This Week in World War One, 7 May 1915

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Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

 BERWICK ADVERTISER 7 MAY 1915

 

BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS

THURSDAY

 

Before the Mayor ( Thos. Wilson, Esq.), and Captain Norman, R.N.

It-Is-Far-Better-To-Face-The-Bullets-Than-To-Be-Killed-At-Home-By-A-Bomb

Bright Lights- Mr Wm. Kirk Hawkins, cabinet- maker, Berwick, was charged that he did unlawfully allow a bright light to show in his window in Hide Hill, Berwick, at 11.10 p.m. on the 30th April. The charge was brought up under the Defence of the Realm Act. Defendant said, in pleading guilty, he was quite unconscious of the offence. The Chief Constable said it was the third time the defendant had been cautioned. Sergeant Wilson said he saw a very bright light coming from one of the bedrooms in the top window. He stood several minutes, but the light never went up. Witness rang the bell, and defendant put his head over the window complained and asked what he wanted. Witness told defendant the light was too bright, and told him to put it out, and defendant called down and told him to be more civil. Defendant said he had been very careful, and was sorry to be there that day under such circumstances. Fined 12s 6d, the Mayor stating that in future cases persons brought up for the same offence would be more severely dealt with.

CORN EXCHANGE AND ITS ROOF LIGHT

 

If there is one conspicuous feature about our Corn Exchange it is its noble commanding  dome, and the brilliance of the light streaming down through the expansive and glittering canopy. No wonder there were reasonable apprehensions and fears at the approach of the recent grand concert held on behalf of the Berwick Improvised Hospitals, for it was realised that unless the interior light could be sufficiently obscured the blaze of illuminant penetrating to the sky would be an infringement of the emergency bye-laws, possibly leading to the upsetting of the very laudable object aimed by the  promoters. It was at such a critical juncture that Mr Angwin, manager of the Electrical Supply Company, came to the rescue of the local committee.

Image from the Berwick Advertiser 4 December 1858, opening of the newly erected Corn Exchange, Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Image from the Berwick Advertiser 4 December 1858, opening of the newly erected Corn Exchange, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

 He so manipulated and arranged the lamps of the  Corn Exchange that these fully met the  requirements of the Chief Constable. The lighting  of the Exchange if deprived of its usual brilliance  on the other hand presented a mellow and homely  effect, and was certainly in this respect in  consonance with the strenuousness of the critical  times in which we live. The result of the concert  was a most pronounced success, and Mr  W.J.Dixon, on behalf of Colonel Fraser, R.A.M.C.  (T.), made a neat little speech of thanks. the  appearance of Boy Scouts, under the command of  Scoutmaster R. C. Clements, was an attractive  feature, and they lent material assistance in the  sale of programmes.

 

RIDING BERWICK BOUNDS

THE MAYOR’S BANQUET

 

The 307th time of Riding the Bounds of Berwick was observed on Monday when a large crowd assembled on the Parade to watch the start. There were only six equestrians as compared with nine on the previous year, while there were nine drawn vehicles containing citizens who preferred the more sedate and leisurely mode of travelling. Ideal weather favoured the  function.

BRO 1944/1/149/1 Riding of the Bounds, Parade, Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1952
BRO 1944/1/149/1 Riding of the Bounds, leaving the Parade, Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1952

Sharp to the mid-day hour the horsemen set off by the way of the fields, the brakes proceeded by Church Street, High Street, Castlegate and North Road. As usual  at Mordington the school children were lined up in expectation of their usual supply of oranges from Chief Constable Nicholson of which they received an ample share engaging in an amusing scramble as the fruit was thrown amongst them. At Canty’s Bridge the horsemen indulged in their usual races. At the Inn a supply of refreshments on a liberal scale were served out.  On returning to Berwick a short halt was made at the Town Hall where the Mayor returned his thanks to those who had accompanied him in the historical ceremony, and in return hearty cheers were raised for thee Mayor, the Mayoress, and their little daughter.

The horsemen were:- Mr John Lauder, Burnbank, Foulden; the Messrs Waites, Castlehills and Mr Collingwood, who was accompanied by Miss Collingwood.

BERWICK EDUCATION COMMITTEE

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT

TEACHERS’ POWERS

 

A monthly meeting of Berwick Education Committee was held in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall on Wednesday morning. The Chairman, Mr W.J. Dixon, presided, and others present were:- Ald. Greenwood, Capt. Norman, R.N. Messers C. Forsyth, A.J. Dodds, Jos. Watson, E. Brewis, A.D. Watt, J. McDonald, W. C. Richardson, along with the Clerk ( Mr Jas. Gibson) and the Borough Treasurer, Mr T.C. Smith.

THE LATE SERGEANT JONES

The Chairman, prior to the commencement of the business, made the following feeling reference to the death of Sergeant L. S. T. Jones of the 7th N.F., who has been killed in action:- before proceeding with the business of the meeting I refer with the deepest regret to the sad death of Sergeant L. S. T. Jones of the 7th N.F., who was killed in action on 26th April. As a teacher in St. Mary’s School he was beloved alike by his fellow teachers and the children. The Education Committee have lost a good and competent teacher and the borough a useful and promising citizen. As President of Berwick and District Harriers I was intimately associated with him in this branch of sport, he being one of our best and gamest cross-country runners. Only a few weeks ago he was second in a military cross-country run at Blyth. I ever found him a keen and genuine sportsman, and as a sportsman he has died the most glorious death a man can die- fighting for his King and Country. I now move a resolution that a letter be sent to his relatives from this Committee expressing our sincere sympathy with them in their sad bereavement, and our admiration of his gallant conduct; and ask Captain Norman, a Manager of St. Mary’s School, to second the resolution.

Captain Norman in seconding said:- Mr Jones was a teacher of great ability and much promise, devoted to his work, and became a great favourite of staff and scholars alike during his four years service as certificated assistant. His work has been commended by Inspectors, especially in drawing, in which he was highly qualified. His interest in the boys led him to form a drill and gymnasium class. He entered thoroughly into and took a leading part on the games and sports. In promoting swimming, and football, and harriers races his efforts were unceasing. I am sure that the boys as well as the teachers of his school will very keenly feel his loss; and I should like to extend these remarks by saying that a man of that sort is a most serious loss not only to his own immediate circle, but to the community in which for the last 4 years he has been usefully engaged.

The resolution was unanimously adopted, the members the while standing.

 

In Memory of
Sergeant
LEON STANLEY TREVOR JONES
1384, 1st/7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers who died 26 April 1915, aged 25. Nephew of Mrs. E. M. Memmott, of 55, Meersbrook Road, Sheffield. Remembered with Honour, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.

(Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission)

Memorial T L F Jones
Photograph Marc Ryckaert, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.

 

 

 

Manor Courts

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The lord of the manor had the right to hold a court for his local tenants to facilitate management of the manor as a social and economic unit. From the beginning of the manorial system in the 11th century the manor courts conducted a variety of business. This was recorded on the court roll and by the 13th century it is evident that two main types of court are being recorded. The court baron, or ‘curia baronis’, was held every three weeks and handled the general business of the manor. This would involve issues relating to land tenure and use and enforce the payment of all dues and performance of services owed by the tenants to the lord. It also had other powers giving it jurisdiction over disputes between individuals and over personal actions by tenants, such as the recovery of small debts and complaints of trespass.

The court leet, or ‘curia leta’, was held every six months and inspected the working of the frankpledge, a system of mutual responsibility within a group of about ten households for the maintenance of law and order. This was often called the ‘view of frankpledge’. It also had powers to deal with offences such as common nuisances, affrays and the breaking of assize of bread and ale, (this regulated the price, weight and quantity of bread and beer sold). This court could fine and imprison offenders, in many manors in Northumberland the right went beyond imprisonment. The Barony of Langley was one of the lesser Baronies of Northumberland in which the Tindale family were enfeoffed, required to pledge service in exchange for land, by Henry I. They enjoyed an ancient liberty where they were able to try thieves in the Leet Court and then hang them on their own gallows.

The Barony of Embleton, via a succession of powerful Lords, had very extensive privileges. The incumbent Edmund Earl of Lancaster claimed, in 1292, the right to decide in his court pleas similar to those tried before the sheriff. He had a prison at Embleton and gallows at Newton, Embleton, Dunstan and Craster.

Woodhorn also seems to have had a licence for gallows in 1294, as well as Ovingham where in 1294 the Umfraville lordship claimed the right to pit and gallows, tumbrel, pillory and toll. Tynemouth also had the right to prison, gallows, tumbrel, and pillory and Bewick near Tynemouth a tumbrel and gallows.

Other types of court, which were held less frequently within the manor, included the court of survey and recognition, the court of pannage, the court of pie powder and the woodmote or forest court.

The business of the court was submitted via the presentments; this was done by the jury who were required to state or present the various matters which were dealt with by the court. The actual procedure for making presentments is not entirely clear and it is possible they were prepared several days in advance of the court session. The enclosed image is a presentment from the manor of Melkridge in Northumberland, dating from 1700, it gives a flavour of the type of court business being dealt with by the court baron.

ZBL 2/13/21
ZBL 2/13/21

[click to enlarge]

The jury are to enquire for and on behalf of the lord of the manor whether:

  • Elizabeth Robson wife of Thomas Robson died forfeit of and in a tenement called Lowhouse and to establish who and how old the heir is.
  • we present William Kettlewell for speaking scandalous words to Anne Ridley. vi d
  • we present Robert Garlick for tethering his horse in William Greens meadow. vi d
  • we present John Smith of Whitchester for steeling [?] the wood of his customary tenants in Whitchester and is therefore amerced (fined) vi d
  • we present Ridley Haverlock and John Smith for suffering the hedges of their ground to lie down whereby the cattle can damage other men’s grounds. iii s  iiii d

 

 

ZBL 2/13/21
ZBL 2/13/21

[click to enlarge]

  • we present John Rea for not repairing a gate towards the high shoot and is therefore amerced. iiis iiiid
  • we present Thomas Smith for taking away hay. vi d
  • we present Richard Thompson for entertaining a thief in his house and knowing him to be so. iiis iiiid
  • we present Richard Thompson for interfering with a well and not having a passage to it for the neighbourhood amerced. iiis iiiid

The presentment is signed by the jurors, note with the exception of John Smith, who can write his own name, most make their mark which in themselves are quite interesting as they have obviously been designed to be as unique as possible. A number of the jurors appear to be related to those on the presentment, or in the case of Ridley Havelock, seem to appear themselves.

Surgical Procedures – Artificial Pneumothorax

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Pulmonary tuberculosis is by far the most common manifestation of TB witnessed throughout the Stannington records.  Prior to the development and use of any effective antibiotic treatments the most common form of intervention was the induction of an artificial pneumothorax.  Many of the different treatments employed to treat TB of all types at this time were based on the principles of resting and isolating the affected area, and the thinking behind artificial pneumothorax treatment was no different.

 

A needle would be inserted through the chest wall to allow for the insertion of air into the pleural cavity.  The amount of air inserted would depend on the size of the patient as well as how much the physician in charge though the patient could realistically manage in one go and how quickly they wished the lung to collapse.  Once inserted the pressure from the air would force the lung to collapse in on itself and to cease functioning properly.  The entire lung would not necessarily be collapsed at once, either because it wasn’t necessary for treatment or because fibrotic adhesions between the lung and the chest wall as a result of the disease prevented it from doing so.  Where only part of the lung was affected it would not be desirable to collapse the whole lung and in such instances just one lobe might be collapse.  Bilateral artificial pneumothorax was also a possibility, whereby part of both lungs would be collapsed at the same time.  A state of collapse could be maintained for a period of months or even years and required the patient to undergo regular refills of air in order to do so.

 

A great number of radiographic illustrations of the progression of a collapse are available in the Stannington collection.  One patient, 2/1946, has a large amount of radiographs taken over a period of two years which demonstrate the change in the lung from admission and through the progressive stages of lung collapse.

 

Patient 2/1946 was female an age15 when she was admitted to Stannington on 21 June 1945 with pulmonary TB stage 3, at which point her sputum tested positive for TB also.  A report on an x-ray taken pre-admission reads:

‘Right lung shows several active foci beginning to coalesce.  There is extensive infiltration in the upper zone & suspicious blotchy areas in the middle zone.  A small calcified opacity in the right lower zone.  The left lung shows infiltration in the middle zone.  The upper zone and apex are clear.  Early active foci are noticeable in both lungs in the affected areas.’

Figure 1 was the first x-ray taken after admission on 25 June 1945 being three weeks later than the one reported above.  Observations on this x-ray note:

‘Scattered foci in right upper zone.  One definite cavity.  Increased bronchial marking at both bases.’

HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_22 25 June 1945
Figure 1 – HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_22
25 June 1945
HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_18 31 Aug 1945
Figure 2 – HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_18
31 Aug 1945

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was quickly decided that and artificial pneumothorax should be induced on the right side and this took place on 16 Aug 1945. Figure 2 taken later on that month shows the initial results of the artificial pneumothorax.  The black area along the lateral side of the right lung is evidence of the air that has been inserted and the lung has begun to compress.

 

The collapse was maintained well into 1947 which involved her having refills of air every two weeks throughout this period.  For the first three months she received refills of 200-300ccs of air at a time, progressing to 400ccs the month after, and then eventually 500-600ccs at a time.  Figures 3-6 show the progression of the artificial pneumothorax as more air is inserted and the lung collapses further.  Over time we can see that the cavity in the right mid zone collapses and closes, one of the main aims of the treatment.  In early June 1946 a procedure was performed to divide adhesions between the lung and the chest wall which allowed the collapse to progress further.  She was discharged in June 1947 with her condition described as improved.

 

Figure 3 - HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_23 17 Jan 1946
Figure 3 – HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_23
17 Jan 1946
Figure 4 - HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_09 18 June 1946
Figure 4 – HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_09
18 June 1946

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 5 - HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_10 2 Sept 1946
Figure 5 – HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_10
2 Sept 1946
Figure 6 - HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_27 15 April 1947
Figure 6 – HOSP/STAN/7/1/2/1057_27
15 April 1947

 

 

 

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