Northumberland Archives will close at 3PM on the following dates to allow for essential building work.
Wed 29th April
Thu 30th April
Fri 1st May
Wed 6th May
Thu 7th May
Fri 8th May
From Wednesday 27th April, Berwick Record Office is revising its opening hours and its procedures.
The office will open on Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9.30 to 12.45 and 2.00 to 4.45. As original documents are not kept on site, these must still be booked in advance either via Eventbrite – or e-mailing berwickarchives@northumberland.gov.uk . If you haven’t got an Archives card, please apply for one here – https://www.archivescard.com/
Visitors wanting to consult our family history resources or ask for advice can just turn up on our open days and we will do our best to help you.
All cases admitted to the County Lunatic Asylum are sad but occasionally, there can be patients sent there who are unidentified. One such case was patient number 1821 who was received on 26 June 1891. The image above shows that sadly, his name is unknown. The only information included is that he appears to be about 40 years old and is classed as dangerous to others as he has pointed a knife at a person who went near him. A Police Constable named PC Ross, found the gentleman at Chirton Hill Farm on 25 June 1891. He was found cutting into a gate with a pen knife then casually pointing the knife at anybody who went near him. It was evident that he had been wandering and could give no account of himself.
The asylum case book states that he stands staring with a vacant look and the medical team have been unable to get any information as he won’t speak. He has all the appearance of chronic dementia and when he thinks nobody is looking, he swallows any piece of paper he finds on the floor. He has the appearance of having suffered from exposure and starvation as he looks haggard and worn out and his pupils are unequal. He either could not or would not stand during his examination without the aid of an Attendant. He would not open his mouth or allow the doctor to examine his chest. He appears quite stupid and refuses to do anything asked of him. He also refuses to take food in any form and when awake, he lies staring vacantly in front of him. He apparently understands some of the things said to him as he occasionally nods or shakes his head.
27 June 1891 – After having a bath yesterday, he was put to bed and an attempt made to give him some warm milk. Great difficulty was experienced and most of it was spilt. Beef tea was also tried at intervals but with little success. He seemed to be in no pain but inclined to sleep. At 9.30pm, the Medical Officer visited and found him looking flushed with hot, dry skin. There is still a struggle to examine the chest and lungs, but the doctor has asked for them to be wrapped in wool with flannel over it. He is prescribed beef tea and milk with some whisky every hour or whenever the Attendants can get him to swallow it. At 6pm, his breathing is shallow and pulse feeble. He is not to be moved from his bed and a ‘Special Attendant’ is put on duty to observe him during the night.
28 June 1891 – The Attendant had difficulty to get anything past his lips. He was more restless and seemed inclined to get over the edge of the bed. He slept at intervals during the night and took about 1.5 pints of milk and beef tea with whiskey as ordered. He moans a good deal, but nothing can be understood. Once, he attempted to speak, but quite incoherently.
Patient died at 2.45pm this afternoon. Cause of death:
Phthisis Pulmonalis
Acute Pneumonia
Children were also admitted to the asylum and resided with adults. One eight year old boy was received on 19 October 1893 from Tynemouth Workhouse. He is classed as an idiot since birth and has had no education. He is a danger to others due to his habit of biting children. He has no comprehension of questions, laughs and makes inarticulate sounds. He can’t talk and has no understanding. He laughs, crys, gurgles and chuckles to himself like an infant. He labours under idiocy, can’t speak and is incapable of taking care of himself. His intelligence does not correspond with his age. In bodily health he is good and is clean and well nourished.
31January 1894 – This patient remains unchanged in all respects. He is in good health, but beyond a repetition of former notes nothing can be noted.
22July 1895 – He is as idiotic as ever. He plays with a bell.
26December 1896 – This child is looking rather poorly in the ward today and was sent to the infirmary. His chest was examined, and localised patches of dullness were found on the left side. His breathing was shallow and very rapid, he has a short, hard cough. His temperature is 103.4. His chest has been enveloped in cotton wool. He is a good deal flushed and very restless.
16 February 1897 – His temperature is 101.8 today. This morning his milk returned through his nose. His throat was examined and there was a large quantity of creamy pus at the back of the mouth and in the larynx. His lips are dry and crusted and over the last few days the nurse had removed some blood clots from inside his mouth.
17 February 1897 – This boy has broncho-pneumonia with capillary bronchitis. He is having whisky, two teaspoon full doses every two hours. It was noted by the night nurse that his breathing was more laboured. The doctor was called, and ether administered. His chest showed severe evidence of pneumonia. Whisky and milk are being administered every hour, but swallowing is performed with great difficulty. Patient gradually sank and passed away at 3.40pm.
It is stated that the cause of death was Diphtheria. When I was reading the case book, I was heartened to see that this young workhouse boy did not die alone. The notes show that Nurse Kelly was by his side.
The patient case books held by Northumberland Archives only begin in 1890 but we also hold admission registers beginning in 1859 when the asylum opened. One entry that caught my eye was for a lady called Mary Anderson who was admitted with dementia on 29 October 1867 at the ripe old age of 98! Her previous place of abode was Rothbury Workhouse but it does not indicate how long she lived in this institution. Sadly, she died in the asylum on 27 January 1868.
The last of the series of debates on Town Development held under the auspices of Berwick Debating Society was held in the Parochial Hall on Wednesday night, when Ald. Thos. Wilson presided over a good attendance.
Early 1900s photograph of the High Street, from the Scotsgate Arch. BRO 1636-2-9
In introducing Mr D. Boyd, Borough Sanitary Inspector, who led the debate, Ald. Wilson said after hearing Mr Paterson’s address he considered himself a back number. He had always thought himself progressive but he found himself hopelessly left in the progressive views put forward. He knew Mr Boyd to be one of Berwick’s progressives, and he felt sure his address would be productive of an interesting and helpful discussion.
THE DISCUSSION
Mr Jos. Seals again drew a fanciful picture of Berwick in 1962, picturing villas, detached and semi-detached, out ny the North Road and Halidon Hill, with avenues between, named after local business men. Tommy the Miller’s field and the Shambles Braes he saw turned into the “askew Cliff Gardens” with bands playing and crowds walking on a new Road night and day. (Laughter) A palatial hotel he saw rise on the site of the Academy, built by an enterprising native of the town, to be known as the Hotel Coffteako. His remarks produced great hilarity and in conclusion he remarked that though his description was a purely imaginary one, there was no reason why the town should not have some of the attractions he had sketched. (Applause)
Berwick Rowing Club Boat House and the New Road BRO 0426-440
Mr Davis, West Street, spoke in favour of developing the town as a health resort. The picture drawn by Mr Seals was not too farfetched. The day might yet come when Mr Seals would be looked upon as the prophet of Berwick. (Laughter) He advocated that the town should be advertised, and boomed in centres with large populations.
Capt. J. E. Carr thought the idea of cooperating with other centres on the Borders was a good one. Berwick was the natural outlet and the harbour only required a little development, a little deepening, to make it the place where the produce of other centres could be out on ship. Since the railway companies had been grouped Berwick had its opportunity. It was a sort of key place which offered the outlet for the Border district and cause railway competition. (Applause)
Councillor Dickinson spoke in support of the points raised by Mr Boyd, and at the close of his remarks said the town could never extend while confined with its walls. Yet when the initial step was taken to make an outlet through the ramparts at Wallace Green a petition was got up and actually furthered by one of the local newspapers, from which, he said, “I believe it actually eminated.” The other paper remained neutral. (Laughter)
Councillor Edminson suggested that much could be done to further the housing schemes of the Borough if everyone who could afford it subscribed say £50 with the object with the object of forming a building society. So far as she saw, the fault in, Berwick was that everything had been taken out, of it in past years and nothing put in. She was against the spoiling of the Walls by breaking clean through. The Wall’s were the town’s greatest asset. Thousands of visitors came to Berwick and if they spent at least £1 per head, it meant some £25,000 into the tills of the tradesmen of Berwick, as fully 25,000 people came in the summer season. She thought nothing should be done to destroy something which certainly attracted visitors.
Mr Robert Carr supported the paper so far, but in regard to the making Berwick a centre for sheep slaughter and its allied trades, he did not think this would ever develop to any extent.
Councillor Campbell and Mr R, K. Gaul spoke in favour of keeping alive the enthusiasm which had been shown at the development meetings held, and the latter moved that a message be sent from the meeting to the Council to the effect, the “the meeting unanimously approved of the adoption of a scheme of housing and town planning as advocated by Mr Patterson and pledging themselves to support the Council in putting it into effect.”
Mr Jos. Seals seconded, and it became the finding of the meeting.
Ald. Wilson wound up the debate and in the course of a few remarks said duty of the inhabitants did not end when they paid their rates. There was a duty incumbent on every man and woman to do something to try and make the Borough a better place to live in. He hoped as a result of these meetings an organisation would spring up which would cooperate with and help the Town Council in forwarding the development of the Borough.
WORKERS’ UNION AT WOOLER
IS THE SATURDAY HALF-HOLIDAY TO REMAIN
At the monthly meeting on Saturday night this branch affiliated with the Berwick-on-Tweed Division Labour Party and appointed Mr R. Handerson as its representative, Mr Borrell announced that the General Secretary (Mr Chas. Duncan) would speak at the Wooler Gala on June 26th, and that Mr Neil Maclean, M. P., member of the Workers’ Union Executive for Division 6, which includes North Northumberland, would pay a visit shortly and address a public meeting, probably in Berwick. With regard to the attack on the Saturday half-holiday, they must understand that it was the employers themselves who proposed that they should work the longer hours to November 11th and again from February 11th to compensate for the shortest days in the middle of winter, and to give an average 48-hour week for the four winter months. The as the best arrangement they could make to get the 48-hour week under daylight conditions, and they should stand to their agreement.
Wooler Ref: BRO 0426/626
The trouble over the hours arose from a misunderstanding about working up the breakfast and tea intervals allowed in the field. These intervals were quite a recent innovation, and there was a strong feeling among the workers that these breaks should not be worked up as the worker never left his duties. When the Union agreed to work up the tea time many members strongly objected, and the tea time was dropped on many farms and had not been revived. Possibly the breakfast time would go the same way. In any case each farm had better settle its own domestic arrangements as long as they kept to the agreed hours, but if they agreed to any increase they would be keeping some of their members out of employment.
