Lavendon in the News – Edited extracts from local newspapers of the past

160 Years Ago in 1856:

OLNEY – FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE.
On Sunday last, soon after twelve o’clock at noon, a fire broke out on the property of Mr. Samuel Davison, in the village of Lavendon, Olney. It was caused by the wife of a mason inadvertently throwing some hot ashes and cinders in a pigstye in which was the ash-heap. A cottage, with newly built barn, containing the tools of the mason, were very much injured, and the fire quickly ignited a thrashing barn and two hovels, which, being all thatched, were all in a short space of time burned. The Olney fire-engine was sent for, but when near the toll-bar was ordered back; but, on arriving at Olney, again returned, there being so much other thatched property around the mass of burning ruins, and the wind blowing briskly, it was feared a further outbreak would take place. The danger, however, was soon removed by the engine being efficiently worked, under the direction of Mr. Paggett, until all was quenched. A melancholy accident happened during the fire; some men were with buckets endeavouring to check the progress of the flames, when the ladder upon which they were standing broke, it being in a quite rotten state, and one man was thrown to the ground, and, falling on his head, a deep wound was made, which was attended to by Mr. Wootton, surgeon, of Harrold, Beds, but the poor man survived only a few hours. He has left a widow and several children. Another man was so much injured on the ankle and foot that he will be unable to go to work again for some weeks, and a third man was slightly hurt.

150 Years Ago in 1866:

OLNEY & LAVENDON—GRAND TEMPERANCE GALA.—On Tuesday, July 10th, the third annual rustic fete of the Temperance Society of this town took place. It was held as on the two former occasions, by kind permission, in the Bull Orchard. The unsettled state of the weather of late created fears lest showers should mar the anticipated holiday. All these fears were, however, dissipated by daybreak on Tuesday. The weather was all that could be desired. About two o’clock the members of the Olney Band of Hope, together with those of the branch society at Lavendon, formed a procession at the north end of High street, and then, headed by the Olney Brass Band, perambulated the town on their way to the grounds….

140 Years Ago in 1876:

NEWPORT PAGNELL PETTY SESSIONS – July 5th
Frederick Parsons was charged under the Highway Act with permitting cattle to stray, in the parish of Lavendon, on the 1st June.—Mr. Walter Bull appeared for the defendant—From the evidence of P.C. Coward it appeared that on the day in question the cattle were grazing upon the highway. The boy in charge was described as having no control of the cattle. The road at that spot was not more than 15 or 20 feet wide. In answer to the witness the boy said had brought the cows out to graze by the direction of his master. The cattle were crossing and re-crossing the road, and were consequently an obstruction to the traffic. —Mr. Bull contended that his client had a right of pasturage along the road side, and also on the piece of waste ground described as the private property of Lord Dartmouth, and the sole question, therefore, was whether sufficient precaution was taken to prevent an impediment to the traffic in the exercise of what was admitted to be an indisputable and old-established right. —Thomas Panter, the boy in charge, was called, and deposed to being sent out with the cows, which he never lost sight of .—Fined 10s. and costs 11s. 6d.

100 Years Ago in 1916:

NEWPORT PAGNELL – DISTRICT TRIBUNAL
[Military Service Tribunals were bodies formed by local councils to hear applications for exemption from conscription]
A horsekeeper, the only man employed on a farm at Lavendon, was exempted until December 26th. An Olney grocer’s warehouseman, living at Lavendon, was exempted till July 26th, the man in the meantime to get a medical certificate. A general farm labourer at Lavendon was exempted till August 26th to get over the haymaking.

80 Years Ago in 1936:

SALE OF THE WEEK: Eight cottages at Horseshoe Yard, Lavendon, were sold for £150 to Mr. Clayson.

CHURCH ARMY: On 1st July Lavendon was visited by one of the columns of the Church Army Crusaders, who are tramping from Canterbury to Cleethorpes. Special services were held in the church during the day, and in the evening an open-air service was held round the memorial. During the day members of the church provided them with food, and they slept in the Schools. After an early morning service in the church they set off for Wellingborough.

A MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL was held in the Schools on Monday. Members present were Mr. J. M. Cony (chairman), the Rev. G. Leggatt, Messrs. T. Clarke, Impson, and the Clerk. Two offers were received for the hand bier and the highest was accepted. It was reported that the stand-pipe in Olney Road had been repaired and there was now plenty of water. The Clerk was instructed to proceed through Major D. H. Farrer’s solicitors with the purchase of the Recreation Ground. After the Council meeting Mr. Cony presided over a meeting of the Playing Fields’ Committee, when details were arranged for the coming fete.

COUNTY ROAD IMPROVEMENTS – Recent Land Acquisitions
Northampton—Bedford Road. Purchased from Mr. W. Hensman and Mr. J. W. Glasscock, for improvement north-west of Lavendon.

LAVENDON – FETE AND SPORTS
On Saturday a fete was held in the cricket field, by permission of Mr. R. Rowley, in aid of the funds of the Playing Fields Committee and St. John Ambulance Division. A fancy-dress parade was organised by Mr. and Mrs. Robbins. Although the weather was most unkind a good number entered. The judges were Mr. and Mrs. Woolnough. The fete was opened by Capt. Sir George Bowyer, who appealed to all to support the two deserving causes.

70 Years Ago in 1946:

FARM STOCK SALE AT LAVENDON
A sale of cattle and poultry at the Rectory Farm, Lavendon, was conducted by Mr. W. E. C. Hedge, for Mr. P. C. Gambell, auctioneers, of Newport Pagnell and Olney. Crossbred cows made to £33, and barren heifers to £25. A half-legged mare was sold for 40½ gns. Goslings made 28s. each, and hens up to 30s. 6d. each. A hen-house was sold for £17.

LAVENDON – ST. JOHN AMBULANCE
Members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade (Lavendon Division) met on Monday at the Ambulance Hall with a view to the resumption of activities. During the war years the Division was unable to function owing to 90 per cent of the members being engaged in the Services. A resolution for submission to headquarters that every effort would be made to resume the activities of the Division was unanimously carried. Embodied was an application for affiliation to the Bedfordshire area. Superintendent S. C. Holmes presided.

CRICKET – STRANGE RECORD
So far Lavendon have played eight matches in Division lll and lost them all. Yet in friendly cricket they have beaten all-comers! Their latest League defeat was by Pavenham for whom G. Scoley returned the impressive figures eight for 16. Only Wright of the Lavendon batsmen was able to play him with confidence, contributing 24 to total of 45. In Pavenham’s two innings E. Clare had 10 for 52 and F. Paynton six for 33.
[Later] A feature of Saturday’s Division III cricket was Simcoe’s 68 in 30 minutes (four sixes and eight fours) in Hail Weston’s innings against Lavendon, who sustained their ninth successive league defeat.

ATHLETICS – OLNEY SCHOLAR BREAKS A RECORD
Competing in the All-England finals at the inter-county meeting of the Schools’ Athletic Association, held on the Eton playing fields on Saturday, Joan Tunn, 78 Olney Road, Lavendon, a scholar of Olney Modern Secondary School, beat the record for the 150 yards flat race. In 1928 an Essex girl ran the distance in 18 sec. On Saturday, Joan’s time was 17 9-10 sec. She was also a member of the Buckinghamshire County relay team which secured third place. For putting up the best individual performance for boys and girls under fourteen years, she was awarded the championship cup.

NEWPORT PAGNELL RURAL COUNCIL
Provisional weekly rents 9s. for agricultural houses and of 12s. 6d. for other houses at Lavendon were approved. It was decided to reconsider the rentals of Council houses at an early date.