Month: September 2015

This Week in World War One, 17 September 1915

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Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 17 SEPTEMBER 1915

 

BOY DROWNED AT BERWICK QUAY

 

Shortly after noon on Monday, George Grieve, 13 years of age, son of James Grieve, baker, 1 Palace Street, Berwick, was discovered in the Tweed near the Leith Dock, and is supposed to have taken a fit, to which he was subject, and fallen from the Quay into the water.  Thos. Laidler and James Burgon, who were salmon fishing close by, went to the spot with a boat and lifted Grieve from the water. He was conveyed to the Fish House, where artificial respiration was tried for some time, but on the arrival of Dr Taylor, who examined the boy, life was found to be extinct. The body was taken home on the Police ambulance

The Inquest

Coroner Weatherhead and a jury held an inquest on the body in the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

James Grieve, baker, identified the body as that of his son, George, aged 13. His son was subject to fits, and took them frequently.

 

 

Photograph of the Berwick Quayside early 1900s © Berwick Record Office BRO 1636-5-6
Photograph of the Berwick Quayside early 1900s © Berwick Record Office BRO 1636-5-6

 

William McPhee, private of the 210th Royal Scots, said he was on sentry duty on the Quay guarding the transport waggons for the Royal Scots. He knew the deceased and had taken him away twice from the edge of the Quay on Saturday. Shortly after twelve on Monday he saw deceased standing behind one of the transport waggons. He turned to go to the other end of his beat, and on looking round he saw some boys running and one of the boys informed him that there was a boy in the water. He turned out the remainder of the guard, and on going to the spot he saw deceased in the water. By that time a boat was a few yards from deceased, which had come from the other side of the river. The body was lifted into the boat. He heard no shout from the deceased nor did he see deceased fall over.

Thomas Laidler, salmon fisher, West End, Tweedmouth, said he was fishing at the other side of the river where the deceased fell in. He heard some boys shouting for help, and he rowed a boat over with John Burgon and saw deceased lying under water on the bed of the river. He got off the boat and lifted the deceased into the boat. The water was about three and a half feet deep. He conveyed deceased to the Salmon Stairs.

By a juror- I never heard the splash or saw deceased come to surface. It took me two minutes to row across.

Dr J. Cleasby Taylor stated that he was called to the Fish House, where he examined him. Life was then extinct. Deceased was frothing considerably at the mouth and nose, and it appeared as if deceased had had a fit and been unable to extricate himself. The cause of death was drowning.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.

 

MOTOR ACCIDENT NEAR BERWICK

 

 The first serious accident since the lighting restrictions came into effect at Berwick occurred on Tuesday night, two men being injured by being knocked down by a motor car. The accident took place in the dark near to Castlehills Lodge, on the Canty’s road. A motor car belonging to Mr Wm. Askew, of Ladykirk, was returning from Castlehills to Ladykirk, when it overtook and knocked down three harvest labourers. Two of the men, named Arthur Jackson and Edward O’Neil, were bruised, one of them somewhat badly. The car was proceeding at a very slow pace. The men were conveyed in the motor car to Berwick Infirmary, where they were detained. It was found that no bones were broken, and one of the men had escaped uninjured, while the other two were bruised.

Berwick Advertiser 17 September 1915. John Mosgrove Advert
Berwick Advertiser 17 September 1915. John Mosgrove Advert

 

DEATH OF MR JOHN ROBERTSON

 

We regret to record the death of Mr John Robertson, for many years senior traveller with the firm of Messrs Redpath and Son, draper, etc., Berwick. Outside of business Jack Robertson, as he was familiarly called, was best known in cycling circles. He was the founder of the Tweedside Cycling Club in 1893, was its first secretary, and at the time of his death held the office of president. He was a member of the recently formed Berwick Athletic Society, and served on the committee. Mr Robertson has been in failing health for some time, and passed away at his residence 1 West End, Tweedmouth, on Wednesday. Much sympathy will be expressed for his widow and family. His eldest son is serving with the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers somewhere in France. The funeral takes place on Sunday at Tweedmouth Cemetery.

Leon Georget Pictured above is road and track racer Léon Georget (2 October 1879 – 5 November 1949)
Pictured above is road and track racer Léon Georget (2 October 1879 – 5 November 1949)

Leon Georget was known as The Father of the Bol d’Or, having won the race nine times between 1903 and 1919 in Paris.  He also won the Bordeaux to Paris in 1903 and 1910. This image originally formed part of the George Grantham Bain collection which is now in the procession of United States Library of Congress‘s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ggbain.04379.

 

This Week in World War One, 10 September 1915

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Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 10 SEPTEMBER 1915

 

PILGRIMAGE TO LINDISFARNE

 

On the anniversary of the death of Saint Aidan a party of pilgrims, mainly composed of clergymen from Newcastle, visited Holy Island to attend a service of Holy Communion in the Old Priory of Aidan. The pilgrimage was organised by the Rev. Finkay Sanderson. The party travelled by train to Beal, and crossed to the island – some by conveyances, and others by “plodging” over the sands. At the ringing of the “Peace Bell” at noon calling all people on the island to pray for our soldiers and sailors and all in peril or mourning during the war, the service commenced.

The officiating clergy were Bishop Ormsby, assisted by the Rev. Irvine Crawshaw, Vicar of

The Old Priory, Holy Island, Northumberland. © Christine Matthews - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.
The Old Priory, Holy Island, Northumberland. © Christine Matthews – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

Holy Island. The service opened with the hymn, “O God of Bethel.” Then followed a portion of Psalm 44 and Psalm 61. These were followed by the service of Holy Communion, taken by the Bishop, who gave his address on the text, “He being dead yet speaketh.” Bishop Ormsby pointed out that 1,264 years had passed since Aidan breathed his last. During this period two voices and been continually heard; one calling us to remember the days that are past, the other exhorting us to listen to the lessons which Aidan would teach. The offertory was given to the Holy Island medicine chest.

The pilgrims had lunch on the links, and tea at the Northumberland Arms. A visit was later paid to Bamburgh. Some of the pilgrims availed themselves of a motor boat, and crossed over to the “Beacons,” walking thence to Bamburgh, where evensong was held in St. Aidan’s Church.

BELFORD

 

On Thursday morning, while the eight-year-old son of Mr Pascoe, coastguard, Ross, was cycling out of Nursery Lane, Belford, he came in collision with a motor car. The boy’s leg was broken below the knee, and he was taken into the house of Dr Macdonald near by, who conveyed him home in his motor car.

Circus – On Monday night, Pinder and Ord’s Circus visited Belford and gave a performance in a field at the top of West Street. Several of the turns were really good, in particular the performances of the elephant. No bright lights were allowed outside the show by order of the military authorities, but inside all was bright as usual

Image of Pinders Big Top 1890s © George Pinder
Image of Pinders Big Top 1890s © George Pinder

 

GIFT JUMBLE SALE

 

As will be seen from our advertising columns, Mr A. L. Miller will sell in the Corn Exchange, on Wednesday next, a quantity of miscellaneous effects, the proceeds of which will be applied to the British Red Cross Society. The Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute has purchased the famous “Star and Garter” Hotel on Richmond Hill, and presented it to Her Majesty the Queen, who has graciously accepted the same, to be used as a permanent home for paralysed and totally disabled soldiers and sailors. The members of the Institute have contributed liberally to the purchase money (£21500), and

Image from the Berwick Advertiser 4 December 1858, opening of the newly erected Corn Exchange, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Image from the Berwick Advertiser 4 December 1858, opening of the newly erected Corn Exchange, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

 

any sum received in excess of the purchase money will be given to the Red Cross Society, which has undertaken the necessary alterations, equipment, and maintenance of the Home. Mr Miller has received a large number of articles for the sale, including some good household furniture, electro-plated goods and china, some fine old cut glass, 100 volumes of books, poultry, fat lambs, tea, flour, rolled oats, a waggonette, and a number of sundries, which will yield an acceptable contribution to the Fund, if the sale receives the measure of public support which the good cause it seeks to promote fully entitles it.

The 1915 Zeppelin Raid & 1940 Blitz, through the eyes of one London resident.

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I hope you as the reader will enjoy this blog. This is in Jean’s own words and retells the story of her family in 1915 & 1940, both dates that are remembered by Londoners.

I was born in London and lived there throughout the Second World War. My most vivid memory was of 7th September, 1940.

Our family were in Hackney, East London that Saturday for the wedding of my mother’s youngest sister. The bride and groom had both been born in Bartrip Street on 7th September, 1915. He, Fred, had been born in the early morning during a Zeppelin raid, my Aunt Doll was born that night during another Zeppelin raid. Fred’s father was later to be killed in France, while Doll’s father, my grandfather, was gassed in France, but came home to die. On their wedding day (and 25th birthday) we had the wedding reception between two air raids, for this was the day that the Blitz started.

My parents, brother and I were each in different air raid shelters during the air raids, but saw and heard wave after wave of German bombers, accompanied by Messerschmitt’s heading for the Docks a few miles away, and being chased by Hurricanes and Spitfires, but these were very much out-numbered. The drone of the aircraft engines, the sound of bullets, the thuds of the bombs and the crashing bangs from the anti-aircraft guns – my first experience of warfare. At 12 years, I was old enough to understand what was happening and I remember feeling my heart beating hard in my chest. It was frightening.

Eventually, we made our way home to Edmonton, North London some 20 miles as the crow flies from the now blazing docks. The huge ball of red fire on the horizon made a mockery of the blackout. As my Dad remarked at the time, you could almost read a newspaper in the street where we lived. I cannot describe nor can you imagine just how big a fire that was.

That of course, was only the first of many bombing raids. The City, the East End, Coventry, Cardiff, Liverpool and many, many other cities in Great Britain were to face heavy bombing.

P.S.
Fred joined the R.A.F. and was eventually shipped out to Northern India, stationed near Karachi in what is today, Pakistan. On his embarkation leave they realised that Doll was pregnant. It transpired she was having twins due on the 5th September – we all hoped they would be two days late! However, due to medical reasons they, Frederick and Patricia, were actually born on 5th August, 1942. Their Dad had to make do with photographs until he actually saw them on his return to the U.K. after VE Day.

BULLETS AND A RAT

I have many memories of events during WW2. One of them is the day Mum & I went shopping to the main shopping area, Fore Street, Edmonton. The “take cover” siren had gone, but frankly, you ignored that until the anti-aircraft guns started blazing or the German planes could be heard coming. One thing we all quickly learnt was to recognise engines – I could tell you whether it was a German bomber, Messerschmitt, Hurricane or Spitfire overhead even if I couldn’t see the plane. So when the “activity” started just before we got to the shopping thoroughfare, we went into Pymmes Park taking the path alongside the small brook that ran through the park and where there were many trees.

We found this huge oak tree and kept our eyes on the planes above keeping the tree between us and the bullets. Unfortunately, for us, there were several stone statues on plinths in that part of the park and the bullets were ricocheting off them making it even more difficult for us to avoid them! So there we were, circling the oak with eyes looking heavenwards and occasionally looking down to avoid the tree roots when we saw this huge white water rat come out of the brook and into a hole at the base of “our” tree!! We were devastated – a rat! Although, we had to keep going round the tree when we got to the hole – we ran!

Watching the planes – the Messerschmitt’s, Spitfires & Hurricanes weaving, diving and twisting while firing tracer bullets and the heavily laden bombers who were not so agile – it was really quite exciting and, to be honest, the really frightening – no terrifying – thing was that rat! We never did see it again and eventually the planes had passed over, we had not been hit (not even a near miss) so we were able to do our shopping and then go home.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Jean Wilkinson one of the Northumberland At War volunteers for writing this blog.

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