General

When Lieutenant General Percival surrendered Singapore to the Imperial Japanese Army at 17.15 on 15 February 1942, he sealed the fate of thousands. The Fall of Singapore represented the collapse of the British influence in South East Asia. 

I haven’t been able to establish the true figures of soldiers captured, but it was around 85,000. This number was made up of British, Australian, Indian and local Malayan volunteers as well as others from the Commonwealth. I am not going into the details of the battle or the outcomes in these articles, but rather concentrate what happened at the end. 

I was always under the impression that although VJ day took place, there weren’t the celebrations that took place like those on VE day, how wrong I was. Yes, they were the forgotten army the men and woman who served in India, Burma and elsewhere in South East Asia, but far from forgotten by their family and friends. The parties may not have been on the scale as VE day, but there were plenty. 

From my research I found the following newspaper reports from around the county. As we are working from home in lockdown while I put this blog together, I haven’t been able to access the newspapers for Hexham and the west of the county. So I apologise for not being able to give a full picture. Here are the stories that I did find: 

According to the Blyth News [30/08/1945]: 

One can understand that following the end of the War in Europe and Japan that people would throw prudence to the wind and make the most of it; but surprisingly the conduct of the county is commendable. In fact the Chief Constable for the County reported that in the whole county only three people were proceeded against for drunkenness and there was one report of serious damage to property in Berwick. There was an easy explanation for the latter. A Royal Marine driver, who was conveying an aircraft fuselage, drove around a number of side streets in Berwick on the night of VJ Day, looking for lodgings. However; the high tail of the plane stripped the Berwick streets of their bunting. At the end of his journey that night he had stripped that much bunting that you could fill four large sacks. There was some minor damage where townsfolk stripped railings from various places to fuel the bonfires that were lit to mark the day. On the whole the county people celebrated with common sense and dignity.

This was in contrast to what happened across the water in San Francisco, which must be described as the wildest party ever at the time. Three thousand police were required to subdue the celebrations which turned in to riots and a state of emergency was declared. Several people were killed and over 600 injured. Many liquor shops were looted and cars overturned then set on fire.

So what happened in Northumberland? 

Well there was much rejoicing in Branxton, the village was gaily decorated with flags. A dance was held in the village hall and a bonfire lit. Mr and Mrs Fleming gave a children’s party in Crookham and, in Scremerston, there was a party along the lines of the VE day celebrations. The local brass band paraded to the church playing music during the thanksgiving ceremony. The children had a tea party in the hall, as believe it or not, the weather wasn’t conducive to having an outdoors party. There were games played and a victory dance held in the evening, with the entertainment supplied by Smallmans Band. A large bonfire was lit in the adjoining recreation ground with fireworks.

In Berwick, bonfires were lit in the ‘Stanks’. Spectators joined hands in wide circles and danced around the fires. A large fire was lit in front of the Town Hall and wasn’t allowed to go out. All day fresh supplies of materials were collected to keep it going. There were no people dancing due to the constant rain. 

In Tweedmouth, the sky was lit up by the bonfires. Fireworks were set off in red, white and blue colours. For three nights in a row the people of Kiln Hill were out until  late, dancing. On the Friday and Saturday there were open air dances in Blakewell Gardens and, at the end of Riverside Road, there was a bonfire the size of the town. The people of Sunnyside Crescent and Farm Road held a Victory party on the Monday, a fancy dress completion was held. Tea, lemonade, ice cream and sweets were provided for the children and a sum of £4 was raised for the Welcome Home Fund, through the sale of knitted goods made by the women of the estate.

Spittal held their victory party in the Main Street and there was a procession of nearly 170 children and grown ups led by Mr Henry Johnson, dressed as John Bull. The children’s tea party was held in St John’s School, where they were fed jelly and ice cream. When they left they were all given a shilling and a ride on Mr Stewart’s ponies along Sea Road and back. The Meadows Tea party was held at the Tennis Pavilion and was mainly organised by the children.

Further south in the county, The Peoples Park in Ashington had a floodlit VJ Day night. The light provided by the rich warm glow of the enormous bonfire provided by the Town Council. There was no pleasing some people though as one man was over heard saying “Noo a couple of councillors strung up on top o that lot, wad be just reet!”

In Morpeth, the children from Staithes Lane, Wellwood Gardens, Gas House Lane and Corporation Yard held their victory Tea Party in the Castle School, Castle Square. Each child received threepence from the Mayor. The children of St Mary’s Field held their party in Proctors Field. They had children’s sports followed by a lovely tea of sandwiches, sausage rolls, and cakes. Afterwards the tables were cleared for more games and Myrna Rutter sang two well known choruses. At the end each child was given some money by the Mayor. In the evening a victory dance was held and there was a sprinkling of HM Forces uniforms to add to those of the ladies in their gay dresses. The assembled crowd gave a loud rendition of the national anthem to bring the days festivities to a close.

Up on Stobhillgate there were children and adult sports races with refreshments and a dance at night. The residents of 2^nd, 5^th, 6^th and 7^th Avenues held their victory Tea on the Saturday which was attended by 108 children and 20 older residents. Each child received sixpence from funds and a further threepence from the Mayor and another threepence from Mrs G Stevenson of Stobhillgate. The music for the dance was arranged by Mr B. Slaughter and his orchestra.

At Blyth, there was a victory firework display on the Promenade. Although the weather was cool decent crowds gathered round the bandstand under floodlighting and some dancing took place. There was music for all tastes, rollicking choruses for the oldies, waltzes for the married and hot swing for the teens. Twelve dozen rockets were set off and chants for more were heard when it was planned to end the celebrations.

Across in Bedlington, to commemorate the defeat of Japan celebrations were held in several streets in the form of the usual street tea parties, sports and dancing. At Ravensworth Terrace, Bedlington Station there was a fancy dress parade with prizes for the best costumes. First place went to Mr C. Hunter who went as Carmen Miranda.  After their tea and sports the children were give 1s 6d, bag of sweets and a treat to the cinema. The older residents got two shillings. 

Fear of poor weather for the people of Queens Road, Albert Road and Palace Road meant they held their party in Clayton Hall. The Victory cake was cut by Captain Walter Russell. This event was well attended, 80 kids and 170 adults.

Whilst across in Woodhorn, the colliery air raid shelter was converted into a dinning hall and children from the village and residents from the Aged People Houses held a tea party. The shelter was decorated with the flags of the Allies, bunting and flowers; the music was supplied by a wireless [radio]. After the speeches the old people got two shillings 6d. For those not able to attend had their tea taken to them, the day ended with a whist drive and a huge bonfire display.    

On 7 June 1897, Annie Mable Spencer of Greenhaugh Hall, Bellingham was brutally murdered by her husband John Cuthbert Spencer. The body of the 26 year old was found in the wood near the hall covered over with grass and branches from a fir tree. She died from wounds inflicted upon her with an adze [tool with an arched blade used for cutting or shaping large pieces of wood].

 On the day of the murder, Mr Spencer had been working in a plantation about 400 yards from the hall. He had been cutting down trees for the purpose of making a new drive. Mr Spencer had asked Mr Foreman, his gamekeeper, to meet him in the woods at 6pm to discuss the renovations and help with felling the trees. Mrs Spencer was with her husband and after a short while they left the gamekeeper and went to look at a new pond before returning and informing him that they were going home for dinner.

When Mrs Spencer failed to appear for dinner at 7.30pm this alarmed the servants and by 9pm Sergeant Dobson from Bellingham police station received a telegram asking him to go to Greenhaugh Hall immediately. He was accompanied by P.C. Potts and P.C. Musgrove. When they arrived, Mrs Spencer was missing and Mr Spencer was plunging an adze up and down in a bucket of water.

Mr Foreman – Gamekeeper

Mr Foreman told police that when he spoke to Mr Spencer he was in an excited state and was talking wildly. He believed that his father was St. Michael and that he was St. John and said that his father had sent him a message instructing him to kill his wife.

John Peter Elliot – Doctor

Doctor Elliot visited the Spencer house on Monday 7 June about 7pm. He had attended Mr Spencer a few days earlier for insomnia. As neither Mr or Mrs Spencer were at home, the doctor waited about a quarter of an hour and was about to leave when he saw Mr Spencer coming towards the house from the direction of the wood. Dr Elliot waited for him in the smoking room and when he entered he could see that his hands, face and shirt front were wet. After a general conversation regarding his health, the doctor advised him to go away for a change of scene. Mr Spencer claimed that he was going to Newcastle with his wife the next morning and then on to Edinburgh where they intended to stay for two or three weeks. Dr Elliot noticed a large spot of blood on Spencer’s shirt cuff but when mentioned, he was told that it was from a scratch from his finger. The doctor was aware that Mr Spencer’s mental health had been a concern in the past and judging from his current behaviour, there was a fear that this could be a return of the insanity.

Arthur Patrick Brown – Doctor

Doctor Brown stated that he received a message on the night of 7 June to go to the Spencer house at Greenhaugh. A few minutes after his arrival at 10pm, Mrs Spencer’s dead body was brought to the house. The body was fully clothed and covered in blood. The doctor made an examination of the body and identified five wounds. The first wound was on the head above the left ear, wounding the cerebellum. The skull was fractured and all the blood vessels on that side of the neck had been severed. The next wound penetrated the brain and another damaged the frontal bone. There was also a fracture of the frontal bone. Two wounds were also discovered on the back both running longitudinally on the left of the spine, each about 4.5 inches long. Both these wounds penetrated the ribs.

The coroner claimed that this case was one of the most painful and extraordinary ones that he had seen for many years. John Cuthbert Spencer was later committed to trial. He was found to be insane and sent to Broadmoor.

A good weather Sunday had us eager to get out of our town and explore. As we were still a little wary of going very far, we chose Mitford as our destination. A place so near yet we forget that some of our local villages can hold treasures that we still have to discover.

We took an indirect route to the village of Mitford, near Morpeth, Northumberland walking through the sun filtered woods and along the river, stopping at a few accessible places to throw smooth pebbles in to the water, trying to get them to ‘skip’ but failing as the dog wanted to splash about chasing after them. This is a great walk for dogs with lots for them to sniff at and explore.

The route eventually took us under a low bridge beneath the A1 and then it was a short climb up some wooden steps to reach the fields on the other side. The well worn path was easy to find, once more, leading us over a couple stiles and a small foot bridge. Finally we arrived at the rugged farmland area surrounding the Grade 1 listed historic monument. Mitford Castle is currently on the English heritage ‘At Risk’ Register’. Some works towards repairs and restoration have already been done. Its remains stand open to the elements, watching majestically over Mitford village. 

The first impression we got of the existing ruins of the stone castle was that it must at one time have been a large and imposing building. Today it was standing there slowly crumbling away on a rocky ridge. The first thing that our dog (now back on the lead) noticed was ‘there are some lovely sheep smells here for me!’ This is a great site for nature and wildlife. Bees, insects and butterflies were in abundance. We found a safe place to sit amongst the decaying structure to have our little picnic. Sitting and reflecting in the tranquil atmosphere, taking our place in its layers of history. 

Between walking around, exploring and taking photographs we tried to visualise where the doors, windows, towers etc. might have been. What went on here? Who were the important players in the unsettled years of Mitford Castle?

The Castle is said to date as far back as before 1072 when it would have only have been an earthwork fortress. Held by the De Mitford family, it was passed on through marriage into the ancient Bertram family. Earliest records of 1138 state that it was William Bertram’s ‘oppidum’.  By 1215, the residing Bertrams strengthened it and it became a finished stone castle only to be seized by Scottish troops. Through time this castle experienced some desolate times as it became the target of continual Scottish raids and invasions. During the rebellion in Northumberland in the 1310s, poor Mitford Castle witnessed more unrest.  In 1316 it was even used for kidnappings and as a prisoner hold.

After roaming around the grounds we then crossed the field at the base of the castle, keeping a watchful eye on where we put our feet so as not to step on nettles or wild flowers. But more importantly we tried not to disturb the local herd of sheep which acted indifferently to us anyway.  We then made our way out of the castle grounds to check out the picturesque Saint Mary Magdalene Church. What turbulent scenes this parish church must have experienced over time being situated opposite to Mitford Castle!