February 1915

Isle of Wight Observer:-

Feb 6th 1915: INFLUENZA – A wave of mild influenza is sweeping over the country and keeping doctors everywhere busy.”luckily this year’s type,” a London physician told the Daily Mail on Thursday “seems to be a relatively mild one. If the victim goes to bed for two or three days the attack is soon over.

Feb 6th 1915: MINIATURE RIFLE CLUB – The Rifle Range of this Club is now open to ladies on Thursday afternoons. The spoon competition for January has been won by Mr. H. LONG, with a score of 247 out of a possible 250.

Feb 6th 1915: CINDERELLA DANCE – a successful dance was held at the Oddfellows Hall on Thursday night, when a large company, including a goodly number of “Gentlemen in Kharki,” enjoyed the programme, quite the star item of which was the classical dance “The Pipes of Pan,” by Miss Gwendoline CAWSE, who received an enthusiastic encore.

Feb 6th 1915: DINNER – On Tuesday evening the Vicar of Holy Trinity (the Rev. J. E. EDDIS, M.A.) entertained the churchwardens and senior members of the choir at dinner at Marlow’s Restaurant.

Feb 13th 1915: COMMISSION – Mr. Francis W. JENNINGS, of Yelf’s Hotel, who has held a Captaincy in the National Reserve, has received a Captain’s commission to the 10th Battalion Norfolk Regiment.

Feb 13th 1915: RESIGNATION – The Watch Committee reported that they had accepted P.C. HAMMOND’s resignation of the position of Police Constable and Superintendent of the Fire Brigade.

Feb 13th 1915: STORM DAMAGE – During the heavy storm on 26th January the sea wall was damaged, about 7 feet being driven of its bed at a point east of the bathing stage and about 15 feet at the west end of north walk. Both repairs are well in hand and will be completed this week.

Feb 20th 1915: DISABLED SOLDIERS – What to do with our disabled soldiers will be one of the most serious problems resulting from the war. Under the new pension scale men totally disabled will receive 25s. a week, and an allowance will be made for the partially disabled which will supplement any wages they can earn so as to bring them up to a similar sum.

Feb 20th 1915: BILLIARDS – On Thursday evening an exhibition billiard match of 600 up on level terms was played at the Trinity Club between Mr. H. G. NUTT, the well known Island amateur, and E. H. THOMAS, of Portsmouth. A keenly contested game ended in favour of the latter by 28 points. The winner made the best break of the evening, 63.

Feb 20th 1915: HOSPITAL – The late Edwin TAYLOR, a retired market gardener, who died at Newport, left estate valued for probate at £4,690.5s.6d., and among his bequests to religious and other bodies, is one of £50 to the County Hospital.

Feb 20th 1915 “NEVER FORGET” LEAGUE – It is to the eternal discredit of Great Britain that in the past she has allowed the men who have fought and suffered for her to eke out a poverty-stricken existence, and often to be buried in a pauper’s grave. Never again we say shall we forget our duty to our brave soldiers. The “Never Forget” League will be able to render noble service.