General

This blog has been written by Dee Love, one of the volunteers on our maternity care project. Project volunteers are researching maternity care in Northumberland with particular focus on Castle Hills Maternity Home, Berwick, and Mona Taylor Maternity Home, Stannington. The project is supported by the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Bright Charity and the Northumberland Archives Charitable Trust. We will post more blog content from the project over the coming months.

Margery Taylor was born on 11th January 1883 at Chipchase Castle. She was the second child of Mona and Thomas Taylor. Her father Thomas was a wealthy mine owner and was also a County Alderman and a magistrate. Her mother Mona was a campaigner for women’s suffrage.

There is no doubt that Margery had a privileged childhood. The 1891 census records a long list of staff at Chipchase including a governess who would have been responsible for Margery’s education. Her mother’s involvement in the campaign for women’s rights begs the question did she support her daughter’s education outside the home? 

In 1934 Margery was elected to Northumberland County Council representing the ward of Humshaugh. Northumberland County Council was established on 1st April 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888. It was preceded by a number of district councils. For most of the twentieth century Northumberland’s County Hall was situated within an enclave of Northumberland in the Moot Hall precincts within the County Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne where Margery would have attended meetings. In 1974, when Newcastle became part of Tyne and Wear, the leaders of the Country Council decided they needed a purpose built County Hall in the country of Northumberland. The new building in Morpeth opened in 1981.

Throughout her long career in local government she served on and chaired various committees. There is a recurring theme to the purpose of the committees Margery sat on. They set out to improve the health and welfare of the people of Northumberland. In 1935 to 1936 Margery sat on the Public Health Committee, the Blind Persons Committee, Maternity and Public Assistance. The following year she added Finance to her list and in 1938, West Guardians and Vagrancy committees.

In addition to the above, in 1935 she was the treasurer of The Northern Women’s Hospital in Jesmond and was still in that role in 1942. The hospital was founded by Ethel Williams, the first female G.P. in Newcastle. Dr. Williams was active in the Suffrage Movement and was a friend and supporter of Margery’s mother, Mona. While I have found no evidence that Margery was actively involved in the Suffrage Movement she fought the battle for women’s rights from another standpoint, using her influence on the County Council to work for the provision of better health and maternity care in Northumberland.

In 1931, before her election to the council she became a magistrate and continued to sit as a magistrate alongside her work on the council until her death.

As if all of that wasn’t enough to occupy her time Margery became a County Alderman in 1938. Aldermen were senior members of a county council chosen by other councillors. Aldermen were equal in status to the mayor and were elected for a term of six years but could be re- appointed to serve further terms.

Until 1938 Margery continued to live at Chipchase Castle. After the death of her father, she moved to Osborne Road in Jesmond in Newcastle where she shared a house with her younger sister, Violet.  

In the 1940’s Margery added a raft of new committees to her portfolio; Civil Defence, Joint Planning, Water Supply, the Joint Hospitals Committee and the Midwifery and General Nursing Sub- Committee.

The minutes of the Public Assistance Committee for 10th June 1942 revealed that Tynemouth Public Assistance Committee had requested increased Maternity provision at Preston Hospital. Miss Taylor, the chair of the committee, said “ that it was most undesirable at the time and that the hospital block at Thomas Taylor Homes could be adapted for use as a maternity ward capable of accommodating all the county cases at the Preston Emergency Hospital and possibly some of the Tynemouth cases as well for the duration of the war.”

Margery moved to Ellwood House at Barassford near Hexham in 1947. The grade ll listed building had been, at one point in its history, an orphanage and is part of the Chipchase Estate. 

In1947, the Central Midwives Board approved a national uniform for midwives. The approximate cost of the full uniform was £35.00. The seven domiciliary midwives employed by Northumberland county received an annual uniform allowance of £12.00. At that time five of these midwives required a complete renewal of their uniforms and two would require renewal before September 1948. Margery and Councillor Mrs Cookson formed the Maternity and Child Welfare sub committee which was set up in 1947 to ascertain the views of midwives as a result it was decided to increase the uniform allowance to £16.00 per year.

Taking the place of Alderman Garrow who was unwell Margery also carried out an inspection at Dilston Hall Maternity Hospital. Her signed report still exists and is held in the Northumberland Archives. It had been proposed that a bathroom which was used by pre-natal patients should be transferred to the use of the staff. If that proposal was approved the patients would have a long walk to a bathroom at the opposite end of the building. Margery recommended that the bathroom should be retained for the use of the patients and another bathroom should be found for the staff. 

Her reputation had also spread far beyond Northumberland. The British Journal of Nursing in August 1936 commented. “We commend to the attention of Public Assistance Committees of all County Councils the proposals made by the Public Assistance Committee of Northumberland County Council and which have been approved by the council. It is proposed to erect several village group buildings whereby aged people shall be able to live almost as if in their own homes. The Chairman of the Public Assistance Committee Miss Margery Taylor deplores the present method of housing people in communal buildings.” 

These are only two of many examples of the compassion and pragmatism Margery displayed throughout her career. Her tireless work for the welfare of the people of Northumberland was recognised in 1944 when she was awarded an OBE in the Birthday Honours List that year. 

After a life dedicated to public service Margery died at Ellwood House on 27th August 1957 having served on the council for 24 years. 

In the minutes of the Midwifery and General Nursing Committee on November 5th 1957 the Chairman mentioned Margery’s death. As a mark of respect the committee members stood in silence in their places.

How different was life in Northumberland over 100 years ago?

Picking a village in mid-Northumberland – Acklington – I decided to investigate the history of the village to see how different it was in 1900. To do this, I carried out research on the British Newspaper Archive, before heading back into the actual Archives to cast more light on the happenings in the village at this time.

April 1900

Admitted to the School this month were:^₆

· Lily Davidson of Acklington Station

· Frank [Francis] Birkett of Acklington Station – the son of John and Zenobia; John was the Railway Signalman at the Station

· Dorothy Potts of Acklington – the daughter of Robert and Annie; Robert was the Village Blacksmith

Four baptisms took place at the Church this month:⁷

· Robert Thomas, son of Adam (Labourer) and Elizabeth Mather, of East House

· Caroline, daughter of James (Shepherd) and Henrietta Jeffery, of East House

· Gladys, daughter of Mary Ann Isabella Parker, single woman, of East House

· John William, son of John (Miner) and Isabella [Clapperton], of Acklington Park

One burial took place in the Churchyard this month:^₈

· William Clapperton, aged 1 day, of Acklington Park

Another death occurred in the parish on Thursday 26 April. Mr. John F. Brewis of Morpeth was found dead on the path that led from Acklington Station to the River Coquet. He was a keen angler and had gone on Wednesday morning to fish at Felton. More details would be revealed at his inquest in May…

May 1900

The inquest was held at the Railway Hotel in Acklington, and was reported in the Morpeth Herald. Mr. Brewis was 65 years of age, and had left Felton at 7.45pm to catch the last train from Acklington to Morpeth at 8.45pm. His body was found 300 yards from the Station, having died from heart failure, presumably from rushing for the train. Brewis was noted as a talented organist, having been made the organist of Morpeth St. James when he was only 13 years old. He was buried in Morpeth churchyard.

Admissions to the School this month were: _⁹

· George, Bella and Alexander Davison of Chester House, who had previously attended Felton School

· Edith Hammond of Cavil Head, who had previously attended Ulgham School (cousin of William Smart)

· William E. Smart of Cavil Head, who had also previously attended Ulgham School (cousin of Edith Hammond)

· John and Andrew Johnson of Cavil Head – sons of Samuel and Isabel; Samuel was employed as a Hind at Cavil Head Farm

· William and Thomas Wilson of Morwick, who had previously attended Newham School

Attendance at School is noted as being low, and a special sale was held at the Mart on the 10th which caused several absences.

When the Relief of Mafeking was announced on 16th, the news arrived in Acklington just after 10pm, announced by the ringing of the Church and school bells. The Morpeth Herald reported that the village street became lively, and that on Saturday (the day after news broke), the village was decorated with flags. On the Sunday, a large congregation assembled in the Church, representing nearly all the families in the district. In the School Log Book, it is noted that there was a half holiday on 21st May in honour of the Relief.^₁₀

Two baptisms took place at the Church this month:^₁₁

· Robert Thomas, son of Elizabeth Robson, single woman, of Acklington

· Francis Susannah, daughter of Margaret Briggs, single woman, of Cavil Head

June 1900

A gathering of cyclists took place in Felton for a Church Parade, in aid of the Felton St. Michael and All Angels restoration fund. 200 cycling clubs were represented, including Acklington’s, and there was a crowd of over 300 cyclists.

School attendance varied this month, and on Friday 8th June, children were given a day’s holiday to celebrate the occupation of Pretoria.^₁₂

The London Evening Standard reported the death of Mary Jane Tate, aged 69, second daughter of the late Thomas Tate of Bank House, Acklington. The event had occurred in Durham on the 10th June.

One marriage took place in the Church this month:^₁₃

· Marshall Summers, aged 20 years, a Miner of Sunderland, married Helen Summers, aged 17, of Acklington, the daughter of John Summers (Miner)

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^₆ Acklington C of E Admission Register, ref. CES 1/4/2

^₇ Baptism Register of Acklington St. John the Divine, ref. EP 161/1

^₈ Burial Register of Acklington St. John the Divine, ref. EP 161/19

^₉ Acklington C of E Admission Register, ref. CES 1/4/2

^₁₀ Acklington C of E Log Book, ref. CES 1/3/1

^₁₁ Baptism Register of Acklington St. John the Divine, ref. EP 161/1

^₁₂ Acklington C of E Log Book, ref. CES 1/3/1

^₁₃ Marriage Register of Acklington St. John the Divine, ref. EP 161/26

The building now generally known as Etal Village Hall began its life in 1926 as Etal Peace Commemoration Hall, its construction having been instigated by Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Joicey in memory of those lost during the Great War, and to encourage “Reading and Study, and the promotion of rational Recreation” amongst local residents.

The “Club”, as it is described, was open to people over 16 on an annual subscription basis, and was overseen by a committee made up of some members nominated by Colonel Joicey and others to be elected at an annual meeting.

The larger part of the hall was set up as a games room and contained a billiard table, the smaller section behind the wooden partition was described as “The News Room” and contained books, newspapers, and a “Wireless Receiving Set”. Both were open every weekday from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.! Unsurprisingly, one of the rules specifies “The comfort of readers must not be disturbed by unnecessary noise” Only the person specifically appointed by Colonel Joicey was allowed to move the billiard table or to operate the wireless.

All of these fascinating period details come down to us because the hall is fortunate enough still to possess the original document of Standing Rules and Regulations drawn up for the opening of the hall in January 1926, printed up as a poster and framed for display ever since. It’s a fantastic starting point for the heritage project being undertaken by some members of the current hall committee this year, but they are hoping for more!

Have any of the older members of your family passed down any memories of the early days of Etal Hall?  Perhaps you recognize the names of the original committee members whose signatures are still visible at the foot of the rules document? They are: J.L. Weatherhead (Hon. Sec., Treasurer and Librarian)  Wm. Mole, J. Tully, A. Wilson, R.Guthrie, Wm Gusthart and T. Wallace.

We are especially interested to find out about how the hall may have been used in the 30s, 40s and 50s, as so far we have very little archival evidence for this period.

Meantime, dear reader, please take note, the next time you attend an event at Etal Hall, as Rule 5 very clearly states: “No gambling or bad language will be tolerated on the premises, and the committee shall have power to suspend or expel any member guilty of misconduct.”

You have been warned!!!

(Please contact Helen Moffit on 01890 820566 if you have any information to offer the project, or email hmoffitsvq@btinternet.com)