WAVERLEY ROUTE EXPRESS HER MOVEMENTS PRIOR TO THE FATALITY TRACED
East Lothian, Berwickshire and Berwick police are making every endeavour to establish the identity of a young lady who met her death as a result of injuries received by falling from the 9.45 Edinburgh to Melrose express on the night of Monday 7th February, between Fushiebridge and Borthwick Bank, between Edinburgh and Galashiels. The attention of a signalman at Fountainhall was drawn to a door of a compartment n the express swinging open as the train passed, and the train passed, and the train being stopped a search was instituted along the line with the result that the lady was found lying on the embankment of the line suffering from severe injuries to the head. She was conveyed to the Cottage Hospital, Galashiels, where she died without regaining consciousness before midnight.
It was soon ascertained that she had booked at Waverley Station for Melrose, travelling 1st class, and the fact that she had no hat on attracted attention. No hat was found in the compartment or near the body after the accident, nor has the railway ticket been found or near the body.
The lady appeared to be about 24 years of age, and wore her hair bobbed. She was attired in a dark blue costume with brown shoes and stockings, and wore a gold wristlet watch. She had a light suede bag with her containing about £5 in money, a silver cigarette case, a photograph and a box of ointment which had been prepared by Mr Alex. Cairns, chemist, Berwick-on-Tweed. The police not being able to trace the lady’s relatives, the body was interred at Eastlands Cemetery, Galashiels.
MOVEMENTS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT TRACED IN BERWICK AND DUNS
Enquiries have established beyond doubt that the young woman arrived in Berwick and stayed at the King’s Arms Hotel on Saturday, the 5th February. She stayed overnight and signed the hotel register “Elizabeth Grey, Newcastle.” parties who saw her at the hotel noticed that she was a woman of some education who spoke in a refined voice with just a little north-country accent.
King’s Arms Hotel, Hide Hill, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Ref: BRO 0426-355
She seemed very quiet and reserved and it was noticed that her hat was a waterproof one which formed a detachable part of a shower-proof outfit which she carried over her arm. She went out into the town during the day and it was either at mid-day on Saturday or Sunday that she called at mr Cairn’s chemist shop in Castlegate and purchased the box of foot ointment which was later found on her body. The shop assistant is not sure of the exact time and day when she made the purchase, but this is not material.
So far as can be gathered the lady (or a lady answering the description) was seen near the station about one o’clock on Sunday, 6th February. Whether she had been ascertaining if a train was available to Duns has not been elicited, but the fact is established that she arrived in Duns about quarter past six on Sunday night tired and footsore, and told Mr Prentice of the White Swan Hotel that she was on a walking tour and intended to stay the night after having walked from Berwick.
Since the tragedy, Mr Prentice has identified the body as the lady who stayed at his hotel, signed the register “Elizabeth Guy, Newcastle” (but this no doubt was Elizabeth Grey), as the writing was not very clear). At half past ten on Monday morning the lady left the “Swan” and announced her intention of walking to Haddington. Here there is a break in the chain of evidence at hand at present, for it is certain she could not have reached the Waverley Station, Edinburgh, by 9 o’clock that night unless she had received a “lift” on the rod by some passing motorist. The police would be glad, if any motorist did give the lady a “lift”, to hear if any conversation passed which would throw light on her identity. Up to Monday enquiries made by the police in Northumberland and Durham failed to bring any clue to the lady’s home.
Continuing with the work Assistants have been undertaking to summarize the archive’s oral history recordings, I have been listing to an interview with Nancy Clarke from 2015. Nancy had kindly shared her time with us to recount her experiences with the Women’s Institute in the Wark area.
Nancy joined the WI aged 16 in 1933 at the Carham and Wark branch. Before cars were common, life in rural Northumberland could feel far more isolated. Nancy’s mother had never been a formal member because the three-mile journey to meetings was too much after a long day of work but she did sometimes help friends with organizing the activities. Likewise, Nancy’s work friends were members and invited her to a meeting just to see whether she would enjoy it. Despite the formal atmosphere the Institute provided an opportunity to learn new skills and meet new people with the social nights providing a particular highlight. These social nights required a lot of planning but routinely featured concert parties, poetry, song and guest speakers sharing their knowledge.
A typical meeting could involve lectures on subjects such as health, cookery and raising children. In the early days meetings could be quite dry and formal so Nancy could be shy to contribute but over the years the organization grew more friendly and inclusive, giving members the opportunity to chat, especially during tea-breaks. More craft skills were introduced which included dressmaking, quilting, decoupage and cake icing, skills which Nancy used for friends.
During WW2 the WI members of Carham met each day to make jam for the war effort. The sugar was provided, the jars were sterilized and members brought along any fruit they could find including raspberry and rhubarb. Members also knitted socks, scarves and balaclavas which proved difficult work at night in blackout conditions. Nancy felt her main contribution to the war effort was looking after two boy evacuees from Tynemouth who stayed until long after the war.
The WI arranged a full-day outing every year with a meal at the end. In some years they would also go on a Mystery Tour which provided a lot of fun for members, guessing where the destination would be for bets of 10p which would go to the winner. Trips included a Tyne cruise from Newcastle and places in Scotland.
Nancy gradually advanced through the ranks of the WI becoming an Assistant and Vice President before attaining the role of President. She had remained shy but, supported by a professional and caring committee, found the ability to speak up for herself which helped with her duties welcoming and encouraging new members and leading the meeting ceremonies. She had skills and experience at Denman College and fondly recalled the experience of attending the Annual General Meetings at the Royal Albert Hall and the power of the spectacle of the uniformed choir singing Jerusalem.
When Nancy retired in 2014 she had been President for 40 years and witnessed massive change. Her contribution was recognized with an English Heritage “Care in the Community” award for the Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria area. Her most proud moment, however, was the night of her 90th birthday when a talk from her son David as guest speaker concluded with a surprise meal and entertainment.
Taken from an oral history, NRO T-959 (NRO 10888), Womens Institute
It has been found impossible, owing principally to the expense involved, to run a football competition for the above trophy, which was recently presented to the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers. Instead to save travelling it was decided to put the trophy for competition in connection with the miniature range competition at present being run. Competing platoon teams will thus fire on their own ranges and neutral referees have been chosen to see that the conditions are fulfilled to the letter. For this purpose Major Smail, Jobling, Booth, and Capt. And Quartermaster Price have been selected. The competition commences tonight (Friday) at the Drill Hall, Berwick, when 13 Platoon will shoot No. 14.
To augment the funds of the Berwick Company, Northumberland Fusiliers’ Cadets, it has been decided to promote a dance, and the date fixed is Thursday, March 10th. C.S.M. Tilley and C.Q.M.S. Boal are undertaking the duties of Joint Secretaries, and the services of the following have been secured to act on the Committee, viz.:- Major H. R. Smail (chairman), Capts. F. B. Cowen, M.C., E. H. Crow, E. D. Mackay, A. J. Kennington, and D. Hebenton, Sergts. H. G. Patterson, Ridpeath, M.M., and R. J. Swanston, D. C. M., and Messrs M. H. Blackett, A. C. A. Steven, and A. A. Crisp.
DEPOT NOTES
C.S.M. McClennan, M.C., D.C.M., formerly of the Depot, Berwick, and lately of Dumfries, who is under orders for India, has been made the recipient of a handsome silver spirit flask from the officers, N.C.O.’s, and men of the territorials there. Mrs McClennan, who is a Berwick lady, received at the same time a silver purse. We understand C.S.M. McClennan will be at Berwick Depot for a short period of duty before going aboard.
A draft of 39 men are leaving the barracks on Thursday (today) to join the details of the battalion at Devonport.
Gen. Sir Francis Davies, G.O.C. in C. of the Scottish Command, will visit the Depot, Berwick, on Tuesday next, and hold an inspection.
On Friday next Major-General Robertson, the G.O.C. the Lowland Division, will also pay a visit of inspection to the Depot.
BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS
His Father’s Maintenance
John Thompson, 75 Middle Street, Spittal, a stoker, was asked by Berwick Guardians to show reason that, he being of sufficient means, and being the son of Matthew Thompson, now an inmate of Berwick union, why he should not maintain his father. He did not appear.
Mr Peters, appearing for the Guardians, said the man had been paying under a verbal agreement to the Guardians, and his payments had been very irregular. This was the reason the case had been brought. A return of his wages had been secured from his employers at the gas Works, and this, up to the 20th January, showed that he had been earning on an average £5 1s per week. He was a married man, with a wife and three of a family, the eldest of whom was 14 years of age. The cost of his father’s maintenance in the Workhouse was 15s 2d per week. The verbal agreement under which the man had previously paid, was based on a much smaller rate of earnings. He had then agreed voluntarily to pay 4s weekly, and he now asked that the Bench fix the amount which they thought he could reasonably be expected to pay. Ordered to pay 6s per week and court costs.
NORHAM & ISLANDSHIRES RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL
The District Roads The Best In the County
The Surveyor then submitted his report and estimated on the amount of road material required during the ensuing year. The report was as follows:-
The season that is closing has not been a favorable one for road upkeep. The changing conditions and more exacting nature of the traffic on our highways makes it imperative to approach the maintenance problem in a different manner to that adopted years ago, when motoring and motor haulage was not so great the nature of this traffic is greatly increasing, and the roads occupy a place of great importance in the industrial life of the district. The quantities given in this estimate are the very minimum required, and I trust in the forth coming season there will be a better supply available than there has been for some time past. Regarding the method of application of material, I beg to suggest that the Council continue to make and use tarred chips upon the roads now being thus treated. This method gives us a very good wearing surface that suits all traffic. As instructed by you, I carried out some short stretches of tar painting as an experiment. From my observations of what was done, I find that as a preservative of the road surface it is certainly good. For motor car, motor haulage, and motor char-a-banc traffic it is of the utmost benefit. It is beneficial in the saving of the machine or car, and it is beneficial to the comfort of the users through the surface being fairly smooth. It is also a benefit to those having to keep up and pay the cost of maintaining a road, in the fact that the tar painting increases the life of a road. Of course, I would point out that a good road is smooth, and that it is an important matter in a district such as this. Tar painting makes a road smoother than before painting: It is becoming recognised generally as an economical method of road preservation, and I would not like the Council to altogether discard tar panting because of its chances of getting slippery a few days in the year. My opinion is the benefits outweigh the occasional inconveniences. I would suggest that I treat the matter in an experimental manner for another season.
The total quantity of stones estimated to be required is 5550 cubic yards, and 750 tons ¾ in. chips and dust.
In reply to Mr Wood, the Surveyor said these estimated quantities were 500 cubic yards up on those of last year, the extra material being for the Duddo, Grindon Bridge, Ord and Sandbanks (Scremerston) roads. It was agreed to forward the quantities required to Mr Hogg, Kyloe Quarry, and get his estimates. At present the chips are taken from Kyloe to the Norham depot to be treated with tar, and the suggestion was made by Miss Greet that a tar depot might be made at Kyloe to save the expense of carting the chips likely to be required for use on road in the Kyloe area to Norham and back. Mr Wood agreed it was ridiculous to take the chips to Norham for tar treatment and then bring them back to Kyloe, but he suggested, with the approval of the council, that they wait Mr Hogg’s reply before taking any step in the matter.
Mr Collingwood thought that the roads treated with tar chips were excellent and far away in advance of the roads kept up by the County Council, whose roads were a disgrace to the County.
Mr Wood – The roads in this district are the best in the County.
SPORT
Badminton
BERWICK V. NEWCASTLE
The Officers’ 7th N.F. Club played their most important match so far this season on Saturday last, when they tried their strength against the Newcastle Club, and came successfully through the test, beating the visitors by 9 matches to 7, 19 sets to 18, and 469 games to 394. The Newcastle Club were handicapped by having a man short over the 4 couples. Their strongest couple were Professor Hounte and Mrs Davidson, who played with fine combination, and beat all the Berwick couples, though Miss Mackay and R. Bishop succeeding in taking them to 3 sets. The visitors adopted different tactics, standing more on a level in the courts than the home couples, whose combination was, on the whole, good, one player guarding the back line and the other playing well up. The Newcastle ladies placed their shots more skillfully than the Berwick ladies. Berwick’s strongest couples were Mrs J. E. Carr and the Rev. J. H. Cutherbertson, and Miss Mackay and R. Bishop, each couple winning 3 out of the 4 matches played, Mr Cuthbertson, playing well forward, specialised in tricky shots at the net, combining well with Mrs Carr, who was as steady as a rock on the back line. Miss Mackay and R. Bishop also played a well-combined game, the former hitting with vigour from the back line, and the latter getting in a record number of brilliant “smash” shots that were quite unreturnable. Miss Caverhill and J. A. Herriot played steadily, but Dr Caverhill was not up to his usual form, though his partner, Mrs Fedden, played a steady game at the net. Ther was quite a crowd of spectators in the gallery, and after the match friendly games were also played between the teams.
