An early 20th Century postcard of the front of the railway station REF: BRO 17
The plans for the erection of Berwick’s station have now been passed by the directors of the North British Railway Company and work will be proceeded with shortly. It is understood that the cost will be between £30,000 and £40,000.
A feature of the scheme is an island platform between the up line and the down line. This will be 800 feet in length, and it will be reached from the booking hall (which will be about where the present booking office is) by means of a bridge: and there will also be an hydraulic luggage lift. The up line will be about where the present down line is, thus straightening out the present curve from the Royal Border Bridge. This scheme includes thoroughly up to date waiting rooms and offices.
The first portion of the scheme which will be executed is the new bridge carrying the Great North Road over the railway. This will be a little to the south of the present bridge which is the property of the Railway Company. Borings for the new bridge have already been made, and the work is to proceed forthwith.
Mr John Martin Tate. BSc one of the assistant masters at Spittal Council School has been appointed to a Second Lieutenancy in the 10th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, and is to proceed at once to Stirling for preliminary training. Mr Tate who came to Spittal in September last is a native of Newcastle. He graduated at Durham University, where he served three years with the Officers Training Corps.
Spittal School in the early 20th Century. REF: BRO
POSTSCRIPT: The Spittal School log book records that Mr Tate, whilst serving as a Captain in the 18th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in France on May 27th 1918.Does anyone have any more information about him?
Advert for Ford’s Garage, Hide Hill from the Berwick Advertiser 5th March 1915
Amongst the many collections held by Northumberland Archives are records of the Ridley family of Park End, an estate in the Tynedale area of Northumberland. One of our project volunteers has looked at letter books of the estate and has prepared this short blog about the effect the war had on the estate. Throughout our project we will be examining records that look at the impact the First World War had on the home front in Northumberland.
The estate letter books for the war period start in January 1916 [Ref: – NRO 3386/20-24] when John Farbridge took over as Agent. Charles Noel Ridley inherited the estate on the death of his father, John Hilton Ridley, but died from injuries on active duty in France on 7 October 1915 and was succeeded by his younger brother Arthur Hilton Ridley who had been invalided out of the Army.
The letters show the difficulties of running a large estate during the War. There were regulations about everything. They were told how many fields had to be ploughed for crops and how many left grass for cattle and sheep. Permits had to be obtained for selling hay and straw (if caught selling without a permit people were prosecuted and fined), for obtaining spare parts for farm machines, etc.
Men were being called up despite the war effort to grow food and no exemptions allowed. Women were being employed as Land Army Girls and John Farbridge acknowledges their contribution in one letter. A Rat Catcher was employed to deal with a plague of rats eating the bags of oats, etc. before they could be shipped out, but although he killed a few hundred they were still a problem!
The life of the family is illustrated in the letters. Arthur worked at Hawthorn Leslie & Co. Ltd. building ships for the Admiralty. One of his sisters, Mary, worked at the War Information Office.
To be continued next week with the story about Charles Noel Ridley & his wife.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Jean Wilkinson for supplying this article for our Northumberland At War Project.
The new headquarters of the Boy Scouts in Palace Green have proved to be just what were required to ensure the successful working of the movement during the winter months.
The building has been well used, a different troop having met each evening in the week, and the attendances have been exceptionally good. There is a pleasing keenness displayed by the boys which goes far to lighten the task of those who have their training in hand, and the number of badges that have been earned, proves that they are entering into the work in the proper spirit.
Large numbers of recruits have signed on during the past six months. Owing to the dearth of scoutmasters-a difficulty by the way, which has always had to be faced-those who were already in charge of troops have had an extremely busy time of it lately. The load has been lightened in no small way by the active assistance of Lieut. Graham, of Mossknow, Ecclefechan, who is at present attached to the K.O.S.B. depot. He is Scout Commissioner for Mid-Dumfries District, and also manages a troop. Lieut. Graham takes a very keen interest in boys and their work, and is much respected by the Scouts who readily take advantage of the instruction he so capably gives. The Scout Association is much indebted to Commissioner Graham for his kindly help.
R. Clements (front row, 2nd from right) and other scout group leaders on a summer camp at Wooler in 1910. REF: BRO/1828/4
There is still room for further assistance, however, and any interested friends of the movement will be welcomed at Headquarters any evening excepting Saturdays, to see for themselves the nature of the instruction.
The weather has been propitious enough on one or two occasions of late to permit of outdoor work being undertaken. Many of the tests for badges were done indoors, but those that necessitated an outside area were gone through when the patrols had their outings. Since Mr Thompson Seton’s lecture at Berwick, patrol calls have been sounded with greater courage and efficiency, especially when the bricks and mortar have been left behind and the fields and sea banks gained.
The north-country temperament prevents the boy from doing what he thinks may cause people to laugh at him; he certainly laughed at Mr Seton’s admirable imitation of the cries of the wolf and the elk. However, when this natural shyness is overcome and animals have been studied the scout may be pleased to display his abilities, and not, let us hope, to the regret of his older neighbours.
Statue of Jimmy Strength in the garden of the Scout Headquarters in 1908. REF: BRO/1636/6/9
The various troops have been equipped with neckerchiefs and shoulder knots, so that, in future, there will be greater uniformity among the members of the various units.
In order to raise funds for the local association, a whist drive is to be held in the Good Templar Hall next Tuesday.
The outside of the Headquarters has been painted and the place has quite a fresh appearance. “Jimmie Strength” has also received a new “coat”.
Horncliffe Troop is going on well under Mr Robson, the Council Schoolmaster.
The latest local scout to receive his King’s Scout badge is Patrol leader J. M. Dodds of the Grammar School troop, who has something like eighteen proficiency badges.
A number of excellent models of bridges and several useful stools and other household furniture have been made by
the scouts. If sufficient are produced before the winter season finishes it may be possible to have an exhibition of these things.
Advert from the Berwick Advertiser 26th February 1915
