March 27th 1912

On Saturday as men were working in Mr Jarvis's pit at Clare, there was a fall of earth and one of the men, Henry Bareham, was partly buried, he was dug out and carted home, the doctor said there were no bones broken, another man, D.Mansfield, had a lucky escape as he was fortnunate enough to have run away.

April 12th 1912

The derelict property at Foxearth known as West Mill has found a new owner who is Mr Weston.

April 12th 1912

At a meeting of Bulmer Cricket Club, A.Haynes was appointed captain,(from Bulmer post office)(Fred says), vice captains-Mr Germany and H.Chinery, thanks were expressed to Mr Courtnall for the use of the ground.

April 17th 1912

There was a walking match at Glemsford with 37 starters, the route was fron the Cock Inn at Glemsford-Cavendish-Clare- Poslingford-Stansfield-Hawkedon-Somerton-Boxted- and back to the Cock.
B.Chatters won easily in 3 hours 13 minutes-W.Johnson second-Alfred Chatters third-D.Blatchmore fourth, 29 men finished, some amusement was caused by " Sailor Jack who has spent 33 years in the navy, he finished bare foot owing to blisters.

August 24th 1912

Charles Debenham of Glemsford was summoned by George Johnson for assault. Johnson said he was going home near Hill Farm at about 11-30 pm when defendant and his brother passed him, he saw one of the men take off his coat, a man named William Good asked why all the row was going on, he replied he did not know, when he passed Debenham he ran at him with a pitch fork and said he would run the ---thing through him, he then struck him on the head with the handle and knocked him unconcious. £ 1 with £ 1 3s 6d costs.

May 12th 1912

There was a fire at St Bartholomews Farm at Sudbury when two large barley and wheat straw stacks were burnt, they belonged to Mr G.Whybrew. Thrashing tackle was also destroyed which was the property of Mr J.Coe of Bulmer, the driver of the engine had just stoked up ready for an early move the next morning, he raced back and got steam up and backed the engine out of thw way scorching himself and the engine badly, the foreman, named Poole and other willing hands got the chaff cutter to safety, sparks from the engine were to blame.

May 12th 1912

Inquest in to the death of William Taylor who was found drowned in the river Stour at Lyston. Henry Salter aged 17 years and grandson of the deceased said he was going to work at Lyston rectory when he saw deceased walking towards Lyston, he did not speak. Alfred Cadge said he was walking towards Lyston Mill when he saw a body in the water, he informed Mr Duncan at the Mill House. Suicide

March 1st 1912

Bertie Martin of Belchamp Walter was charged with failing to comply with an order that he should pay Jane Pearsons 1s 6d a week. Ordered to pay with 9s arrears. Defendant said he had a serious cycling accident two weeks ago.
May 22nd 1912. Mr David Ward of Foxearth has bought the Bear Inn at Sudbury for £ 2.000. The Bear has the largest retail trade in Sudbury.

May 29th 1912

The third annual ploughing match between Bulmer and Gestingthorpe took place at Delvyns farm at Gestingthorpe. 1st Walter Deaves for Mr W.Courtnall,£ 1 12s 6d- 2nd William Marten for Mrs Oates £ 1 5s-3rd J.Cansell for T.Teverson £ 1-4th M.Rash for Mr Courtnall 12s 6d- 5th George Bunn for Col Burke 10s-6th John Messent for Col Burke 7s 6d and S.Carter for Mr Blacker and J.Rowe for Col Burke 5s each. Best turned out teams --G.Chatters for Mr Blacker £ 1--2nd S.Carter for Mr Blacker 10s and J.Lomax for Mr Blacker 7s 6d. Long service J.Felton for Mr Hyde Parker. Among the competitors was Henry Cook the man with no arms, although he had not held a plough for many years he gave a remarkable display of ploughing with two horses belonging to Mr Surridge.

June 19th 1912

The annual fair which took place at Cavendish was a great improvement on previous years and the village had quite a treat, a great attraction was the cinematograph of Messrs Thurston when it made it's first appearance on the village green, during the three evenings it was well patronised, a pleasant feature was the good order and good humour prevailing.

June 26th 1912

Two cottages at Lower Houses Bulmer, occuppied by Mr S.Shorten at a rental of £ 5 were sold to Mr Braithwaite for a client for £ 60. A pair of freehold cottages at the Common, Belchamp Walter were sold to Charles Smith for £ 55 and an adjoining cottage for £ 52 to Mr Smith also a garden for £ 10. Wickham Hall at Wickham St Pauls was sold to the tenent Mr Frank Nott for £ 9000, 474 acres.

July 24th 1912

At meeting of Belchamp R.D.C. the surveyor said that the shelter at Bulmer belonging to Melford Council had been taken down, it had been occupied by a boy named Rayliegh who had died, he asked for instruction as regards a new shelter, the chairman said that the brother of the boy Rayliegh was suffering from the same disease and needed a shelter. It was decided the shelter should be erected immediately.

June 24th 1912

William Catterwell aged 16 years of Lt Yeldham was charged with using indecent language to Sarah Lampard of North End Road, Gestingthorpe who said she was in her garden when the defendant came up the road and started to use bad language to her, the witnees denied using nasty insinuations concerning the lad about him going to see Mrs Smith for improper purposes. Bound over for 12 months.
July 31st 1912. Charles Hooker 13, Fred Hurrell 11 and Robert Brownbridge 11, lads of Melford were summoned for assaulting Charles Malyon, 14 a baker and Austin Palmer by throwing stones and mud at them in Water Lane, Melford. To pay 2s each towards the costs.

July 31st 1912

A ploughing match was held ar Rookery Farm in Acton was won by J.Charlton, Acton-2nd J.Holder, Acton-George Twitchett of Acton, 3rd and Charles Stearns of Acton 4th.

August 21st 1912

The coming of age of Mr G.Bernard Ward the eldest son of Mr David Ward of Foxearth was duly celebrated on Monday evening in the new erected bottling store when a large party of about 80 assembled to a sumptious repast, the brewery staff and the bell ringers were in the party. Mr C.J.N.Row wished " many happy returns".

August 28th 1912

At Primrose Villa, the home of Mr J.Wendon at Chappel, a cat who has had it's litter taken away consoled herself by catching a young wild rabbit which she is nurturing as careful as one of her own offspring.

September 11th 1912

John Mayes, a postman of Gelmsford was charged with stealing a postal package containing postal orders to the value of 6s 10d and 4 stamps, the property of the Postmaster General. Mr Wood of Woodbridge said that the postal orders and stamps were extracted by the prisoner from the letter which had been given him to post but in fairness to the prisoner when enquiries were made as to the missing letter, the same amount was remitted by someone which could only have been the prisoner. Alice Pawsey, parlourmaid to Col Lutyens of Spring Hall, Stanstead, said she gave a fellow servant 6s 10d to purchase two postal orders and stamps, she produced the counterfoils, they were made out to Williams of Manchester, hearing nothing from them she wrote to them, she then spoke to the prisoner who did not reply. Henry Pettitt the licensee of the Prince of Wales at Glemsford said he cashed a postal order for 4s for the prisoner and he purchased two bottles of beer from him. Mr Game from the post office at Glemsford said he cashed a post order for the prisoner as it had no signature on it. 3 months imprisonment.
(John Mayes was the father of " Spike" Mayes, the author of Reuben's Corner.(G.H.).

September 11th 1912

Wheat at Sudbury market to 37s.

September 18th 1912

Live and Dead stock at Waites Farm, Belchamp Walter- 10 horses-26 swine-150 poultry etc.

September 18th 1912

At Belchamp R.D.C. Dr Holden said Essex would be divided into 3 regions for the control of tuberculosis, it meant that the Belchamp district would be outlying and that we might fall into West Suffolk, he said they were trying to arrange for 30 beds at the Nayland sanatorium. Mr Ward asked if they would take poor law cases, Dr Holden said " no". The surveyor reported that tenders had been received for 8 weeks road rolling in the district, the lowest one of £ 1 3s a day from Messrs Eddison's was accepted.

September 25th 1912

John Brown a labourer of Cavendish was charged with stealing 2 pints of barley from William Maddever, valued at 5d, defendant was a pensioner and the complainant said he did not wish to interfere with his pension. Discharged with the payment of 14s costs.

October 9th 1912

Death Mr William Samuel Goodchild at Mill Hill, Farm, Glemsford, aged 72 years. He was a native of Gt Wratting and had lived at Glemsford for 49 years, he leaves a widow and 8 sons and a daughter.

December 4th 1912

A fire at the Grange on Melford Green resulted in the death of an elderly resident, Mrs Mary Ellis Fisher, who suffocated in her bedroom.

December 11th 1912

The new ferro concrete bridge at Ballingdon was tested and formerly opened on Thursday.