General

In December 2015 Northumberland Archives was awarded a grant of £14850 by The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust to undertake conservation work on an important series of deeds in our care. The collection, known as the Swinburne Charters, form part of the collection of papers of the Browne-Swinburne family, the main collection of which was deposited with our service in 1962. The Charters are a collection of 758 early deeds, charters and papers of the Swinburne family of Capheaton covering the period, 1172-1714.

Up until the time of Reformation the Swinburne family played an important part in affairs in Northumberland, the wider border area and in North Wales. Influence waned after the Reformation when the family retained their Roman Catholic faith. Documents included in the collection provide an insight into some of the difficulties faced by a prominent Roman Catholic family arising from its recusancy in the 17^th century, particularly during the Civil War as well as into medieval ecclesiastical matters. Much of the collection is significant in charting the history of the English/Scottish border area up to and beyond the Union of the Crowns in 1603. The Swinburne family were significant players in the economic and political life of the area and the governance of the Border Marches – the tempestuous buffer zone area created in 1249 in an attempt to control the English/Scottish border. As an example, the collection includes papers relating to a meeting between the officers of the English And Scottish Marches at Kershope Bridge at the end of the 14^th century. Items of particular interest include twelve 13^th century charters of the Kings and Queens of Scotland, one of which appears to be a 13^th century forgery. The collection is therefore significant to the history of both England and Scotland.

The collection also includes material relating to the history of Wales – documents relating to the rebellion of Owen Glendower – Sir William Swinburne was a follower of the Duke of Northumberland – 1399-1402. These include an order to proclaim the general pardon to the rebels in 1400 by King Henry V. Also of interest is content relating to overseas conflicts. This includes agreements of 1374 as to the wages and division of booty between a lesser captain and his men at arms in the war in France and Brittany.

The charters are currently mounted into seven volumes with Victorian bindings. The bindings are inappropriate. The paper onto which items are mounted is acidic and some of the documents have been damaged as a result of folding and creasing. The volumes will be disbound, surface cleaned and residues removed. Parchment documents will be dry pressed, humidified where necessary, paper and parchment repair will be undertaken and seals cleaned and repaired where necessary. Documents will be rehoused in custom made folders and boxes and seal bags as appropriate. Following repair each item will be digitized and digital images of each item will be appended to our online catalogue. As our project progresses we will provide updates on progress.

The National Manuscripts Conservation Trust was established in 1990 by the British Library and the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. It is the only UK grant-giver that focuses solely on the care and conservation of manuscripts in the UK. We are very grateful for the support of the Trust for our project.

The image below is of the earliest document in the collection – Grant of William, King of Scotland, to Reginald Prath of Tindale [Tynedale] his squire of the third part of the township of Haluton [Haughton] with all appurtenances in the woods, fields, meadows, pastures, moors, marshes, streams, ponds, mills, fisheries, vineries, and all other liberties and easements. It is dated 1172 but is believed to be a 13^th century copy. The grant bears a fragment of the Great Seal of the King William.

James White was born in 1916 son of William James White and Mary Jane Chrisp of 113 Rosalind Street, Ashington.  He was baptised on 4^th January 1917 at Seaton Hirst St. John and went on to work at Woodhorn Colliery before joining the Army on the outbreak of the Second World War.

James enlisted in the 1^st Battalion Tyneside Scottish (Black Watch) where he became Private James White, 4459525, and found himself in France during the retreat to Dunkirk in May 1940.  It seems that the 1^st Battalion had deployed as part of the British Expeditionary Force [BEF], and were tasked with the construction of airfields

[see http://www.tynesidescottish.org/history/ts-ww2].  As the German army advanced, the 1^st Battalion formed a blocking position at Ficheux, near Arras, which they held for several hours, enabling many men to reach the Dunkirk beaches, before withdrawing themselves.

James didn’t make it home on the retreat and subsequent evacuation.  He was reported as missing, and it wasn’t until 1942 that he was officially declared ‘Killed in Action’.

He died on 20^th May 1940, aged 23 years, and was buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux.  His grave is one of 39 within the cemetery whose location could not be properly identified, so is marked ‘Buried Near This Spot’.  The verse that was put on the gravestone is heartbreakingly apt:

A grave unknown

Across the sea

Is where our thoughts

Will always be

Sadly, James’ parents and siblings were never able to visit the grave, and the story of his service and subsequent death were shrouded in mystery.  It wasn’t until his great niece searched for his name on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website that the family finally began to unravel the stories that had been told.  Although no-one in the family is alive who knew him, he is still remembered amongst the current generation who visit his grave regularly.

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.”

Laurence Binyon, 1914

Life inside the workhouse was designed to be difficult in order to act as a deterrent and ensure that only the truly destitute would apply. The common image portrayed is of inmates having bread and gruel, wearing uncomfortable coarse uniforms and doing heavy manual labour such as stone breaking. The Minute Books for Morpeth and Hexham Workhouses reinforce that life was hard but they also provide evidence that staff and patrons were often kind and provided treats and entertainment for paupers and were concerned about their health and welfare.

Public holidays were declared for the Coronation of Edward VII and inmates at Morpeth Workhouse were given a roast beef dinner and tarts on the 26th June 1902 and a tea on the following day. In conjunction with the Coronation, children at Hexham workhouse were given mugs as a souvenir. The mugs were gifted by Sir John Swinburne and a vote of thanks to him is documented in the Minute Book on 8th July 1902.

The Minute Book entries below prove that Christmas and New Years Day dinners were given to pauper inmates and that other treats were allowed to be brought into the workhouse. Rich patrons often donated gifts of beer, biscuits and mince pies which were gratefully excepted. This was advantageous as it meant that paupers were provided with treats that did not have to come out of Union funds.

 

This Minute Book entry from December 1903 records a cheque being received at Morpeth Workhouse from a Mr Anderson for the purpose of providing some ‘creature comforts’ on New Years Day.

 

Workhouse inmates were also given treats at Easter. One such instance is recorded in the Hexham Guardian Minute book on 18th March 1902 when it is recommended that paupers have the usual outing on Easter Monday afternoon from 1pm to 5.30pm. Unfortunately it does not state where they were going to. Inmates received entertainment within the workhouse as an entry in the Hexham Minute Book on 11th December 1900 shows that paupers were treated to a magic lantern entertainment show by Mr James, Mr Shield and their assistants.

 

There were many children living in the workhouse. If an able-bodied man was admitted then his whole family had to join him. Orphans and abandoned children often ended up in the workhouse and many were in ill health. Children were also placed in homes which often provided a more comfortable environment for them to live in. The extract below shows an entry from December 1904. The Medical officer at a home in Cullercoats recommends that a child named Rose Foster, aged 6, should have a change of air at Rothbury for a month or two. Although the child is resident in Cullercoats, the Guardians of Morpeth Union contributed to her maintenance so needed to give their permission for her to reside in another area. The Guardians must have been concerned about her state of health as they agreed to the request. Care for inmates is also evident at Hexham workhouse as an entry for December 1900 records a request to give the old and sick women tea and provide oranges for children. The request was later approved.