A Village Play - Newton Bromswold Children and the Troops

The children of Newton Bromswold School, assisted by Mr. Ginns, gave a patriotic concert to rake money in response to an appeal from the Y.M.C.A. to the children of Britain to provide ten recreation huts for our soldiers. This is the third concert given by the children of Newton School, and that their efforts are appreciated is borne out by the fact that each time a larger building has been provided for the accommodation of the audience, and always packed to the utmost limit.

Miss Hollis and Miss Craddock, the organisers of the concert, must be congratulated for the way in which they trained the children, who responded most heartily to their teachers' efforts, and gave a most delightful performance. Mr. Ginns captivated the audience with his very amusing songs, sung in capital style.

The Faires at War - photo by C F Chapman

The dresses, which gave a very pleasing effect to many of the items, were mostly made in school. The programme included:—Soldier chorus ("Faust"), children; song, "Good-bye, daddy," S. Barnett and infants; action song, "Kitchener's Boys," children; recitation, "Grandma," D. Bird and infants; part song, "O, who will o'er the downs?" Miss Craddock, D. Wildman, and W. Law; song, "The recruit," A. Turner; song and dance, "Scotch melodies," infants; duet, "Are you going to dance?" D. Wildman and W. Law; song, "The school teacher," Mr. Ginns; musical sketch, ''The jumble sal," children; song, "The drummer boy," E. Law and infants; song, "Your King and Country want you," D. Wildman; song and tableau, ''How England keeps the seas," children; recitation and dance, "Buttercups," D. Bird and infants; march and choruses, "Patriotic selections," children; song, "The village pump," Mr. Ginns; song, "I should like to be a soldier," M. Mortimer; song and hornpipe, ''Boys of the ocean," W. Law and boys; song, "Daddy," D. Wildman; recitation, "A Royal King," R. Croot; playette, "The fairies at war," children, a picture of which we print in this issue.

The financial success was due in a great measure to Mr. Harris lending a barn large enough to accommodate so many people. Thanks are also due to the many friends in the village who so kindly supplied the piano and seating accommodation, and assisted in the arrangements for the concert. After defraying expenses, the Y.M.C.A. Fund benefits to the amount or £3.

Rushden Echo, 20^th October 1916

A Balloon descended in a field in the Newton-road leading from Higham on Tuesday, the aeronaut proving to be Warrant Officer Chippendale, of the R.N.A.S. The envelope and observation basket were packed up and despatched from Higham Ferrers by the 7.35p.m. train.

Rushden Echo, 11^th May 1917

War Shrine—Mr. J. Harris is presenting a war shrine to the parish, which will bear the names of those who have given their lives in the service of their country, and of those at present serving.

The Vicar (Rev. W. H. McCleery), besides having charge of the parishes of Newton Bromshold and Shelton, is doing national service on a farm during the greater part of the week.

Rushden Echo 21^st December 1917

The school children have sent 2s. 6d. As a Christmas gift to each of the “boys” who are serving with the Colours.

A House-to-House collection for the boys serving in the Army produced the splendid sum of £7 0s. 9d. A watch-guessing competition realised £1 6s., so that the committee were able to send 15s. to each of the Newton boys with the Colours.

Eggs for The Wounded—During the week ending Feb. 15th the school children of Newton Bromswold made a special effort to collect eggs for the wounded. The effort resulted in 102 eggs being collected and distributed between Higham Ferrers V.A.D. Hospital, Nottingham General Hospital, and the Central Depot, London. Letters of gratitude have been received from some of the soldiers.

Newton Bromswold - Forage Corps Girls and a number of male agricultural workers in the Devon regiment have been billeted in the district to help with the hay harvest in and around the village.