Harrogate Herald - 28th February 1917

To Our Boys on Service

Dear Chaps,

If you could have been at home last Tuesday, which was pancake day, you would have heard the sounds of the children's shuttlecocks and battledores, and the whipping of the tops. It was foggy, though mild day, and did not bear out, except in mildness of atmosphere, the suggestion of spring. Yet it would have reminded you of years back when you were boys, looking forward to the opening of this herald of spring. When you read these lines think of that time and hear in your mind the gay voices of the children from afar, coming clear on the buoyant spring air. You remember how beautiful Harrogate is at that time of year. The weather conditions of your day-dreams, however, do not exactly prevail just now. Although mild, the air is heavy with moisture, and there is an absence of sun. We at home are content, however, because the cold weather has gone and we look forward to the period of sunshine. You will soon be thinking of filling up your recreation time out there with cricket. When the opportunity arises you can let me know, for I have a fine cricket set which I shall be glad to send out to you at some rest camp.

I have had a letter from the officer commanding those Fusiliers who were in want of socks. It seems that the two parcels I sent arrived most opportunely. The men were just coming out of the trenches and were going to have their feet dressed the next day. The socks were in time for them to effect an agreeable change. The good ladies who provided those things will be delighted, I am sure, to know that they arrived at the opportune moment and have created the utmost comfort and satisfaction. With the many demands made upon woollen comforts we were just about cleared out, when this morning I had the pleasant surprise of receiving a parcel of 14 pairs from Mrs Cockerham. They arrived just in the nick of time to help us out.

I have had a letter from Private V Coates, who is with the Canadians in France. His father drove for Farrah's over 18 years, and is now doing well in Toronto. Coates' two brothers are also fighting. They went to Canada over five years ago. Some of you lads will probably remember the father and possibly the sons. It is good to hear of Harrogate men doing well in the new country, isn't it? It is a wonderful land for opportunities. I hear on all sides of successes out there, and invariably all are delighted not only with the country itself, but with the splendid, social conditions that prevail.

We are still busy puzzling our brains to see how cheaply we can live. Coal is not so plentiful as it has been. The latest suggestion is that there should be cooking depots where joints and other things could be taken to be cooked for a moderate charge. The idea is that these larger ovens by cooking for the many would save coal, consequently money. When we come to think of it, where every family has a roaring fire in order to cook its joint, it does seem as though there might be excellent opportunity for these bakeries. This is no new idea. In the New England States of America, as I mentioned in one of my letters, baked beans are a great feature of the breakfast table and the regular Sunday morning breakfast. In every little village and hamlet the baker cooks them in his oven. Families send their bean-pots ready prepared, and they are baked overnight and fetched in the morning. If I remember right, the charge used to be about 2d or 2½d per pot. I believe the experiment was tried in places in this country years ago, but whether it is still in force in any of the towns or villages I cannot say.

I don't know whether I told you that the younger of the two sons of Mr T W Strother has been awarded the Military Cross. Perhaps you will remember the grandfather of these boys; the late Mr Strother, solicitor, of Killinghall. He was a great friend and companion in earlier life of our old friend me Charles Kirby, Harrogate's oldest solicitor.

I told you of the illness of Mr Thomas Watson, chairman of the Borough Bench. I was glad to see, the other day, that Mr Watson was well enough to sign as usual the wine and spirit licenses for the borough. He has not, as yet, been able to return to his duties at the Court.

It is Sunday morning, and I am again sitting at my office at the Dictaphone. Outside all is calm and quiet except the monotonous tum-tum of the military drum, for the boys in training are passing. It is milder and clearer than usual and decidedly spring-like. I have recovered from my influenza attack, but am feeling limp. Throughout my seedy period I have steadily pushed on with my work and so neglected nothing. But you know how it is when you do not seem to have enough energy and strength to concentrate your mind. I managed to get to the Picture House in Cambridge Street yesterday afternoon, for I was anxious to see the Battle of Ancre and the Tanks. It was an interesting show. We saw plainly the conditions under which you are working. I think the wet and mud impressed me most, after the cheerfulness which was observable on your faces even when you were labouring under the worst disadvantages. The high-water mark of enthusiasm was reached by the audience when the Yorkshires and the Worcesters came out of the trenches. I think everybody in that audience endeavoured to recognise faces of soldiers they knew. It was a difficult matter, for the dirt which you stand so well seemed to form a mask beyond which we could not penetrate for purposes of identification. I was glad I made the effort to go, but I should not have done so had I not had the encouraging company of my wife and my friend Charlie Knowles. I was glad to see the Picture House quite full, and I understand that at the four performances daily which have taken place during the week, the result has been the same.

Coming back from the show we passed what was once the Prospect stables, in Cambridge Street. Of late is has been and is now a garage. The face of the building seemed to be covered by an immense sign announcing that the "La Scala" Picture House would be built on that site. I understand the establishment is to be of the palatial order, and if the reports speak truly there will be a restaurant in connection with it. At any rate, it is a fine site, and I am glad to see that the company is justified in making this great development. When it will be put in hand I have not heard. The Empire, which you remember, still continues on its successful course, and that little place in Skipton Road, called the "Palace", I understand is likewise doing well.

We are face to face with further sacrifices. You will probably have read extracts from Mr Lloyd George's speech of the other day in which he plainly told us that the import of things not essential must cease. The list has been published, and it is a very long one. The astonishing thing is there are so many luxuries which we have always deemed essential. Most important features of the demand are that we must do without imported apples, tea, coffee, and cocoa. With regard to the drinks named it is said we have two or three years supply in the country, and there is therefore no need for further importation. The worst of it is the moment these restrictions are mentioned there is talk of an increase in prices. For instance, it is hinted that apples will be 1s per pound, and it has already been said that tea is to go up this week. I do not find this confirmed. If we have two or three years supply there is no need to raise prices. Unfortunately, when a tax is put on anything, or there are restrictions, speculators seek plunder. We must trust that Government will see to it that speculations of this sort are not allowed to press hard on the people.

Another thing, which affects me personally and it may to some extent affect you, though I hope not, is the further restrictions in the import of paper. I told you it was cut down 50%, now it seems that amount is to be halved, which leaves the newspapers with but 25% of their normal quantities. I have heard it said, but with what truth I cannot say, though I believe it is founded on some observation of a military representative at one of the Tribunals, that it is the weekly papers which will have to make the chief sacrifice, the dailies will have more consideration. As you know, we publish five district weekly papers, the Herald, Advertiser, Ripon Gazette, Knaresborough Post, and the Nidderdale Herald. Each is devoted to its own district or circle. We cannot make one paper do for the lot, as there would not be room for the news. A further difficulty is the scarcity of type-metal from which we make the letters of the alphabet for the many words we use. What we are going to do I cannot say; but "sufficient for the day is the evil thereof". We shall trust in Providence. You can continue to help us by "doubling up" over a single copy of the paper - that is to say, if there are two or three of you in the same company who have separate copies you might arrange to see how you can economise in this direction. Whatever happens you must have your papers, if there are any at all.

Everybody is going to be hit directly or indirectly by the determination of the authorities to check the use of paper for bills for the hoardings. This means a serious loss to printers, to businessmen, entertainments, churches and chapels, indeed it is a very wide circle that this pebble on the lake describes. Of late the Government have been about as extravagant as anyone in the use of posters, but these have succeeded in helping the War Loan, recruiting, and all manner of things of national importance. I have a heavy interest in billposting, and I don't mind telling you that I am the proprietor of the Harrogate Billposting Company, individually and solely. There is one way in which those who advertise by posters may ease the situation, and that is by not having such large bills as usual. A great economy can be effected that way. I am afraid, however, that it means almost the entire extinction of this industry, and the crippling of many large business undertakings, less employment for unfit men. The cheerful thing about the whole business is the thought that you boys out where you are, in doing what you are doing, are soon going to rescue the trade of the Empire as well as your kith and kin, from utter destruction. With that thought in our minds we can stick fast and cheerfully face what comes. As you will realise, the difficulty is the scarcity mo mercantile tonnage. Only about half of the whole British tonnage is available to ourselves. Over 1,000,000 of our tonnage has been allotted to France alone. The rest of the half which is not available to us is devoted to the service of our other Allies. You needn't be alarmed. We are going to win through all right, and the restrictions I have mentioned are going to enable us to do so.

Private H Oram, who is in the East, wrote to ask me for a set of rubber letters. It will be useful to him in the work that he is doing in relation to the forwarding of parcels. I should like Oram to know that the set has been despatched to him. I hope he will receive it all right, although he is so far away in the East. How I was able to do this was the Mayoress kindly sent me a £1 note to devote to anything that was required in an emergency. I have used some of this money to but the very useful appliance which is going to make the delivery of your parcels more secure. I don't think I could have devoted the small amount to better service.

I have had the bright young wife of a Canadian soldier in to see me. She had not been able to obtain the usual Government allowance. I had, on a former occasion, helped her over the papers, and was in hopes that they would go through all right. She came in on Saturday to say that the authorities had declined to grant it on the excuse that she was not married within twenty days of her husband enlisting. I hope that such a pretext will not hold good, because it is, I consider, most unjust that she should be deprived of her allowance. She knew nothing of such regulations, and it seems hard when her husband is devoting his strength to our cause that she shouldn't be left in this inconvenient position. I do not know whether the Canadian authorities are responsible for this, but if they are I must confess I did not think that Canadian sense of justice could be so much at fault even in one case. This good wife is a Harrogate girl. So I am sure you will wish for her a happy solution of the difficulty. Somehow, I have the faith to believe that the authorities, if they err at all, will err on the right side. It is not the first Canadian case I have known wherein the allowance has not been promptly conceded. I am glad to say that I have not met a single one of ultimate and final refusal.

I have had a field postcard from Frank Farrell saying, "I am quite well". You will remember he is a tenor singer and studied in Harrogate for two years with me.

Some time ago I told you that Mr Knowles, the assistant stationmaster's two sons came to see me and how impressed I was by their smart, manly qualities. I regret to tell you that one of them (Lieutenant T Knowles) has had three wounds. First he was hit on the back and knocked down; secondly, on the face; thirdly, in the thigh and put out of action. I am glad to say, however, that he is progressing favourably.

I grieve to tell you that Corporal Harry Steel, of Boroughbridge, has been killed in action.

Turning to the brighter side, I must mention a pleasant event which occurred on Sunday morning. Sergeant A Shaw was the first Harrogate man to win the Military Medal. On Sunday he was publicly presented with it in the presence of a large gathering of troops, who made a fine spectacle. When they left the ground Shaw at the head between two officers. The route lay along West Park and down Parliament Street. It was a nice idea that the two officers should support Shaw, thus rendering him an honour which I can assure you was much appreciated by his friends and the Harrogate Public.

Some years ago CSM Styan was a page boy at the Opera House. Later he took up physical culture, and finally went on the stage as an exponent of this. Since then he has been a professional, appearing at the halls. He is now a Company Sergeant-Major and bayonet instructor. He called to see me on Monday, looking bright and well. His mother, Mrs Alfred Styan, lives at 9 Providence Terrace. He has wife but no children. I was pleased to make Styan's acquaintance and much impresses by his bright, intelligent personality. He is one of those men of whom you would say : "A nice chap!".

On Monday night , at 5.30, I received a telegram that gave us delight. It was to the effect that we had captured Kut, together with many prisoners and much booty. The same telegram contained the information that some German destroyers on Monday night sent a few shells into unprotected Broadstairs and Margate; but I am glad to say only one woman and one child were killed and but two children injured. One of our destroyers took on the German destroyers, yet received no damage.

My son came home on leave a fortnight after he was expected - last Sunday night.

To Sergeant John Birkinshaw and QMS Harry Birkinshaw : Your mother requests me to send you a message from her through my weekly letter, which I have pleasure in doing. I regret to hear she has had a severe illness but glad to report she is recovering. She wishes you to know that your sisters have written regularly, but the letters have been returned.

W H Breare