The contents on this page remain on our website for informational purposes only.
Content on this page will not be reviewed or updated.

Raising £10 for the Star and Garter Home, and other war charities, a party of children gave concerts in the Wavendon schools on Friday and Saturday, June 9th and 10th 1916. The organisation had been by Mrs. Bond, of Wavendon House, Mrs. Stephens, of Wavendon Manor, and from Walton Hall Mrs. Harley, whose daughters both performed in the occasion. Miss Primrose Harley played ‘Jack Tar,’ being encored for her singing of ‘All the nice girls love a sailor,’ and as a Dutch girl Miss Diana Harley was also encored. The second part opened with the sketch ‘Grandmother’s Picture,’ in which the two girls skilfully sustained the characters with their excellent acting.

On Wednesday, April 25th 1917, at the meeting of the Newport Pagnell Board of Guardians it was alleged, as mentioned at their last session, that a Walton farmer was only paying a skilled agricultural labourer 16s a week, and on account of sickness in the family his wife had appealed to the Guardians for relief. Alderman R. Wylie, a member of the Board, said that not only had the case been brought to the notice of the Prime Minister, but the facts had come before the meeting of the Bucks War Agricultural Committee. The 16s a week was far below the current rate of wages for the district, and to much applause Mr. Wylie said that he would give the man employment, find a house and garden big enough for him and his family, and pay him 23s a week. And if the wife was ‘clean, respectable and honest’ he would put her in charge of some poultry and pay her for rearing chickens and collecting eggs. By this a stain would be removed from the Board and the district. He could hardly believe that any farmer in the area would pay such a low wage, and according to his information the man had a large family, and it was suggested that by taking advantage of this the farmer thought he could retain his services. The chairman then said “Do you offer to remove the family?” to which, again to applause, Mr. Wylie replied "I'll remove their goods when the man is fit to come and I’ll pay him 23s per week.” He was duly thanked by the chairman, and said “I felt immensely small at the War Agricultural Committee meeting yesterday when this impeachment was made against the farmers. I don’t think there is any reflection on the Board, but simply on the farmer who employed the man.” However, at a meeting of the Newport Pagnell Board of Guardians in May the farmer in question, Mr. Dickens, sent a letter in which he gave full details of the man’s earnings for several months past, and this proved that he had received considerably more than 16s a week, besides having a cottage rent free and periodical perks. As read a part of the letter;

“… Now, gentlemen, I do not wish to take up any more of your valuable time, but please permit me to say that I am prepared to substantiate my statements I have made here on oath. In conclusion, gentlemen, I think I am within my rights to demand from you, through your Chairman, the same publicity to my side of the case, and through the same channels as has been given to the case made against me. …”

In early March 1918 Dr. Vaughan Harley, of Walton Hall, gained success with his exhibits at the Birmingham Show. His famous shorthorn bulls won champion honours, the Maclennan Cup and two 1st prizes, and at the subsequent sales secured record prices of 2,000 guineas and 1,600 guineas. From 26 entries ‘Notlaw Darnley’ won the championship and 1st prize in the class for bulls over 21 months and under 30 months, and was bought, after keen bidding, by Joseph Sheppard for shipment to South America. The reserve for the championship honours was ‘Notlaw Nimrod,’ which, having from 20 entries won the first award in the class for bulls over 15 months and under 18 months, was also bought by Joseph Sheppard. Both animals had been sired by Dr. Harley’s bull ‘Notlaw Bonaparte,’ which, before his potential was realised, had been sold at Birmingham in 1916, being destined for export to the Argentine. As for domestic matters, with the incentive of a lodge and garden in August 1918 a ‘working gardener,’ not eligible for the army, was required at Walton Hall, as also an experienced parlour maid, at wages of £26 - £28p.a.

A very serious outbreak of fire occurred at Walton Hall on the night of Sunday, August 1st 1918, when a large hay barn, containing about 80 tons of hay, caught alight. Neighbours kept the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings, and following the prompt arrival of the Fenny Stratford Fire Brigade the blaze was contained. Nevertheless, the firemen remained on site for two days, before they considered it safe to leave.