Back in 2015, we started the “Northumberland At War” project with volunteers searching our collections for stories, about the home front and soldiers who served throughout the conflict. One aspect was the big task of transcribing the school log books, which was a job that Hilary, one of our volunteers, undertook. Five years on, and years after the project finished, Hilary is still working one morning a week extracting these stories.

A pattern developed; you can see the spread of epidemics and illnesses the children endured. We were always going to write a blog on this, but time has never allowed it. There was always something to prevent me from doing it. That is until now!  I have found a wealth of information from the log books and newspapers that I think will develop into a number of blogs.

This is what our ancestors had to endure just over 100 years ago. The name may have changed, the causes and prevention hasn’t though? We could easily have travelled back in time, the only difference, between 1918 and now is the internet!

The school log books show the children suffered a variety of illnesses; some fatal, others not. There were the usual cases of head lice and the nit nurse visiting the schools. Go on, some of you will remember them, I do! There were the odd instances of skin eruptions [sounds awful]: impetigo, chicken pox, the spotted fever, scarlatina, and scarlet fever. One of my favourites though is the ‘ITCH’. I’m sure you are now scratching, I am just thinking about it. [Definition – Many skin conditions itch, including dry skin (xerosis), eczema (dermatitis), psoriasis, scabies, burns, scars, insect bites and hives. This was prevalent in February 1917 in Red Row Infants School [Ref CES 283/1/]].   

There was a serious outbreak of ringworm in Seaton Terrace Junior School [Ref CES 130/1/1]; they had 25 cases in May 1914. They also reported the deaths of Joseph Graham who unfortunately, had been knocked down and crushed by the bakers van and Flora Burton who died of diphtheria, in January 1916. Plus a bad breakout of measles with 13 cases reported November 1919.

Whooping cough was also rife during those years. Stakeford Council School reported 25 cases in April 1915 [Ref CES 240/1/1]. Stannington School also had 35 cases of measles in May 1915 [Ref CES 242/2/2].

However, the biggest mention in these registers is influenza [‘flu]. There were various outbreaks which were isolated in the early years, but then there were the two outbreaks in July 1918 and later in the year into the early part of 1919. East Ord County Primary School [Ref CES 16/2/2] recorded this in their log book: 

12 July 1918 – The epidemic of Spanish Flu has arrived in the parish. There are 6 cases amongst the school and a large number of adults are affected by the disease, which fortunately so far has produced no fatal results. 

Later they recorded: “31 October 1918 the epidemic of influenza has broken out in the parish 20 scholars are absent.”

Branxton County Primary School [Ref CES 82/2/1], a school of only 32 children, reported that only 19 were fit for school on 4 November 1918. 

Heddon on the Wall Church of England School had gone through whooping cough epidemics from February to March 1914, when 20% of a school of 112 were suffering. Then on 22 November, the log book recorded: “The Influenza epidemic has broken out in the village this week and is spreading, 20 children are off with it.”

Wark County Primary School [Ref CES 91/1/2] recorded the following: “1 November 1918 – There are cases of cold here and there, but so far no influenza has been reported in the district.” However, by 8 November 60% of the school was off with the flu and by 11 November: “School closed owing to the unabated spread of Influenza. One of our scholars Christine Wilson died of pneumonia.”  

One of my lockdown tasks has been to edit the list of Delaval papers that another of our team has been data inputting. This task has reminded me of a document that I found within the Delaval collection a little while ago.  The Delaval family owned land in Northumberland from the 11^th century. In 1717 Admiral George Delaval purchased the Seaton estate from another family member Sir John Delaval and he and his heirs began to develop the estate building Seaton Delaval Hall and developing coalmines, copperas works, farmland, glassworks and saltpans. The document was drawn up in 1807 and is entitled “List of Persons Inhabitants of Hartley Suspected of Lodging Vagrants, Making Salt or of Selling Smuggled Spirits” (ref: 2DE/8/6/8).

We learn at the end of the document that a party comprising “Mr. Faulder exciseman, Mr. Ochiltree, Mr. P. Forster, Mr. Townson and Jno. Bryers’ had undertaken a tour of properties on the estate making notes of properties visited and observations about the residents. John Bryers, John Ochiltree and Robert Townson were all agents of the Delaval family and their correspondence reporting on estate matters can be found within the Delaval papers in our custody. Forster may be Paul Forster who was engaged as a viewer at Hartley Colliery. It is further noted that ‘the constable was not at home and Thos. Taylor the miller being one of the Overseers of the Poor was sent for but engaged that he could not go round with us”.

The document lists by name forty four residents – of these it was believed that twenty five residents were either making salt or strongly suspected of doing so. Salt was produced by boiling seawater or brackish water (water that has less salinity than seawater but more than freshwater). The visiting party were therefore looking for evidence of boiling water in pots to produce salt. Interestingly some of the occupants of the properties visited appeared not to be at home – “door locked” was noted on several occasions. Where this was the case the party appeared to look through a window for evidence of wrongdoing. For example, it is noted that in Fold Yard “Jno. Rhode’s wife – door locked saw a pot on the fire through the window & supposed she & the family were in’. Why was the party so concerned about alleged saltmaking? One of the sources of revenue for the estate was the Hartley salt pans. Preparing salt at home was perceived as depriving the estate of an asset – in effect stealing from the estate. In addition, a tax was payable on the production of salt – Salt Tax introduced under the Salt Act of 1702. The tax was prohibitive and led to widespread salt smuggling and it may be that this home salt production was not just for personal use. 

As well as naming the residents visited the document also lists some occupations. Nineteen occupations are recorded – eight pitmen, five widows, one carpenter, one engraver, one paper bag maker, one tailor, one waggonman and a sailor. The entry regarding the latter is interesting.  We learn that “Richardson” is “on board a Ship of War lived here last year as a pitman, but taken hold of by Parish Officers from about Morpeth for having a former wife living …”. Not all residents were obtaining an income via legal means. William Brodie, a tailor, is suspected of having sold smuggled gin as is “Widow Todd”. The notes record Brodie and Todd were informed “that if this practice continued they would certainly be detected and could expect no compassion from the Excise Laws as Government was determined to make examples”. Two further residents James Davidson and Nanny Neilson are suspected of being involved in the smuggling of gin from Bedlington. It is further inferred that Nanny Neilson is the ringleader here – “He is a quiet & tolerable good workman – but she is of a violent & wicked disposition, and the fault not supposed to be his”. 

There are further interesting observations. Two of the forty four residents are noted as having disabilities. Nicholas Watson is blind and Dolly Taylor is lame. Dolly Taylor is described as a “decent person”. However not all residents are viewed so generously. William Grey is noted as keeping “a poor dirty house & children” and Pringle’s widow of keeping “a very dirty family & house”. John Jackson is noted as a good workman but his home is also reported as dirty.