Harrogate Herald - 10th February 1915

Dear Chaps, 

The verdict in the Slingsby case was delivered on Wednesday. It was in favour of the child, whose legitimacy is now established, and he now becomes the heir to the Slingsby estates. I was not surprised at the verdict. I expected it. Many people around Knaresborough who knew the family have noticed a likeness to the grandfather, the father, and the mother. The child has the grandfather's eyes, some of them declare. There must be something in it, because, though imagination often plays a strong part in detecting resemblances, imagination cannot have swayed all those people. If one person says he sees a likeness, the next observer is likely to declare that he does not. Where there is unanimity, it may carry conviction. Local opinion has been wonderfully unanimous.

The case has excited keen interest in the district, especially about Knaresborough. His Lordship commenced to deliver judgement at 10.15 on Wednesday morning. Not long after this we received from the Press Association a wire giving a sentence or two of the Judge's which pointed conclusively to a judgement for the child. It was as follows :

The Judge said his view was Mrs Slingsby had a child September 1st, 1910, in McAlister Street, and that the statement that she covered it up by putting forward another child was an untrue statement.

Later another wire came, as follows :

His Lordship gave judgement for plaintiff (he child).

These telegrams were at once displayed in the Herald Office window and telephoned to Parr's, Knaresborough, agent for our Knaresborough Post, so the farmers and other market people, as well as the townspeople, had the news early. Ripon, Pateley Bridge, Boroughbridge, and Ripley agents of our papers received the wires from us by telephone, so before dinner-time the result was generally known.

I must tell you a singular coincidence over the likeness phase. First you must know that my life is a very busy one. I have many things to look after, and they sometimes fall on me like a shower bath, when I have hardly time to breathe or think. A newspaper office is a veritable "enquire within". The editor's sanctum is supposed to be private, so that he may write in the quietude of isolation. In some offices the editor's room is guarded by sentinels who allow no one to pass without giving name and the nature of the business. A form bearing this is sent in to the editor, who determines whether he can see the caller. This works all right in large towns, where the editor is not known personally to many people. In a place like Harrogate everybody knows everybody else. The editor is on friendly terms with most people, and they feel free to look in on him, even if their mission be but to pay him their kindly compliments. It is very nice to have so many friends, but some times they keep him too busy. Just imagine the situation : I am deep in the pleasant task of writing to you boys. In the midst of some paragraph that demands close thought and concentration of mind, there is a knock at the door and a good soul enters who has a mission to forward, dear to his or her soul. I sympathise and promise to do my best. I take up your letter, dictate or write half-a-sentence, and - another caller. This fresh start is interrupted, maybe, by a victim of misfortune; a misunderstood man; an irreproachable, who begs that his case at the Police Court, that nothing may be kept out of the paper. He was never charged with being drunk before, and if it went in the paper people would form quite the wrong estimate of him. Besides, it would make trouble with his employer; give pain to his wife and family; in fact, the newspaper would do him irreparable damage. To point out that the newspaper did not intoxicate, though at times it pleased, would be useless. Such men are absorbed in the task of proving their own innocence and consider only one side of the question. They are difficult to get rid of, with civility; but though it takes up valuable time I find that they will not long listen to moralising on the iniquity of drunkenness. That generally does it.

You will gather, from what I have just written, that the course of my work does not flow smoothly. For that reason I jot down a paragraph of your letter (amongst other things) when I have the moment.

Now I can return to the incident of the likeness of the Slingsby child to its parents. I had just finished that paragraph when a telegram arrived giving His Lordship's judgement. An important feature of that was the likeness. The Judge told the Court that he was struck by the likeness of the child to the father. He privately called in the eminent Royal Academician, Frampton, the sculptor, who pointed out to the Judge points of marvellous resemblance. For instance, the father's chin, the mother's ear, each found a counterpart in the child. So the villagers of Scriven, the farm tenants about Knaresborough, and the Market people, were, after all, the very first to formulate the most conclusive item of proof that has presented itself in this romantic case. The great expense of the twelve days' trial will have to be met. How, is to be determined by arrangement between the contending parties. The estate (in reply to a question by the Judge), the leading counsel for the petitioner, Mr Duke, said was not a rich one "at present".

The Army Service Corps contingent is not going to Knaresborough after all. The town has not the billets for them. It is a pity. Knaresborough will be disappointed.

When the Belgian refugees first came over, there was much anguish amongst them because, in the confusion of flight, families were broken up, wives separated from husbands, children from parents. Thanks to the persistent endeavours of the Harrogate Committee, the people of our contingent have become united. An officer of the Belgian Army has had leave from the Front and is now in Harrogate for a few days. Here he has found his brother. I had a chat with the officer, and the result will be found in the Herald today. He was loyal to military orders and very reticent on many points. These I did not seek to touch, but contented myself with a few safe incidents. He spoke very enthusiastically of you boys, but most of all was impressed by your coolness and indifference in moments of danger. He couldn't get over the calmness with which you lighted your pipes and cigarettes while the shell were flying. The English officer who coolly drew on his gloves in the street of Antwerp, taking not the slightest notice of the death-dealing shells he could not forget.

Everybody is admiring the weather-tinted complexions of the men from the Front. Under it the wounded can hardly preserve the semblance of illness. But they have the sympathy and admiration and envy of all us pale-faced, town-bleached men. You see so much of it you probably do not notice that your faces are different to those at home. New oak has a harsh uneven appearance tending to greyness. Old oak has a soft bloom of even colour, rich in deep tones. Well, your complexions represent the old oak, ours the new and (I was going to say "faked", but that would sound funny).

Many soldiers are about with white bands on the sleeve. You know what that means - inoculation. If it were vaccination against smallpox we should understand it as a notice to "keep off the grass". We have all had to take good care of our vaccination marks, especially in the inflammatory stage. The white band boys complain of being seedy for a day or two, but they don't look it. Weedy chaps from confined, indoor occupations who are now in training have become quite strong and robust. Many of them say : "No counter or indoor work for me after the war". they are finding out that Army life has strong attractions and decided advantages. You boys have raised yourselves to a great height in public estimation. Before the war people were too busy making money to observe all Tommy's good points. Now, we know most of them, and the Empire glories in the knowledge.

Let me see!. There are a few items of news I may give you briefly. A number of Harrogate lawyers are on the King's service, and so far as litigation goes we are correspondingly peaceful. What a blessing it would be to humanity if there were no lawyers and no politics. I am afraid that is impossible. Each has so many vested interests. Seriously, it is extraordinary how many lawyers and their staffs have enlisted. I prefer to believe that it is due to patriotism, rather than combative instincts. When the time comes to draw up the terms of peace the Government will have an army corps of lawyers already on the spot.

The Yorkshire Dragoons Band is giving Sunday afternoon and evening concerts at the Kursaal. They also play at the Winter Gardens on week-days. It is quiet a good band, and at the Kursaal they are assisted to variety by a vocalist.

A gentleman resident in the town has either had his car converted into an ambulance, or it is a new one, and this has done a lot of good work for a long time. He provides the chauffer and all expenses. It was built by, and is garaged at Mackay's. I am sorry that the name of the patriotic and generous gentleman has escaped me, but I will think of it and tell you some time, though I suppose it is the last thing he would wish. Nevertheless the example is too good to be lost.

Another ambulance has been built by Fowler and Son, York Place. That was formally presented at York on Friday, to the military authorities there, on behalf of the donors, Mr and Mrs George Renton, of St James' Park.

We had a letter from Corporal S S W Bowgett. Since he wrote that letter he has been injured in the eyes by creosote, and is expected shortly at Starbeck. He was a constable at Bridlington and a reservist, answered the call, and has been on the Continent since early in September. He was promoted on the field. Perhaps you have met him. He belongs to the 127th Battery of the Royal Field Artillery. The rest of his address to which we send him a Harrogate Herald is 29th Brigade, 4th Division.

My desire is to cheer and interest you boys, but I know you are men enough to want to read of the shadows in our existence, as well as the sunshine. I shall not keep anything back that I think you ought, or would like to know. Therefore I tell you that Harrogate has two men at the Front. I have only just heard the sad news. One is Lieutenant Oscar Addyman, son of the late J W Addyman and Mrs St John of White House, Starbeck. He was killed in action. the other is a son of Mr Ransome, who was for so many years coachman to Dr J Gordon Black.

Young Addyman's father and his father before him lived in that big house that stood surrounded by many open acres on the right side of Starbeck village street, going to Knaresborough. The deceased's father was a solicitor, practising in Leeds. He was a tall, well-built, rather light-haired man who had the fluent gift of speech, and was an active politician on the Liberal side. His widow married Mr St John. I cannot tell you anything about Lieutenant Addyman as I never knew him. You see he spent most of his life in Leeds. I believe it is only recently that his mother again resumed residence in Starbeck.

You will remember Ransome's father when I remind you that he wore light-coloured livery and drove a pair of horses in a brougham about Harrogate, and stabled in York Road, next door to the Harrogate Hydro. I am very sorry for the bereaved father, whom I have always respected. He is one of those men you can respect - unfailing in their attention to duty, solid, industrious, and cheerful. You know! The kind that makes us proud of our race, from top to bottom, as they say. Between you and me, when I think of you boys I am surer than ever that the race is most all "top". At any rate, it is not birth, wealth, or position that makes the man. The principal ingredient is the "stuff" you boys are showing.

W H Breare