Northumberland Archives, Author at Northumberland Archives

“This Week in World War One, 14 July 1916

08/03/201815/07/2016 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14 JULY 1916

EARLDOM FOR SIR EDWARD GREY

No Change in Foreign Secretaryship

Sir Edward Grey © No known rights on publication. Wikimedia Commons.

We are in receipt the following telegram from the Official Press Bureau :-

The King has been pleased to confer the dignity of an Earldom of the United Kingdom on the Right Hon. Sir Edward Grey, Bart., K.G., M.P.

The King has been pleased to approve of the appointment of the Right Hon. Lloyd George, M.P., to be Secretary of State for War.

In consequence of Sir E. Grey’s elevation to the Peerage, not more than four of the five Secretaries of State will have seats in the House of Commons.

SIR EDWARD’S NEW TITLE

It is stated that Sir Edward Grey will on his elevation to the peerage take the title of earl Grey of Falloden, which will sufficiently distinguish him from other “Greys” in the peerage – Earl Grey, Lord Grey de Ruthyn, and Viscount Grey de Wilton. Foreign affairs in the Commons will now be in the exclusive charge of Lord Robert Cecil, and the Government is fortunate in having an Under-Secretary in that office who not only commands the confidence of the House and impresses all at Westminster by his knowledge, ability, and efficiency, but who from the fact that he is a member of the Cabinet will be able to speak authoritatively upon foreign questions. The arrangement therefore is highly convenirnt alike for the Commons and the Government, although sincere regret is expressed at the departure of Sir Edward from an Assembly in which he has sat for over thirty years. Sir Edward’s indifferent health, however, has been a cause of anxiety to his friends. His eyes still trouble him, and it is hoped that with less exacting Parliamentary duties the change will prove physically beneficial to him.

LOCAL NEWS

New Teacher for National School. – At a meeting of managers of Berwick Boys’ National School, held on Tuesday, to consider the appointment of a certificated assistant, in room of Mr Thos. Lindsay, who retired lately, it was unanimously agreed to appoint Miss Dover to the vacant post. The new teacher is a daughter of Mr Dover, King’s Arms, Berwick.

Derelict Salmon Cobles. – Two fishing cobles, painted black with blue, gunwales each 15 feet long, have been washed up on the foreshore one mile north of Goswick Railway Station. They have been placed in safety, and are now in custody of the Receiver of Wreck. These boats probably came down the Tweed with the heavy floods of last week-end.

Tweed Salmon Coble. © Berwick Record Office. BRO 1944-1-1936-9.

Herring Fishing Report, Berwick, 12th July. – The herring fishing for the past week was light in the northern ports of the district, and of a total for the week of 5481 crans less than 1000 were landed at theses ports, the remainder being landed at North Shields. The principal fishing grounds have been south of the Farne Islands, the usual grounds off this coast having yielded very poor results so far. With the exception of Friday night, which was very foggy, the weather was favourable for fishing. A break in the fishing was also caused by the news of 8 herring boats having been sunk on Thursday night by a German submarine. Only a few crews proceeded to sea on the following night, and otherwise many boats did not go the usual distance off shore. Several crews are adding small boats as parts of their outfits, in case of eventualities. The total catch to 8th inst. is now 21,654 crans, as compared with 2115 crans in 1915, and 69,437 in 1914. The quality was but fair, and prices mostly 50s to 70s per cran. At North Shields averages of 17 and 25 crans have been landed this week, and 7 and 12 at Eyemouth, Berwick lightly fished. Today 8 boats averaged 7 crans, highest shot 16 crans.

Herring boats© Berwick Record Office. BRO 1887-25-4.

SAD FLYING FATALITY

On Wednesday last about 12.30 p.m. a very lamentable accident befell two army aviators while flying on the East Coast, the observer being killed and the pilot badly injured. The machine was first observed by farm workers on an outlying farm, to be approaching rather low and evidently having engine trouble. The intention apparently was to land, but the spectators were horrified to see the craft suddenly nose-dive. Hurrying to the spot it was found the observer (Mr Barrie) had almost ceased to breathe, while the pilot (Mr Hambly) was also suffering from injuries of a severe nature. All that was possible was done for the unfortunate men, Mr Barrie, however, only surviving a few moments. The other occupant, we are glad to learn, is doing as well as can be expected. The remains of the deceased officer were removed for internment during Friday. The machine was destroyed.

BERWICK COMPENSATION CASES

A meeting of the Northumberland Licensing Committee, sitting as the Compensation Authority, was held at the Moot Hall, Newcastle, on Monday. Mr G. D. Atkinson Clark presiding, to consider the question of compensation in respect of four Berwick licenses, the licenses of which had been taken away. The houses were the Coble Inn, Low Greens (of which the registered owners are the Tweed Brewery), the Pack Horse Inn, Church Street, the White Swan Inn, Castlegate, and the Railway Inn, Main Street, Tweedmouth, of which the Border Brewery were the registered owners. Mr W. Weatherhead (Berwick) appeared for the owners in each case. A claim for £590 was put in with respect to the Coble Inn. The Bench offered £510, and that sum was accepted. The tenant’s compensation was put at £50. The other three houses were sent to the Inland Revenue for settlement. The compensation claimed in respect of the three houses was – Pack Horse, £3,733; White Swan, 32,909, Railway Inn, £4,233.

John Pattison Gibson

13/07/2016 by Northumberland Archives

The Gibson Collection was deposited with Northumberland Archives in 1979. The work represented within the Collection is that of John Pattison Gibson, his son John Gibson, and another photographer, Edgar G. Lee. The collection comprises cameras, certificates, framed photographs, sepia prints and glass plate negatives, as well as family artefacts and papers. As Robin Gard, former Northumberland County Archivist, wrote in 1982, the collection is a ‘unique visual historical record of prime value to scholars in several disciplines as well as to local historians.’

J.P. Gibson was born on 4th January 1838 in Hexham, the son of W.W. Gibson. He was educated at Hexham Grammar School, and later Newcastle Grammar School, before following his father into the family business as a chemist within the families’ pharmacy in Hexham. As well as being an athlete and boxer in his youth, Gibson was also a keen shot. He was interested in military history, and served in the Hexham Rifle Corps from 1859, retiring in 1892 with the rank of Major. At the end of the Franco-Prussian War, Gibson visited the battle sites, and was present in Paris during the Commune of 1871.

Much of Gibson’s work is focused on archaeological sites and excavations, showing his deep interest in archaeology. His first notable find occurred in the summer of 1891, when he came across a rabbit hole on the Nicks of Thirlwall. This led to his discovery of Mucklebank Wall turret, which was then excavated in 1892. He was involved in excavations at Housesteads and Gilsland, and was also the official photographer for the ‘Corstopitum’ excavations of Corbridge, from 1906 until his death in 1912. This combined his love of archaeology with his photography. He produced mainly glass plate negatives from these excavations. Postcards were also produced and sold to raise funds for the excavations.

Cawfields Milecastle on the Roman Wall c.1900

Gibson joined the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1883, and due to his skill and interest in architectural history, he was chosen by the Society as a leader and guide for some excursions. He was also a prominent lecturer, using his glass slides to illustrate and educate his audience.

Gibson describing the remains of the Roman Camp at Walwick c.1900

He later became Vice President of the Society, and wrote many articles for Archaeologia Aeliana. He was also a member of the Durham and Northumberland Architectural and Archaeological Society, the Royal Photographic Society, and in 1911 was elected Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. In 1908 Gibson was granted honorary membership of the Glasgow Archaeological Society.

During his career, Gibson won many medals, diplomas and certificates. He was presented with a diploma at the Universal Exposition of Paris in 1889. This was a World Fair held from 6th May to 31st October, during the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, and was the Fair for which the Eiffel Tower was completed, functioning as the entrance arch. Gibson was awarded this diploma of the silver medal for “landscape photographs of Northumbrian river scenery”, which was exhibited in Group II, Class 12.

The style of photography adopted by Gibson resulted in his photographs having the appearance of paintings. This style was developed around 1889 as the result of the furore that arose when artists complained that photography could not be an art form. Gibson’s photographs are works of art, and his techniques show how much thought and time went into their production. He used different cloud formations and skies to alter his works, and these were taken from separate cloud negatives that still exist in the collection. This was primarily done because the emulsions for the negatives were not able to capture the various extremes of light at the time.

After Gibson’s death in 1912, the family shop continued to trade. It was originally opened in 1834 in 16-20 Fore Street, Hexham, by J.P. Gibson’s father, William Wilson Gibson.

The Arms of the City of London were a feature of the shop front, after J.P. Gibson’s son, John, was admitted to the Freedom of the City of London in 1908 as a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers.

The ornate carving above the door of the shop was executed by a Belgian refugee (one of around 400 in Hexham during World War One) as an expression of gratitude to the Gibson family. The family had provided meeting rooms and a library of French and Flemish books for the refugees in the town. The left shield bears the letters JPG around the sun, necessary for photography, while the right shield shows JG around an eye, representing an optician.

The shop closed in 1978 and was threatened with demolition. The Science Museum in London stepped in and bought the fittings and shop front, showing how well-known and well-regarded Gibson was. The shop front and most of the contents are now on display in the fourth floor gallery of the Museum entitled, ‘Glimpses of Medical History’.

Lieutenant Walter Lamb

08/03/201807/07/2016 by Northumberland Archives

Walter Lamb was born in Christon Bank, Alnwick, Northumberland on 15 February 1890, son of Mr James William (A Brewer in Brewery Lane Warkworth) and & Mrs Minnie Lamb of Hotspur House, Warkworth. He had five brothers – Henry, Thomas, James W, John, Cyril and two sisters – Elinor Elizabeth (who died in New Jersey, USA) and Minnie Florence. His brother John served with the Royal Navy during the First World War and survived. Walter was educated at the Dukes School, Alnwick, leaving school in 1906.

He was living in Newcastle in the 1911 census at 41 North Terrace, Wallsend as a boarder, his occupation was Engineers Pattern Maker with the North Eastern Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. Walter was 5ft 7½ inches tall with black hair and brown eyes. He was 24 years and 7 months of age when he enlisted into the Northumberland Hussars Yeomanry as a Private on the 18th September 1914 signing an agreement to serve for four years or the duration of the war. He only spent three months with the Northumberland Hussars before receiving a commission and joining ‘I’ company 22nd (Service) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (3rd Tyneside Scottish) as Second Lieutenant.

His cousin 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Lamb was killed when instructing his men in hand grenade, throwing. An article appeared in the Newcastle Journal on 11th July 1916 with the heading:-

“Warkworth officer Killed in Action”

News was received yesterday by Councillor J.W. Lamb of Warkworth, that one of his sons, Lieutenant Walter Lamb had been killed in action in France. The deceased enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers and was connected with the machine gun section. At the meeting of Alnwick Rural Council, yesterday, Councillor J.H. Mansfield Chairman, referred to the loss sustained by one of their members, Councillor James W. Lamb, through the death of his third son Lieutenant W. Lamb who had been killed in action in France and also of his nephew 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Lamb, who had been killed in a bomb accident at Chipchase Camp. The deaths of these 2 young officers would be a great trial to Councillor J. W. Lamb and his sister Miss Elizabeth Lamb, also a member.

The War diaries for the 22^nd Battalion show that they were in their billets on 24 June at Bresle and they were preparing for the attack to begin. On 25 June the companies/platoons began moving to the Usna-Tara Line and the Sunken Garden, Albert. On 29 June a bombing party consisting of 2 Officers and 20 men processed towards the enemy lines with a view of raiding them. This party returned to our lines early, due to enemy fire, without suffering any casualties.

The Battalion remained in position in their line on 30 June, supporting the 21^st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. The 20^th & 23^rd Battalions were in position on the left. By 22.30hours all the companies were in their assembly trenches awaiting the attack.The position of assembly points on the 30 June was as follows:

1^st Line – along Dundee Avenue, left resting on point where Mercier Street joins.

2^nd Line – Alnwick Street

3^rd Line – along Dundee Avenue, with right resting on point where Mercier Street joins.

4th Line – were in the newly dug trench from junction of Buddon Street and Dundee Avenue.

At eight minutes before zero hour a ‘Hurricane Bombardment’ opened, then with two minutes before zero hour, two lines of the 2^nd Tyneside Scottish advanced over the parapet and the 3rd Tyneside Scottish followed, occupying the trenches vacated by them. A Regiment Aid Post was established at the junction of Gowrie Street and Methuen Street. The wounded were to be evacuated by Gowrie Street and Perth Avenue to A.D.S of Kinfauns Street – Perth Avenue.

The attack began at 0730 hours and by 1245hours their strength was only 7 Officers and 200 Other Ranks, made up of a mixture of the 22^nd & 21^st Battalions Northumberland Fusiliers, under the command of Major Acklom. At 2215hours a patrol got in touch with other troops, who had taken shelter in the ‘New Crater’ which had been caused by our mines 100 yards beyond our right flank. By 2 July all ranks were greatly in need of water and were very fatigued, consolidation of the position continues, slowly. By 0330 hours the Cheshire’s arrived in our lines ready for a further advance. Orders were received at 1440hours to hold our position at ‘ALL COSTS’.

More troops arrived in our lines – Lincolns and Royal Welsh Fusiliers. In the next few hours the Battalion received two Lewis Guns, three Vickers Guns and two Stokes guns with a plentiful supply of water and rations The men were in good spirits and our position was secure. By midnight on 2/3 July the Battalion strength was 5 Officers and 155 NCO’s and men. Walter was one of the seven Officers killed in the attack on 1 July.

Walter died 1 July 1916, aged just 26 and is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 10 B 11 B and 12 B.

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