How different was life in Northumberland over 100 years ago?
Picking a village in mid-Northumberland – Acklington – I decided to investigate the history of the village to see how different it was in 1900. To do this, I carried out research on the British Newspaper Archive, before heading back into the actual Archives to cast more light on the happenings in the village at this time.
OS 2nd edition
January 1900
The new year got off to a sad start when a body that had been found half a mile from Acklington Station on 30 December 1899 was identified as Thomas McKinley, a ware printer, from Glasgow. The inquest was held at the Station, and the details appeared in the Shields Daily News.
Topically, the York Herald reported on Wednesday 24 January, that a conference had been held with the Directors of the North Eastern Railway [N.E.R.] to discuss wages and hours. One of the concessions to be made was for Porters who worked at Stations that handled both goods and passengers – of which Acklington was one – would see their wages increasing from 18s (approx. £75 today) to 19s (approx. £79 today).
The School reopened on 12th January but attendance throughout the month is noted as being poor due to influenza, and some removals. Samuel Turner was the Headteacher, and Laura Patterson the Pupil Teacher.
February 1900
Admitted to the School this month were Gabriel and John Ray of Guyzance, both formerly pupils of Whittonstall School, near Prudhoe. They only stayed at the school for five months, leaving in June.1
The weather the week of 9th February is noted as being the ‘severest of the season’, with snow falling every day and it being intensely cold. The School was closed on the 12th due to a severe snowstorm which blocked the roads. Although it opened the next day, the snow was still very deep, and only 34 pupils were present. The storm raged again on 16th, and although some scholars made it into School the next day, ‘their feet were so wet that they were sent home’. Heavy rains followed the snowstorms, which again affected attendance.2
Two burials took place in the Churchyard this month:3
· George Tate, aged 69 years, of Guyzance
· Margaret Park, aged 60 years, of Bank House, Acklington
March 1900
Mr. R. Hume of Acklington – a workman employed by the Duke of Northumberland – was commended for his entry in a hedge cutting competition at Mr. J. Bolam’s farm at Bilton. The competition was mentioned in the Newcastle Courant on Saturday 3rd March, noting that it was being carried out to promote and popularise the system of laying or ‘pleaching’ of hedges which was being practised in southern England. Each competitor had to cut and lay 17 yards of hedge, starting at 8.30am and completing by 1pm.
Two baptisms took place in the Church this month:4
· Mary Elizabeth, daughter of James (Miner) and Margaret Eleanor Briggs of Chester House
· Isabel, daughter of Joshua (Miner) and Anne Gray, of Togston Terrace
Poor attendance in School at the beginning of the month, with even the Pupil Teacher being off ill with influenza. The children were given a half day on Ash Wednesday, and also on the 16th, as there was a sale in the village, so the School closed at noon. The weather – snowstorms and rains – as well as illness, were still contributing to poor attendance at the end of the month.5
Ref. CES 1/3/1
References
1 Acklington C of E Admission Register, ref. CES 1/4/2
2 Acklington C of E Log Book, ref. CES 1/3/1
3 Burial Register of Acklington St. John the Divine, ref. EP 161/19
4 Baptism Register of Acklington St. John the Divine, ref. EP 161/1
5 Acklington C of E Log Book, ref. CES 1/3/1
Very interesting information from a village close to me.
Thank you.
Thanks for this piece about Acklington. My great great grandfather, William Charles Hay, and his family lived at Acklington Park where he worked as a woollen operative in Acklington Mill and later as a coal miner. Adam Scott, his father-in-law, was also employed at Acklington Mill. William’s son, George Adam Hay, and his siblings attended Acklington School, (he enrolled in 1875). Later some of his sons became miners living at Chevington Drift. I think all the family moved to Chevington around 1900 (they are recorded in 1901 census in Chevington). William and his wife Elizabeth are buried in Acklington Church, William having died in 1907. I would be interested to hear if you find any additional information about the family as you research the story of the village.
Thank you for your comment.
I’ve just found an ancestor working as a handloom weaver and he was living at Acklington Park. Thanks for mentioning the mill.
Laura Patterson, the pupil teacher, was my great grandmother. My Mam always told me that she was a teacher at the school in Acklington. It’s lovely to see a historical record of it.
Thank you for sharing your personal connection to the village with us at the Archives. We are very pleased that people have found the first part of the blog so interesting. Do you have any photographs of Laura that we could add to the collection? If you do, please contact us at archives@northumberland.gov.uk
I’ve just found an ancestor working as a handloom weaver and he was living at Acklington Park. Thanks for mentioning the mill.