When I was in primary school, children were ‘given the sandshoe’ if they were naughty. The nervous child would lie over the teachers knee & would be whacked with a black canvas gym shoe. When I progressed to middle school, the chosen weapon was the black board duster! A certain ferocious teacher appeared to take great pleasure in throwing it at the head of any pupil who was talking in class. That thing would really hurt as it had a wooden edge, and you would often see children in the playground with a mark on their forehead and you instantly knew what lesson they had just come out of!
The cane or tawse (leather strap with one end split into a number of tails) were two of the most popular implements used to punish children and young adults. After looking through some of the books it became evident that punishments were often unfair and inconsistent. One child received eight strokes of the cane on their posterior for stealing while another was given the same treatment for simply being absent from church. Inconsistencies like this were common throughout many of the books I viewed.
Tawse NRO 11025
The tables below highlight some of the kinds of mischief juveniles ‘got up to’ and the type of punishment that was dispensed. All the punishment books in our collection have a 100-year closure period to protect the identity of the individuals. No names of children or young adults will be given.
Netherton Training School [North Eastern Reformatory]
YEAR
OFFENCE
METHOD OF PUNISHMENT
NUMBER OF STROKES
PART OF THE BODY
1907
Picking a lock with a knife
Tawse
Six
Posterior
1907
Destroying clothing
Cane
Eight
Hand
1908
Personal indecency in bed
Tawse
Eight
Posterior
1908
Suspicious conduct in bed
Cane
Eight
Hand
1908
Dropping a weaker boy in a pig trough
Tawse
Three
Posterior
1909
Scoffing at Jews
Cane
Six
Hand
1909
Eating food out of the pig bucket
Cane
Four
Hand
1914
Making up his wet bed knowing it to be wet after several warnings
Tawse
Nine
Posterior
Wellesley Training Ship
YEAR
OFFENCE
METHOD OF PUNISHMENT
NUMBER OF STROKES
PART OF THE BODY
1955
Absconding
Strap
Six
Posterior
1955
Breaking Bounds whist on leave
Strap
Eight
Posterior
1955
Brawling
Strap
Four-Eight
Posterior
1955
Stealing
Strap
Eight
Posterior
1956
Bullying
Strap
Six
Posterior
1958
Out of bounds at night
Strap
Four
Posterior
1958
Smoking in dormitory
Strap
Four
Posterior
School Punishment Books
SCHOOL
YEAR
OFFENCE
METHOD OF PUNISHMENT
NUMBER OF STROKES
PART OF THE BODY
Matfen County Primary
1901
Talking in class & copying
Strap
One
Hand
Matfen County Primary
1908
Pouring water over a boy’s head
Strap
Two
Hand
Amble St. Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic First School
1934
Careless & untidy work
Cane
Two
Hand
Amble St. Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic First School
1938
Ungentlemanly behaviour towards a female teacher
Cane
Four
Hand
Amble St. Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic First School
1969
Stealing from vending machine using plastic coins from the school
Cane
Three
Posterior
Brown Rigg Camp School
1979
Attempting to punch a member of staff
Strap
Two
Posterior
Brown Rigg Camp School
1979
Grafitti on desk
Strap
One
Hand
Brown Rigg Camp School
1984
Stealing a sharp knife from domestic science room & throwing the knife at a boy, penetrating the skin & drawing blood
While working from home I have had the opportunity to get to know some parts of the collection better than I would have if we had been in the office constantly over the last few months. However, being able to open the doors again and welcome visitors back to do their research is what Northumberland Archives is ultimately about. It is great being able to re-connect with colleagues and visitors on a face-to-face basis – even if that is behind layers of PPE and with a 2 metre gap!
At the Woodhorn site we re-opened in May, with staff returning a couple of weeks beforehand in their bubbles to start preparation. The work of the Archives Assistant begins only after our visitor has booked a timeslot to visit and had a discussion with an archivist about the availability of the documentation that they are interested in. In our bubbles, one team is responsible for retrieving items and the other for returning them, this allows for both secure storage and maintaining quarantine guidelines. It is more time consuming than it sounds, ensuring the correct item is located involves checking and checking again as any errors cannot be put right on the day. Everything has to be labelled so it is clear who has requested what, and who handled items last, not just the individual document but also the box or shelf it was removed from. After months of sitting at home, going up and down the stepladders and lifting boxes feels like a much-needed visit to the gym! The frequent cleaning of workspaces after use by colleagues and visitors is a new and necessary part of our role too. Safety is paramount.
The return to the office also means that we too can look at items within the shelves. We are encouraged to find things of interest and to share information about the county and its people with our social media followers. The long list of things that have peaked our individual interests over the last few months will finally get reviewed. So, keep your eyes open as hopefully some that will make its way online soon.
GENERAL MEETING FAVOURS STRENGTHENING TEAM BY INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS
SATISFACTORY ENDING TO A BAD FINANCIAL SEASON
NEW BLOOD FOR THE COMMITTEE
The Annual General Meeting of Berwick Rangers F.C. took place in the Commercial Room of the Union Hotel, Tweedmouth, on Tuesday evening, and, judging by the interest shown by the large gathering present, the Club may be sure of good backing in the endeavour which will be made to form a team second to none on the Borders. In the unavoidable absence of Councillor Alex. Darling, who had another meeting to attend, Councillor David Redpath presided, and, in a few remarks, trusted what would be done that night would be all for the good of the old club and for sport in the Borough. Apologies for absence were intimated from Mr R. R. Riddell and Mr P. Spowart, the latter stating that he hoped full use would be made of the talent to be found amongst young layers, and also advocating the appointment of a trainer. A letter was also read from the E. S. F. A. announcing the date of meeting, and it was agreed that Mr Riddell, Edinburgh, represent the Club as formerly.
BRO 1944-1-365-012 BERWCK RANGERS GROUND 1953
SECRETARY’S REPORT
M A. Neilson presented the Secretary’s report as follows:-
A very remarkable season, both as regards finance and from playing point of view, has been brought to a close, with a good credit balance in favour of the Club. Forty-three committee meetings have been held, and all have been well attended; and some hard work has been put in by many members to successfully carry through the season. Your Secretary, Mr P. Richardson, resigned during the season, and Mr A. Neilson was appointed to succeed him. The Club was severely handicapped at the beginning of the season by having to travel from home in re-played Cup ties. For the first time in the history of the Club, which was formed in 1881, the semi-final of the East of Scotland Cup Competition was reached. Four matches had to be played against Coldstream before the latter Club became victorious in the Consolation Cup. Your Committee approached the schoolmasters in the borough, with a view to resuscitation the Schools’ League, and a Joint Committee was formed. These matches have been very successful, as will be shown from the Treasurer’s report. The Ewart Cup has been the main stay of the Club financially, and keen competition was provided by the clubs entered. One thing marred this competition, and that was a player having his leg broken, for whom a benefit match was run by your Committee, which realised £35. Thanks are due to Councillor A. Darling, your President, for his interest in the club; to Mr Ralph Bradford for use of room for committee meetings; and to the players for their services throughout the season. Twenty-four games have been played during the season, of which nine have been won, eight lost, drawn seven; goals 48, against 44.
TREASURER’S SATISFACTORY REPORT
In presenting the financial statement, Mr R. Fuller said; I am delighted to state that the Club is now on a fair financial basis, having an actual balance cash credit of £62 14s 6d against a balance dr. of £10 7s 3d in the previous year. In addition to actual cash the Club is in receipt of material such as stakes, wire, goal-posts, nets, footballs, clothing, etc., all in fair condition. During the year the dressing-room has been put in order and made to meet the requirements of the Scottish Association, and in addition a table and seats have been purchased, the latter to enable the Club to run a small enclosure at matches. The field is in very good condition and well situated, but lacks sanitary arrangements, and this should be the first consideration of the new Committee.
BRO 1944/2676/011 CROWDS AT BERWICK RANGERS Vs GLASGOW RANGERS, 1960
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER INCLUSION OF PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS
Mr John Lough moved that the Committee be given full power to make the team for the coming season purely amateur, professional or semi-professional, which ever was considered the better way attaining a first-class eleven. Had the Club been able to keep the team going with which they started last season, the Club would have been in a better position, but that had not been possible. He suggested that if the Committee had power to sign on a few professionals, if they thought it necessary, the team could be kept up to strength and that would get support of the public.
Mr R. fuller supported, and said with a strengthened team they probably would reach the Scottish Cup proper next year, and that might mean a gate from £300 to £400. With a professional player or two upon whom the Club could rely, they would be able to carry on successfully. There were good men to be got cheaply in the district, and even if they had to pay £20 to these professional players in an important match, they would still have a balance in hand from each game.
Mr Lyal Irvine thought they might even go a step further and make it a purely professional team. With a mixed team they might find their “good amateurs” wanting the same pay, and if they did not get it they would drop out of the team. He did not think the Club need go in for anything elaborate in the way of “big pay men,” but he thought at a moderate figure they might get a good team guaranteed to turn out very week. He did not suggest that they go outside the district for players. The Ewart Cup had shown that there were plenty good men to be had, and if any of these men wished to play and remain amateurs they could do so, or if they preferred to receive some recompense they could become “pros.”
The Chairman said things had been working towards this for a long time, and if they were going to get the best players n the district they would probably have a right good team which would command support. The matter should not be a great expense to the Club as none of the men would be on big pay, and they could always have any amateur members’ who did not wish to be paid for their services.
BRO 1944/1/6852/038 BERWICK RANGERS TEAM, 1977
The proposal that the Committee have full powers in the matter was unanimously agreed to.
Mr Fuller proposed that the cost of the membership ticket to be 7s 6d per year instead of 5s, explaining that last year the membership cards were not stamped for entertainment tax, and the Club had lost heavily in issuing entertainment tax tickets to card holders. Mr Redpath thought the best way would be to charge 2s 6d per annum for nominal membership, without any benefits of free admission, and members would then have to pay for their admission and for tax the same as anyone else. The latter suggestion was remitted to the Committee to consider.
Mr Elder thought the Committee should consider the question of joining the Northumberland Association another season, but after several members had pointed out that the team would have to travel just as far as now to meet good teams, and that there was no chance of getting into the North Eastern League, the matter dropped. The meeting concluded with the usual votes of thanks.
