Flu epidemic kept undertakers busy as more heroes fell
HERE in this regular feature we take a look back at items in the Rochdale Observer from 100 years ago
●●NATIONAL RATION BOOKS
The national ration books should now be in the hands of all Rochdale residents and those who have not received them should make immediate application at the Food Office.
As many as 2,230 persons were dissatisfied with retailers and their applications for transfers were granted at a meeting of the committee on Monday. No action was taken on a letter from the district Master Bakers’ Association indicating the serious position facing them if more men are recruited. ●●PROPORTION OF MEN & WOMEN VOTERS
An interesting return showed the proportion of men and women on the new voters’ lists for parliamentary and local government purposes in the various wards. While the parliamentary register shows a majority of men in all wards, the local government lists reveal an excess of women over men in all wards except Castleton North and Castleton Moor, where the men are in small majorities.
●●FOUR PASTELS BOUGHT FOR ROCHDALE
The Rochdale Art Gallery Committee were successful in securing some of the studies by the late Mr Edward Stott, A. R. A., offered by auction on Thursday week.
It is now possible to say that these studies are fine examples.
They are not pictures, it should be understood, but notes in colour for pictures.
The study of tree and landscape was done for the picture ‘The Entombment’ which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1915; that of fields and trees is a study for ‘Youth and Age,’ a picture exhibited at the Academy in December 1902; the horse and cart pastel, a study for ‘The Village Inn’ which was hung in the New Gallery in 1897; while the collie dog study was made for ‘Folding Time’ included in the new gallery exhibition in 1904. All the studies are in pastel.
●●WAR CASUALTIES
Second-Lieutenant Alex Harrison, of the Royal Air Force, the youngest son of Mrs Harrison of King Street East, Rochdale, lost his life in a flying accident in the south of England on Friday week. He was 18 years of age.
Private Herbert Hartley of the Royal Army Medical Corps, the elder son of Mr T. Hartley of 105 Lomax Street, Rochdale, has been killed in action. He was about 24 years of age.
●●UNDERTAKERS TASK
To such an extent has the influenza epidemic increased the death rate in Rochdale and district that one firm of undertakers in the district has had over eight funerals to attend to within the last fortnight.