We can learn a lot about everyday life in the manor by looking at how it was organised. Using manorial documents we can identify individuals and look at what ‘customs’ (rules) they were required to live by, and how they bent or broke the rules that their manor imposed. You could be ‘presented’ before the manor to be ‘amerced’ (fined) for anything from large offences like cheating buyers at your market stall, to not having your chimney in correct repair or cutting back a tree hanging into a neighbour’s garden. Between different manors these rules could be strikingly different.
The customs were upheld by a number of different officials. A Bailiff or Reeve (paid and unpaid versions of the same post) took on the day to day running of the manor. He might be assisted by a barleyman (‘byelaw man’ in charge of upholding the bye laws of the manor), Pinder or pounder (in charge of impounding livestock), lookers (into a particular area, such as fencelooker who examined boundaries and fences), among other roles depending on the needs of the manor. We find evidence of these officials in the manorial documents.
Part of the first page of NRO 672/A/3/87 giving details of Hexham manor, the names of the Borough Jury and the Afeerors.
To show how customs worked we will take Hexham manor as an example. In Hexham we have an excellent series of what is known as the Borough Jury books (often spelt ‘burrow books’) from the seventeeth to nineteenth century which give ‘presentments’ (judgements of cases) jurored by a group of the townsmen known as the four and twenty. These books list other roles like the common keepers, market keepers, waits, affeerors, and scavengers. Affeerors were appointed from among the tenants to ensure amercements (fines) were kept fair. Waits were watchmen, often required to sound the hour. The (often female) scavengers swept the market and maintained street gutters in the town, fighting against the piles of rubbish (also ashes, thatch, weeds, gravel, bark and stones) Hexham’s townspeople were presented for leaving.
Detail from NRO 672/A/3/87 giving the names of the Scavengers.
On the morning of Sunday 13th August 1916, an explosion ripped through the Main Seam at Woodhorn Colliery. A party of men working on a ‘repair shift’ were working to set steel girders as roof supports, and as the work was of a special nature, the shift was composed of eight Deputy Overmen, three Stonemen, a Shifter and a Putter.
The men received their instructions in the Low Main Seam at 6am from the Master-shifter, and then proceeded up the drift to the Main Seam. About half an hour after the men left, the master-shifter was aware that something had happened, and he and others went up the drift. They found two men alive but unconscious in the drift below the Main Seam workings; the other eleven men had been killed outright by the explosion.
At the inquest held on 12th, 13th and 21st of September at the Harmonic Hall evidence was gathered from witnesses and the result showed that a catalogue of failures at the colliery had made the disaster inevitable.
The air compressor, which sends a current of air into each working, was not at work on the Sunday morning, this was usual practice at the weekends. On the previous Friday night through to Saturday morning the Capell Fan, the ventilating fan for the underground seams had been stopped for overhauling and repairs. A furnace had been lit to draw the current of air but this method is not so effective for ventilation. On Saturday morning, the fan was turned back on to maximum capacity, but by the night shift, steam power to drive the engine was only at fifty percent its normal capacity as the number of firemen required was down by two, instead of four, this was repeated on Sunday morning when another two firemen were absent from the six needed. This drop in ventilation made any gas present, less likely to be safely dispersed.
Up until the explosion, gas had never been seen in this seam. It seems likely that no thorough inspection for gas was made before the shift started; no written records of any reports were found for this shift, or any of the previous working Sundays.
The Jury of the inquest reported its findings in this way:
“That the 13 men whose names have been repeatedly read – the said deceased men were accidentally killed on the 13th day of August 1916, while working in Woodhorn Colliery by and explosion of gas in the Main Seam, and that such gas had accumulated through want of sufficient ventilation, and exploded through contact with a naked light and before any fall of stone took place. The jury are of the opinion that the management should see in the future that written reposts should be made for every shift, special or otherwise. The jury are also of opinion that there has been a certain amount of laxity on the part of the management for not seeing to sufficient ventilation being maintained”.
Woodhorn Colliery was, even before this time in a state of crisis. The First World War had a massive impact, with 778 men of the 2337 employees leaving Woodhorn Colliery to fight in the conflict. Men were working extra shifts to fill the roles of those fighting and to maximise coal production for the war effort, but this in turn led to illness and absenteeism. Posters issued by the Ashington Coal Company had little effect on absenteeism at any of their collieries and power to prosecute repeated offenders was discussed on 26th July, prior to the explosion. E. W. Milburn, Manager of Woodhorn was in France fighting with the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, while the colliery worked under the guidance of J.J. Hall, Agent to the Ashington Coal Company. On 11th August, two days before the explosion, the Ashington Coal Company reported that an application had been made to the Minister of Munitions for the demobilisation of Major Milburn to return as Manager of Woodhorn Colliery.
At the Petty Sessions held at Morpeth on 10th January 1917, charges were brought upon Joseph John Hall, temporary Manager of the Colliery, and Charles Bennett Howe the engine wright, with a failure to provide proper ventilation. The case against both men was dismissed, and the subsequent appeal by the Northumberland Miners Association at the Divisional Bench was also lost.
The Ashington Coal Company was at the time enabling the families of those fighting in the War to stay in their colliery houses; this resulted in fewer houses available to new workers. The Coal Company especially needed the houses of the families of the Deputies who died in the explosion for the new Deputies to move into. As housing was difficult to come by during wartime, wrangling with the families in vacating the houses carried on until the following February, and talk of withholding compensation to the families was mooted by the coal company to force the families out.
Another Rescue at Spittal Beach – On Friday forenoon, while Miss Ballanine, belonging to Selkirk, was bathing at Spittal sands she got into difficulties, and was being carried out when her perilous condition was observed by John Little, telegraph clerk, Hawick, who at once swam to her assistance. He succeeded in bringing her ashore. The lady was considerably exhausted, and was conveyed home to her lodgings at Rosebank Cottage, where she gradually recovered.
Railwaymens’ Excursion – On Sunday last the N.E.R. Locomotive employees at Tweedmouth, together with a few friends, to the number of 28, journeyed to Rothbury by motor char-a-banc for their annual outing.The outward journey, leaving Tweedmouh a 9 o’clock, was through Belford, Alnwick, and across the country via Long Framlington, Rothbury being reached at 1 o’clock, after a pleasant journey through the rugged beauties of the heart of Northumberland. Dinner was waiting at the Turks Head Hotel, and everyones appetite being in superb order after the invigorating drive, ample justice was done to the good things laid before them, and every man rose from the table satisfied. After 3 hours go-as-you-please, through the beautiful inland town, the homeward journey was commenced shortly after 4 o’clock, the route home being via Whittingham, Glanton, Wooler, and Ancroft.
The scenery from Rothbury to Whittingham is simply enchanting, easily defying description, and Northumbrians have reason to be proud of their country, its equal in rugged beauty being hard to find, especially at this time of year. A short halt was made at Wooler, and the inner man refreshed, after which the last stage of the journey was commenced, Tweedmouth being reached shortly after 9 p.m. The excursion was a complete success from every point of view, the greatest harmony and cordiality prevailing throughout the day amongst the entire company, the arrangements for the comfort of all were perfect, and worked as successfully and smoothly as did the motor, he manipulation of which, on the circuitous switch back roads it had to travel with a full load, called forth the admiration of all.
Ladies Good Work for the Wounded – A very interesting exhibition was held on Thursday afternoon in premises in Bridge Street, Berwick, of all kinds of nursing and other appliances for the comfort of our wounded soldiers. Lady Dalywell and a number of other prominent lady workers were in attendance, all busily engaged in their various departments in forwarding the humane work they have so much at heart. During the day the premises were visited by a number of the prominent citizens, who were much impressed with the multifarious articles which have been prepared by the dexterous and busy fingers of the ladies. The workers in their dainty white costumes as they industriously pursued their labours with the needle or flitted about the various rooms were a sweet and interesting spectacle, agreeably harmonising with the bright and luxuriant sun shine that is now prevailing at this midsummer period of the year.
Man Dies from Heat Stroke – An inquest touching the death of Robert Gibson, 51 Walkergate, was held by Coroner Wm. Weatherhead and a jury in the Town Hall, Berwick, on Monday. From evidence led it appeared that the deceased had been at Holy Island on Saturday, 5th August, and returned home about 5 p.m. He complained of the heat, and having sat down at the table to eat a meal, suddenly complained of a pain in his chest. After having rested he again sat down at the table, but almost immediately slipped from his chair, to the floor, when it was found that he had expired. After Dr C. L. Fraser had stated death to have been caused by heart failure following upon heat stroke, the jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. The Coroner remarked that this was the first case of death from heat stroke, he had investigated in the Borough is his time, nor had he heard of his father before him having such a case.
Refreshments for Soldiers and Sailors – The scheme originated by Lady Clementine Waring, Mrs Milne Home, and Mrs Fraser Bate, and worked by the Committee of Berwick Army and Navy Recreation Rooms, – whereby Soldiers and Sailors arriving at Berwick and requiring to break the journey, are provided with refreshments free of charge, continues to be a great boon to our gallant defenders. The month of July has again passed all previous records, no less than 250 men having been provided for. When it was sated that since its inauguration at the beginning of December this scheme has provided for some 1400 men there can be no doubt that it has fully justified its existence.
Lady Clementine Waring was the wife of Major Walter Waring, Liberal MP for Banff, who fought in the war. She converted their home (pictured), Lennel House, Coldstream, Berwickshire into a convalescent home for officers and did a great deal to support the needs of the soldiers.
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