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In an earlier blog, we looked at the different planning applications which were being submitted in the early part of the 20th century. Our work in cataloguing the planning files for Castle Ward Rural District Council has now reached the 1940âs and it is not surprising to note that the nature of applications began to change, to prepare for war.
We have come across the planning application, dated July 1940, from the Newcastle Education Committee, to install air raid shelters in the houses on the Cottage Homes site. Interestingly, these shelters were not below ground but were reinforced rooms on the ground floor of each building, beside the external side wall. They were only 5-6 feet wide, and each shelter had an emergency exit to the outside. I suspect these rooms were used as stationary cupboards or storage when the site became Police Headquarters. Another interesting point to note is that the plans cover all the houses occupied by the resident children, but the Masters House (which became the Chief Constableâs Office) was not included. Perhaps the Headmaster received an upgraded shelter!
LCW/G/1/Box 15/2083
It is also quite apparent from the applications, that the Ministry of Agriculture was keen to maximise home food production. In August and September of 1941, they made three separate submissions of plans to build hostels for agricultural workers at Whalton, Stamfordham and Ponteland. The plan for Middle Drive, Ponteland is dated 14th August 1941 and marked with the official stamp from the planning office, however the word âapprovedâ is clearly crossed out. We have no indication that any of these hostels were built.
However, in 1943, the same Ministry submitted plans for houses this time, planned for Capheaton, Belsay, Whalton and Stamfordham. The plans were approved on 8th April 1943, however using Google Maps & Earth, we can see that the Capheaton and Belsay plans never made it off the paper. The other plans were both for a pair of semi-detached homes at Stamfordham and Whalton. Stamfordham is easy to confirm, as the location was marked on the plan and the houses can clearly be seen at this location on Widdrington Drive in the village. Whalton was more difficult as the plan of the location does not appear to have survived, however further detective work suggests that these are the four houses appropriately named Castle Ward Cottages on the edge of Whalton, as the road heads towards Belsay.
LCW/G/1/Box 15/3019
Having planned for safety, and to house the agricultural workers, there was one slightly more unexpected matter to take care of â that of increasing numbers of prisoners of war. In May 1942, The Ministry of Works and Buildings submitted a plan for a proposed P.O.W. Camp, No.69 to be built on Middle Drive, Darras Hall. Records show that the camp was in use between 1945 and 1947. Once the prisoners had been repatriated, the development of housing in Darras Hall could continue and these days there is almost no sign that the camp ever existed. We say almost because the existence of this camp probably explains why some residents of Darras Hall have found German coins when digging their gardens.
One of the aims of the Northumberland Archives Charitable Trust is to improve and promote access to documents held within Northumberland Archives. Projects have been funded to list collections as well as adding descriptive content to existing collections. This additional information is added to our catalogue making the content available and searchable via the Online Catalogue on the Northumberland Archives website either at home or in the search rooms. The current cataloguing project focuses on a collection relating to two farming families in Northumberland, Atkinson and Marshall, who also had farming interests in Sutherland, Scotland.
In 1824 Adam Scott, a manager working on Atkinson and Marshallâs farming operation in Sutherland wrote to his employer Anthony Marshall for a reference to support his application to be Agent of the Australian Agricultural Company.
The Australian Agricultural Company was formed in 1824 following an inquiry into the use of colony land in New South Wales, Australia. Land, in the region of one million acres, considered to be waste land was identified as being suitable for agricultural development. The intention was to cultivate and farm the lands, using in part cheap convict labour, to produce fine merino wool which could be exported back to Britain.
When this request was made, Scott had been employed by Atkinson and Marshall for several years. The Atkinson and Marshall papers include some documents relating to the wages of shepherdâs and âmenâ working the Sutherland farms. Adam Scott first appears in the year Whitsunday 1818 to Whitsunday 1819 which details his annual salary as
A little more context to this is given in a document entitled âEmployment of Adam Scott, manager of Shin Farms, Sutherland, 26 May 1823 to 26 May 1824, working for Messrs. Atkinson and Marshallâ. Details of his salary or âagreement for servingâ are:
cash ÂŁ30
80 sheep grassed upon the farm
2 cows grassed all the year
1 cow grassed the summer half year
52 stones of meal [i.e. oatmeal]
Meal found for clippers; and Meal allowed for people who come to his house, upon business.
The sheep kept to be a fair proportion of ewes, yield sheep and hoggs.
To have a house kept, and his expenses paid, when from home, on business.
In August 1824 Anthony Marshall wrote about Adam Scottâs character and qualifications; it is clear from the correspondence that Marshall held Scott in high regard. Having learned of Scottâs âintention to offer himself as a candidate for the situation of agentâ, Marshall states that Scott has had âsole management of a very large sheep farm in Sutherlandâ for upwards of nine-years, suggesting that Scottâs employment predates the wage accounts above.
His character is described as:
â[he has] conducted himself in a way highly creditable to him and in every respect satisfactory to usâ
â[he has] much activity of body, and mind, and [is] capable of enduring great fatigue, he is sober, steadyâ
Scottâs abilities are also described:
âfor the management of a sheep farming concern of whatever extent, there is no man, with whom I have ever been acquainted, upon whose skill and conducting I would place greater confidenceâ
NRO 550/16
The confidence expressed by Anthony Marshall, however, did not appear to be shared by Adam Scott himself. The following month Scott wrote to Marshall stating that âthe person the company wants must be more a factor than a sheep farmer; and would require abilities and education such, as is not to be found in a humble individual like meâ. Scott goes on to express that he lacks the necessary experience; the role requires experience in business, land surveying, magistrates as well as employing subordinate agents and hundreds of labourers. Scottâs letter accompanies a more formal reference document in which he asks Marshall to be âcandidâ in his responses about his capabilities as he does not wish to âdeceive the company and obtain a situation, I am not able to fulfillâ.
The reference asks a range of questions relating to personal characteristics such as moral character, conduct in social life, temperate habits as well and capabilities to do the job in question. Marshall still praises Scottâs capabilities, but as requested also responds candidly:
âThoâ he [Adam Scott] has not had the advantage of a liberal education, he is, in my opinion, quite capable of conducting a correspondence, by letters; upon farming subjectsâ
âhe has not had much experience as an agriculturalist. But, as far as I have had an opportunity of judging, he perfectly understands the system, as it is practised in Scotlandâ
âAlmost the whole of his life having been occupied, as a farmer he can not be supposed to possess very much knowledge of general business; but he is in my opinion, very capable of acquiring itâ
â…as far as the rearing and management of sheep on the Companyâs objects â and as a steady, sober, active and persevering man, I can with confidency recommend himâ
Marshall concludes the reference by acknowledging that Scott lacks experience particularly in land surveying, as a magistrate and controlling subordinate agents and labourers. He also notes that Scott âhas not been accustomed to manage merino sheepâ, the breed of sheep being farmed in New South Wales as opposed to the Cheviot sheep farmed in the Sutherland farms.
We do not know what happened to Adam Scott next. Robert Dawson was the Chief Agent for the Australian Agricultural Company between 1824 to 1828. Whether Scott was successful in a âsubordinate positionâ or decided to remain in Scotland is unknown. The correspondence relating to the employment reference is the last to refer specifically to Adam Scott whilst working for Messrs. Atkinson and Marshall. There are documents that refer to âScottâ however, whether is this Adam or perhaps one of his brothers who also worked for Atkinson and Marshall? The only hint is a letter from Marshall to Thos. Scott in 1840 where he asks that âI beg to be remembered to…my old friend Mr. Adam Scott, when you see or write to himâ; suggesting that Adam Scott is unlikely to be in Australia!
The Atkinson and Marshall papers are still being listed, so the documents referred to do not have reference numbers yet. When completed, the online catalogue can be searched using terms âAdam Scottâ, âAustralian Agricultural Companyâ or âwage*â to locate the Reference Number.
For some reason or other the Girl Guide movement has never in the past been taken up as keenly in Berwick as the Boy Scout movement. There has been a company of Guides in the town for some years connected with St. Ronanâs School, but it was not until this spring that an effort was made to spread the movement and give the girls of the town the same advantage as have been extended to the boys for some years now. In February, mainly through the influence of the Rev. S. E. R. Fenning, County Scout Commissioner, eight girls in the town set to work to make themselves efficient âGuiders.â They have trained regularly every week, have gone whole-heartedly into the movement, and some time ago were enrolled by Mrs Milne Home, Paxton House, County Commissioner for Berwickshire. They also joined the Berwickshire Girl Guidesâ Camp at Cockburnspath during the summer, and being now trained, they are ready to take command of companies of Guides. A further step forwards the success of the movement in the town was made on Friday evening, when a meeting was held in the Council Chamber for the purpose of forming a Local Association. The Sheriff presided, and there was a good attendance present. Mrs Milne Home was present to explain the aims and objects of the Girl Guide movement, and the âGuidersâ in their smart navy uniforms were also present. Miss Lulu Thompson acting as Secretary and Miss Lettice Darling as Treasurer. The Rev. S. E. R. Fenning was also present and others who showed their interest. The âGuidersâ present were:- Misses J. peacock, Tweedmouth; L. Darling, Bondington; C. F. Grey, Moorside; A. Hogarth, Castlegate; H. Webster, Ravensdowne; L. Thompson, Bridge Street; and E. Edminson, Tweed Street. Miss L. Thompson, as Secretary, read a list of apologies from those who had promised to help with the movement. (full list within original newspaper article).
The Sheriff, introducing Mrs Milne Home, told the audience that the day before he had had the pleasure of entertaining the Boy Scout Commissioner from Berwick in Victoria, Australia, who had come across with 240 boys to the Jamboree at Wembley. Coming from Berwick, the naturally wanted to see the old Border town. In the course of conversation, they talked about the international Jamboree which had recently been held at Copenhagen, and Mr Redpath asked his visitor whether he considered it had been worth while. In reply the Commissioner from Berwick had remarked on the good fellowship which had, existed between the Scouts of the various nations, how Germans and French and boys from other nations had fraternised, and Mr Redpath was sure that with such good fellowship between the Scouts there was a better chance of a world peace.
Berwick Girl Guides, 1920’s. Ref No: BRO 1569/30
MRS MILNE HOME EXPLAINS THE AIMS
Mrs Milne Home, at the outset of her remarks, said it was very necessary to get the Girl Guide Movement in Berwick on to a good business footing. The Berwick Guides should properly be under the County of Northumberland, but as the county was so big and the organisation so large, it had been considered more advisable to do as the Boy Scouts had done, and work with Scotland. That was the reason why as County Commissioner for Berwickshire she was present to do what she could to help to form an Association. In outlining the aims of the movement, Mrs Milne Home remarked that one of the most unlooked for results of the war was the increased importance of womenâs work. They all knew how much women did to help; how they helped the Army, the navy, and the Air Force; how they became gardeners, worked in banks, and helped in many other ways. It seemed to her that in the very difficult years through which the country was passing that there was a more urgent necessity than ever that girls should be trained to do their very best for the country and for themselves. It was with this idea that Baden Powell started the movement, even in the days before the war.
Brownie Pack, 1960’s. Ref No: BRO 1852/1/186
One of the great aims of the Girl Guide movement was to encourage girls to develop in themselves, as girls were rather too inclined to run about in flocks and do what others did. The movement did not in any way aim at taking the place of school training, and they had such good schools in the North that they could not achieve the aims of the Guide movement in a better way than by working in co-operation with the schools. The very fact that the movement had so many members showed how well the system was working. The Girl Guides were a large and happy family of girls of all classes, creeds and politics. They were a very large family, as at the end of last year they numbered 585,000 Guides, in all parts of the world. There were a great many in this country all over the world, and they were of all ages from 7 up to 81. (Laughter). From 7 to 11 the girls were called âBrownies,â and at this age they were so keen that they must take a good deal of looking after. From 11 to 16 they are Girl Guides proper and were always very neat and tidy. After 16 the girls became Rangers, and Mrs Milne Home felt that it would be very useful if the Ranger movement could be started in Berwick, where there must be a good many girls of that age who were at a loose end to know what to do with themselves, girls in service who might be got to take an interest in the Rangersâ meetings, and be kept from the many dangers which beset young girls of that age.
People asked what girls did on becoming Guides. Each Guide, first of all, makes three promises:-
She promise to do her best to do her duty to God and King, which means that she will do her best to make her own little bit of the world a better and happier place; to work against everything bad and ugly and hateful, and to work for everything which is good, and happy and bright; to try to do her very best to live the life for which God put her into the world. She has to live up to her religion to bring her religion into everything, not only to go to church on Sunday, but to bring her religion into her daily life.
A Guide promises to help others at all times, and in order to do so has to live up to the Guide motto, âBe Prepared.â Especially must she help her home people first, and there are lots of ways in which she can do this. There is cooking, first aid, child nursing, sick nursing, and a great many other things like that. When a Guide can pass her tests in these things she gets proficiency badges. In addition to all these things and others that a girl in the town is likely to be interested in, there are also things which a girl in the country may be interested in, such as keeping chickens, bee keeping, writing, or even an authoressâs badge. There was not really anything which was likely to be of interest to girls in their lives for which tests could not be passed and badges obtained.
A Girl Guide had to promise to keep the Guide Laws, which Mrs Milne Home read to the gathering, explaining that they were practically the same as the Boy Scout Laws.
Mrs Milne Home further explained that girls who joined companies of Girl Guides were expected to attend the weekly meetings of the company. These meetings lasted about an hour or an hour and a half, and the Guides played and worked together very happily, never wasting any time, but even in games learning something and always trying to do the very best they could. Mrs Milne Home also explained that Guides were divided into Patrols, a Patrol consisting of from 3 to 16, but usually 3 to 8 girls. The girls in a Patrol usually choose their own leader, and leaders have a lot to do in the management of a company.
In conclusion, Mrs Milne Home, read extracts from a letter written by the Rev. R. W. de la Hey, in which he suggested that some of the existing Church organisations, which had for their object the bringing of young people together in fellowship, and training them to be good citizens, might be affiliated to the Girl Guides. Mrs Milne Home offered to answer questions if anyone wanted further information on the Guide movement.
The Rev. T. P. Allan said that those who hoped to form companies would like to know details as to expenses, class or children, etc. In reply Mrs Milne Home pointed out that there was no class in the Guide movement, this being one of the things which helped to make it such a tremendous success. So far as expenses were concerned these would be very little. The uniforms were paid for by the girls themselves, and in cases where a girl cannot afford to pay for her uniform all at once, she can pay it off by paying a small subscription each week. The belts and ties usually belong to the company, and when a girl leaves the Guides, these go back to the company. To purchase these the Guides need to have a small fund, and as they are not allowed to beg, they may get up some sort of entertainment to raise the funds.
The Rev. S. E. R. Fenning, Commissioner for the Boy Scouts, said he felt it was a very excellent thing to have a sister organisation in the same Borough. One of the great difficulties that the Scouts had had to contend with was the supply of officers. (Hear, hear.) This was a difficulty which had to be met in all voluntary work. He had found this a great difficulty since he took over from Major Tower Robertson, who had done such good work in the past. In regard to the Girl Guide movement, they would be very well situated in the initial stages, as they had so many excellent officers who were ready to go forward and take their part in the movement. There was Miss Thompson and the other ladies who had been working so hard since February and had made themselves efficient to take charge of the companies which were about to be formed. They had been through the mill and understood all that they would have to impart to the young people they would be in charge of in the future. They had attended the Berwickshire Camp at Cockburnspath, and Mr Fenning understood that they were so efficient as to be almost the âstar turn.â They were so good at pitching and striking tents that they had been asked to remain after to see to the clearing up of the tents. That spoke well for their efficiency. Mr Fenning stated he was very keen to have a company of Girl Guides in connection with St. Maryâs Church, and he suggested that one of the points the Association might consider, was whether it would be better to have Church companies or open companies, not definitely connected with Churches; whether they should have open troops or closed troops. He thought that this was one of the points that it would be as well to get decided at the outset, so that they could go forward knowing exactly where they stood. Mr Fenning expressed their indebtedness to Mrs Milne Home for her kind presence and the tremendous amount of thought, energy and care that she had expended on launching the Girl Guide movement in Berwick. (Applause).
Mr Allan referring to the question of open or closed companies, said that for Spittal, where they hoped to be able to organise a company it would have to be for the whole of Spittal. Mr Allan said he was struck by the rule of the Girl Guides which enjoined that they must âsmile under all circumstances.â This was a very hard rule â (laughter) â and he thought that he himself would have great difficulty to smile under certain circumstances. He also remarked on the rule that a Girl guide was expected to do her duty to God and man. he did not think that there was anything that required to be impressed upon the youth of our time more than duty. Duty and discipline were the great things lacking in the children of our time. If the Girl Guide movement could do anything to bring our young people to a sense of their duty, rather than a rush after pleasure it should do a great deal to help not only churches, but also the hoe life of our girls. It was most important to put duty to God first, as though the Girl Guide movement could not be regarded directly as a religious organisation, yet to have religion as the very centre of things must be a very great help to the movement. He hoped that they would be able to organise a company in Spittal, and that they would have one of the ladies who had trained as Captain. This work would, like every other kind of work of a similar character, depend for its success on the officers. If they got good officers, and a really efficient person at the head of a movement of this kind, it would succeed, but if they got inefficient people it would go down.
Girl Guides, Ref No: BRO 1852/1/178
Mrs Milne Home intimated that Miss McCreath had agreed to become District Commissioner for Berwick. (Applause.) as such Miss McCreath would act as Chairman of the Local Association. Miss McCreath was shortly going to America on a visit, and had suggested that she ought to withdraw, but Mrs Milne Home did not see any necessity for this, as during her absence, the Vice-Chairman could act. She explained that the objects of a Local Association were to encourage the movement and to help the companies if any funds were wanted. An executive committee would be appointed, but this had no control over Patrol funds. The executive committee would have to appoint a Badge Committee to examine Guides for their proficiency badges. Mrs Milne Home further explained that feeling the Berwick patrols would rather be called 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Berwicks, like the Scouts, and not have anything to do with Berwickshire, she had applied to headquarters in Scotland asking if this would be allowed. She had hoped to have had a reply before the meeting but unfortunately this had not come, but she felt that there would be no difficulty in regard to this. According to rules, however, it would be necessary for the Secretary of the Berwick Association to apply for literature, etc, through the Berwickshire County Secretary.
Girl Guides, Ref No: BRO 1852/1/179
ASSOCIATION FORMED
On a motion being put to the meeting that a Local Association be formed in Berwick this was unanimously carried. Miss Margery Holmes, bridge Street, agreed to act as Secretary to the Association, temporarily, and Miss M. Gray, Bankhill, was appointed Treasurer, and Miss Ruth Darling, Spittal, as Vice-Chairman. All those present at the meeting, those who had sent apologies, and those who had promised to help, were all elected members of the Association. The following were elected to form an Executive Committee: – Berwick: Miss Caverhill, Ravensdowne; Mrs S. E. R. Fenning, St. Maryâs Vicarage; and Mrs P. M. Henderson, Bankhill, Tweedmouth; Mrs J. Grey, Moorside House, and Miss M. Riddle, Turret Villa. Spittal: Mrs T. P. Allan, The Vicarage, and Miss Chisholm. The election of Vice-Presidents was left to the Executive Committee.
Mr Allan proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Milne Home and the Sheriff for presiding. The Sheriff had acted up to the Guide law, as he had smiled all through the meeting (Laughter.)
The Sheriff thought that Mrs Milne Home deserved a special vote of thanks. Without her presence at the meeting, they would not have been able to get the information they required.
Mrs Milne Home, in reply, admitted that though she had felt very nervous she had tried to keep the Girl Guide rule and âsmile every time.â (Laughter.)
