Harrogate Herald - 27th January 1915

Dear Chaps, 

Harrogate is feeling what pressure means so far as another class of accommodation is concerned. I have told you what a demand there is for furnished houses, and even that seems to be increasing, and not the least demand comes from families of officers, quartered or about to be quartered here. The extra pressure, however, is in regard to stable accommodation. On Wednesday and Thursday the first detachments of Yorkshire Dragoons and East Riding Yeomanry appeared. We are expecting a detachment of Yorkshire Hussars as well. You will realise how animated the town is when I tell you that a column of foot soldiers reaches from Royal Parade to the top of Prospect Hill, and they make an imposing mass. This is but the contingent - the earlier troops. Now the basin in Low Harrogate is alive with mounted men, and the scene even more exhilarating. Fortunately we are having splendid weather; not too cold, but bright and fairly dry without frost. The mounted men are smart and capable-looking lot, and the foot soldiers hold their end up in that respect. Amidst it all we find the essence of good order and deportment.

I have not told you about the huge camp near Ripon, where huts are growing like mushrooms, and even new roads are making their appearance. The work has to be done at a certain time. Harrogate artisans are participating in the work, for Allen and Son and Stott and Alcock are busy with contracts for huts. One at least of Lawrence and Hall's (the Harrogate furniture removers) engines and lorries are on the job conveying timber, etc. you will realise that the quiet cathedral city wears an unusual aspect. Small armies of men are finding employment there.

In many of the West Riding towns the public-houses are having to close at 9pm, and the sale of drink to soldiers has further restricted hours. There has been no change of hours until today for the licensed victuallers in Harrogate. Some of the soldiers are required to be I their billets by 9pm, others by 9.30pm. Perhaps this arrangement has rendered it unnecessary to close the public-houses earlier than usual. The publicans, I believe, have had a hint or two and have loyally fallen in with suggestions to meet any difficulties that might arise in connection with the "trade". But from today the military authority has ordered the publics of Harrogate and Knaresborough to close at 9pm.

The 5th West Yorks Reserve have received an irregular recruit lately. For some time a Scotch terrier belonging to Mrs Sam Bastow has been most assiduous in his attendance at drills. Captain and Adjutant Cross, who knew the dog, returned it several times to its owner, but Scottie would not stay and was very sharply back again on duty. Mrs Bastow has finally made a present of the animal, and it has been formally adopted as the regiment's mascot. It is wearing putties now, and otherwise bears the stamp of the regiment.

I am never tired of telling you little incidents which show the feeling of everybody toward our boys on service. Here is a pretty and touching incident which happened in York. A little nipper of a newsboy went regularly to some billets in the cathedral city, supplying the men with newspapers. He had noticed one young soldier on his previous visits, and was somewhat troubled at his absence. The soldier was a Harrogate boy, and the reason for his non-appearance was that he was ill. The boy gathered this information by inquiries. The next morning he turned up with a piece of sponge which he had begged from his mother, and said it was for the poorly soldier. It is needless to say the act touched the Harrogate boy very much. I am not at liberty to give the name of the poorly soldier, but I can say he belongs to one of Harrogate's most respected families, who are in more than comfortable circumstances. The head of that family is well-known for many acts of kindness and for his public work. The poorly soldier could command anything, almost, for his comfort, but that did not affect the grace of the newsboy's act, neither was it less appreciated by the object of his sympathy and his many friends. So you see amongst the high and low, young and old, rich and poor, the same feeling of gratitude to our boys on service is unfailing.

On Sunday night I was sitting with members of our family reading some of the sparse war news when the telephone whirred. It was about a quarter to nine. I answered the call. It was from the Leeds telegraph office. The wires come by the way of Leeds, and when Harrogate telegraph office is closed they telephone our messages from Leeds. I received the following :

Official - Naval action occurred in North Sea this morning. German ships were pursued and one enemy battle cruiser (the Blucher) sunk. Two German battle cruisers seriously damaged. No British ships lost.

We surmised that a raiding flotilla bound for England had been intercepted and made tracks for home when our flotilla chased them. If you were a journalist you would understand what a "cop" this was for the Harrogate Herald. Harrogate would have known nothing about it had it not been for our exclusive wire. It was very sharply posted in the window of the Herald office, Montpelier Parade, and a crowd gathered out of nowhere in no time. We were able to telephone this news to the agents of the various papers of the Herald series, viz., to Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge, Ripon, Ripley, and to the billets of some of the officers of the troops here in training, some of the Harrogate hotels and private individuals whom we knew would welcome the tidings.

What a splendid answer to the Zeppelin and Scarborough raids. More detailed news on Monday informed us that it was the same German ships that visited Scarborough, Whitby, and Hartlepool. The British squadron, under Vice-Admiral Sir David Beatty, who commanded in that affair at Heligoland, consisted of the Lion, 26,350 tons; the Princess Royal, 26,350 tons; Tiger, 28,000 tons; New Zealand, 18,800 tons; and Indomitable, 17,250 tons. Commodore Tyrwhitt was in command of a light cruiser squadron and the destroyers. The German squadron was made up of the Derfflinger, 28,000 tons; Seydlitz, 24,640 tons; Moltke, 22,640 tons; Blucher, 15,550 tons; accompanied by light cruisers and destroyers.

When the Scarborough raid took place, people who know no better inquired where our navy was. They know where they were this time at all events. What a fiasco of the latest attempt at raiding was made of the German effort by our incomparable ships.

Private Carr has been home on a few days' leave, and so has Driver Rudding, of Oatlands Mount. It was rumoured that Veterinary Lieutenant Hamilton was expected home, on leave on Saturday, but he had not arrived when we made inquiries. Men keep dropping in for the week-end. It shows how perfect is the transport service when this is possible. So you boys ought not to feel far away, but look forward to your turn. I think most of the boys at home, training, are impatient to be doing something, which means taking a share in the fighting.

The censorship is getting more and more strict. The newspapers are continually warned against publishing any information useful to the enemy. The latter would very much like to know how recruiting is going; but it is one of the matters we Press people have to conceal. I would very much like to give you certain information, but I cannot for the above reason.

You boys have a happy knack of christening things. What do you think a witty Tommy has termed the body belt? "The dad round the dining room". Good, isn't it? That man ought to be on the staff of "Punch" and have his dinners at the round table. Perhaps you do not know that ever since "Punch" has punch'd the artists and writers of the staff have dined once a week at their round table, talked over and mapped out the features of the next issue.

The Dragoons in Harrogate have a military band. They played on the march on Sunday. On Saturday afternoon they appeared at the Winter Gardens and on Sunday afternoon at the Kursaal. It is quite a pleasant acquisition and stirs the martial ardour in the people. The Germans know the value of military music. It has been discouraged of date in our Army. It may be that our boys require no waking up. At any rate they are always there when wanted and require no prodding. Still, I'm sure you chaps feel you could do with a little music now and then, or why those Jews harps, whistles, and other irregular instruments that find their way to the Front? They do not come uninvited.

One of the boys in a letter to the Harrogate Herald today tells me his comrades have formed a band, of a sort, out of toy instruments a lady sent to the Front. They would like the Harrogate Temperance Band to come out and have a competition. I wonder why thy stipulate for a temperance band! Is it, think you, so those tots of morning rum will go further? Another chap who writes lets us into the secret that four of them like a drop in their tea when the weather is damp and stiffening. They'll sympathise with Sarey Gamp - but she preferred gin.

Now, if you want some fun in the way of music, I'll give you a prescription. Get combs, the finer the better for high voices and coarser for deeper ones; a few cigarette papers or tissue paper; place over the comb a single thickness of paper; sing or hum through with your lips open. Get a chap who van sing falsetto (like a woman) for the high part, a tenor for the second highest, a light baritone for the third, and a deep voice for the bass. You may have trouble in each sticking to your own part; if so, you all know the catch, "Three blind mice". Start your highest or next highest or your baritone on the first phrase, which is repeated twice, and that voice then takes the second phrase two notes higher, whilst the next voice begins where the first man began, and so on till all four voices find themselves singing in harmony.

This is the form of it :

1st phrase : Three blind mice

Three blind mice

2nd phrase : See how they run

See how they run

3rd phrase : They all run after the farmer's wife,

She cut off their tails with a carving knife,

Did you ever see such a thing in your life,

1st phrase : As three blind mice

again, then Three blind mice

phrases 2 & 3 See how they run, &c.

go right through till you are breathless or tired. You'll be all right if you go on singing each phrase when your leader goes on with the next. You'll never be dull whilst you are practising this. When you've mastered the art of sticking to your own part you may go in for something bigger.

Miss Marie Blanche, who is making such a success in the Leeds Grand Theatre pantomime of "Robinson Crusoe", is the daughter of Mr William Peacock (managing director of the Grand Opera House, Harrogate) and of Mrs Peacock. You will remember her aunt, Ada Blanche, and the sisters Blanche, for there were three. Miss Marie has chosen well in adopting the famous family name. She is as charming in her disposition and personality as in her art. She not only acts well, but sings and dances beautifully and plays the violin with the same refinement and culture that distinguishes everything she does. Her first success was achieved in the Harrogate Amateurs' performance of the "Gondoliers". I thought so highly of her that, young as she was, it was at my recommendation she was chosen for the part. At first she hesitated, but finally accepted my assurance. Her success was so complete that her professional career dates soon after that, and she has mounted steadily from lofty to loftier triumphs. No one knows her capabilities better than I, for she was quite young when she first sought my assistance in the cultivation of her singing voice. I trained that for a long time and prepared her, vocally, for the "Gondoliers". I enjoyed working with her, she was so intelligent, so capable, so sympathetic and - refined. I never doubted her ultimate, complete triumph.

W H Breare