Hall removed to safety to avoid bombing damage.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Feb    BLICKLING HALL bequeathed by the Marquess of Lothian to the National Trust together with its contents.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Feb    MOTORIST in RESTRICTED ZONE without a permit, stopped by policeman in Worlingham. “Did not see notice” Fined 4s/-

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Feb    PUBLIC SHELTER in SALTGATE finished and now in use.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Feb    SUICIDE of GIRL aged 22, by drowning: Mary Kathleen Bickley, who had worked for two years as cashier at the Beccles branch of a multiple store. She had been missing since New Year’s Day. She had lodged at 6 Frederick’s Road since March 1939, said Miss Hilda Grace Mann (whose mother occupied the house).  She always appeared quite contented and very happy-go-lucky except during November and December when she was very quiet. Then she said that she was worried about something and dreaded going to work.

                                             Mr Arthur Aldous, 54 Grove Road, manager for her employers said that previously she was at the Dereham & Southwold branches. She was always happy and bright, but appeared to be slightly highly strung. She had always given every satisfaction in the discharge of her duties.

                                             On 2nd of January her bicycle and handbag had been found in a passageway leading to the river at Beccles.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Feb    DRUNKENNESS There have been only two convictions for drunkenness in Beccles over the last five years.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Feb    BECCLES FIRE: A wood and corrugated iron structure adjoining the Lecture Hall in Fair Close was destroyed by fire in a very short time on Friday evening. Members of the Regular Fire Service and the Auxiliary Fire Service made a smart turn-out with a trailer pump and were able to leave everything in safety after about a quarter of an hour. The Chief Officer, Mr CL Hamby was in charge.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Mar    DEATH of Mrs G Buckenham of 15 London Road aged 79. She was the last surviving member of the large family of Benjamin Ward. Her husband, George Buckenham was a local tradesman.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Mar    Dr WOOD HILL calls for volunteers for the transport of the wounded, the first aid post and gas contamination units. “The survival of free citizens of free states rests solely on their courage, endurance and self-sacrifice.”

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    WEDDING of Mr RE Myall, RAF & Miss Violet Freeman of Beccles [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    WAR AGAINST RATS: 1465 destroyed in the first month.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    FIRE WATCHING the PARISH CHURCH: A ban is being collected to do this. Two women will be on duty each evening from black-out time to 10 o’clock, and two men from 10 o’clock until 7 am. It is hoped nobody will have to do this more than once every three weeks.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    SUICIDE by drowning of Miriam Nadine McDonald, aged 18 of Kirby Cane, a NAAFI worker.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    ALLOTMENTS available, 45 in Goose Green

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    SUMMER TIME increased by a further hour, making two hours in all, between May 3rd & August 3rd. This will enable many factories to work two shifts in daylight and expedite work in the docks and railways. The farmers say that dew will be on the fields later in the day, which will hamper farming.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Mar    BIGAMY by Beccles man. In evidence Mrs Faith Kilvington of 6 Old Market said that she married Arthur Kilvington (36) in September 1934, and had 3 children and was expecting another. Her husband joined the army in November 1939. He met a woman, Lillian Cornell at Wimbish, Essex and in October he married her.  He was committed for trial.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Mar   DEATH of Miss Eugenia Sadd, aged 85, of Beaumont Villa, London Road.

                                             Born at Henstead, she lived there until 1894, moving first to Beaumont Villa, then for 21 years at Willingham, for 10 years at Weston, and back to Beaumont Villa. She had been associated with the Adult School movement and had taken a keen interest in Women’s Institutes. Until a few days before her death she was to be seen riding her tricycle in the town.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Mar   St MICHAEL’S CHURCH:  Parochial Church meeting at the Rectory Room: Mr W Fowler, People’s Warden said that a dreadful fungus was found on the beams of the north aisle of the church in September. It was growing on the plaster under one of the windows as well as on the beams, but builder’s men who were set to work could see no signs in the wall itself. A strong destroyer was used. “We hope we shan’t see it again”

                                             The Rector, Rev Harold L Birch said that the new curate, Mr WN Barnes was to be ordained on Trinity Sunday. He arrives after studying at Cambridge and will be in charge of the Ingate Mission church

                                             Mr A Bunn, the Rector’s Warden said the electoral roll contained 989 names at the end of the year, against 1016 at the start.

                                             The number of visitors, owing to the war, has diminished greatly. In a normal year many holidaymakers visit the church. Last year there were only 250 against 900 during the previous 12 months.

                                             Mr BW Goodin, Secretary, said that Mr J Hammond, the organist had been called up. The church finances were in a sound state and the quota had been paid in full. The railings round certain tombs in the churchyard had been sold for £8 - 6s - 6d.

                                             Mr Bunn and Mr Fowler to continue as Church Wardens.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Mar   MORE FIRE WATCHERS NEEDED for St Michael’s Church. So far nearly 50 persons - mostly women - have volunteered, but more men are needed.

                                             The key to the church can be obtained from the Air Raid Warden’s post at Mr Catling’s premises, 3 The Walk.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Mar   NEW ALLOTMENTS: at Goose Green, Ringsfield Road and the rear of the telephone exchange and near the first aid post, Blyburgate. The plots, each of ten rods, cost 5s a year.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Mar   WEDDING: Mr AG Youngs, of Stokesby & Miss DE Garrod of North Cove. [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Mar   TOWN COUNCIL: Rate for the tear remains 12s 6d in the £. Decided to improve the drainage of the Fen by installing a new pumping engine to replace the one installed in 1857. It would cost £2,000 & new buildings at £800.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Mar   DEATH of Mr Sidney R Allgar, aged 59, [Photo] of the Cambridge Inn, Northgate. He had been a patient at Beccles Hospital for 10 weeks. Mr Allgar, who had spent practically the whole of his life in the town, had been at the Cambridge Inn for 21 years. Several years ago he started the Beccles Angling Club, which had its headquarters at the Cambridge. He had served on the Norfolk Fishery Board for a long period. He had been a keen swimmer in his younger days. For several years he was Secretary of the Beccles & District Victuallers’ Association.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Mar   FAILNG TO STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS on the St Mary’s cross roads and causing a collision with a petrol lorry, John M Moody of 18 Kemp’s Lane fined £1.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Mar   IF THERE IS AN INVASION and the Church Bells Ring:  Official leaflet to be distributed in ten days:

                                             “You should give all the help you can to our troops. Do not tell the enemy anything. Do not give him anything. Do not help him in any way. Stay in your district and carry on. Go to work whether in shop, field, factory or office. Do your shopping and send your children to school until you are told not to. Do not try to go and live somewhere else. Do not use the roads for any unnecessary journey: they must be left free for troop movements even a long way from the district where actual fighting is taking place.

                                             If fighting breaks out in your neighbourhood keep indoors or in your shelter until the battle is over. If you are at work or if you have special orders, carry on as long as possible and only take cover when danger approaches.

                                             If you see an enemy tank, or a few enemy soldiers, do not assume that the enemy are in control of the area. What you have seen may be a party sent on in advance from the main body or stragglers from the main body who can easily be rounded up.

                                             Take orders from the Police & ARP Wardens. But there may be times when you will have to take orders from the military and Home Guard in uniform.

                                             If you have already laid in a stock of food, keep it for a real emergency; but do not add to it. The Government has made arrangements for food supplies.

                                             Put your car, lorry, or motor bicycle out of action when told to do so by the Police or ARP Wardens, or military; or when it is obvious there is an immediate risk of its being seized by the enemy. Disable and hide your bicycle. Destroy your maps.

                                             The enemy is not likely to turn aside to attack separate houses. If small parties are going about threatening persons and property in an area not under enemy control and come your way you have the right of every man and woman to do what you can to protect yourself, your family, and your home.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Mar   REFUSING TO TAKE REFUGEES: Mrs Violet Phillips of Costessey bound over for 12 months in a sum of £5 for refusing to take in an expectant mother when officially billeted on her.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER attended by Mayor & Councillors. At the organ was Rear Admiral Johnson. The sermon was preached by the Rector, Rev HL Birch: “Today, together with many tens of thousands of men and women assembled in every quarter of the globe at a dark hour in our country’s history, we thank God for his mercies to us.”

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   BARSHAM: Members of the Home Guard were among the congregation which packed Barsham Church on the occasion of the Day of National Prayer. An imprssive sermon was preached by the Rector, Canon CW Baron-Suckling.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   DEATH of Mrs Elizabeth Utting, aged 59, a widow, who was found dead in a charred room at her home 2 Neech’s Yard, Fen Lane, caused by a lighted oil lamp accidentally falling on to the floor.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   WEDDING: Lance Corporal Alan J Sturman, son of Mr & Mrs JR Sturman of Mill Road, Mutford and Miss Joan Olive Elsey, only daughter of Mr & Mrs Horace Elsey, of Hulver Post-Office were married at Sotterley.

                                             Both Mr & Miss Elsey have figured prominently in past productions of Beccles Amateur Operatic Company and have been closely identified with the Beccles Concert Party.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   Wedding: Driver John Worrall, RASC of St Helens, Lancs & Miss Margaret Self, elder daughter of Mr & Mrs AE Self of Ellough Dairy, Ellough Road.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   WEDDING: Pte Sidney Moyse, RAOC, son of Mr & Mrs Arthur Moyse, 45 Grove Road & Miss Eva Parnell of Common Lane, Grove Road. Before he joined the army in February 1940 Pte Moyse played for Beccles Football Club. His father was formerly a tradesman in Northgate. Miss Parnell received a present from Mrs SL Barrett, of Telport, Puddingmoor, who has employed her for the past eight years.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   WAR WEAPONS WEEK in Dereham had a target of £20,000, but they brought in £184,000.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   AIR TRAINING  UNIT formed by the Headmaster of the Sir John Leman School, Mr GS Humphreys assisted by the Science Master, Mr Johnston Brown, was formed in February and has now 70 or 80 members between the ages of 16 and 18.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Mar   DEATH of Mr Lindley Arthur Watson, aged 66, of 1 Grove Road. Mr Watson was the second son of Mr EGR Watson, a chemist, with whom he was in business for many years. After his father’s death some years ago he conducted the business on his own. Since its formation Mr Watson served on the committee of the Men’s Social Institute, Fair Close and of the original Bowls League. He is survived by a widow and a daughter.

1941     From a later paper 1 Apr     1945           Beccles & Bungay 3 Nov    WAR TIME BOMBER brought down on 1st of April 1941. The plane was one of five, which were destroyed in and around Great Britain in the course of the day. “The bomber came from the northwards at a good height, and made a half-circle as if it was coming back when our fighters picked it up and trailed it. Its retreat over the sea was cut off, and though it flew inland in an attempt to escaper, it was evident the fighters must get it. While the pursuers were closing in on the bomber, another of our fighters appeared and followed behind as to make sure it would not get away. I heard bursts of machine-gun fire in the air and then saw the raider burst into fire and go down, leaving a trail of smoke behind.” In the course of the chase the raider dropped three bombs, which caused no damage, two falling on a field and the other on an allotment.

                                             At terrific speed the Junkers crashed into a marsh at Henstead. Judging by the force of the explosion, there must have been some bombs on board. The machine was blown to pieces and a big crater formed. It is believed that two of the crew perished with it. A nearby resident told me at the time that the aircraft dived straight down. There was a rushing sound and then the explosion, after which the atmosphere was thick with smoke. The two men who had baled out – the spectacle was seen by many Beccles people – were quickly captured. One was caught by the military and the other, a 21-year-old officer wearing the Iron Cross, by P-c Mann. “ As he came down,” he said, “I ran up the field and caught him just as he was picking himself up after landing. He had no weapons and gave me no trouble.” P-c Mann drove the German, whose right hand was badly burnt, to Beccles Police Station, where he was put in a cell and given tea. Later he was taken away by the military.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Apr     REGISTERING FOR CALL-UP: The age groups concerned are 41-43. Men in full time employment in agriculture, forestry, market-gardening (excluding horticulture, private gardening, or maintenance of parks and golf links) were in excepted employment and therefore should not register next Saturday. It is necessary to ensure that no man engaged in agriculture attends the registration.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Apr     VEGETABLE PICKING [photo] Women at Cringleford who have been employed in the cultivation of roses now growing vegetables - here dressing spring cabbages.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Apr     WEDDING: Mr Joseph Wise, son of late Joseph Wise & Mrs Green of Dover and Winifred Rackham, daughter of Mr & Mrs A Rackham, 70 Fairclose, Beccles [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Apr     WEDIING: Mr Robert Faulkner, son of Mr & Mrs RK Faulkner, Ashton, Waveney Road & Miss Hilda Parnell, daughter of Mr & Mrs EJ Parnell of 12 Gosford Road, Beccles [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Apr   FOOD CONTROL: Mr WS Clark, Food Executive Officer said that voluntary workers at the Area School made 2,460 lbs of jam with 16 ½ cwts of fruit and 12 cwt of sugar.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Apr   SEAMAN KILLED on ACTIVE SERVICE: William Ernest Seaman, aged 33, of Station Hill, Brampton died in hospital from injuries through enemy action while serving as second hand on a minesweeper trawler. He was the son of Mr W Seaman of Uggelshall, who was engaged in mine sweeping in the last war. He leaves a wiodow and two daughters.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Apr   WAR WEAPONS WEEK, BECCLES from 20th to 26th April: Slogan for the week is “Buy a Bomber”.

                                             The sum collected will be recorded on the indicator to be placed over the street entrance to the Corn Hall

                                             ADVERT for War WEAPONS WEEK [Poster/Advert page 3]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Apr   WAR WEAPONS WEEK:  The Mayor outlines what can be purchased: 3% Defence Bonds of £5 each up to £1,000; interest payable half yearly, income tax payable. Repaid after 7 years.

                                             3% Savings Bonds 1955-65;                 2 ½ % National War Bonds 1946-46. No limit.

                                             National Savings Certificates: limit 500 certificates.          Loans, free of Interest.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Apr   ELLOUGH CHURCH HISTORY: In the church a memorial to Rev Robert Leman, who was incumbent of Knodishall-with-Buxlow, near Leiston. He died on 25 July 1799, at the age of 90. He was described as being “ orthodox, constant, and vigilant” Then followed an exhortation to his fellow priests, “Go ye Clergy and do likewise!” Also commemorated was his wife, Elizabeth the daughter of Sir Charles Castleton, Bart, whose “much lamented” death occurred on 2 September 1793, when she was 85.

                                             In the Churchyard other Rectors: Rev Richard Aldous Arnold, a native of Lowestoft, where he was born in 1792. He was in charge of Ellough, first as curate and then as Rector, for the lengthy period of 60 years, his death occurring on 29th of April 1877, at the age of 84.  Rev Samuel Walter Earnshaw who died October 1887 aged 54. Rev John Garner who died on 14 December 1931 aged 68 after 21 years as parson. He was followed by Rev EG Clowes of Weston Rectory, whose official title is Rector of Ellough-with-Weston.

                                             Three small brasses bear effigies of women: The oldest dates from 1520. That to Margaret Chewt, who died in 1607, depicts her wearing an enormous headdress, while the other is to Anne Gostling, who died in 1612.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Apr   ILKETSHALL St LAWRENCE A Youth Service Squad has done much useful work. From the proceeds of a recent dance they have purchased a stirrup pump and bucket for fire fighting purposes and wool with which to knit comforts. Pig-refuse, wastepaper, stamps and books are being gathered up and the boys are now busily engaged in digging.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Apr   ARP Report by Mr FJ Meen: Good progress is being made with the protection of private houses by the erection of blast walls. Delivery of 100 Anderson Shelters has been commenced. Beccles has now been declared an area for bomb protection.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   WAR WEAPONS WEEK OPENS at BECCLES: Vice-Admiral EA Taylor, CMG, CVO, MP opened the Week. The objective was £30,000 - the cost opf a special bomber aircraft. After the Week was declared open, the figure of £31,700 was displayed on the pictorial indicator, which had already been subscribed, amidst cheers from the crowd. The Mayor, Alderman Owles, said: “ The times are stern and the necessity great. We are not asking you to give anything, but we do ask you to invest all you have for the benefit of the country, and for which you will receive an adequate and safe return. Our slogan is “Buy a Bomber”, but we hope you will supply sufficient money to buy six, remembering that a bomber a day keeps the enemy at bay. Every pound and every sixpence counts.”

                                             In the YMCA windows were posters designed by Beccles school children in a competition, which attracted a large entry. The judging was done by Mrs Loftus, and Mr & Mrs Adrian Bell etc. The prizes were National Savings certificated which would be presented by Sir Arnesby Brown, RA outside the Clubhouse on the Common on Saturday.

                                             The winners were: Most original Mary Odam (Sir John Leman School) & Michael Judge (Area School); Best all-round: Peter Keeley & Reggie Youngman (Area School); Infants: Anne Clarke, Peter Lawson and Alastair Robertson (Miss Dunt’s Little Home school); Rodney Hutchings & Austin Bates (Peddar’s Lane Junior County School); The efforts of Derek Briggs, Jean Harvey, William Feavyour & Olive Thompson were highly commended.

                                             The Selling Centres are at the Corn Hall & 24 New Market. Excellent business has also been done at the Banks & the Post office, all types of investment being in demand.

                                             The pictorial indicator (the model bomber makes an imaginary flight from Beccles Church tower to Berlin) is the work of Mr &Mrs B Baxendale

                                             Mr EW Swindells & Mr GE Brown are in charge of a “George and Dragon” travelling indicator touring the District with hour-by-hour results. One of the most energetic workers for the publicity for the effort has been the assistant secretary, Miss Olive Turney of Barsham, and was carried on by a committee headed by Mr WS Clarke, the borough accountant.

                                             The first of a series of special entertainments took place in New Market on Monday afternoon, when a large audience listened to a programme by a Scottish Pipe Band. In the evening the Boy Cadet Division of Beccles St John’s ambulance Division of Beccles held a Dance in the Caxton Pavilion in aid of the expenses of the week. Mr J Hurren was MC.

                                             When business closed on Monday over £38,000 had been reached. By Thursday evening the figure had reached £72,056.

                                             Another Scottish pipe Band played in New Market on Tuesday afternoon. In connection with the exhibition of the big bomb Mrs AT Bent has had as helpers Mrs B Baxendale, Miss Martin, Miss Forward, Miss Robinson, Mrs Henderson, Mrs Gilbert, Mrs GA Dodd, Mrs FC Poyser, Miss Blomfield, Miss Forsyth, Mrs S Darby, Mrs Lumly, Mrs Dickinson, Master Nigel Goodin and Master William Bent. Mr B Baxendale & Mr EC Burton, have also given valuable assistance.

                                             CORN HALL EXHIBITION arranged by Mr AT Bent & Mr B Baxendale

                                             EXHIBITION of PAST WAR Relics in Frank Foster’s shop in Exchange Square arranged by Mr C Wilfred Durrant

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   BECCLES HISTORICAL SOCIETY: “The English Manor” by Mr W Fowler of Claremont, Fair Close, (Coal & Coke Factor).

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   SUICIDE by Miss Muriel Clark aged 54, a clerk at Barclays Bank, Beccles for the last four years. Her body was found in the River Waveney about 300 yards downstream from Beccles Quay. She came from a Lowestoft family and lodged in Waveney Road. She had just completed 25 years service with Barclays.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   REGITRATION of YOUNG WOMEN born in 1920. Thousands of young women throughout the country registered [Photo]                    

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   DEATH of EARL KIMBERLEY in Air Raid. Biography.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   PROUD MOTHER,: Mrs Edmund Etteridge, of 7 Rook’s Lane, Beccles has five sons in the RAF and one in the Army. Her other two, employed by Beccles Water & Gas Company, have registered for military service, and if called for duty want to join their brothers in the RAF.

                                             Arthur & Edmund are Warrant Officers, they joined the old Royal Flying Corps in 1917, and have been with the service ever since. Edmund, who has been mentioned in despatches during this war, was in France until the capitulation last summer. Claud is a leading aircraftman, who joined the RAF in July 1925, and Aircraftman (1st Class) John, formerly Beccles Golf-Club’s professional, has been in the Service about twelve months. The most recent member of the family to join the Service is Aircraftman Roger. Youngest member of the family is Frank, who has been a Private in the Royal Norfolk Regiment since December.

                                             Mrs Etteridge is the widow of Mr Edmund Etteridge, who for 35 years before his death was a fitter employed by Beccles Water & Gas Company. During the last war Mr Etteridge was a special constable and in his younger days in the Volunteers at Attleborough.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 3 May    THEFT at Messrs John Crisp & Sons by William Edward Henley, aged 23, of St Olaves of £40-3s-0d. A shorthand typist, Miss Cecily Maud Collett, aged 24, Wembley Avenue, Beccles had put some change in the petty cash bag and when she went home at 1 pm she locked the office door. The bag had gone when she returned. She reported the disappearance to Maltster’s Manager, Charles Bennett of 15 Darby road. He reported it to Inspector SJ Hopes. He came with Supt H Clarke & questioned Henley, who eventually admitted the theft. Two witnesses, Rev AS Jeffery, Rector of Lound & Rev BD Godfrey, Rector of Blundeston, testified about the good work he had done as scout leader.  Mr Walker, a Director of the Company, said Henley had been in their employ for six years, was clever and worked well. He also pleaded for leniency.

                                             Henley was put on probation for 12 months on surety of £20. When asked if he would join his Majesty’s Forces, he said he would volunteer within a week.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Apr   MAYOR PRESENTED with a model of a Wellington bomber by Mr Bert Foyster of South Road, which he had made as a token of appreciation of Mr Allden Owles’ contribution to the War Weapons Week.

                                             Mr Foyster has been making models ever since the last war, when he used to cut them out during periods of leisure in the trenches in France. He was serving with the Border Regiment and turned out a dozen for a Colonel who wanted to send them home to various children as Christmas presents. Those early models found their way to all parts of the country. After he finished his day’s work as a gatekeeper at the Caxton Press, where he has been employed since demobilisation, he gets going at home. The material used is box-wood. Mr Foyster served in all parts of the world during 23 years soldiering. As a youth he joined up in 1904, soon after the close of the South African war, being then in the Northumberland Fusiliers. Just before the last war he was in India and, coming back to this country, he was immediately sent to France in August 1914 with the original British Expeditionary Force. He spent the whole of his war service in France.

1941     Bec & Bung 3 May                 CLEAN DRIVING LICENCE MARRED AT BECCLES: An unblemished record for driving over a period of thirty years was marred when, at Beccles Police-court on Friday, Robert Anderson Hodgkins, a chauffeur, of Wantage House, Southwold, was fined £3 and £3 Os. 8d. costs for failing to conform to the automatic traffic control signals at St. Mary’s cross-roads, Beccles, on March 17th. He was represented by Mr. Ronald B. Keefe, of Norwich, and pleaded not guilty.

                                             Henry George Crane, 35, Crown Street, Lowestoft, a district relief railwayman, said that about 3.35 p.m. he was motor cycling over the crossing as the lights were in his favour, when the front part of his machine was struck by a car driven by defendant at 30 miles an hour. Witness was thrown off and in­jured, his cycle being damaged.

                                             Miss Pearl Sampson, 18, Waveney Valley Cottages, Beccles, a pedestrian, said the lights were red when defen­dant went over the crossing. “The motor cyclist turned over and over,” she added, “ and. I was surprised to see him get up.”

                                             Mrs. Maude Bowen, Highfield, London Road, a cyclist, and Frank Austin, 9, Council Houses, Earsham, gave corroborative evidence that the lights were in Crane’s favour.

                                             ALLEGATION DENIED

                                             P-c. W. Spatchet said that shortly after the accident defendant called at the police station and made a signed statement. In this he stated: “As I approached the lights they were green in my favour so I drove on towards the town. When I was nearly over the junction I saw a motorcyclist emerging from St. Mary’s Road. He struck the rear of the car. I pulled up. My speed was 25 to 30 miles an hour and the motor cyclists quite 35 to 40.” Defendant added that Crane accused him of going against the lights. He denied this and said it was Crane who was in error.

                                             Mr. Keefe said defendant was exercising particular care because in the car was Mr. Robinson, his employer, who was out for the first time since an accident in November. Defendant had driven since 1911 without previous complaint. In the last war he was in charge of London General Omnibus Co. vehicles taking troops to the front.

                                             The Defendant contended that the lights were green the whole time he watched them.

                                             Confirming that the lights were in his favour Mrs. Eliza F. Robinson, Wantage House, Southwold, who was riding beside defendant, said he was a most careful driver.

1941     Bec & Bung 3 May                 STORY OF LADY’S GLOVES: Beccles Theft Charge Dismissed: A sequel to the loss of a pair of lady’s brown kid gloves from the cloakroom after a dance at Beccles Caxton Pavilion took place at Beccles Police-court on Friday, when Mrs. Vera Evelyn Riches (26), 21, Darby Road, Beccles, was charged with stealing them. She pleaded not guilty.

                                             Miss Joy Nora Freeman, 2, Gladstone Terrace. St. George’s Road, Beccles, hairdresser’s apprentice, said she attended a dance at the Pavilion on January 30th, and put her gloves, which she valued at l0s., in her coat pocket in the cloakroom. When she went to go home she missed the gloves, and after an unsuccessful search re­ported the matter to the management. On March 24th she was at her business when a Miss Drewitt came in wearing a pair of gloves, which looked like hers. Five days later Miss Drewitt came again with the same gloves. Witness had a chance to examine them, and felt sure they were hers.

                                             Miss Thora May Drewitt, 20, London Road, Beccles, gave evidence that on March 23rd she borrowed from defendant a pair of gloves, which she had never previously seen.

                                             P.-c. J. F. L. Wise spoke to interview­ing accused, who made and signed a statement that she, brought her gloves home from a dance at the Pavilion, and that if they were stolen it was a mis­take.

                                             Accused said there was a crowd at the dance, and she put in her pocket what she thought were her gloves. They were identical with a pair of her own gloves. She left them in her mackintosh pocket for some weeks until Miss Drewitt asked her to lend her a pair. Had she stolen the gloves she would certainly not have given them to Miss Drewitt to wear, because she had plenty of others.’

                                             “This is a serious case for people such as yourself,” the Chairman (Mr. E. J. Hindes) said to accused. “The magistrates think that there is reason why you should be very careful in future, but they don’t consider the evidence would justify their convicting on this particular occasion. Therefore the case is dismissed.”

1941     Bec & Bung 3 May                 GRAND RESPONSE BY BECCLES: Over £20 Per Head in War Weapons Week: It was announced on Monday after­noon that the total investments during Beccles War Weapons Week amounted to £135,870 18s. 1d.; a remarkable figure representing upwards of £20 per head of the population.

                                             The objective of £30,000—in terms of war weapons the cost of a special bomber aircraft—was exceeded at the opening ceremony on the first day. This sum was equivalent to about £4 l0s. per head; the national figure suggested by the, savings movement being £4.

                                             The investments on the final day, as for the whole period, exceeded the most optimistic anticipations. When business closed on Friday the figure of £86,506 was published, and there was great satisfaction on Saturday evening when a total of £130,069 was displayed on the pictorial indicator. Various items had still to come in to enable the final amount to be announced. The sum of £130 13s was raised by the parishioners of Sotterley, Willingham, and Shadingfield, who made a special effort during the week, was highly satisfactory.

                                             Warm in his congratulations on the success of the week was Major A. L. Herridge, MC., who is in charge of the savings movement in Suffolk. He told our representative that he did not think Beccles, - in spite of its fine record of support for the cause of national savings, would succeed in reaching the £100,000 mark let alone top it by such a big margin.

                                             CONCLUDING EVENTS On Friday and Saturday further large crowds of people went to see the exhibition of war weapons at the Corn Hall and “Hitler’s Mistake,” the huge bomb on view in a garage of the East Anglian Electric Supply Co., Ltd. The window displays of relics of past wars, loaned by residents of the borough and neighbourhood, also proved popular. A Scottish pipe band gave an excellent programme in the New Market on Friday afternoon and evening.

                                             Prior to the military display on the Common on the last afternoon of the week various prizes were distributed outside the Golf Clubhouse. National Savings awards, in the poster competi­tion arranged by the Mayoress (Mrs. Allden Owles), were presented to the winners by Sir Arnesby Brown, of Haddiscoe as follows: Most original (Certificates given by the Mayoress), Mary Odam (Sir John Leman School) and Michael Judge (Area School); best all-round (Certificates presented by Mr. E.A. Thompson), Peter Keeley and Reggie Youngman (Area School). Infants (stamps given by five ladies): Ann Clarke, Peter Lawson (the youngest competitor, who is seven years old), and Alastair Robertson (Miss Dunt’s Little Home School), Rodney Hutchings and Austin Bates (Peddar’s Lane Junior Council School).

                                             OTHER COMPETITIONS - In the “guessing the Christian names” competition, organised by Mrs. A.T. Bent, and for which National Savings Certificates had been given by Mr. F. Feek, it was announced that three entrants had got both correct. The names were Winston (pilot) and Franklin (navigator). The winners were: R. Jones, 21, Ingate Street; Barbara Brown (aged ten), Cavendish, Grove Road and A Oxborough 26 Denmark Road. Second Prizes for competitors with one name correct went t Miss B Meadows, Mr Sayer, Miss J. Judge, Miss H: Gould, Mrs. B. Baxen­dale, Miss J. Davey, Miss A. Gould, Mr Spalding and Mrs Catling.

                                             The Mayoress distribute the awards and also handed a prize to Mr J Salmon, whose slogan was considered the best submitted in a competition. In appreciation of his enterprise and crafts­manship, Mr B. Foyster, donor of models of a Wellington bomber and Spitfire and Hurricane fighter as prizes for a competition for the nearest esti­mate of the total investments during the week, was given a present. It was announced that the competition had brought in £17 l0s. 1d

                                             Mr. Foyster presented the Mayor with a model of a Wellington bomber in recognition of his valuable efforts towards the success of the week, Mr. Owles, who had acted as secretary, made suitable response.

                                             The organising committee is meeting at Beccles Y.M.C.A. this (Saturday) evening

                                             THE MAYOR’S THANKS: Sir - Having come so successfully to the end of War Weapons Week, which exceeded the best expectations, may I ask you through the columns of your paper to allow me to express my thanks to all who contributed to this effort.

                                             The greatest credit is due to the com­mittee, whose ability and enterprise, combined with untiring energy, calls for the highest praise and admiration.

                                             Mr. B. W. Goodin, the very able chairman, gave of his very best and left nothing to chance, to which the whole committee responded in no small degree. The names of Mr. and Mrs. Baxendale, Mr and Mrs. Bent and Messrs. Brown and Swindells in their sections, Messrs. W. S. Clark, G. H. Lawson and C. S Darby in another, and Mr. Wilfred Durrant and his able helpers, stand out as a masterpiece of organisation, as also the staffs of the Post Office and the banks, led by their enthusiastic heads; neither must the name of Mr. E. A. Thompson be for­gotten, whose efforts produced excellent propaganda which was printed and distributed free by Messrs. Win. Clowes & Sons, Ltd.

                                             Miss Olive Turney, of Barsham, undertook the greater part of the secretarial duties, and yet always had time to lend a hand wherever else needed.

                                             For the remainder of the Committee Miss Fuller, the honorary secretary of the local National Savings Movement gave valuable help, and others who by reason of their daily duties were not so prominent yet lost no opportunity of giving their help when possible.

                                             The happy band of collectors were indefatigable in their duties and the military displays on the Common (by kind permission of a Commanding Officer) proved most attractive, while the Scottish bands which played each evening in the New Market were very deservedly popular, and in this latter connexion I would name Mr. Dodd, of Worlingham, who undertook the responsibility for the comfort and refreshment of the members of the band each evening, which was a very great help.

                                             The support accorded by the neighbouring villages, notably Barsham, Geldeston and Shadingfleld, but in which all participated, was a very great contribution and was much appreciated. .    
The support of the Pearl Insurance Co. and the Prudential Insurance Co and the activities of their representatives proved a substantial addition to the effort, and the £20,000 placed in Government securities by one individual on the last day gave an example of public spirit, and was a great encouragement.         
Finally, all those who invested their pounds and shillings for the common cause were equally helpful in procuring the final figure, which proves Beccles worthy of her ancient heritage.

                                             ALLDEN OWLES.

                                             Mayor.

                                             Beccles, April 29th

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               YMCA PREMISES IMPROVED: Structural alterations giving greater scope to the lounge and buffet on the downstairs floor and the installation of two baths upstairs.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               St MICHAEL’S ORGANIST: During the war service of John Hammond, Mr AE Groom is to act as organist and choirmaster. For17 years Mr Groom has been organist & choirmaster of St Peter’s, Lowestoft.

 1941    Bec & Bung 10 May               DEATH of Mrs Agnes Hole of 1 Station Road; she was the widow of Capt W Hole and the eldest daughter of Mr Charles Nursey of Beccles. She had been living with her sister, Miss F Nursey. She was a supporter of the Hospital & the Nurses’ Home.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               DEATH of Mrs Gertrude Jordan in Truro, Cornwall, She was the widow of Mr AW Jordan, who many years ago carried on a printing business in Hungate, Beccles. They lived next door. Mr & Mrs Jordan went from Beccles to Cornwall, where they were in business as booksellers and newsagents.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               YARMOUTH TOLHOUSE gutted by fire in air raid. [Photo page 6] used as a Museum and exhibits destroyed.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               BECCLES WOMEN STEALING from Norwich shop Mrs Vera Riches (27) of 21 Derby Road was fined £2 & Miss Thora Drewitt (17) [see case on 3 May in Beccles] of 20 London Road fined £1 foi stealing three coats valued at £7 11s.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               NORWICH PROSECUTIONS for traders selling eggs, rabbits & oranges at more than the maximum price, also sausages containing more than the regulation 45% of meat.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               WOMEN FOR WAR WORK being interviewed if born in 1919 or 1920. [Photo page 5]

                                             The first to be interviewed will be those not in fulltime paid employment – the unoccupied and unemployed. Those with young children will not be asked to attend. Nor will those looking after the home of service personnel etc.

1941     Bec & Bung 10 May               RETIREMENT of Mr Thomas Shiplee of Beccles after 45 years in the Postal service [Photo page 1]

1941     Bec & Bung 17 May               BECCLES MUSIC 100 years or so ago.

1941     Bec & Bung 17 May               EAST ANGLIA has taken in about 320,000 Evacuees in official parties and many more privately.

1941     Bec & Bung 24 May               PAKEFIELD CHURCH Destroyed [Photo page 1]

1941     Bec & Bung 24 May               WEDDING: Bombardier S Saunders & Miss Elsie M Cooper, both of Beccles [Photo page3]

1941     Bec & Bung 24 May               COLLISION in London Road between a private car being driven towards his home by John Lewis, of Shadingfield Post Office, and a lorry owned by Messrs Masters & Skevens, Newmarket, ironmongers, which Bert Driver, 8 Newgate was turning in to the premises of Robinson’s Transport Ltd. Both vehicles were damaged.

1941     Bec & Bung 24 May               SIREN CANNOT BE HEARD in Northgate. An appeal for another siren is to be made to East Suffolk County Council.

1941     Bec & Bung 24 May               MORAL WELFARE ASSOCIATION addressed by the wife of the new Bishop of St Edmundsbury (Mrs Richard Brook)                      

1941     Bec & Bung 24 May               FOOD SUPPLIES in CASE of INVASION: The Ministry of Food has appointed Voluntary Food Organisers in country parishes throughout Eastern England so that food supplied may be distributed as smoothly as possible.

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               BECCLES CHORAL SOCIETY rendered Sterndale Bennett’s “The Woman of Samaria” at St Michael’s. Difficulties of the war overcome by BW Goodin, (Chairman) & RH Firth, (Conductor).

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               EMPIRE DAY: children at Beccles Area School addressed by Vice-Admiral EA Taylor, MP: “Today how proud they were of the Empire, and of the men and women from all parts who were fighting for them.”

                                             EMPIRE DAY at Sir John Leman School: visit by Mr Loftus, MP. Hymn sung, “I vow to thee my Country.” Mr Loftus in an address traced the growth of the British Empire and showed how it was characterised by it love of liberty.

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD now membership is 140. Singing & Drama classes were now starting and tennis courts would be available on Wednesday evenings.

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               WOMEN LAND WORKERS NEEDED. The scheme is for women to work from the villages in which they live, to do mostly part-time work. This includes haysel, harvesting, sugar beet (chopping/ singling and lifting), carrot and other vegetable work, muck-spreading, threshing, milking, forestry, etc. The village representative enrols the women and puts them in touch with the farmers when and where they are needed.

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               UNFIT HOUSES OCCUPIED. Rural District to consider whether this should be allowed to continue during the war.

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               NEW RATION BOOKS to replace present ones

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               RETIREMENT of Mr William Mihill after 49 years on the Railway. He has spent the greater part of that time at Beccles, being a passenger guard for a long period. Tributes were paid by Mr VE Turner (stationmaster), LG Webster (foreman), R Woolnough (signalman), Messrs BC Bowen & JW Daines (goods office), Miss Hurren (booking office), C Garnham (goods guard), FC Dix & E Orford (parcel porters), J Wisken & A Goodson (porters), B Dodman (shunter), W Dye (crossingkeeper), & Mr T Bunney (pensioner)

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               YOUTH SERVICE GROUP (at Pulham Market) [Photo page 7]

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               “TRAVEL AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE” over Whitsun. To “stay put” this Whitsun is both good citizenship and good sense. Goods traffic in wartime is more important than passenger traffic. There will be no special passenger facilities.

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               SOLDIERS of NORFOLK REGIMENT TRAINING [Photo page 7]

1941     Bec & Bung 31 May               MORE EELS FOR FOOD

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   BOMB DAMAGE at LOWESTOFT: Direct hit during a recent raid [Photo page 1]

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL SPORTS [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 7 Jun     SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL SPEECH DAY: Headmaster’s Review

                                             Another successful year, in which noteworthy features were the contribution made to the war effort, and the achievement by entrants for the School Certificates examination, was reviewed by Mr. G. S. Humphreys, the headmaster, when he presented his second report at the annual prize distribution of Sir John Leman School, Beccles, on Wednesday. The event followed the athletic sports, and was attended by a large company.

                                             The Rev. H. L. Birch (Rector of Beccles and Chairman of the Govern­ors) presided, supported by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. Allden Owles), the Deputy Mayor (Dr. Henry Wood Hill), Mr. Leslie R. Missen (secretary to East Suffolk County Edu­cation Committee) and Mrs. Missen, Mr. D. L Hewitt (headmaster of Bungay Grammar School). Mrs. Birch, Mrs. I. Pagan, the Rev. E. G. Clowes, the headmaster and Mrs. Humphreys.

                                             Stating that the past had been a year marked by difficulties and problems of a special character. the Rector con­gratulated Mr. Humphreys on his leadership, saying that the school owed a great deal to his ability and courage.

                                             ENCOURAGEMENTS, TOO: “There have been difficulties in plenty, but there have been many encouragements, too,” said Mr. G. S. Humphreys. “The result of the School Certificate examination was, from many points of view, the most satisfactory in the school’s history. Nineteen can­didates gained a certificate, this being the largest number ever awarded at one examination. Nine at the entrants secured exemption from Matriculation. One of the most gratifying results of this success was the emergence of a robust sixth form working towards the Higher School Certificate

                                             One of the responsibilities - by no means the least important - of education is the right use of leisure,” the Head continued. “To leave school with a School Certificate is very desirable. to leave it with a Higher School Cer­tificate is more desirable, but there is something much more important than these academic achievements. It is that the pupils, on leaving, should be well qualified in mind, manners and also morals, to play an active and, at the same time, a happy part in the community to which he belongs. In this connexion he should know how to use his leisure aright. There is no place in our age and generation for the loafer.”

                                             WAR EFFORT: Mr Humphrey referred to the loss the school had sustained by the entry into the RAF of

                                             Mr FW Newborn and Mr H. White, whose places had been filled by Mr. H. M. Y. Eaton and Miss Varley. Turning to the war effort Mr. Humphreys said the school was proud of the many old boys and girls who were now serving King and country. Some pupils belonged to Youth Service Squads and assisted in the collection of salvage. Others be­longed to various useful organisations. The school itself had taken over a large plot for the production of vegetables.

                                             The Head made special reference to the Air Training Corps. “When the Air Ministry announced its pre-entry scheme at the beginning of the year,’ he said, ‘I felt at once that this was an opportunity not only for the boys of this school, but also for others in the town. So a flight was formed and it has enjoyed the support not only of the governors but of the Education Committee and the borough, whose Mayor has been cordial in his backing. Dealing with sport, Mr. Hum­phreys said there was a successful football season and the girls had an outstandingly successful hockey season

                                             After thanking the staff for their co-operation, and making reference to the Old Students’ Association, the Head Master concluded: “I remind myself and venture to remind all of you who, as parents or teachers, are responsible for the well-being of these young people, that it is essential that they learn here at school the right attitude to life and its responsibilities. I understand them as being here to learn, not the art of passing examina­tions, but the art of living, and living unto themselves but unto God and to the blessing of the age to which they belong.”

                                             CHIEF AWARDS: The chief awards were distributed by Mrs. Missen as follows: School certificates, P. J. Chatters, P. C. Phipps, A. J. Taylor, P. Taylor, E. J. Titman, J. M. Elliott, J. V. Fairhead, I. J. Pettitt and B. V. Platten (also Matriculation exemption), C. J. Aldred, D. V. Harrison, P. Seppings, E. P. Bazeley, 0. I. Denny, V. M. Ladd, D. Pye, H. V. Sillett, M. M. Snowden and E. C. Tripp.

                                             Form prizes, I., W. H. Faulke; II., H. A. Lee, B. Balls; III., P. J. Bowen, R. M. Davies; IV., M. Cox, D. I. Chalker; Lower V., A. W. Bowen, N. E. Clutten; Upper V., J. J. H. Payne, A G. Cutting.

                                             Special prizes, Hobbies exhibition, P. J. Bowen, D. Pye; domestic subjects (given by Mr. Frank Foster), B. Barkway; Watson memorial, E. J. Titman.

                                             Shields: Gilbert, P. Taylor; Barne, B. V. Platten; house conduct, Greeks

                                             Patsy Kerridge presented a bouquet to Mrs. Missen.

                                             CONGRATULATIONS; Offering congratulations to Mr. Humphreys and the school on its record, Mr. Leslie R. Missen said the Head’s report was as good as might have been expected for a first-rate year of peace. He could say that the school gave the Education Committee and the Governors no cause for worry and he was quite sure that in war­time, as in days of peace, it lived up well to the high standards set there since its beginning. When he visited a school the first thing that pleased him was to find an atmosphere which indicated that it was a happy place. There were strong evidences of the community feeling, which was another good feature. Then there was an atmosphere of freedom in a good school, with the result that, as at Beccles, one found a large number of boys and girls playing their part in school activities.

                                             ON PLAYING FIELD: Although the track was not in first-class condition, there were some splendid performances in the sports. Sons of Councillor A. E. Pye, a well-known athlete in his younger days, Arthur and Richard, were outstanding competitors. The former won the senior boys’ championship with 72 pts., P. Chatters being runner-up with 63. Richard was junior champion with 49. The senior girl champion was Evelyn Farrington (59), with E. Tripp (47) runner-up, the juniors’ honours going to M. Thompson (45).

                                             Arthur Pye ran the 13-15 group boys’ 100 yds. hurdles in the record time of 15 2-5 sec.. the previous best being 16 sec. by P. Harrison two years ago. Richard established records in the 100 yds. (11-13 group) and 75 yds. hurdles (ditto). In the former he beat his brother’s record achievement in 1939. Chatters made a record of 13 2-5 sec. in the 100 yds. hurdles for boys over 15. The previous best was 15 1-15 sec. by J. Watson in 1939. With 4ft. 5in. E. Farrington won the Moyes cup for senior girls’ high jump, Burchett clearing 4ft. to secure the Throckmorton trophy for the junior boys’ event. Events end winners were:

                                             BOYS :

                                             Cross-country: Over 16: 1 Nichols. 2 Baxter. 3 Keeble. 22 min. 15 sec.;

                                             13-16 years: I) Burchett, 2) Culpin. 3.) A. Pye, 22 mm. 20 sec.

                                             Half-mile - Over 15: 1) P. Chatters, 2) D. Nichols. 3) G. Austin, 2 min. 30 3-5 sec.;

                                             13-15 years: 1) Culpin, 2) A. Pye. 3) Burchett, 2 mm. 40 2-5 Sec.:

                                             11-13 years: 1) F. Lawrance, 2) R. Pye, 3) Cullurn. 2 min. 53 sec.

                                             440 yards - Over 16: 1) P. Chatters, 2) A. Taylor, 3) D. Nichols. 60 2-5 sec.;

                                             13-15 years: 1) A. Pye. 2) Woodward. 3) Burchett, 68 sec.

                                             Long jump - Over 15: 1) P. Chatters. 2) Wigg. 3) A. Taylor, 17 ft. 6 in.

                                             13-16 years: 1) A. Pye, 2) Woodward. 3) Jackson, 14 ft. 7 in.

                                             11-13 years: 1) Bruce, 2) F. Lawrance, 3) Curtis, 14 ft. 1 in.

                                             Cricket ball Over 15: 1) Wigg, 2) Beck, 3) Austin. 79 yards;

                                             13-15 years, 1) G Durrant. 2) A. Pye, 3) Culpin. 60 yard’s;

                                             11-13 years, 1) Bruce. 2) Coles, 3) F. Lawrance. 53 yards 5 1.1.

                                             High jump, under 11: 1) Faulke, 2) P. Kerridge. 3) Mather;

                                             11-13 years: 1) Bruce, 2) Brown, 3) F. Lawrance;

                                             13-15 years. 1) A. Pye, 2) Bowen. 3) Burchett, 4 ft. 5 in.

                                             100 yards - 11-13 years: 1) A. Pye, 2) Plant. 3) F. Lawrance. 13 3-5 sec. record broken;

                                             13-15 years: 1) A Pye. 2) Woodward, 3) Jackson, 12 1-5 sec.;

                                             over 15: 1) Chatters, 2) Wigg, 3) Nichols, 11 1-5 sec.

                                             75 yards - under 11: (also for girls), 1) Faulke. 2) H. Stevens. 3) Ashford, 11 sec.;

                                             50 yards, ditto: 1) J. Seago, 2) Faulke, 3) Mather i.

                                             75 yards hurdles - 11-13 years: 1) R. Pye, 2) F. Lawrance, 3) Bruce. 13 1-5 sec.. record;

                                             13-15 years: 1) A. Pye, 2) Jackson, 3) Durrant, 15 2-5 sec., record;

                                             over 15:  1) Chatters, 2) Barber. 3) Taylor, 13 3-5 sec.. record.

                                             220 yards - 11-13 years: 1) R. Pye. 2) F. Lawrance, 3) Coles, 32.9 sec.;

                                             13-15 years, 1) A. Pye. 2) Woodward, 3) Jackson, 30 sec.;

                                             over 15: 1) Chatters. 2) Nichols. 3) A. Taylor. 27½ sec

                                             High jump -  under 14, for Throck­morton Cup, 1) Burchett, 2) eq. Bruce and Plant. 4 ft.;

                                             over 15, 1) Chatters, 2) Wigg  3) Payne. 5 ft.

                                             House relay - I1-15 years, 13-15 years, and over 16 - Trojans.

                                             Tug-of-war - Trojans beat Greeks.

                                             GIRLS

                                             75 yards - 11-13 years: 1) M. Thompson 20 M. Bashford., 3) B. Cross.

                                             150 yards- 11-13  years: 1) J. Pearce. 2) E. Farringlon, 3) V. Martin.

                                             220 yards - Over 15: 1) H. Tripp. 2) J, Lawrance. 3) S . Westgate.

                                             Standing broad jump - l1-13 years. 1) H. Bashford. 2) B. Cross, 3) M. Thompson;

                                             13-15 years: 1) E Farrington. 2) M. Watling, 3) R. Davies;

                                             over 15: 1) D. Pye 2) E. Turner, 3) 0. Denney.

                                             Long throw - 11-13 years: 1) M, Thompson. 2) eq. B. Cross and. H. Bashford;

                                             13-15 years. 1) E. Farrimgton, 2) H. Watling  3) G. Beamish;

                                             over 15: 1) B Beamish. 2) E Turner 3) B Platter

                                             75 Yards hurdles - 11-13 years: 1) M Thompson  2) B Denney  3) B Cross

                                             13-15 years: 1) E Farrington  2) V Martin  3) J Pearce 12  3/5 sec

                                             over 15: 1) D Pye  2) E Tripp  3) M Cross 12 2-5 sec

                                             High jump - 11-13 years: 1) B Cross  2) M Thompson 3) M Bashford

                                             13-15 years: 1) E Farrington, 2) M. Watling, 3) V  Martin,  4ft. 5 in

                                             over 15: 1) eq. H. Sillett, M. CrossE. Tripp, and S. Westgate, 4 ft. 4 in. each.

                                             100 yards - l1-13 years. 1) B. Cross, 2) M. Thompson, 3) B. Denny’, 14.3 sec.;

                                             13-15 years: 1) B. Farrington. 2) V. Martin, 3) S. Pearce, 13 1/5  sec.;

                                             over 15: 1) E. Tripp, 2) .7. Lawrance, 3) S. Wesgate, 12½ sec

                                             Egg and spoon - 13-15 years: 1) B. Farrington, 2) A. Faulkner, 3) G. Beamish;

                                             over 15: 1) B. Beamish. 2) A. Cutting, 3) B. Platten.

                                             Flower pot. 13-15 years: 1) E. Farrington, 2) 0. Bearnish. 3) P. Penman;

                                             over 15: 1) E. Tripp, 2) B. Platten, 3) A Cutting.

                                             Hockey dribbling - 11-13 years and 13-15 years: 1) Saxons 2) Normans, 3) Britons;

                                             over 55, 1) Normans, 2) Britons, 3) Saxons.

                                             House relay - Si-iS years: 1) Saxons, 2) Normans, 3) Britons;

                                             15-115 years, 1) Britons. 2) Normans. 3) Saxons;

                                             over 15: 1) Normans, 2) Britons, 3) Saxons.

                                             Other results - Old students’ races— Boys: J. Dicker; Girls: Ena Tripp.

                                             Fathers’ race, W. Johnson.

                                             Visiting children’s event: A. Jackson.

                                             Mr. H. Tilney was starter, Mr. A. E. Bunn, Miss W. M. Saunders and members of the staff acting as judges.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   MEMORY of EARTHQUAKE TEN YEARS AGO on 7 June 1931. The tremor occurred at half past one in the morning and lasted for 15 to 20 seconds and there were few people who were not awakened. At Beccles several doorbells were set ringing and many people went into the streets to see what had happened. A confectioner who opened his lock-up shop some hours later found the boxes of chocolate and tins of toffee had been shaken to the floor & a number of bottles of mineral waters smashed. In the country those living inold cottages heard rafters creaking and cracking during the tremor, while cock pheasants in the fields added their protests.

                                             Lowestoft was the only place in this locality where damage resulted, several chimneys including one stack of twelve, collapsed. At Kew the tremors were described as the biggest earthquake ever recorded in this country. Very severe thunderstorms occurred in East Anglia prior to the earthquake, which were preceded immediately by an uncanny stillness. In Beccles area there was torrential rain during the Saturday evening, and serious damage to growing crops was caused.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   MEMORY of EARTHQUAKE of 22 April 1884. This was mostly felt about Colchester. A description by a Beccles resident who was then a lad in Colchester: The quake started just after 9 in the morning with a subterranean vibration that was so violent to cause people to rush into the streets. There were four distinct upheavals, each separated by about a second and a half. They increased in severity until the last, which was less violent, yet during it the damage occurred. Not a building in Colchester escaped a severe shaking. Chimney-stacks everywhere clattered down, many crashing through roofs and upsetting the contents of houses. The Congregational church lost its spire which, in its fall, smashed the pinnacles and corbels of the tower and crushed tombstones in the graveyard.

                                             In the surrounding countryside there was severe havoc. The parish church of Langenhoe was completely destroyed and at Fingringhoe also suffered considerably - but during repairs several old wall paintings were discovered. Some of the battlements of Peldon church fell on to the roof, others dropping into the churchyard, while an extensive fissure was caused in the base of the tower. At Wivenhoe damage to house property was estimated to £10,000.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   WEDDING: Mr Clarence Garrod of North Cove & Miss Rebecca G Reynolds, only daughter of Mr & Mrs RE Reynolds of Caxton Road, Beccles were married on Saturday at Beccles Parish church. [Photo]

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   Gillingham Hall Fete in aid of War Charities. Mr Herbert Todhunter in charge of arrangements, Lady Somerleyton opened the Fete and was welcomed by Captain CE Hastings of Aldeby House. In the hall Mr & Mrs B Baxendale, Beccles artists, were kept busily occupied doing lightning sketches.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   SAVED: Gunner Frank J Fitt second son of Mr & Mrs HW Fitt of 23 Blyburgate serving on a destroyer which was lost during the battle of Crete sent a cable on Whit Monday stating that he was alive and well.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   BECCLES HISTORICAL SOCIETY: Mr Dunt the Secretary said that Col Cane of Bungay had urged the Society to keep a record of the war for posterity. He hoped individual members would do what they could.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   WEDIING Miss Barbara J Lunn, younger daughter of Mr & Mrs ER Lunn, amnd Mr Ernest A Mayhew of Hales.

1941     Bec & Bung 7 Jun                   COUPON SCHEME for CLOTHES: New rationing came into effect on 1 June. Each person allowed 66 coupons a year on clothes and cloth. At first the “margarine” coupons in the ration book will be used. A woman will be able to buy two dresses (18 coupons) a skirt and a jumper (12 points) and a pair of pyjamas and still have 28 coupons left for underclothes, stockings and shoes.

                                             Men could buy: a sports jacket, two shirts, a pair of flannels, a pair of pyjamas, underclothes, two pairs of socks, a cardigan and two ties and still have six to spare.

                                             There will be no extra coupons for wedding dresses, mourning, or clothes for special occasions.

                                             Raincoats or overcoats cost 16 coupons.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 14 Jun    COUNCILS ARE SAVING PAPER: At Beccles by having their minutes typed on both sides of the sheet. Wainford District Council now does without typed minutes & Mr SW Rix reads the minutes from the previous meeting. At Beccles at the monthly meetings the envelopes, which contained the minutes, are handed in and used again.

                                             Suffolk Agricultural Department is urging farmers to use the grass growing on waste pieces of land at the roadside for silage. Housing plots but not wanted at present are being cultivated by tenants of property nearby for growing more vegetables.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 14 Jun    WEDDING: Laurence A Durrant of North Cove and Miss Ivy Poll, only daughter of Mr & Mrs AH Poll of Upper Grange Road, Beccles

                                             The bridegroom is an old boy of Beccles College, and is manager of the Land Settlement’s Association Denham Estate, where they intend living. The bride for the past five years has been joint secretary of the Old Students’ Union of Sir John Leman School and until recently was an active member of the local nursing division of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. She was employed for five years on the staff of the Anglo-French School, Lowestoft.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 14 Jun    PUBLIC HOUSES RUN DRY. Now that many brewers are rationing supplies about half the licensed houses in Norwich are compelled to close for part of the week. One notice: “Sorry no beer, Open on Friday - we hope.”

1941     Beccles & Bungay 14 Jun    SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL helping the War Effort by joining the Youth Service Squads by collecting salvage, which of course becomes increasingly important. The Red Cross, St John’s Ambulance Brigade first aid party, Auxiliary Fire Service and Home Guard are organisations in which the boys and girls are rendering service. Others do duty as fire watcher. The “Dig for Victory” campaign also receives good support. Miss Jones, one of the staff and a group of helpers are busily engaged three evenings a week on a large plot of ground that has been taken over for vegetable growing. A successful Air Training Corps has been established by the Headmaster, Mr GS Humphreys.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 14 Jun    AIR RAIDS on EAST ANGLIA: Several killed in Wednesday Night’s attack in scattered raids. A number of houses were demolished. Raiding machines flew very low.

                                             The wife of a newsagent who lived a hundred yards from the houses which were demolished, was awakened by the smashing of glass when a bedroom window was blown in. “I could hear the crashing of falling masonry as near-by houses and other buildings collapsed. I got up and dressed and by the time I got downstairs the ambulances had arrived and members of the ARP [Air Raid Precautions] were already at work.”

                                             One of the lighter incidents of the raid was when a man on ARP duty in the street was hit by a flying bag of flour, which burst and covered him with its contents.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 14 Jun    WEDDING: Mr Gordon Hurren, son of Mr & Mrs F Hurren of Redisham & Miss Minnie May Ellis, daughter of Mr & Mrs CE Ellis of Beccles.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    EVACUEES in the garden of Beccles Visitor Centre attired in fancy dress [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    DEATH of Dr WG Whittingham, formerly Bishop of St Edmundsbury at the Mill House, Horsted. He was 79. He became Bishop in 1923. Ordained in 1886, he was Vicar of Knighton, Leicestershire from 1904 to 1917 and Rector of Glaston, Rutland from 1917 to 1923 and from 1918 Archdeacon of Rutland. His wife was Edith Mary, third daughter of Dr WT Bensly of Norwich. There are three sons and one daughter. [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    WEDDING: Mr Melville A Paine, only son of the late Mr & Mrs JA Paine of Newport, Mon & Miss Mildred Doreen Calver, younger daughter of Mr W Calver and the late Mrs Calver of 26 Kemp’s Lane, Beccles. Mr Paine for the last three and a half years a police constable at Beccles, was formerly stationed at Lowestoft [Photo page 1]

 1941    Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    SUFFOLK REGIMENT WAR PRISONERS Of the 44 prisoners only the whereabouts of only three or four is uncertain.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    NEW CURATE: Rev WR Barnes took up his duties a few days ago immediately after his ordination by the Bishop of St Edmundsbury

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    MORRISON SHELTER: It is not only a shelter, but provides a bed at night (the sprung floor takes a double-sized mattress) and it serves as a table by day, if you unhook the side panels. The flat steel top measures 6ft 6ins by 4ft. It is moveable, and is not clamped down. You are safe in the shelter in a two storey house even if the house falls on top of the shelter - but not from a direct hit. Every side of the shelter is easily removed, so you have four possible exits. It should not be used in an upstairs room, and should be placed clear of the walls.

                                             Morrison shelters are being delivered by the thousand in most of the cities and towns in the industrial areas. Anyone may apply for a free Morrison shelter unless they already have an Anderson shelter if their income is not more than £350 (plus £50 for each child of school age after the first two). Otherwise they may be purchased at £7. If you cannot put it together the Boy Scouts’ Association will do the job for you.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    FIRE on the FARM: Ricks should be dispersed, not more than two or three should be put together, and these should be 15ft apart. They should be built in the fields not concentrated in stockyards. They should be kept away from inflammable materials such as lose straw and from houses. Avoid building them on the top of ridges where they are easy targets. Machinery and implements should not be left near ricks.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 21 Jun    ATS GIRLS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) will have military rank similar to the army. Their pay will increase with years of service. Privates will receive 1s 8d per day rising to 2s 4d after three years. Officers will receive 7s 4d for a 2nd Lieutenant and 28s 8d for a Chief Commander (Lieut Col). 

1941     THE WAR 22 Jun             GERMANY INVADES SOVIET UNION

1941     Beccles & Bungay 28 Jun    PAPER MISSING

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Jul      EAST SUFFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL: Rev EG Clowes, Rector of Ellough-with-Weston elected an Alderman. [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Jul      WESON WAR EFFORT: Under Miss M Skeet of the WVS the knitting club has already provided 280 garments for the forces. By permission of Mrs EJ Alexander of weston Hal, members met once a month to hand in completed garments.

                                             £123 has been raised by 48 members of the National Savings Group. The Salvage campaign has provided 3¼ tons of metal, a good supply of aluminium and 1¾ tons of waste paper. Every Tuesday vegetables are collected and sent to a port for the crew of minesweepers.

1941   Beccles & Bungay 5 Jul      BONEY’S ISLAND details needed.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Jul      SOLDIER REPORTED CAPTURED: Cpl Albert Edward John Barber, RASC, only son of Mr & Mrs AJ Barber of 11 Smallgate, is detained at a British Prisoner-of -War camp at Corinthia, Greece. Before joining the army in spring of last year he assisted his father in their hairdressing business at 11 Smallgate. [23 August 1941]  In a letter to his parents: “We are working hard, but being treated well.” He says he is allowed to receive two letters a month through the Red Cross.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Jul      MOCK INVASION HELD: A huge exercise was held over the last few days when the Home Guard was called upon to help defend their local areas. Many lessons were learnt.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 5 Jul      FRUIT PRESERVATION CENTRES are being organised by Women’s Institutes. [Photo page 8]. Surplus fruit is brought and is bottled, canned or turned into jam.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Jul     DEATH AFTER FALL: Violet Mary Flowerdew, aged 20, baker’s checker, and third child of Mr & Mrs Chester H Flowerdew, 2 Napier Terrace, Grove Road died of a rare condition of status lymphaticus when walking over a small dyke with L Cpl Thomas Billinghurst, she slipped and fell into the slime. She was taken home, but died later that night.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Jul     BECCLES BOWLS & District Bowls League championship won by Mr CW Betts [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Jul     WAINFORD DISTRICT were repairing eight cottages at Stoven requisitioned for the use of evacuees and these were nearly finished

1941     Beccles & Bungay 12 Jul     BLACK-OUT Fine for Mr Peirson Cross of Briarwood, Waveney Road, of £5 for leaving an electric fire on, in an upstairs room of his house, without any black-out.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     ROOS HALL details page 1

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     HISTORICAL SOCIETY Meeting held in the garden of Mrs E Hartley’s house in the Score: Talk by Mr Claude JW Messent, ARIBA, of Norwich on “English Domestic Architecture”.           

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     WEDDING: Mr William E Leggett, Merchant Service, youngest son of Mr Arthur J Leggett and the late Mrs Leggett, of Sinai, Ingate and Miss Frances K Hurr, elder daughter of Mr & Mrs Francis C Hurr, 33 Ellough Road of Beccles [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     RED CROSS PENNY-A-WEEK fund for Beccles. Their most important functions in wartime were caring for prisoners of war, the nursing side, and looking after civilians who were victims of air bombardment.

 1941    Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     BECCLES SCHOLARS from Sir John Leman School will render national service during three weeks of their summer holiday felling trees at Dunwich. They will travel daily by motor coach, taking their lunch with them.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     COAL RATION: All customers must be registered with a coal merchant, and not more than 1 ton of each type of fuel a month, - coal and boiler fuel.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     OLD UNWANTED BOOKS WANTED for salvage.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     DEATH  of Mr Arthur Walter Campling, 27 year old son of Mr & Mrs Walter Campling of 1 Prince’s Gardens, Felixstowe, who were formerly in business in Exchange Square, Beccles [now Twyford’s]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     DEATH of Mrs Eva Lindley Jackson of Blyburgate.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     SCHOLARHIPS to SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOL: Stella Daines, Rex Butcher and Raymond Bartram of Ravensmere Junior School, and Ann Taylor of Peddar’s Lane Junior Council School.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     LEMONS ARRIVE: The first consignment of lemons to reach Beccles for a considerable time came from Norwich and met a ready demand.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     DEATH of Mrs CE Gayford, aged 87. She lived with her daughter, Miss Gayford at 7 Crowfoot Gardens. She was the widow of Mr Kitton Gayford, a partner in the firm of Read, Stanford and Gayford, auctioneers and Estate Agents. At one time Mr Gayford was agent for the Benacre Hall estate.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     BOOKS FOR TROOPS: Mr Humphreys, Headmaster of the Sir John Leman School has been visiting isolated units in Norfolk & Suffolk over the last year in connection with the Army Educational Service. He asked every scholar to bring along spare books so that a library could be formed. Between 200 and 300 have been contributed.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     SHORTAGE OF BEER caused by more consumers - since people cannot get sweets and tobacco as they used to, breweries are not allowed to produce more beer than they produced in 1939, malt is restricted in supply and so are hops.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     WOMEN LAND WORKERS pause to watch farm horses leave for the fields. [Photo page 6]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     THE BISHOP of NORWICH to resign after the War. Bishop Bertram Pollock said that he had moved from the Bishop’s Palace and had taken a house in Braconash. His decision was partly due to the difficulties of securing domestic service.

                                             Dr Pollock is 77 and has been Bishop of Norwich since 1910. Of all the English bishops in office when the Bishop was consecrated in 1910 the Archbishop of Canterbury alone remained.    Of the 105 prelates who had presided over the See of East Anglia only three had exceeded Dr Pollock’s record.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 19 Jul     DEATH of Arthur Batchelor. He was born in Surrey in 1871. After five years at wellington, four at Oxford, and four at the Slade, he lived for some years in the Thames Valley, exhibited at the New English Art Club and played cricket and golf.

                                             In 1906 he moved to Norfolk at Great Ormesby and then at Norwich. He organised chamber concerts at Great Yarmouth, and held an exhibition of his own work at the Castle Museum, illustrating the Norwich River.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Jul     CORPORATION MARSHES: It was agreed that the improvement of the Marshes should be undertaken. The total cost would be £5742, of which half would be provided by a grant. There would be a new Diesel-driven pumping plant with alterations to the present plant and improvement of the main drains. There would also be improvements to the subsidiary dykes.

                                             There were two members of Council who opposed the expenditure, Mr AT Bent and Dr Howard Warner, but the improvement was carried.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Jul     WEDDING: Mr Jack White of Beccles and Miss Grace Mitchell of Carlton Colville.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Jul     HOME GUARD: Owing to members being called up there are 30 vacancies in the Home Guard.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Jul     NO DRIVING LICENCE: Arthur E Reynolds of Beccles fined £1. He wrote saying no reminder had been sent. “That is no excuse now”.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Jul     HEADMASTER: Mr Leslie F Easter, a member of the Area School staff since its opening two years ago, has been appointed Headmaster of Earl Soham School near Framlingham. Several years ago Mr Easter came to Beccles as an assistant master of the now defunct College, which he left to join the staff of the late Ravensmere National School. He obtained a Bachelor of Science degree.

                                             He was a keen supporter of Beccles Cricket Club. He has done excellent work with the Evening Institute. since the war started he has been an Air Raid warden. His wife is a granddaughter of Mr Albert Mickleburgh, who was Mayor in 1919-21.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 26 Jul     SEAMAN HONOURED: Leading Seaman D McAlister, eldest son of Mrs M Ling of 30 Ellough Road has been awarded the DSM for bravery and devotion to duty during the Libyan campaign.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 2 Aug    DEATH of Mrs WE Davies, wife of the Rev WE Davies, a former minister of Beccles Congregational Church. Mr Davies was at Beccles from 1915 to 1924. He is now Minister at Lady Glenorchy Church, Matlock Bath, Darbyshire.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 2 Aug    DEATH of ALDERMAN JAMES BRINDY: Beccles has lost one of its most outstanding and esteemed public workers by the death, which occurred at his home, Frederick’s Villa, 42, Frederick’s Road., Beccles, late on Sun­day evening, of Alderman James Brindy. He was 73 years old.

                                             Mr. Brindy had been in failing health for about two years, but had taken to his bed only three weeks before his death. He had carried out his public duties until quite recently.

                                             Much sympathy is felt with Mrs. Brindy, who had been a devoted help­mate to him during 53 years of married life, and with their family.

                                             A native of Geldeston, Mr. Brindy entered the service of the Post Office there in November, 1885. He was later transferred to Beccles, where he did duty until 1925, when he retired largely on account of indifferent health, which subsequently improved appreciably. For his faithful work he was awarded the Imperial Service Medal.

                                             Mr. Brindy had been engaged in public work of various kinds during his residence in the borough for half a century. He had rendered continu­ous service as a member of the Town Council since he was elected the first Labour representative in November, 1919, but in more recent years he had sat as an independent member, he headed the poll on different occasions when he came before the electors, and on the death of Mr. Mark Buck he was elevated to the Aldermanic bench in 1928. His last re-election took place in November 1935, for a period of six years. Thus his name would have come before the Councillors again this year.

                                             FIRST LABOUR MAYOR In November 1927, Mr. Brindy’s colleagues recognised his efforts for the borough by choosing him to serve as the first Labour Mayor. Ably sup­ported by his wife, he carried out the duties to the satisfaction of all and when the period was up the Council reaffirmed its confidence by electing him for a further twelve months.

                                             Throughout his long membership of the Council Mr. Brindy had been regular in attendance and keen in the pursuance of his work. At the June meeting, sympathetic reference to his illness was made by Mr. Allden Owles, the Mayor, on whose proposition it was decided to send an expression of the Council’s feelings at his enforced absence.

                                             Nearly a quarter of a century ago Mr. Brindy was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Suffolk and sat at Beccles, where he was often in the chair. He had been a member of Beccles Juvenile Panel since its incep­tion some years ago and when, Mr. Arthur H. Pye left the borough in 1937 he was chosen chairman. He repre­sented Beccles Bench on the East Suffolk Combined Probationary Com­mittee.

                                             PUBLIC ASSISTANCE WORK For many years up its demise on March 31st. 1930. Mr. Brindy was a member of Wangford Board of Guardians and in him the poor of Beccles and the surrounding district had a true friend. When the work of the Board was taken over by the East Suffolk County Council under the Local Government Act 1929, He was appointed a member of the North Area Public Assistance Committee. Until the institution was closed at the beginning of 1938 he served on Shipmeadow House Management Sub-Com­mittee. Mr. Brindy was among those who year by year gave much assistance at the institution on Christmas Day, thus doing a great deal to brighten the lot of the inmates.

                                             Mr. Brindy was a member of the County Mental Welfare Association, the main committee of Lowestoft Employment Exchange and the Court of Referees, and a Beccles Council Schools manager. Ever since he joined Ellingham branch of the Rational Association in 1885 he had been a great friendly society worker. During the intervening years he had held various offices in the society and had attended many national conferences as a Suffolk district representative.

                                             The Co-operative Society Movement also made a great appeal to Mr. Brindy. He was a member of the Management Committee of Beccles Working Men’s Co-operative Association, Ltd. and secretary of the Education Committee. He also served on the Norfolk District Association, which embraces Beccles. Years ago he was a vice-president of    Beccles Men’s Social Institute and used to enjoy a game of bowls on its green. His great hobby, however, was garden­ing.

                                             JUBILEE ROMANCE: Mr. Brindy, then a young postman, first met his wife, formerly Miss Charlotte Hardingham, of Sprowston, at the celebration of the jubilee of Queen Victoria at Geldeston in 1887.  They were married on February 21 of the following year at Sprowston Old Church. When they celebrated their golden wedding in 1938 they received numerous congratulatory messages, including one from Mr. P. C. Loftus, M.P. Both were members of the Congregational Church, Mr. Brindy having belonged for about 25 years.

                                             In addition to the widow, Mr. Brindy leaves two sons and a daughter. The sons are Mr. Leonard Brindy, of Lowestoft, a L.N.E.R. goods foreman, and Mr. Bertram Brindy, of Southamp­ton, who is the representative there of a cement combine. The daughter is Mrs. Archie Green, of London. whose husband was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Walter Green, of Castle Flour Mills. Beccles. There are four grand­children.

                                             Funeral Tributes: There Wa5 a large and representative assembly when the funeral service took place at the Congregational Church on Thursday, it being among the biggest in the borough for many years.

                                             The Rev. Alfred W. Poulson, minister, of the church, officiated, with the assistance of the Rev. Harold L. Birch, Rector of Beccles, and the Rev. Arthur Lockwood, superintendent minister of Beccles, L,oddon, and Bungay Methodist Circuit. Mr. C. V. Breeze was at the organ, his renderings including the Dead March in ‘Saul’ at the close of the service. One of the hymns was “Abide with me.”

                                             ‘In this service,” said Mr. Poulson in an address, ‘we seek to pay our tribute of esteem and affection to one who for half a century rejoiced to serve his fellow citizens in this borough and who in doing so won such wide­spread regard that no one could be more missed than he. Of his manifold services rendered through work for friendly societies, as a magistrate, member of the Board of Guardians and Public Assistance Committee, as a school manager, Councillor, Mayor and Alderman, others will speak elsewhere in fuller detail and with greater eloquence. And of his undemonstra­tive service rendered unofficially and with a readiness to go the second mile the community will continue to speak while memory lasts.

                                             THE MOURNERS The immediate mourners were the widow. Mr. and Mrs L Brindy (Lowestoft), Mr. B. F. Brindy (Barton-on-Sea), Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Green (Wembley). Mr. Palmer (Gorleston), Mrs. L. G. Webster (Worlingham), and Mrs. S. Keeler (Lowestoft).

                                             Members and officials of the Town Council attending were the Mayor (Mr. I Allden Owles), Deputy Mayor (Dr. Henry Wood-Hill), Aldermen E. J. Hindes. W. H. Simmons and E. T. Gold­smith, Councillors G. F Robinson. J. H Skoulding, H. V. Branford, Paymaster Rear-Admiral C. S. Johnson, A. E. Pye, A. E. Jordan, E. W. Swindells, and A. T. Bent, Mr. W. Bryan Forward (Town Clerk), Mr. C. L. Hamby (Borough Surveyor), Mr. W. S. Clark (Borough Accountant), Mr. W. Clark (Sergeant-at-Mace), who carried the draped maces, and Police-Inspector S. J. Hopes.

                                             Messrs. J. Muttitt, A. Amis, J. E. Barber and E.J. Shiplee, postmen who served with Mr. Brindy, acted as bearers. Others present were Supt Herbert Clarke (Halesworth, representing E. Suffolk Police), the Rev. B. G. Clowes (chairman late Guardians Committee), Mr. H. E. Hadingham (representing East Suffolk County Council), Mr. J. W. Wright’ (representing Beccles Post Office), Messrs. H. W. Bishop (chairman), F. H. Ward, J. Reynolds, W. H, Sim­mons. and B. Johnson. Mesdames B. Baxter, F. Woolner, Moore and Gould (Board of Management of Becc1es Work­ing Men’s Co-operative Association. Ltd.). Messrs D. G. Reeve and W. Laws, Mesdames Spall, Hurren, and Rivett (Beccles Co-op Education Committee), Mr. B. W. Swindells the society’s managing secretary), Messrs. F. Leader (Harleston), L. W. Barham (Halesworth), L. Squirrell (Loddon). J. H. Filby and H. Botwright (Bungay), C. W. Chiddel, F. Robinson, R. Reynolds, G. Gamage and F. Watson. Beccles, (its branch managers). Mr. E. Bailey (Beccles office staff). Mr. H. Samuel (manager Lowestoft Co­operative Society). Messrs. E. Clark and F. W. White Norwich Co-op Society). Mrs. Garrod (Norwich District Co-op Committee). Mr. W. Rivett (Beccles Society Employees’ Welfare Committee), Mr & Mrs C Andrews (Rational Society Friendly Society), Mr F Bloom (Secretary Congregational Church), Mr D Clarke (Beccles Corps, Salvation Army), Mr E Balls, Mrs F Fiske, Mrs W Martin, Mrs Felmingham, Mrs C. C. Betts, Mr. H. J Moore, Mrs. C. B. Dowe and Miss Dowe, Mr. G. Lane, Mr. E. Baldry (Ringsfield) Miss Hunn, Mrs. E. Malpas, Mr. A. Algar, Mr. L. G. Webster (Worlingham), Mrs. Vise. Mr. G. H. Law­son, Mr. D. Ireland (Geldeston) Mr. J. C. Rae, Mrs. F. C. Oakley. Mrs. G. Marshall, Mrs. G. M. Laws, Mrs. H. Holmes. Miss Salter, Mrs. J. H. Skoulding, Mrs. Spinks (Gillingham), Miss Atmore, Miss Warner, Miss Leggett Mrs. Cuddon, Mrs. Youngman, Mrs. A. G. Blackmore, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. F. C. Turrell, Mr. and Mrs. V. Farman, Mrs Forder, Mr. F. E. Balls, Mrs. A. Devereux, Mr. and Mrs. T. B. Cocks, Mr. and Mrs. E. White. Mr. and Mrs. A. R. M Darby, Mr. W. Reynolds, Mrs. C. Dennington, Mrs. E. C Gray, Mrs. Tuthill, Mrs. A. Dennington, Mrs. Bates. Mr. and Mrs. A Harbord, Mrs. Sampher, Mrs. Biles, Mrs F. Burton. Mr. and Mrs. E. Horne and Miss Horne, Mr. F. C. Dix, Mr. R. A. Woolnough, Miss G. W. Fuller, Mr. and Mrs. F. Godfrey, Mrs. A.Eagle, Mr. J. Borrett, Mr. C. Warnes. Mr. D. C. Smith, Mr. G. H. Kirby, Mr. E. E. Kirby, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Parr. Mrs Kann. Mrs. R. Aldous, Mrs. Mihill, Mrs. Cross, Miss Dexter, Mr. R C. Dunt. Mrs. W. Devereux, Mr. E. R. L,unn, Sister Cock, Mr. A. E. Smith, Miss B. M Snell, Mr. H. E. Forster, Mr. T. Shiplee (a re­tired Post Office colleague), Mr W. Arnup, and Mr. and Mrs. E. Charlish.

                                             Councillor Dr. H. F. Warner and Mr. A. B. Bunn were among those unable to attend.

                                             There were many tributes of respect as the cortege made its way from the church to the borough Cemetery, where the interment took place, and congregation assembled.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 2 Aug    BECCLES HOSPITAL: In the absence of the Mayor, Dr Wood Hill took the Chair: Very satisfactory financial position.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 2 Aug    WEDDING: Mr RH Keable, Royal Armoured Corps & Miss IE Elliston, both of Beccles [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 2 Aug    BECCLES MOTHERS’ UNION at an “At Home” given by Mrs J Pagan in the garden of her Ballygate House [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 9 Aug    BECCLES HOME GUARD with Lieut WH Long in charge [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 9 Aug    PRISON for THEFT of BICYCLE: Mrs Ellen Amalie Crisp, age 19 of Station Cottages, Aldeby, who has an sixteen month old child, and is living apart from her husband sentenced to three months. Miss Maureen Margaret Smith, a music and dancing teacher living at Bungay Road, Gillingham cycled to Beccles at 9.55pm placed her bicycle outside the Cinema in Saltgate while she went to book some seats, and when she came back it had gone. Police traced it to Mrs Smith. When sentence was passed she collapsed and had to be carried out of court.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 9 Aug    ADRIAN BELL writings included in “The English Scene” by Batsford from “Corduroy”.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   WVS CANTEEN at BECCLES at the Public Hall under the direction of Mrs R Coney had a turnover of nearly £3,000 last year.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   DEATH on ACTIVE SERVICE of Able Seaman William James Ling, aged 16, son of Mrs MJ Ling, 30 Ellough Road. He had been in the navy for three years and took part in the Dunkirk evacuation. In civilian life he was gardener to Dr Wood-Hill. His half-brother Leading Seaman Donald McAlister was recently awarded the DSM for bravery.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   WEDDING: Thomas Norman Nicholson, [Photo page 1] only son of Mr & Mrs T Nicholson of 18 Fair Close & Miss Betty Kathleen Copeman, eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs WH Copeman of 24 London Road. Former pupils of Sir John Leman School, both are employed at Halesworth branch of the East Anglian Electric Supply Co ltd and previously were at Beccles branch. The bride is a WVS worker and is a granddaughter of the late Alderman H Copeman & of Mrs Copeman of Blyburgate, one time Mayor & Mayoress of Beccles. Mr Norman Nicholson is organist of Halesworth Parish Church. Formerly he was organist at the

                                             Methodist Church in Beccles. Recently he was mentioned in the “London Gazette” for bravery & devotion to duty during enemy air activity.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   WEDDING: Sergt R Thompson, Royal Norfolk Regiment of Darlington & Miss E George of Beccles [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   BUNGAY WAR WEAPONS WEEK: £78,874 raised.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   DEATH of Mr S WHITE Died at his home number 2 New Market. He was 82 and believed to be the oldest tradesman when he retired at the end of last year. For nearly half a century he carried on business at Ye Olde Shoppe, New Market, as a jeweller and silversmith. The business had been established in 1804.

                                             Mr White was the oldest subscribing member of the Apollo Lodge of Freemasons, No 305, Beccles, to which he was initiated in 1896. He was the Master in 1902. From 1906 to 1938 he served the lodge as treasurer, receiving Provincial honours in 1907.

                                             Possessing a rich tenor voice, he was the senior member of Beccles Parish Church choir, in which he had sung for some 50 years. He was always ready to do what he could for the advancement of good music.

                                             He was keenly interested in old churches and in his younger days used to visit many in East Anglia. He was an authority on scratch dials. About thirty years ago he purchased Leman House in Ballygate. There he and his wife had hoped to spend their retirement. He took a special pride in the maintenance of the building.

                                             The cultivation of roses appealed to Mr White and he had many varieties in his garden in Ashman’s Road, where he and his wife and friends were often to be found enjoying a game of croquet during the summer months.

                                             There was a large congregation at St Michael’s Parish Church on Tuesday, when the funeral service was conducted by Rev HL Birch, Rector of Beccles, assisted by Rev HS Verrels, Rector of Ringsfield-with-Great Redisham. AE Groom, parish organist was at the organ.

                                             Principal mourners were Mr & Mrs RF White (Wickham Market), Miss EG White, Mr JA Kirby (Wickham Market), Mr Donald H Mobbs and Nurse Squire. The widow and Janie Balls (housekeeper) were unable to attend.

                                             The Apollo Lodge of Freemasons was represented by W Bros ARM Darby, WM, AR Emerson, SW, FJ Meen (secretary), WAG Hardy, C Grantham-Hill, W Sheldrake, WF Cockerill, SF Smith, GH Durrant, RJ Goate, EJ Goate, WJ Money, AW Rayner, WS Clark, CS Stevens, H Elsey and FB Watkins (who also represented Abiff Lodge No 2810, Saxmundham) Bros HA Taylor, AW Denney, AH Moyes, WJ Artis, AE Tedder, H Tilney, WJ Burton, GS Odam, BW Goodin (also representing the Parochial church Council and Lloyds Bank), CW Pritchard, AE Jordan, PL Hipperson, RD Howe, WJ Seppings, RT Orford, SJ Hopes, AE Elvin, HR Hadingham and RK Took.

                                             W Bros Clark, Meen, Durrant, Elsey, Rayner and EJ Goate acted as pall-bearers.

                                             Attending from Waveney Lodge No 929 Bungay, were W Bros JW Norman (also Unity lodge), HE Rackham and H Hall, and from Montgomery Lodge No 1741 Diss, Bro VE Turner.

                                             The congregation also included the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and rs Allden Owles), Rev CD Hulbert (Rector of Halesworth and formerly Curate of Beccles), Mr and Mrs WW Wigg (Yarmouth), Coloneland Mrs RW Brooks, Mrs WAG Hardy, Miss Hellyer, Miss Maude Smith, Mr W Fowler (churchwarden), Mrs ARM Darby, Mrs Frank A Clatworthy, Mrs CT Helsham, Mr HV Branford, Mrs BW Goodin, Mrs AW Rayner, Mr J Brian Ashford, Mrs Oscar Owles, Mr Er Goate, Mr JC Woodward, Mr Hamilton J Bunbury, Mr BS George, Mr J Preston Larkman, Mr SE Grice, Mrs C Skevens sen, Miss Garrood, Mr FP Edwards, Mr and Mrs E Charlish, Mr and Mrs JC Read, Mrs AE Groom, Mr WE Downing, Miss McKean, Miss C Darby, Miss GW Fuller, Mr RC Dunt, Mr RS Girling (Wrentham), Mr and Mrs DA Shields, Mrs E Hartley, Mr and Mrs JW Wright, Mr GF Robinson, Mr SW Rix, Mrs Youngman, Mrs R Bickers, Mr and Mrs W Ward, Mrs E Spinks (Gillingham), Mr and Mrs CE Jarvis, Miss C Harper, Mr j Howes, Mr and Mrs AE Smith, Mrs Gilmour, Mrs Raven, Miss Cable, Miss LM Smith, Mrs W Lee, Miss Lee, Mrs HE Faulke, Mrs EGibbs, Mrs Taylor, Miss Hemmant, Mrs W Hemmant, Mrs Jackson, Mrs A Green, Mrs B Clarke, Miss Page, Mrs AW Phillippo, Mr H Carr, Mrs Taylor, Mrs RH Butcher, mrs Spalding, Mr HJ Byles, mr RB Reynolds, MR and Mrs C Warnes, Mr W Reynolds, Mr Th Ward, Mr FC Turrell, Miss BM Snell, Mr E Judge, Mrs D Alderson ad Mr C Boggis.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   ADRIAN BELL talks to the Historical Society on the Suffolk poet Robert Bloomfield

1941     Beccles & Bungay 16 Aug   WEDDING: Miss Winifred Self, eldest daughter of Mr & Mrs JP Self of Weston & Mr Francis Parnell, third son of Mr & Mrs R Parnell of 2 Common Lane in the Catholic Church. [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   NEW ALDERMAN on Beccles Borough Council: Dr Howard Warner, the senior serving Councillor, who has been a member since 1933. He has been a resident for 11 years. Mr George S Odham, Headmaster of Beccles area School was elected to the Council. He was proposed by Mr AE Pye, seconded by EW Swindells. [Photo]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   IRON RAILINGS: Letter received from the Director of scrap Supplies, Ministry of Supply emphasising the very urgent need of metal used in iron railings.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   WEDDING: Cpl GEF Button, Suffolk Regt of Ipswich & Miss Madge I Johnson of Beccles [Photo p 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   DEATH of COLONEL GCK CLOWES. After a short illness the death occurred at Beaconsfield (Bucks) on Saturday evening of Colonel George Charles Knight Clowes. D.S.O., OBE., chairman of Messrs. William Clowes & Sons. Ltd., London and Beccles he celebrated his 59th birthday last month.

                                             The announcement of Colonel Clowes’ death was made at the Caxton Press. Beccles, on Monday. and occasioned deep regret. The Colonel was last at the works at the beginning of July.

                                             Colonel Clowes was the eldest son of the late Captain W. C. K. Clowes, who was for many years chairman of the company, and who paid occasional visits to Beccles alter the firm took over the local printing works. After receiving the first part of his education at Winchester he proceeded to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he matriculated.

                                             STARTED AS READER’S BOY Upon the sudden death of his uncle. the late Mr. E. A. Clowes, it was decided that Colonel Clowes should leave Oxford at once and enter the business, which he did in October, 1901 at the age of 19. Starting as a reader s boy, he went through all the depart­ments in order to gain the thorough technical knowledge, which was to be of great service to him in later years. In 1905 he came to Beccles and took over the management of the local branch of the business, with which he had been so closely associated ever since. He became chairman of the company in 1936 on the retirement of his cousin, Mr. W. A. Clowes, whose death occurred the following year, and who had succeeded in office Colonel Clowes’ father.

                                             Colonel Clowes spent a good deal of his time at the Beccles works, where he was responsible for many improve­ments, and was held in the highest esteem by its many employees. Anything he could do to promote and strengthen happy relationships between the firm and its workpeople received his most careful consideration. and the present highly satisfactory state of affairs is in large measure due to his personal efforts. For some years he had been president of the Caxton Amateur Athletic and Social Club. in whose welfare he displayed the keenest interest. Colonel Clowes’ Beccles residence was The Pines, Upper Grange Road.

                                             He took considerable interest in the borough itself, and on more than one occasion had spoken at the annual Mayoral banquets. He was a clever after-dinner speaker.

                                             MILITARY SERVICE Colonel Clowes had a distinguished military record. In 1902 he took a commission in the London Scottish, and when the last war broke out was a captain in command of a company. The regiment was among the first of the volunteer forces to be sent to France in September 1914. The young captain accompanied his battalion across the Channel, and remained with it till the end of the following year. During the course of those early days he and his men underwent the ordeal of almost continual warfare. “And right well did the London Scottish play their part,” says “The Caxton Press Magazine” of January. 1929. “Everyone has read of the almost total destruction of the Captain’s battalion.” After 1915 Captain Clowes became a staff officer, and at the signing of the Armistice he was an instructor at the staff school. When the Territorial Army was reorganised he became second in command of the London Scottish. He succeeded to full command in 1922 a position he held for four years, when he resigned his commission he was promoted to full Colonel on the active unemployed list. He was granted the DSO in 1916, became eligible for the TD three years later, and in 1924 was awarded the OBE (Military Division)

                                             His widow, Mrs Winifred Clowes, is the daughter of the Ven Harry William Carpenter, Archdeacon of Sarum. They were married for 30 years.  [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   METTINGHAM raised £6403 for War Weapons Week. Their target had been £800. The garden fete at the Red House raised £45.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   BRAVERY: Mr Robert George Bush of Two Views, Worlingham, an RN Officer. In January a ship on which Mr Bush was serving as fourth officer was berthed near the damaged aircraft carrier, Illustrious, in the Grand Harbour at Valetta, Malta, when it was repeatedly attacked by enemy dive-bombers. It was essential that its cargo of munitions should be unloaded as quickly as possible. Despite the fact that several men on board were killed, Mr Bush, who was himself wounded, stuck valiantly to his post and with assistance carried through the task successfully.

                                             Mr Bush, who is 28, has since been promoted 3rd officer. He is married with a two-year old daughter. A native of Hertford, he came to Beccles two years before the war as assistant superintendent for the Prudential. Before joining the company he was in the Merchant Navy, and when the war started he went back to sea, having volunteered some months earlier.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   APPEAL to the WOMEN of NORWICH to help with vital war work is being made during the present War Work Week. [Photo p5]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   WEDDING: Sgt HSP Shulver, RAOC, of Barnby - a former playing member of Beccles Football Club - and Miss Evelyn Barber of Mutford. Before he joined the army Sgt Shulver was in the office of Mr Bryan Forward, Town Clerk of Beccles.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   St JOHN’S AMBULANCE BRIGADE:  The division at Beccles was established in 1925 and registered in April 1927. It comprises both men and women, together with boy and girl cadets. In peacetime and in war-time it maintains its own ambulance. Five years ago, under its enthusiastic superintendent, Mr WC Watts began a course of training in air raid precautions and the treatment of ordinary war and gas casualties. It thus created the organisation under which the members of the various ARP sections have since received instruction. Immediately on the outbreak of war the division undertook the establishment, maintenance and staffing of the first-aid post at Blyburgate Hall and also provided the personnel for first-aid parties and ambulance car drivers and attendants. It receives the fullest assistance from the re-formed Women’s Detachment of the British Red Cross Society.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   DEATH of Mr EA Cook, late of the Star Hotel, Beccles of which he was the proprietor for 25 years. He died at the home of his son at Kenton, Middlesex.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   LIFE SAVING SOCIETY has appointed Mr BL Moore of 21 Castle Hill an examiner for the Eastern Counties. He holds the Society’s intermediate certificate, bronze and silver medals and order of merit badge. Until he became a reserve police constable at the outbreak of war he was attendant at the Corporation Bathing Place.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   GOING into the ARMY: Mr CC Boggis, of 15 Queen’s Road, given a leather wallet and a box of cigarettes by his fellow Air Raid Wardens. The ceremony was performed at the Post by Mr DC Smith, head Warden for Beccles North District. Mr HH Rye, senior Warden, also spoke. For the past two and a half years Mr Boggis has been Verger of St Michael’s, the Parish Church.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 23 Aug   THE SON of HEAD POSTMASTER of Beccles, Mr ET Young, and Mrs Young of Halcyon, Ringsfield Road, has obtained BSc (First Class Honours) and an associateship of the Royal School of Mines, where he studied. He has also been awarded a Post-Graduate Scholarship. He has now taken up a post as technical assistant at a Royal Ordnance factory.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 30 Aug   METHODIST MINISTER SHOT by SENTRY: Rev Thomas Groves, 67 years old, of Framlingham was shot by a sentry when leaving a village after a service. The sentry, Pte Richard Davis, said the car appeared to come from between two army wagons and was therefore under suspicion. He challenged twice, then loaded his rifle and fired at the tyres. He denied threatening Mr Groves when he got out of the car. Mr Groves spent a month in hospital after the shooting, went home, but died of a heart attack shortly afterwards.

                                             Mr Groves had been in the Methodist Ministry for 47 years was appointed to Framlingham in September 1939.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 30 Aug   WVS INSPECTED by Lady Reading, founder & National Chairman. [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 30 Aug   BECCLES MARSH MILL: Tender of £1,319 of Gwynnes’ Pumps Ltd provisionally accepted

1941     Beccles & Bungay 30 Aug   TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD: 130 members and friends attended at the delightful riverside garden of Telport, Puddingmoor by the kindness of Mrs SL Barrett.

                                             The Mayoress, Mrs Allden Owles, arranged an excellent programme which included a mime, “Medieval Tragedy” played in costume by the Mayoress, Mrs Barrett and Mrs Gilbert; Miss Doreen Pye and little Jane George performed a dance under the direction of Miss Forward; and Mrs Boycott of Geldeston, and her dancing class gave an exhibition of folk dancing. Mrs I Pagan thanked Mrs Barrett for the loan of her garden.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 30 Aug   BARSHAM DEATH: Mrs A Fiske, wife of Mr A Fiske of Rose Cottage

1941     Beccles & Bungay 30 Aug   NEW AERODROME being built by a gang of 100 women and girls from mothers of families to youngsters not long out of school who work 60 hours a week. [Photo page 5]

                                             “Apart from the very heaviest work, they are able to tackle almost every job on the site, and some of them are quite as capable as men.” One of a squad of women engaged in sealing joints in the concrete runways is Mrs Fright, a London evacuee, who is mother of thirteen children; “I became really fed up with sitting in the cottage, so I went to the Labour Exchange and asked for a job.” They thought I was too old, but “I asked them to let me have a try, and I found I could do it. I shall stick to it as long as they like to keep me.”

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     SIR JOHN LEMAN EXAMINATION SUCCESSES: In July a whole form took the Oxford School Certificate examination. Results received this week show that all the 18 boys and girls were successful, 15 of them securing exemption from the London matriculation. Surely the achievement has never been surpassed in the school’s history.

                                             Certificates with matriculation exemption: J Aspin, G Austin, GE Balls, GE Goddard, GWE Keeble, JJH Payne, FA Reed, SF Skevens, EJ Ade, B Barkway, BM Beamish, MI Cross, AG Cutting, MJ Turrell and DS Westgate.  The following gained Certificates: RE Keeley, E Turner and GM Hanner

                                             Many of the scholars have been rendering national service of one form or another during the holiday. Some of the senior boys who did forestry work at Dunwich for the first three weeks have since been engaged in farming.

                                             The Headmaster, Mr GS Humphreys, has been on a course in connection with his duties as Commanding Officer of the school flight of the Training Corps, while Pilot Officer W Johnston Browne, ATC, a member of the staff has been at an aerodrome.

                                             Miss G Lisle,BA, Hons, is coming from London as assistant French mistress when the new term starts on 16 September.

                                             Mr and Mrs Adams are the new caretakers. Mrs Adams was formerly senior cook at the Area school.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     MEMBERS of the TOWNSWOMEN’S GUILD at Mrs L Barrett’s Garden at Telport [Photo page1]

1941   Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep      WOMEN GLEAN in LOCAL FIELDS details needed page 1

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     Dr WOOD-HILL FINED, a senior member of the Bench, was fined £3 and 4s costs at Beccles Police Court on Friday for permitting a light to be displayed at Staithe House, Northgate, on 18 August.

                                             He did not appear, but Messrs Larkman & Robinson, his solicitors wrote stating that he regretted the offence and had no alternative but to plead guilty.

                                             “The light complained of was showing from a bedroom occupied by a child of five - Dr Wood-Hill’s granddaughter - who is suffering from whooping cough. Although the window had been previously blacked out that evening, the shutter was later removed to allow the child to breathe more freely. The possibility of the child switching on the light had not been anticipated, but this she did in fact do during a paroxysm of whooping cough.”

                                             Special Constable Thomas Fairweather said the light was a bright one, and there was no black out material in position on the open window.

                                             Supt Herbert Clarke, of Halesworth, said the case was an unfortunate one, but he felt bound to bring it before the court.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     BECCLES MARK-STONE (letter): The town’s oldest ‘monument’ is the ancient Mark-Stone which stands on a slope near the church, and which no doubt marked a pre-historic track leading down to the Waveney. This stone is illustrated and described in WA Dutt’s ‘Ancient Mark-Stones of East Anglia’. He mentions in another book that there is a large polished flint axe from Beccles in the Norwich Castle Museum.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     WEDDING: Mr John B Spatchett, youngest son of the late Mr HA Spatchett and of Mrs Spatchett, Walplole Hall, Weston, and Miss Doris A Read, only daughter of Mr and Mrs RJ Read, Valley Farm, Beccles. The bridegroom is an old pupil of Sir John Leman School, and is at present serving with the Irish Guards. A reception was held at the Three Bees Tearoom.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     RAID DISTRESS FUND APPEAL: Appeal for support of the lord Mayor’s National Air Raid Distress Fund was made at a meeting of Wainford Rural District Council. Beccles has also so far raised £119

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Sep     NEW CLOTHING COUPON BOOK: 66 coupons to last a year, obtained from the Post Office.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Sep    Mrs ROSE CONEY RESIGNS as organiser of the Services Canteen [she lived at Ngong House, 2 Waveney Road], which she established at the beginning of the war. It started at St Benet’s and later moved to the Town Hall. She has undertaken to organize a British Restaurant for the Town Council.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Sep    WEDDING: Mr Bertie Leonard Moore, second son of Mr & Mrs HJ Moore of 21 Castle Hill - local war reserve constable of the Police - and Miss Grace Rhoda Tyrell, youngest daughter of Mr Ernest A Tyrell & the late Mrs Tyrell, of 38a Puddingmoor. Before he entered the Police Mr Moore was Superintendent of Beccles Corporation Bathing Place. The bride is a Sunday School teacher at St Michael’s and a member of the Girls Friendly Society.

 1941    Beccles & Bungay 13 Sep    WEDDING: Harold Walter Holmes, fourth son of Mr FC Holmes and the late Mrs Holmes, of 15 Ballygate and Kathleen Olive Spooner, fourth daughter of Mr and Mrs Spooner, 13 Old Market. The bride was employed in the binding department of the Caxton Press. [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Sep    HOUSEBOAT SOLD: “Imada” a houseboat moored in the Cut by Beccles Bridge was sold by auction by Messrs Read, Owles and Ashford for £69.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Sep    NATIONAL DAY of PRAYER at the Parish Church. The Mayor (Mr Allden Owles) accompanied by members of the Town Council, Police Inspector Hopes, and members of the Fire Brigade, headed a civic procession to the church, where a contingent of the Home Guard and Civil Defence Services was assembled    .

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Sep    Sgt BARTRAM’S section of the Beccles Home Guard won silver cup for rifle shooting [Photo page1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Sep    BECCLES’ BRITISH RESTAURANT: To be in the Public Hall, financial assistance will be provided by the Ministry of Food, but allowing the Public Hall to be available in the evenings for concerts, dances and other entertainments.

                                             24 DENMARK ROAD RESIDENTS complain of the nuisance caused in the road by cows fouling the footpaths.  

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Sep    WEDDING: Mr Philip Tebutt of Bluntisham and Miss Phyllis Welch of the Old Manor, Worlingham [Photo page1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Sep    DEATH of Mr Jack Davies, aged 51 at his home 72 Blyburgate. He leaves a widow. He was a native of Wales and during the last war was stationed at Beccles while serving with the Denbighshire Hussars. Later he saw active service in Egypt. A keen sportsman, he was formerly a member of Beccles Town Football Club, while in later years bowls and billiards claimed his interest. He possessed a fine tenor voice and was at one time a member of the British Legion Minstrel Troupe and Beccles Operatic Society. He worked at the Caxton Press.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Sep    FIREWATCHERS take up their nightly vigil [Photo page 8]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Sep    POPULATON FIGURES: The Registrar-General’s estimate of the population at the middle of the year was 6,708, and the number of inhabited houses at the end of the period being 2,116. The Rateable value is given as £35,325, the product of a penny rate being £137.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 4 Oct       WEDDING: Harold E Goldsmith 4th son of Mr & Mrs G Goldsmith of 42 Gosford Road, Beccles and Miss Florence E Porter of Bungay

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     BUCKINGHAM PALACE DECORATION: Leading Seaman Donald McAllister, son of Mrs M Ling, 30 Ellough Road, Beccles received the Distinguished Service Medal. [Photo page 1] “I had never seen the King before and it was a great thrill” Mrs Ling said

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     WEDDING: Mr Frederick Forder and Miss Dulcie Gooderham both of Beccles [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     IRON RAILINGS SURVEY: Wainford Rural District Council is asking their rate collectors to make a survey of iron railings in the 33 parishes.

                                             Mrs WD Robinson of Roos Hall promised to cope with the collection of newspaper in the Bungay area.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     DEATH of Mrs WT McComb aged 85, who was living in Norwich. She was the widow of Dr William Taylor McComb who died in June 1902 .

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     WEDDING of Gunner RG Spall, RA of Beccles and Miss Edna M Duffield of Hales at Heckingham [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     BECCLES COLLEGE OLD BOY Acting Wing-Commander Richard John Wells has been awarded a bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was born in 1913 and his parents live at Romford, was given the DFC last May for a daring dive-bomber attack on Maleme Aerodrome, Crete. Since then he has carried out many operations against Italian targets in Sicily and Tripoli. A detachment, which he led with courage and determination was responsible for sinking six ships in the Mediterranean and severely damaged many others. In less than a month he carried out 15 raids and has made over 60 operational flights.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 11 Oct     HOME GUARD Bayonet Instruction for Recruits [Photo page 5]

1941     Beccles & Bunga 18 Oct     TURNPIKE DAYS by Jane Hales

1941     Beccles & Bunga 18 Oct     FARM WAGE INCREASE from 48/-s a week to 54/-s

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     RAILINGS TO BE SCRAPPED: Council differences of opinion on railings. A sub committee of the Estates Committee suggested that there should be a considerable number of exceptions to the scrapping of railings. The following were deleted from the exclusions and were therefore to be scrapped: The entrance gates to the places of worship and the gates of all other private and public premises. Three sets of entrance gates to the Cemetery in London Road, gates and rails along the frontage to Peddar’s Lane School, entrance gates and railings at the Area School, entrance gates at the Sir John Leman School, railings on each side and the gates and west end railings of the Avenue and other railings on Corporation property from straying, railings and entrance gates along the frontage of Roos Hall in Bungay Road, guard surrounding the Old Market tree, hand rail dividing the steps from the churchyard to Puddingmoor, hurdles along the frontage of land in Ringsfield Road belonging to the Exors of Mr FWD Robinson , entrance gate and railing in the centre of the hedge surrounding the War Memorial in St Mary’s Road, entrance gates to Staithe House, Northgate, and Homefield, Ballygate, light iron railings surrounding the grass enclosures in the churchyard, and iron railings in Puddingmoor protecting the garden of Mr E Staff.

                                             Ald ET Goldsmith: “Up and down the country were considerable quantities of scrap, particularly those in the hands of farmers. He knew of a Norfolk village where a huge dump had stood for two years and which was now so big that a notice had been put up stating that no more scrap could be placed there. He added that the Town Clerk had advised the Council that the balance between the demands of the Government and the rights of the populace.”

                                             He also suggested that dividing rails between properties be excluded, and that most were in the form of hurdles, and had very little metal in them.

                                             Cllr AE Pye: “I can’t see why in this day of emergency when the stuff is so urgently need we should quibble over these matters.”

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     WEDDING: R Payne of Beccles and Miss R Feavyour, of Aldeby

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     LIST of SERVICE PERSONNEL made by a house-to-house canvass by the Area School Youth Squad.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     BRITISH LEGION asked to continue membership by Lt-Col Lush and to lend a hand in maintaining the organization ready for the demands which will be made on it after the war.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     TRAFFIC LIGHT KNOCKED DOWN on St Mary’s corner lights. This was the first accident of its kind since the traffic lights were put in seven years ago [1934]. A lorry being driven up Peddar’s Lane to St Mary’s Road by Thomas Lowe of North Cove collide with a Post Office van proceeding from the town along London Road, driven by Edward C Ellis of Castle Hill, Beccles. No injuries.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     DEATH of Mr George Saunders, aged 74 of 33 Frederick’s Road. He was employed by William Clowes for more than 50 years, most of the time in the reading department. He retired in August last year, but returned to work on account of labour shortage. He carried on work until a month before his death. He was a native of Barsham, where he sang in the choir for some years. He leaves a widow and a married daughter.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 25 Oct     NORFOLK WINDMILLS

1941     Beccles & Bunga 1 Nov      BLACK-OUT CASE against George Odam of 89, Grove Road, Headmaster of the Area School for allowing a light to be visible in the school, which was being used for keep-fit evening classes. The light was being reflected through a glass door and then through two kitchen windows, which had not been blacked out because the kitchen was not in use. He has now given instructions that every room should be blacked out every night. The school has 500 windows.  He was fined £5.

1941     Beccles & Bunga 1 Nov      OLD TIME CURES: The Medical Officer for the Urban District Council speaking of the success of the immunisation of children against diphtheria said that no longer is reliance placed on fried mouse as a cure for whooping cough, whereas the people of Rock in Worcestershire believed that the cure was to put a frog in its throat. The frog would die and the child cured. The people of the Severn Valley believed that to cure sore eyes, raindrops caught on Ascension Day and bottled in readiness should be used, while they disposed of cholera by grating up a loaf of bread which had been baked on one Good Friday and put away until the next came round.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 1 Nov    FOOTBALL: The Town team suffered from call-up of its players in the early months of the war and had to cease activities. The Caxton Club kept things going for some months through the efforts of Mr Arthur Fairchild, the Secretary. However his departure for the RAF at the end of last season meant they had poor prospects of carrying on.

                                             Mr AE Moore of 51 Caxton Road is endeavouring to arrange matches between local lads under military age and Service teams. In their first match on Saturday Beccles United beat an Army team 6-4. Those playing for Beccles: A Moore, P Taylor, R Woolfson, F Austin, J Burroughs, J Hurren, P Spall, R Archer, J Wise, & J Youell.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 8 Nov    CIVIL DEFENCE EXERCISE: About 250 people took part including the Home Guard, report centre, wardens, special constabulary, ambulance, mobile aid pos, hospital, rest centre and Citizens Advice centre. One of the most important incidents was staged in the New Market where Tear Gas was used. This was the first time gas has been released in the town, and very few people were caught without their masks. Notice that gas would be used had been given to the public. [see Britain at War pages 141, 142]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Nov   MAYOR RE-ELECTED UNANIMOUSLY, Mr Allden Owles. He mentioned that shortly the borough would be deprived of its iron railings, the metal being required for war purposes. He had expressed himself in favour of the retention of iron gates, but the Council had decided otherwise. However he understood that the Ministry of Supply had decreed that no such gates be taken.

                                             He appealed for more voluntary workers to play their part in service and said that no man able to dig should be without a plot of land from which to provide himself and his family with vegetables.

                                             He thanked the British Legion for providing a complete list of Beccles men and women serving with the Forces. By that means he had been able to send parcels to the prisoners of war, and he hoped to be able to forward a gift to each man who was serving overseas.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Nov   REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY: Large congregations attended the services, including those on parade: the British Legion, the Women’s section of the Legion, the Home Guard, the Sir John Leman Flight of the ATC and the St John’s Ambulance Brigade. The Mayor and Council attended.

                                             In his sermon the Rector, Rev H Birch, said that after the end of the war a shattered and ravaged Europe would have to be built up. “Surely co-operation for the common good was a more worthy basis for industry and commerce than ‘cut-throat’ competition between men and women and nation and nation. This country must use its best endeavours to solve the problem of unemployment. They also needed sund learning.

                                             After the ervice the parade visited the War Memorial where wreaths were laid by the Mayor, Lt-Col Granville Baker, President of the British Legion, Mrs SL Barrett, President of the Women’s section & Mr C Bennett, secretary of St John’s ambulance. Mrs RF Lush, of the Larches was in charge of the Poppy Day appeal.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Nov   WEDDING of Able Seaman J Woolner and Miss M Aldred at Beccles [PHOTO page 3]

 1941    Beccles & Bungay 15 Nov   RABBIT KEEPERS’ CLUB formed. Principal organiser: Mr WDG Bartram of Fen Lane Mills. He is Secretary and Treasurer.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 15 Nov   “POINTS” RATION BOOKS: These are to be collected from the Public Hall on Saturday from members of the WVS who have been issuing them throughout the week.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Nov   GOLDEN WEDDING: Mr & Mrs WJ Bridge of 83 London Road [Photo page 1]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Nov   BOY SCOUTS: Beccles pack no longer in existence as all the Scout Leaders are in the Forces.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Nov   CORPORATION MARSHES: Costs to the town greater than expected for the Marshes improvement scheme. No immediate decision was taken.

                                             The Grandstand on the College Meadow is in a bad condition and is to be dismantled

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Nov   DEATH of MOTOR CYCLIST: Mr Albert Cox aged 34, of the Bungalow Tea Rooms, London Road, Beccles collided with a lorry in London Road South, Lowestoft. He did not stop at the halt sign, but drove into the lorry. The Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Nov   FOUR GENERATIONS of a BECCLES FAMILY [PHOTO page 3]: Mrs E Tilmouth, a retired newsagent and tobacconist; her daughter, Mrs Castell; her grand-daughter Mrs HG Croncher, who is connected to the Girl Guide movement; and her great-grand-daughter, Diana Croncher.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 22 Nov   POPPY DAY COLLECTION in Beccles raised £142-2s-8d.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   TEACHING OF RELIGION was given in the Council Schools every morning from 9.10 to 9.40 by teachers on the staff. An inspection was carried out by clergymen of the Church of England and the Free Churches. The instruction was carried out conscientiously in accordance with the agreed syllabus. For the past year, out of 111 schools due for inspection, 106 reports were received, and these were all satisfactory.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   BECCLES HISTORICAL SOCIETY: “A Day with an Elizabethan Housewife” by Mrs M Hipperson. The potato, recently introduced to this country, was considered to be disappointing in taste, being rough and insipid and several draughts of homemade cider were required to compensate for its flavour. The cleaning of teeth was done with a rag and some homemade soap, but the women had no teeth left after the age of 40.

                                             Mr Ernest Wightman of Bungay recalled that until 1890 there was a linen-weaving firm at Lopham, near Diss, beautiful work being produced. In the village of Syleham in the 1890s hemp was grown, nearly all of whose inhabitants had in their houses looms loaned to them by the owners of the mill.

                                             Adrian Bell described a visit he paid in 1935 to a factory at Haverhill, where he saw a number of old craftsmen weaving beautiful umbrella silk. He was impressed by the fact that they had to know everything about their handlooms and how to put them right if trouble occurred, whereas in a modern factory the girls operating looms simply called a mechanic if anything went wrong.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   DEATH of BISHOP HME PRICE, Archdeacon and Canon of Ely. He was 78. After ordination he became a CMS Missionary in Sirra Leone. In 1889 he went to Wingfield as a Curate and in 1890 to Japan for 16 years. He was Bishop of  Fukien, Sout China from 1906 to 1918 and for part of this time his wife and family lived in Gange Road Beccles. Mrs Price, whom the Bishop married in 1890, was formerly Miss Alice Millard of Bungay. There were two sons and to daughters.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   SIR JOHN LEMAN SCHOOLMASTER leaves for military service: Mr HR Thomas, of Kilbrack Road, who joined the staff a few years ago. Since the beginning of the war he has rendered loyal service as an air raid warden. The Headmaster, Mr GS Humphreys, presented him with a sleeping bag and book tokens for £4. Mr Humphreys said that Mr Thomas was the third member of staff to go for military service, and wished him well in the Royal Corps of Signals. [The list of men serving lists him as a Staff Captain in the 19th Indian Division]

 1941    Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   BONFIRE SEQUEL: Robert Fuller of White House Farm, Barsham, farmer fined 10s for permitting a light to be visible in Barsham. Special Constable GS Sporle said the light was caused by the burning of a large heap of chaff and short straw left from threshing operations.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   LIGHT DURING BLACK-OUT: Rev Arthur Lockwood, Methodist Minister of 3 Frederick’s Road, fined £2. “I went up to my study upstairs at about 9.25 and left the door open and the light shone through from the landing.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 29 Nov   FUNERAL: The body of the Earl of Leicester being borne from Holkam Hall to the estate wagon, drawn by four Suffolk horses. [PHOTO page 6]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Dec    EVENING CLASSES at Beccles Area School [PHOTO page 1] Blacksmith’s Forge in the metalwork section & Photographic Class.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Dec    DEATH of Lieut- Commander GE Mack. His home was at Surlingham, but lately lived at Barsham, near Beccles and Wheatacre. After serving his apprenticeship in sail, he joined the Hudson Bay Company as first mate in 1912. In 1915 he was their youngest captain in command of the Nascopole, and in addition to taking supplies to Hudson’s Bay in summer was carrying munitions from Brest to Archangel during winter, keeping that port open with ice-breakers as long as possible. Two submarines were destroyed by the Nascople, and he was decorated by the Russian and French Governments.

                                             His understanding of the Eskimos was profound, and it was put to good use when he assisted in the production of the film “Nanook of the North.”

                                             In this war he took part in the Narvick expedition. Immediately he was out of hospital he volunteered to take a paddle steamer to Dunkirk, making several crossings.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 6 Dec    BISHOP of St EDMUNDSBURY [Dr Richard Brook, educated Bradford School, Lincoln College, Oxford, Fellow of Merton College Oxford, served in Great War, Headmaster of Liverpool College 1916-1928, Vicar of Doncaster, then Rector of Rugby] confirms candidates at Beccles, 29 in all, 16 from Beccles. He heard that some of the Confirmees were intending joining the teaching profession, and he said that he was a schoolmaster for many years. He said that it was the first Confirmation he had taken, which was attended by the Mayor and Mayoress.

1941     THE WAR 7 Dec             JAPAN ATTACKS PEARL HARBOUR. USA enters the war.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   ALL SINGLE WOMEN to be called up aged between 20 and 30, which involves 1,700,000 women. The age. The call-up age for men has been lowered to eighteen and a half. Men will be liable for military service up to the age of 50. The registration of women, both married and single up to the age of 40 will now begin. Boys and girls between the ages of 16 and 18 must also register.

                                             Mr PC Loftus, MP, the local Conservative Member in the House of Commons: “He felt that in a healthy state a woman’s place was in the home, but he recognised the necessity for the industrial conscription of women. Conscription of women for the Services was frankly repugnant to him. But if it had to be done the Minister of Labour should take the utmost care to look after the women between 20 and 30. The young women of 20 and 30 were the future wives of the young men now in the Forces. They were the mothers of the next generation. There was an enormous responsibility on the Minister of Labour to see that conditions were so arranged as to work no harm to them in their future lives. [Loftus was 64 in 1941, Chairman of Adnam’s Brewery, lived at Reydon. He had two sons]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   WAR DAMAGE to CHURCH PROPERTY so far: 1 church unfit for use, 35 damaged; 1 parsonage destroyed, 16 damaged; The Bishop’s Palace damaged; 2 church halls totally demolished (St Edmund’s Church Hall at Southwold - a modern building was one of them), 5 damaged. 2 church schools damaged.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   PROPERTY SALE:  No 9 Kemp’s Lane, a bungalow with garden sold by Read Owle & Ashford to Mrs Cuddon of Beccles for £480.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   NEW TEACHER APPOINTED to Sir John Leman School: Miss C Proudlock, BA Hons of Manchester University & education diploma of Cambridge University.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   NATIONAL FARMERS’ UNION send telegram to the Prime Minister asking him to set farm produce prices at a level that will enable them to hire the necessary labour to produce food to the utmost.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   WEDDING: Mr Joseph Newman of Beccles and Miss Lily Saunders of Redisham [PHOTO]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 13 Dec   SERVICE MEN’S NEEDS: A Letter: The absence of a voluntary canteen and recreation room for the Services in this town appears to cast a slur upon the hospitality of its citizens. Perhaps in the warmth and comfort of their own homes, they do not realise what a recreation room means to these men. There is a lack of amenities of this kind, except the Free Church canteen and the YMCA.

                                             If the citizens of Beccles are desirous of having a canteen and recreation room they might also like to learn why their Public hall was redecorated out of the money made out of the men and not made a charge on the rates. Furthermore, they might like to know that everywhere else in the country the money made from the Services canteen is distributed to the funds of the units whose members have made it possible to make the profits.

                                             May I, therefore, suggest that the Council consider the advisability of repaying the canteen the amount paid for redecorating the Public Hall, and the canteen organisation taking the necessary steps to contribute to the funds concerned, at the same time publishing a complete balance sheet of the expenses and profits of the canteen and the moneys in hand, which it may be pointed out came out of the none-too-well-lined pockets of the men.

                                             Finally, I learn that it has always been the desire of those responsible for the British Restaurant to make it easy and overcome any difficulties which might arise, in continuing the canteen in the Public Hall.

                                             Basil Baxendale                       Oswald House, Beccles

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Dec   REPLY To Critical LETTER by the Mayor: Mr Baxendale apparently is not aware of the efforts which are being made in conjunction with the military authorities to obtain a suitable place as a canteen and recreation room for members of HM Forces. It is hoped these efforts are now nearing fruition, but with the military authorities rests the final decision.

                                             Letters received from those who have been stationed in the district do not appear to cast a slur upon the town or its inhabitants.

                                             The insinuation that vast sums of money were made of of the troops through the canteen, which until recently was functioning in the Public Hall, does not bear true relation to the facts. It is well known that the refreshments and recreation provided were well within the means of all who patronised the canteen, and in many instances cheaper than at other places of a similar character.

                                             The profit was entirely due to that very able body of voluntary workers who, day after day, until late in the evening gave their services for the benefit of our Forces visitors, and it would appear proper that they should judge how the results of their labours should be expended.

                                             A canteen or any other similar undertaking cannot prosper without the necessary capital to finance it, and at this stage to share out the whole of this capital (the nucleus for which was provided by way of voluntary efforts) would be unsound. The grants already made to Service Charities from the profits can be taken as fair indication of the principle upon which the organisers of the canteen are working.

                                             As regards a balance sheet, as full a statement as is possible in the circumstances of the finances of the canteen was published in your columns not many weeks ago. National security Regulations prevent the whole of the balance sheet figures. I fail to see why the Town Council should be asked to repay the sum expended by its tenants on interior decorations, such expense having been occasioned by dilapidations due to the tenants’ occupation of the premises. The tenant of any premises never rightfully expects his landlord to undertake such a responsibility.

                                             The committee of the British Restaurant have worked in perfect harmony with the Canteen Committee and having studied the question closely. Both committees agreed that in the period during which the Public Hall was required for alterations and the equipment for the British Restaurant was installed, it was impracticable for the Services Canteen to operate there.

                                             The delay, which has occurred in the delivery of the British Restaurant equipment was quite unforeseen.

                                             Allden Owles (Mayor), Town Hall, Beccles.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Dec   PUBLIC HALL: [Basil Baxendale’s] letter is full of inaccuracies and contradictions. At least two of the Free Churches in Beccles provide a recreation and refreshments for the Services. In addition the Caxton AA and social Club provide a “social” every Monday free to the services, as well as dances each Wednesday at the nominal charge of sixpence

                                             The Services Canteen, under the very capable direction of Mrs Coney, had for about two years performed a real service for troops stationed in the Beccles district, and was appreciated by all using it. One man told me it was the best Services canteen he had ever been in, and his was a general view. The temporary closing of the canteen is due to the absence of troops in the town, as well as to the fact that the Government has instructed the local authority to establish a British Restaurant as a very necessary precaution for very obvious reasons. The question is as to whether the two services can be run under the same roof with duplicate equipment etc, and different managements. This can only be settled by those concerned. Personally I feel it is rather like asking two women to share the same kitchen. I do know however that the Canteen Committee have been looking for alternative premises in which to continue the splendid work so much appreciated by the Services.

                                             It may interest Mr Baxendale to know that just previous tp the Public Hall being granted to the Services Canteen free of rent it was redecorated throughout and the cost charged on the rates. It is also true that because of the abuse of the privilege the hall was so badly damaged by those using the canteen that it was necessary to again redecorate parts of the hall, and the Canteen Committee offered to defray these costs from the canteen profits.

                                             As a member of the town council I shall not agree to any repayment on this account as it was not fair wear and tear, but wilful destruction and misuse of the hall that made this work necessary.

                                             The profits from our canteen have not been made by overcharging for refreshments supplied, but because all the work has been done by voluntary workers and costs reduced to a minimum. The men concerned were well satisfied with the goods supplied and were very grateful for the service.

                                             Albert Pye, Chairman British Restaurant Committee, 64 Grove Road, Beccles. December 17, 1941.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Dec   WEDDING; Cpl C Flowerdew and Miss Grace Gibbs, both of Beccles. [PHOTO]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Dec   COUNCIL: MARSHES: The Council decided to go ahead with plans to improve the Fen. A dredging machine would be hired, not bought. To buy a machine would cost £1,400 and the necessary mats for supporting it on wet ground would be £125. It would not be in use all the time within Beccles Marshes. The War Agricultural Committee advised it best to hire one.

                                             MAYOR’S GRANT increased by the Council from the figure of £50 allowed in 1881 a year to £75 now.

                                             BRITISH RESTAURANT COMMITTE: Messrs AE Pye, EW Swindells, GS Odam, the Mayoress (Mrs Allden Owles, Mrs Coney, Mrs KA McLaren and a representative from the Townswomen’s Guild and the WVS. It is hoped to open it soon.

                                             TREES in SALTGATE: The owners of the properties having been approached and with their agreement trees are to be planted. Dr Wood-Hill “The view at the moment consisted of the backs of premises and of dumps of road material left by the County Council. That are really is shocking. If planted now the small trees would grow and there would not remain for years an unsightly area like the one that had existed at the bottom of Northgate. The latter had been put right by the Council and he appealed for this site to be rectified too.”

                                             Messrs Walter Green, Castle Flour Mills appealed to retain their iron gates and posts at the entrance to their premises. The Surveyor said it was too late, the schedule had already been sent to the Ministry of Works and Buildings.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 20 Dec   COUNTY LIBRARY: The Beccles Branch has now been open for nearly 13 years and is extensively used. Mr RC Dunt is the honorary librarian. On Tuesday afternoon books issued totalled 386, while on Saturday they amounted to 233.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 27 Dec   THEFT from Men’s Social Institute by two Beccles boys aged 13 and 14, of two billiard balls. The younger boy was told that he would have to go to an Approved School, the other that he would be sent to a Remand Home.

1941     Beccles & Bungay 27 Dec   REPORTED MISSING, believed Killed: Able Seaman Cyril J Spall, aged 18, the youngest son of Mr & Mrs J Spall of Ellough Road, Beccles. [PHOTO]

1941     Beccles & Bungay 27 Dec   BLACK-OUT OFFENCE: Mrs Laura Day of Highfield, Upper Grange Road, fined for a light shining from a bathroom window, despite the light was blue and shaded.