A riotous affair !

Hertfordshire Mercury, 16th February 1918

There was a crowded house at the Imperial Club, Waltham Cross, on Friday evening, when the members of the Metropolitan Police Minstrels gave their annual entertainment in aid of the Metropolitan and City Police Orphanage.  A capital and high-class entertainment was provided and there was not a dull moment from start to finish.  All the artistes gave a good account of themselves and demands for encores were constantly being made by an appreciative audience.

Songs were rendered by Messrs E. Price  (“Dooley’s Farm”),  W. Guard  (“In God’s own keeping”),  J.W. Hooker  (“Where did that one go?”),  F. Loud  (“I’ll sing to you”),  F.T. Masters  (“Samson Johnson’s christening”),  W.C. Eade  (“Pudden’ “),  and F.C. Hammond  (“The rapture of your kiss”).  The company also gave a splendid little sketch written by Superintendent  J.W. Olive, the General Manager, entitled “A little sea affair”, the scene of which was lain in Naples.

In the second half of the programme, another screaming farce by Mr Olive was produced.  It was entitled  “Swaffles’ Information Bureau”, and dealt with the efforts of Mr Hezekiah-Swaffles, a retired pawnbroker, to find happiness on ‘five thousand a year’.  The programme concluded with the plantation scene  “The Honolulu Belle”, in which the costumes of the ‘ladies’ were of the most ultra-fashionable style.  The orchestration of the songs and ballards were by Mr Colin Kettaun, while the dances had been arranged and invented by Miss Martin.  The local arrangements for the programme were admirably carried out by Inspector Rayner and the staffs of the Cheshunt, Waltham Abbey and Enfield Highway Police Stations.