The Hobbs End Skeleton Army Take To The Streets! - A Tabletop Game In 28mm.

                  

                                     SATURDAY 3rd FEBRUARY 1894

                              The Skeleton Army In Hobbs End by Jeremiah Smike

The Salvation Army's much publicised march through Hobbs End went better than expected with little disruption to local traffic and many people turning out to watch the parade. Some of the rougher elements should take heed of their slogan Soup, Soap and Salvation!

Speaking of the rougher elements, Hobbs End has not been spared the rise of the Skeleton Army. This group has sprung up in many places recently, I myself saw them in Whitechapel last year, I'd hoped Hobbs End would be spared.

Our local branch seems to be led by Zak Crouch, a man known to the police of this district for being a troublemaker. The Skeleton Army were seen in Station Road just as the Salvation Army had ended their parade and were heading into the Underground Station.

The Skeletons hoisted their banner and led by Crouch, marched in a way that was a complete contrast to the Salvation Army, they shouted obscenities, parodied the slogan of the Salvation Army declaring "Beef, Beer and Bacca" and behaved in a threatening way to passers by whilst being flanked by three mounted policemen.

When the Skeletons reached the High Street many of the ne'er do wells that hang drunkenly around The Britannia public house joined in with the shouting, a terrible display as there were several ladies and children present.

While the procession was passing King & Worthy's shop Mr King ran out to remonstrate with the Skeletons, Couch rounded on him and quick as lightning Mr King punched Crouch on the nose, the effect of which was to knock Crouch to the ground and he had to be helped up on unsteady legs.

The police came between Mr King and the rest of the Skeletons who were rather angry at this turn of events, Mr King had to be escorted back to his shop as he declared that he would "knock their b----y blocks off".

The procession carried on for a little while but the wind had been knocked out of it, maybe this will be the first and last we see of the Skeleton Army in Hobbs End.