X284/4/4/3

File of letters (a) Claude Percival Frank Castle of Lovers Walk, Dunstable to Hugh Montgomery Miller of Army & Navy Club, Pall Mall, London SW, 29 Jan 1916: - cheque for quarter's rent enclosed; - behind again with payment because of poor trade; - CPFC's only man resigned and impossible to find someone experienced; - Derby Scheme [for enlistment of service personnel] causing anxiety, the authorities being prepared to place him back 5/10 groups but not exempt him, which was unreasinable since growers, foremen and salesmen were exempt; - damage due to high winds, especially to the roof of the dwelling house; - 30 yards of fence in Richard Street and Englands Lane brought down and the landlord to pay as this was a case of renewal, not repair; a post had been snapped off and rails smashed; much glass smashed (b) presumably Hugh Montgomery Miller to CPF/EP Castle, 1 Feb 1916: - CPFC's liability for military service [a letter originally enclosed]; hoped to be of use when CPFC applied for exemption before the local tribunal, comprising of local businessmen and generally headed by the Mayor or chairman of Bedfordshire County Council; - CPFC liable for all conditions of lease; - if CPFC enlisted he should secure someone to carry on his business as it would be in both his and HMM's interest (c) C.P.F.Castle of Lovers Walk, Dunstable to H.M.Miller of Army & Navy Club, 29 Feb 1916: - notice that leaving premises at expiry of short term because of war requirements (d) memoranda, presumably by H.M.Miller as headed Army & Navy Club, 1916: - liability under Derby Scheme to be called up, when income will be cut by over half and not guaranteed; no private resources except 10 per annum, therefore surrender of lease, provided the subtenant granted direct lease for remaining 2.25 years amd fixed sum for dilapidations payable at end of term by subtenant; formal notice that will leave at end of term; - present damage to fencing and one of houses, not his neglect, but former tenant's; after barely six months two smaller houses collapsed, narrowly missing the manager; extraordinary blizzard at beginning of March; first mentioned house collapsed with some fencing; liability only to leave estate as found, i.e.: - orchard was mass of weeds, now cleared and cultivated; - pipes in many houses had to be dug out from soil covering; - glass forcing boxes rotting in piles in a corner, more or less rebuilt; - ground had to be restored to good tilth; - living houses had walls on one side wet to the touch, lessor had done nothing to improve them since; - earth in two houses so infected that crop of cucumbers lost, over a month to restore; - would like to know what former tenants paid for dilapidations and how much of it spent on property (e) two letters: - first from T.H.B.Foster, chairman of Committee, Army & Navy Club to H.M.Miller, 15 Jan 1917: 6 months notice of termination of engagement as Secretary, following decision by Committee of Club permanently to divide former duties of secretary between manager and Assistant Secretary; Committee to pay honorarium of 250 per annum granted when HMM was called up until 30 Sep 1917; - second a covering letter of 16 Jan 1917 conveying Committee's appreciation of conscientious and zealous performance of duties

1916-1917

From: 1916 To: 1917

No. of pieces: 5

item

Castle, Claude Percival Frank,
Miller, Hugh Montgomery

agricultural leases, World War One, greenhouses, weather, Mayor, horticulture & market gardening crops, Dunstable Englands Lane, Dunstable Richard Street