Dance postponed ‘owing to murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’

Archival series: The significance of the events in Sarajevo that were soon to plunge the world into war had still not permeated to British newspapers even a week after the killings, as shown by the following excerpts from newspapers of July 7th, 1914.

– Mark Hennessy

Anglers’ Theft of a Cycling Wheel

Today, at Northwich, Ernest Bank, chemical labourer, and William Ramsden, basket maker, both of Oak Street, were fined 20 [shillings] and costs for stealing a bicyle wheel belonging to Alfred Mycock, iron turner, Salford. The evidence showed that prisoners were on a fishing expedition at Pickmere Lake, and Bank’s wheel going wrong, they substituted a sound wheel from prosecutor’s cycle stored in a shed. The police stated that cycle thefts were on the increase. The Bench described the theft as a dirty trick.

*****

Ten persons are under arrest in connection with the murder of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. They include five students and three journalists.

Manchester Evening News

Mr Churchill’s Trip to Camping Grounds

In the House of Commons yesterday, Mr Harold Baker, questioned by Mr Hall concerning the recent flight by Mr Winston Churchill to the campaign ground of the Oxfordshire Hussars in a government aeroplane, although it was contrary to the regulations for the officers of the Army Flying Corps to alight at Military Camps, said there had been infringement of the regulations by the First Lord of the Admiralty [Churchill]Exeter Strike

No further developments have occurred in connexion with the strike of plasterers at Exeter. The men held their usual formal meetings yesterday, but no information pointing to an early meeting with employers could be gleaned. The men, however, state they are quite willing to join a round-table conference if the masters suggest such a course. The carpenters and joiners have not been affected as yet. Nine bricklayers belonging to the union are working on jobs where the full rate is being paid. It was rumoured in the city yesterday that dissatisfaction exists among a section of the workmen employed by an important firm and that if their demands are not granted they will refuse to work after Thursday.

Devon and Exeter Times

(Meanwhile, another newspaper reported on the Sarajevo through the lens of the impact of social gatherings):

Owing to the murder of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the Duchess de Hohenberg the dance that the Marquis of Titchfield and Lady Victoria Cavendish Bentinck had arranged to give to-morrow night for their young friends at 3, Grosvenor Square has been postponed till the 8th, by which time the court will have gone out of mourning. It will be remembered that when the ill-fated Grand Duke and his consort were over here last November they were the guests of the Duke and Duchess of Portland at Welbeck for a few days.

Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser