Old Haslingfield in the News: ‘A Bit of War Work’
In April 1917, at the height of World War I, a group of villagers embarked on what they termed “a bit of war work”. They organised a sale, presumably in the school rooms (although the press report does not mention a venue) in aid of the Red Cross. There was some disappointment when a Red Cross nurse failed to appear to open the sale, but the Head Teacher Mr. Royston stepped in…The sale had a number of stalls, including ‘grown-up’ and children’s clothing, as well as a bran tub, book stall and tea room, where a full tea cost 6d. (2 and a half pence in today’s money). Schoolchildren were dressed up as nurses, and provided an entertainment twice in the course of the sale, which lasted from 3 through to 10 o’clock. The austerity of wartime was reflected in the lack of flowers to decorate the rooms.
A cheque for £52 16s. 7d., a considerable sum at the time, was sent off to the Red Cross.