Berwick Advertiser – 100 years ago

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 2ND OCTOBER 1924

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BORDER MEN AND THEIR BUSINESSES

Berwick Journal and North Northumberland New Special Series

MESSRS KNOX BROS., ELECTRICIANS, BERWICK

“Light, and yet more Light!” That is the cry in these modern times. People cannot get too much of it – some dearly love the dazzling glare of the spot light – but the poor, old out-of-dater, and others, who lived the simple life in far off by-ways, still stumble and stave their toes in the darkness.

But there is a good time a-coming for these dear folks. No more need they nurse their knees in the dim light of the ingle neuk, or pore over the prophets and proverbs of the auld, auld book by the flickering blink of a smoky, ill-smelling, greasy oil lamp or the uncertain glow of the tallow dip. There’s a good time coming, John! Messrs, the Patent Lighting Co., Ltd., New Broad Street, London, have invented and put on the market, a new electric lighting plant, which can be rigged up quite handy in the back yard, and provide ample light for 20 to 30 watt Electric Lamps.

These are great days of progress! One could not have credited such a thing, even a few years ago, but there it is! A few miles from the centre of old Berwick town, just a step beyond the bounds at Canty’s, Mr Robert H. Knox, of Knox Bros., Electrical Engineers, Bridge Street, Berwick, demonstrated this most clearly. Mr Knox is the sale agent for the North of England and the South of Scotland for the Patent Lighting Co. He has had installed in a small bungalow on the banks of the Whitadder a standard electric lighting plant for demonstrating purposes to possible clients.

Knox Bros, Electrical Shop, Bridge Street, Berwick dated 1959. Ref: BRO 1250-134

The main features of this plant are simple, in fact, they are actually, what one might describe as “fool proof.” The owner of the installation needs no mechanical knowledge, whatever the generating system, like the humble bee, gathers its electric current in a simple automatic way. A standard, made of special, hard creosotic wood, about 16 feet high, is firmly planted in the ground, and supported by four strong steel “guys” to the ground. On the top of the standard is the dynamo, attached to which is a propeller, consisting of two blades, fashioned, from 3 ply mahogany, like the propeller of an airplane. These blades are about 3ft. square, and the span is about 8ft. Everything connected with the propeller is worked on the ball-bearing principle so that all that is required is a little grease, now and then, to keep them running.

Fitted to the propeller is a “governor”-vane. Like most governors we know, this governor takes care, when one gets the “wind up” rather nasty, that no pranks can be played by the propeller. When the wind rises to a speed of over 25 miles an hour, the vane is automatically thrown over and turns the blades of the propeller so that they are edge on to the wind. This allows the dynamo to work at a nominal speed.

The dynamo which works on a bevelled gear begins to generate on a wind of from 5 to 7 miles per hour – just the slightest of puffs. The dynamo is connected by wires to a Ventimotor Switchboard. This is an important part of the outfit. It is nicely proportioned and takes up little room, yet it is strongly made of iron and so securely fastened that inquisitive, little fingers could not tamper with it. The voltage is shown in a simple manner by colour bands, the white band showing when fully charged (30 volts). When the dynamo is out of action there is an automatic “cut off” which prevents the electric current, generated in the batteries, from flowing back to the dynamo. Thus, while preventing any mischance to the dynamo, it also provides a store of current for a windless day.

The batteries (12 cells) are also constructed on a simple plane. There is no occasion for testing with volt meters. Each cell has a gravity ball, showing clearly the state of the battery. These batteries are guaranteed a storage sufficient to supply a lighting system from 8 to 10 days with recharging. As there is scarcely a day passes without a capfull of wind, there seems to be no doubt of an ample lighting system. Calm days moreover generally occur when the light of day is in its plenitude.

The cost of these plants is estimated to be about £140. This outlay covers all the initial cost, and, thereafter, the upkeep is a mere bagatelle – a matter of a handful of grease each month. The lamps used are the ordinary 30 candle power type which with an appropriate reflector, has sufficient power to light a large room. Larger plants can be supplied, if necessary, but this stock size is more than ample for the farmer’s needs.

MR ROBERT H. KNOX

Mr Robert H. Knox, the sole partner now of Knox Bros., is a young Berwick man, who gives promise of going far in the electrical trade still at the dawning stage. Educated at Berwick Grammar School, Mr Knox in his school days showed a proclivity for football, favouring the carrying code. He, however, had little time to spend on Britain’s playing fields. Of a mechanical bent, he served his apprenticeship with the Berwick and District Electrical Supply Co.

Like so many more of our young lads, Mr Knox saw active service in the Great War. He was in the very thick of the fighting and came through many a ghastly carnage. Enlisting into the Machine Gun Corps, he was a unit in that desperate fight at Delville Wood on the Somme River. What a carnage was there! It was a death trap! Out of the whole company that went into that fight, only 17 survived the day. Robert Knox was one of those, shall we say, lucky ones, who came through. But he did not come scatheless. He found himself transported to hospital in the south of England. There was more adventure awaiting this Berwick lad. He was transferred, after recovery, to the Tank Corps in 1916. In 1917 he was back once more in the holocaust, this time at Cambrai. In November 1917, came that stupendous feat of arms, which spell bound the nations of the world. The “impregnable” Hindenburgh Line was battered and broken through by the attack of the “Tanks”. Mr Knox took part in that engagement, and in that heroic achievement. What an experience to come through! But Mr Knox does not care to dwell upon that. He says he prefers to forget the war!

Returning to civil life again, he completed his electrical training with the Supply Co. at Berwick. But he had still to adventure in life, this time in business life. He started the business of an electrical engineer in partnership with his brother Douglas, as Knox Brothers in Bridge Street, Berwick, in March 1921. The partnership was split, however, two years ago, his brother going into the motor trade in London. Mr Knox is now sole partner and has gradually developed the business to its present high state of utility. He specialises in lighting, heating, and power electric plants, and at present, he has the contract for the installation of the electric light plant in the buildings of the Liverpool and Martin Bank in Hide Hill, Berwick, which are under reconstruction. Mr Knox is the official agent in the North of England for the C. A. V. Coy., Ltd., Acton, London, and, in his works, repairs C. A.V. batteries and fits new plates. He makes a feature of the equipment of Wireless sets of all kinds, and being an expert in that branch of electricity, the novitiate in the “listening in “pastimes is in safe hands when he trusts Mr Knox for his crystal or valve set. Mr Knox will only rest content when he has positive proof that the best possible results are obtained. In his premises is an experimenting wireless call station – official call No. 5IP – on which he makes frequent tests for wave lengths, etc. A tireless worker – from early dawn to dewy eve – he is ever at the beck and call of them he serves. With him the old saw is gospel truth – “It is never TOO LATE to MEND!”

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 4TH SEPTEMBER 1924

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THE GIRL GUIDE MOVEMENT IN BERWICK

LOCAL ASSOCIATION FORMED

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. Ronan’s 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 “Guiders.” 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 Guides” 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 “Guiders” 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 “Guiders” 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 women’s 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 “Brownies,” 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 Rangers’ 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:-

  1. 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.
  2. A Guide promises to help others at all times, and in order to do so has to live up to the Guide motto, “Be Prepared.” 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 authoress’s 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.
  3. 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.

Berwick Girl Guides outside Berwick Grammar School, 1963. Ref No: BRO 1944/1/3636/45

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 “star turn.” 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. Mary’s 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 “smile under all circumstances.” This was a very hard rule – (laughter) – 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. Mary’s 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 “smile every time.” (Laughter.)

BERWICK JOURNAL, 31ST JULY 1924

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NORHAM CASTLE HISTORY

At the annual summer outing of the Melrose Literary Society to Norham, the following paper on the position of Norham Castle in history and romance prepared by Mr J. E. Fairbairn was read in his absence by Mrs Drummond:-

The habit of this Society in selecting for its annual outing some place famous in literary annals has on this occasion again been amply justified and maintained, for today we meet mot only on the scene of one of the greatest and most stirring poems in the whole range of English literature, but on the banks of that river which had been such a fruitful source of inspiration for many a poet’s fancy. Throughout his life there was no river which appealed to Scott like the ever dear Tweed: he knew it in every aspect, it was his joy to ride its  most dangerous fords, to light its dark waters at night with the flame of the salmon lusterer, or to dream beneath a tree above its flowing waters, and on that memorable afternoon to the music of its ripple he fell asleep. It was only natural therefore that he should have selected the castled steep of Norham, flanked by the fine sweep of the river as the scene of his fresh and galloping poem of Marmion. Did it ever occur to you how I each of his three best known poems Scott weaves his story round some hoary castle on a romantic river bank. In “The Day” it is Newark and Yarrow, in “Marmion” Norham and Tweed, and in the “Lady of the Lake” the final scene occurs in Stirling on the Forth. Most of “Marmion” was composed on horseback, and the cantos ring with the sound of hoof and the jingling of bridle and spur. The preparation for the writing of “Marmion” began with his childhood’s years round the old tower of Smailholm when the love of martial tales was so early implanted in his breast and never ceased to grow until it reached its full maturity. While Scott found the inspiration of the poem in the old story of the feuds between the two Kingdoms with all its accompanying throng of gallant knights and ladies fair, he wove into the still older tale of love between man and maid, and it contains also a fine outburst of enthusiasm for his native city of Dunedin.

Norham Castle on the Tweed. Ref: BRO 515/178

Norham, as you can see, has been something more than an ordinary Border peel tower, and in the height of its glory must have been a place of great dimensions. With its double moat and strong fortifications, it looks as if it would be almost impregnable against attack, while its high and massive walls, even in their decay, are grim and forbidding and suggest defiance to all. This great fortress, set down as it were to over awe a Kingdom, was begun by Ralph Flambard, Bishop of Durham, in 1121, and was completed about 1170 under the succeeding Bishop, Hugh Pudsey, reminding us that in these early days the ecclesiastics, while members of the Church militant, took part also in another form of warfare. Its purpose was to ward off the turbulent and aggressive Scot of the North and was the great Border fortress in charge of the warlike Bishop of Durham. The river in broad volume washes on two sides of the high rock on which it stood in all its grandeur. Within the inner wall stood the massive square keep or donjon of Flambard Pudsey’s days, originally 95 feet in height, and still as a ruin not much less. Norham was the last point to the north of the province of Northumberland, and it eyed the opposite heights of Ladykirk and the Scottish Border with perfectly equipped defiance, and commands even today a view of the distant Lammermuirs to the north, and the triple peaks of the Eildons to the west. Round it cluster important movements in English and Scottish history from the time of King John to James IV. At the head of the island in the river is the ford where James was nearly carried away, and where he made the vow that issued in the building of Ladykirk. The importance of Norham ceased with the union of the Crowns in 1603, when its last Governor, Sir Robert Cary, rode from London to Holyrood in two days to hail James VI.  as Monarch of two Kingdoms. It still frowns across the Merse and carries us in thought back to the days of chivalry when the holding of its great sandstone keep was a gage of knightly honour.

Norham Castle, Harvest Time. Ref: BRO 515/179

Though day set long ago on the living glory of its castled steep the fame of the deeds done there in ancient days is not likely to be forgotten. Its walls still ooze history, and thanks to the genius of a master hand it rises again in all its ancient glory so that its denizens of former times become to us a living presence. Looking on its broken battlements as they yellow in the western blaze we are seeing it in that same golden glory under which Marmion sought its walls. In our mind’s eye we can still see that errant knight in all his panoply and pride come riding o’er the hill. We can still hear the steady tread of the warder on the turret high, and across the calm air of the evening there comes to us a snatch of that ancient Border gathering song. The form of the witching lady Ford still flits across the scene, bearing heavy on her soul the fate of Flodden Field, and with the wail for the Flowers o’ the Forest causing unrest to her spirit. The doughty King James, directing the destinies of battle looms large on Piper’s Hill, and under burden of a mental and more grievous weight than his ponderous iron belt. It is a far cry from Norham to the Scottish capital, but there still comes to us the news of battle ringing down its cobbled streets, and we see the haggard form of Randolph on his weary steed, the sole survivor of that mighty host which but a week before had gathered on the Burgh muir. It is pictures like these and many others that the once proud but now dismantled towers of Norham suggest and conjure up before us. The waters which wash its walls have flowed through a hundred scenes famous in history, renowned in romance, and garlanded with song, past many a roofless Border peel, and before the river loses itself in the bosom of the eternal sea it lingers for a while round this the last of the landmarks on her hundred miles of water way. Norham carries us back to the days of chivalry, and few castles of that period display more of their strength than this stronghold not only so, but that quality also shone, though in a fitful and a fading gleam across the ridge of Flodden.

Norham Castle, Evening. Ref: BRO 515/181

The massive ruin still keeps ward upon the Border side, and Castle and Church and village alike are full of reminiscences of history and romance. Hither in 1318 there came from Lincoln an actual Sir Wm. Marmion, helmed with gold, it is said, under pledge to win his lady love by defending Norham for a year and day. Alas, h however, for the gallant, for the Scots Borderers proved too warlike for him, and he lost his gage, his lady and his life in a single ambuscade. Here in May, 1291, Edward I met the Wardens of Scotland to arrange the succession to the Scottish crown, and thus sowed the seeds of the dire wars of Succession in the northern Kingdom. And it was on the green meadows opposite that in June of the same year the great nobles of Scotland, took upon the gospels, the oath of allegiance to the English King. But these and other actual historical events sink into comparative insignificance with the romantic episodes associated with Norham. In the Abbotsford gallery of fame the haughty crest of Marmion and the abiding love of Clare occupy honoured and important niches, and it is round them that there has been woven that story of glamour and romance which will enshroud the castled steep of Norham until the last day has set upon its battlements and towers.

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