May 1917
Isle of Wight Observer:
May 5th 1917: SCHOOL OF ART – The school commenced its summer term on Tuesday. A special feature of the term will be the outdoor sketching class, which is looked forward to with great enthusiasm by the students.
May 5th 1917: SPRING WEAR – Buying in these days is a serious matter for the working woman, even those with fairly well-filled purses. For walking and ordinary wear skirts are straight and in many instances pleated, but the skirts are not wide and are intended to be worn with jumper blouses, sporty coats or short jaunty coats.
May 5th 1917: FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT – At the Partlands ground on Saturday afternoon a football tournament arranged by the Ryde and District Scouts Association took place under the direction of Scout-master C. TRENT.
May 5th 1917: CASTLE HOSPITAL – Eleven patients have arrived at this hospital this week. Mrs MITCHISON and Miss PORTER have entertained some of the men to tea, and several of those who are able to enjoy a walk went to Seaview on Tuesday afternoon, where they were entertained to tea by Miss HARVEY and Miss WALKER.
May 5th 1917: WHITE GLOVES – The old custom of presenting white gloves to the Chairman of the Justices Bench on blank days has died out. It used to be the privilege of the Clerk to the Justices to provide the gloves, so having regard to the many pairs he would have had to buy of late no doubt that worthy official is not sorry.
May 5th 1917: POTATOES – It is almost a sheer impossibility to beg, borrow or steal potatoes for culinary purposes, those who have taken up the cultivation of the tuber for the first time, content themselves by watching for the result of their labours.
May 12th 1917: TAX INCREASE – Someone is “pulling the string” over the increased tax on ‘baccy. It is not the retailer or consumer, both of whom complain that they are being “done down.”
May 12th 1917: THEATRE ROYAL – “Bobbie, the Revue Girl,” in five parts, will be screened at the Theatre Royal from Monday to Wednesday, and from Thursday the domestic drama, “Shackles of Blood.”
May 26th 1917: IS RHUBARB POISON – Some people eat boiled rhubarb leaves as a vegetable dish, although this is a war-time innovation, which unfortunately resulted last week in the death of a man, and serious illness of his family. Modern medical opinion is fast coming to the conclusion that the stalks of the leaves are equally to be condemned. There is no doubt whatever that the oxalic acid in rhubarb is a deadly poison.
May 26th 1917: EMPIRE DAY – Thursday being Empire Day, the Union Jack was flown at the Town Hall, several public institutions and many of the principal business premises. At the elementary schools the occasion was commemorated in the usual way by the assembling of the children at noon.
May 26th 1917: WAR SUPPLY DEPOT – A valuable gift of well-made splints, the work of the boys of the Secondary School, has been gratefully received at this depot.
May 26th 1917: WAR BONUS – On the proposition of Mr. WAITE, seconded by Mr. GALLIENNE, it was resolved that the action of the Public Works Committee of the 2nd May in giving an extra 2s. a week to all the Council’s workmen as a war bonus be confirmed.