This Week in World War One, 18 October 1918

19/10/2018 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 18 OCTOBER 1918

FUNERAL OF CAPT. NORMAN

A LARGE AND REPRESENTATIVE FOLLOWING

SERVICE IN ST. MARY’S

The funeral of the late Captain Norman took place to Berwick Cemetery on Thursday afternoon, when local gentlemen who had sat with the deceased on public bodies, or had been associated with him in Church, School, and social movements, attended in large numbers to pay their last tribute to a life spent in the public service.

At Cheviot House a large company of mourners had gathered and at two thirty the cortege moved off down Castle Terrace to the Church of St. Mary’s, where a short service was held. The blinds of all residenters on route were drawn during the passing of the cortege while here and there could be seen groups of people in the humble walks of life anxious to pay the last respect they could to one who had been a true friend in life.

Heading the procession was a detachment of the Borough Police Force, under Chief Constable Nicholson, and behind walked the sergeant at Mace (Mr Blakie) carrying the halbert draped in crepe. Following in procession walked the Magistrates and Council, and immediately behind the hearse and mourning coaches were members of the Bible Class which for so many years was conducted at Cheviot House, and then followed the boys of Berwick Grammar School, at which centre the Captain was chairman of Governors.

NEWS FROM THE LADS IN GERMANY

Mrs D. Bryson, Kiln Hill, was cheered this week to receive a post card from her son, Private Dan Bryson, H.L.I., from Gustrow Camp, Germany. He was taken prisoner in the March drive by the Germans, but he is evidently quite happy, and writes that he has some fine fellows in the camp along with him.

A group of allied prisoners at Gustrow POW Camp, Germany, where Private Dan Bryson, H.L.I. was a prisoner. © Expired.

Private Davidson, son of Mrs Davidson, Well Square, who is prisoner at Stammlager, Germany, writes that he has been in hospital, but that he is now much better and hopes to soon be out of the hospital cot.

Private John Dawson, N.F., grandson of Mrs Ogilvie, Well Road, who is a prisoner at Stargard, Germany, has sent a letter card to his grandmother, stating that he is quite well, but would welcome a letter from her every week. The letter card he sends is rather a clever made affair and can be used again by the recipient when replying.

A PREMATURE PEACE REPORT AT BERWICK

On Sunday morning, as people were coming out of Church, a report spread like wildfire that Germany had accepted President Wilson’s terms, and peace was to be signed at mid-night. It was said that an official message was on view at the huts. We immediately set out to find if it was true. Ongoing to the huts, there was no notice to be seen, and we were told that it was on view at the Barracks, and ongoing to the Barracks, we were referred back to the huts. The fact of the matter seemed to be that some soldier had out up a notice to the effect at the huts on his own account, and later had taken it down again. We also enquired at the Police Station and at the Post Office, but nothing was known. In the evening, however, definite news came to Berwick, as it well might for the news had been known in London on the Saturday night at ten o’clock.

BRO 1944-1-149-1 CROPPED. The army huts in front of Berwick Barracks, where a soldier prematurely posted President Wilson’s peace terms accepted by Germany. © Berwick Record Office.

LOCAL NEWS

On Wednesday morning a Berwick lady was rather surprised to find herself stopped by another lady who was carrying a young baby in the full array of christening clothes. She was even more surprised when she was asked to accept a paper bag containing a piece of cake, a piece of money, and salt. This she did and for the benefit of readers who have not heard of this old custom before, we may say that it is one which is quite usual in some parts of Scotland. When the mother leaves the house to attend Church where the “baptism” is to take place it is lucky if the first person met is fair. The gift of cake, money and salt is then handed over and the future welfare of the child assured. We were permitted to examine the “gift offering” and in so doing the cake broke in two. This we are informed is symbolical of good luck and a double event next time.

Fuel and Lighting economy is responsible for several alterations in church services, St. Andrew’s Church, Berwick, and the English Presbyterian Church, Tweedmouth, are doing away with a second service on Sunday. Wallace Green and the Primitive Methodist Congregations are uniting for a week day services, and Bankhill Church, during the absence of its minister on six months sick leave, is uniting with St. Aidan’s, Church Street. A large number of the Wesleyan Methodists are worshipping with the Primitives, and several are attending Wallace Green, each individual or family deciding entirely for itself.

Sir David William Smith, 1st Baronet

16/10/2018 by Northumberland Archives

The name, signature and reference ‘D.W. Smith’ frequently occurs within Dickson, Archer & Thorp paperwork from the 1820s and 1830s; particularly in relation to transactions involving the Duke of Northumberland (Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke). In a letter, discovered amongst paperwork covering the purchase of premises in Walkergate, Alnwick by the Duke, ‘D.W. Smith’ was referred to as ‘Sir’ and ‘Baronet.’ So, who was D.W. Smith?

David William Smith was the son of Colonel John Smith and his wife, Anne. Born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, he joined his father’s regiment, 5th Regiment of Foot, as an ensign in 1779. He married his first wife in 1788 and rejoined his father’s regiment at Detroit in 1790 (at that time, Detroit was still under British rule). Smith served on the land board in the Hesse District (named after the Hesse region of Germany and subsequently part of Quebec) in 1791 and 1792, was Acting Deputy Surveyor General in 1792 and Surveyor General of Upper Canada in 1798. He resigned from the army and, in 1792, was elected to the first Parliament of Upper Canada (part of British Canada established in 1791 to govern the central third of the lands in British North America) representing Suffolk and Essex, and went on in 1796 to be elected for the 3rd Riding of Lincoln. Smith became a Member of the Executive Council of Upper Canada in 1796 and in 1800 was elected to the Legislative Assembly representing Norfolk, Oxford and Middlesex, becoming Speaker from 1796-1801.

An influential and wealthy man, he owned 20,000 acres of land in Ontario, was an established politician, businessman and known to be fair-minded. He was even the author of the snappy-titled book: “A Short Topographical Description of His Majesty’s Province of Upper Canada in North America to which is annexed a Provincial Gazeteer”!

It would appear he was well-respected, and yet he turned his back on Canada and returned to England in 1802 where he became Land Agent for the Duke of Northumberland and was made a Baronet in 1821. Whether he left Canada due to some political disagreement or his health is unclear, however he did frequently suffer from fever and correspondence within the Dickson, Archer & Thorp collection does often refer to his health. With correspondents wishing him better and, in one letter, describing himself as being “too weak” to become embroiled in lengthy arguments. These documents were dated between 1827-8, although Smith did not die until 1837.

We would like to thank the volunteer who has kindly cataloged and researched D. W Smith’s correspondence, their blog is a fascinating insight into an engaging character.

James Forster’s Crime

08/10/2018 by Northumberland Archives

In the winter of 1855 Messrs. Smith and Appleford were executing a series of contracted works on Alnwick Castle. During the works large quantities of lead went missing and James Forster, a mason working for Messrs. Smith and Appleford, was accused of the crime. He was incriminated by a great quantity of lead found buried in his garden “under suspicious circumstances” by a policeman named P.C Marshall. Following a further search James was also charged with stealing a wedge and piece of zine from his masters.

James was 54 years old at the time of the theft. He had a wife, Marjory, and two children, Jane aged 19 and William aged 9. James was prosecuted for the theft by Hon. A Liddell and defended by Mr Blackwell. The contractor’s foreman and blacksmith were called to identify the wedge and piece of zine recovered from James’ person, but neither could positively confirm whether these were the missing articles. On this count James was found not guilty. He was then tried for “stealing three stones and a half weight of lead from the roof of Alnwick Castle, the property of his Grace the Duke of Northumberland.” According to newspaper reports “the lead in question was lying on the roof of the Castle, tied up in bundles, and the prisoner was observed by the foreman of the masons to go to one of the bundles and cut off a piece of lead, which he placed in his left jacket pocket.” The foreman immediately reported this to the contractors’ overseer and James’ premises were searched by PC. Marshall that same day. James was sentenced to six months hard labour for this crime.

In 1861, six years after the theft, James and Marjory were residing in Clayport Street with their unmarried daughter Jane (now a dress maker) and Marjory’s mother Jane Spours (aged 80). Jane the elder was listed on the 1861 census as being an Innkeeper from Ellingham. She was also familiar with the law, having been fined in 1857 for keeping her public house open and “selling exciseable liquors during prohibited hours on Sundays.”

The Forsters had been living in in Clayport Street since at least 1841, where they are listed in the census alongside their four young children:

Martha, then aged 12.

George, then aged 10.

John, then aged 8.

Jane, then aged 6.

Also living in the street in 1841, although not in the same property, was the 60 year old Jane Spours.

Another Forster child, who died in 1841 and most likely before the census, was Robert Spours Forster. He was less than a year old when he became the first Forster to be placed within their family burial plot in Alnwick. In 1849 George Forster, James’ eldest son, also died and was buried in the plot. He was followed in the same year by a third child, Eleanor Forster, who was seven years old. Martha, the Forster’s eldest daughter, became the fourth child to go to the grave young, dying in 1851 aged twenty-two. She was followed by her paternal grandmother, Ann Forster, aged eighty. Finally, in 1863, Jane Spours, the ever-present matriarch, was buried in the plot aged eighty-four.

Having such a large family to feed, and losing so many children in quick succession, may have driven James’ to extreme lengths – including stealing from his own employer. James and Margery’s death dates are not clear, but they were interred in the family plot with their children and mothers.

This blog was inspired by a document found within the Dickson, Archer and Thorp papers outlining the crimes of James Forster. We would like to thank the volunteers who have cataloged and researched this piece.

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