BERWICK JOURNAL, 1ST JULY 1926

03/07/2026 by Northumberland Archives

ROUND THE TOWN, NOTES AND COMMENTS

(BY THE MAN IN THE STREET)

OUR ROADS – When a town like Berwick has so many motorists passing through the authorities should see to it that the roads are in a fair condition at least. A motorist frequently judges a town by its road and if Berwick is ever so judged, it must have an unenviable reputation. Despite what one or two tradesmen are fond of declaring, the visitors to Berwick are certainly a source of revenue to the inhabitants of the town, and a fairly considerable source, so that Berwick should take care to make the town attractive.

Early 1900s photograph of Berwick High Street, from the Scotsgate Arch. Ref No: BRO 1636-2-9

The remarks of some motorists who have had the painful experience of driving down Castlegate and Marygate, would make the ears of the Councillors burn. Castlegate as far Scotsgate is, I understand, practically a County road, but it can be repaired by the Berwick Council which has to pay part of the cost. Bridge Street, another shocking street, is so narrow that the authorities contend it cannot be repaired without stopping all the traffic, which could not be diverted along the quay without breaking the bank of the river. So, Bridge Street, at any rate, has to remain unrepaired until the new bridge is across the river. I suspect also that Castlegate will not be repaired until just before the new ay is opened up; meanwhile Berwick will be getting a bad name for itself.

METHUSELAH– Berwick is said to be behind the times in many ways. One of these ways came to my notice this week. A lady at present staying in the town wished to have a little more information about Berwick, and so, going to a shop that carries on business as a newsagent among other things, she askes for a guide to Berwick. She paid the sixpence asked and walked out. She became quite delighted with Berwick. According to the Guide, steamship trips were running from the old quay to Holy Island, the Farnes, Dunbar and other delightful parts. Another advertisement informed one of the interesting fact that pottery was made at Scremerston. Unfortunately, when the lady happened to glance at the date of the guide, she found it had been printed in 1907. I am not sure if they were right in supplying that guide at the shop, but it is another of those little things that give the town a name for being second class.

Photograph of the Berwick Quayside early 1900s
Ref No: BRO 1636-5-6

CAFEITIS – This is a strange modern disease which has already got many of the city workers in its grip and which is slowly becoming prevalent in Berwick. Inmost cases the disease commences with unmistakable symptoms in the neighbourhood of 11 in the morning. Then, those workers in the happy position of be able to slip away from work for fifteen minutes glance furtively at the clock. At the stipulated time they unobtrusively don a hat and saunter out into the street and into one of the excellent cafes that have recently sprung up in Marygate. Here they sit and chat for 15 minutes, sipping coffee and smoking a cigarette. After this they return to work and despite the break get through all their business by the time the lunch hour arrives and do it better than before being smitten with this pleasant malady. There are those in Berwick who fancy this morning coffee habit is a sign of slackness or wasting time. I rather disagree; the short break has the same effect as playtime does on school children; it freshens one, sharpness one’s faculties and is such a change for routine workers that the daily round becomes imbued with more life. Berwickers have not developed the habit to a great extent, but from recent observations I am inclined to think that it is a habit that will become as popular here as it already is in the cities.

Early 1900s photograph of Marygate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Berwick Record Office, BRO 1636-3-16

A MOTHERS’ MEETING – The meeting of the Guardians to discuss Porr Law Reform was little better than a mother’s meeting. After talking for a solid hour, one suggestion was adopted and absolutely nothing was done about the matter for which the Board really met. The meeting was the strongest argument. I have ever heard in favour of the abolition of Guardians; not one of those present properly understood the matter, one or two confessed their ignorance and others displayed it. Moreover, this is a matter that the Board should have considered and arrived at a decision upon months ago; most of the boards throughout the country considered the matter at the end of October or the beginning of November last. There was one Board which considered the matter earlier than any other Board and decided all Boards should be abolished- and then retracted at the next meeting and decided they should not. As it is, Berwick Board has now put off discussing the question until July 19. There seems a chance that some decision may be arrived at then although it seems to me that the Board cannot spend its time to any purpose because the Reform is coming, whichever way they decide, and all they can usefully do is to suggest means of operating the new machinery.

BERWICK JOURNAL, 29TH APRIL 1926

01/05/2026 by Northumberland Archives

BODY EXHUMED AT BERWICK

INQUEST OPENED AND ADJOURNED

Sensational rumours ran wildly round Berwick on Friday morning when it was learned that the body of the late Mr John Rogerson had been exhumed from the Tweedmouth Cemetery during the night and that the formal opening of a Coroner’s inquiry was to take place later that morning. It was timed to commence at 11.15, but a delay was caused by waiting for arrivals on Newcastle train. Proceedings were entirely formal, and beyond those necessary to the business, no one was present.

Stafford Little / *Church Tweedmouth Cemetery*

Mr Blakely read the appointment of Mr H. J. Percy as Deputy Coroner by Mr H. R. Peters, the Coroner for Berwick, who, it was said, might be called upon to give evidence. The certificate of the Justices for the inquest was also read.

The jury, compose of Messrs James Richardson, John Smith, Adam Winlaw, John Anderson, James B. Jobson, Peter Mason, J. H. Abbott, W. E. Rutherford and H. Stephenson, elected Mr P. Mason as their foreman.

Mr Percy then addressed the jury. They had been summoned there, he said, to perform a public duty which, he feared must have been a rather an unpleasant nature to them. But it as a legal essential that the Coroner and jury should view the body in order to give complete validity to any Coroner’s proceedings. All that it was necessary to do that day was that they should hear formal evidence of identification and to receive on oath such particulars as were necessary for the correct registration of the death and the re-burial of the body. He did not propose to say any more to t hem about the case at that juncture except one thing. An adjournment was necessary to enable certain medical examinations to be completed. Whether further evidence would have to be laid before them would, to a certain extent, depend upon the result of the medical examination. He then cautioned them not to speak of the case in the meantime. No charge, no suspicion was cast upon any man or woman in connection with the death. They were simply called upon owing to special circumstances which had arisen to inquire into and record the cause of death as soon as evidence as regards the death could be given them.

Giving the formal evidence required, Sergt. Barclay, of Spittal, said he identified the body of the deceased, who was for some time personally known to him, as John Rogerson, late of 14 Dock Road, Tweedmouth, aged 77. He was a retired wheelwright and had died at that address on March 18, 1926.

Dock Road, Tweedmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Mr Percy thereupon said he would issue his order for re-burial which would be out into operation at the time the postmortem was completed.

He then informed the jurymen that he would require seven, including the foreman, at the adjourned inquest, but would welcome them all if they could be present. He then bound them over to appear at the resumption of the proceedings in the sum of £50. The adjourned proceedings were then fixed to take place at 11.15 a.m. at Berwick Court House on Wednesday, May 26.

The postmortem was conducted by Professor Macdonald pathologist, of Newcastle, and Dr J. C. Mackay.

The exhumation was left until the night before the inquest, and then, soon after midnight, Supt. Shell, Sergt. Barclay, Dr Maclagan, and sexton and gravediggers made their way to Tweedmouth Cemetery. The grave is situated on the side farthest from the main road and is not overlooked by any house, so that there was not much likelihood of the proceedings being observed. All the light used was from a pocket electric torch, and this was flashed intermittently until the coffin was uncovered. AS there had been two previous burials in the grave, the coffin was not very deep down, and the work was finished comparatively quickly.

The postmortem examination commenced next morning soon after 11pm. A Police Constable must always be present at such an examination, and the duty on this occasion fell to Sergt. Barclay. The postmortem took some time, Drs Mackay, Maclagan and Caverhill being present in addition to the Newcastle pathologist, Prof. Macdonald. The body was again conveyed t the Cemetery and about midnight the re-burial took place, Supt. Shell again being present.

Next morning it is understood, Sergt. Barclay was dispatched to London with the organs to be examined.

BERWICK JOURNAL, 11 MARCH 1926

13/03/2026 by Northumberland Archives

TWEEDMOUTH MAN’S CREDITABLE RECORD

FIFTY-FOUR YEARS’ RAILWAY SERVICE

The above photograph was taken at the Railway Centenary Celebrations last years. Mr Douglas, Tweedmouth the subject of our sketch can be seen on the left facing the camera. Mr P. Waite Tweedmouth is also seen standing in front of the engine.

Fifty-four years is a long spell out of a man’s life, and when this period has been spent in the employment of one firm or company it enhances the value of credibility service. This is the record of Mr Thomas Douglas of Kiln Hill, Tweedmouth, who has now the longest service of the footplate staff of the London and N.E.R. in their North Eastern area No.7, which includes the Depot at Tweedmouth. Mr Douglas was only 14 years of age when he entered the employment of the old North Eastern Railway Coy. In 18871 as a cleaner. He is now in his 68^th year and is still carrying on his everyday work with energy. After two years’ service Mr Douglas took up work as a Fireman, and in 1886 he be- duty as a driver.

In his long experience as a railwayman Mr Douglas has naturally had numerous experiences, but according to himself his most thrilling was in March 1886. At this time, he was acting as fireman on a pilot engine. On Monday 1^st March of that year, the pilot, who it is interesting to note, was also a Tweedmouth man named Patison, along with Mr Douglas received orders to take the midnight north express to Newcastle. On the way they encountered what the older members of the community will recollect was one of the most severe snowstorms the country has ever experienced. Huge snow drifts made the progress of the train difficult and slow. The largest drift was met near Amble Junction, and here it was found impossible either to go back or to go forward with the result that the driver and his fireman had to wait with as much patience as they could muster until the breaking of the day. Then they realised the seriousness of the position. It was not until the following day that it was found possible to clear the other line, and by this means some of the passengers were transferred to a relief train and conveyed to Acklington Station. Some of the passengers preferred to take their chance with the train in which they were travelling, amongst these being the late Marquis of Tweeddale, who was a Director of the Railway Company. The little company did not want altogether for food. Several rabbits were caught and made into a very welcome stew. It was not until the following Thursday that the line was cleared of the snow, and the train was able to continue its journey. Newcastle being reached without further mishap or incident.

A STRANGE COINCIDENCE

Another thrilling experience of which Mr Douglas still retains a vivid recollection was the great snowstorm of March, 1888. On that occasion when he reached Alnwick he was informed that the main line was snowed up. Shortly afterwards he received orders to take a special mail train from Alnwick to Newcastle, as the ordinary mail train from Berwick was already snowed up. “We went through several very heavy wreaths of snow,” said Mr Douglas in the course of conversation with a representative of the “Berwick Journal,” but ultimately wwe reached Acklington Station. Here we were brought to a stand still because by a strange coincidence the train in front of us was snowed up exactly the same spot as I was snowed up at two years previously. We remained at Acklington from the Monday night until Wednesday forenoon when they got the line cleared and we were able to get through to Newcastle.

Mr Douglas has a very clear recollection of the Morpeth railway accident of 1875 when five persons were killed, about 30 injured. The passengers on that occasion included a Berwick lady who was amongst the injured. On that occasion Mr Douglas was sent from Tweedmouth to Morpeth to help in working the carne, and the extraordinary feature of the accident was that neither the driver or the fireman of the wrecked train were injured. We had much longer hours to work in those days, continued Mr Douglas. 14 hours would have been considered a fairly short day, and often we had to work 161/2 hours. I have finished at 2 in the morning and been out again at 5 and carried on until 2 the next morning and then been back to work again three hours later. That pf course was only when there was a special rush of traffic requiring to be handled. We were paid differently in the old days on what was called the trip system. For instance, the journey from Berwick to Newcastle and back was considered a day. In those far off days Mr Douglas used to wonder if ever the railwaymen would get the then existing state of affairs altered. He considers that the railway strike of 1890 helped railwaymen considerably as it brought about a Government inquiry into the hours of railwaymen and the conditions under which they worked. Since then, the conditions have greatly improved.

A TERRIBLE GALE

Mr Douglas has also an interesting story to tell of the terrible gale of Oct. 1881, when between 200 and 300 fishermen lost their lives along the Berwick coast. It was a fine morning said Mr Douglas, but a terrific gale sprung up suddenly just about dinner time. We got our train to Heaton and prepared the engine for the homeward journey. When we went into the hut for our dinner, slates from the roofs were flying about like bits of paper, and tress and telegraph poles were falling all around. It took us six hours to do the journey from Newcastle to Berwick instead of three. It was not until we arrived home that we heard of the disaster that had overtaken the fishermen.

Mr Douglas is at present engaged on the Kelso line, which he says is sometimes known as “the one lung line” owing to the fact that so many of the old employees are employed on it. During his long career he has naturally witnessed many changes and improvements in railway administration, not only on matters appertaining to the wages and conditions of labour of railwaymen but also regard to the increased facilities afforded the travelling public. Like the majority of railwaymen, Mr Douglas is keenly interested in ambulance work, and for many years he has been Chairman of the Tweedmouth Branch of the London and N.E.R. Ambulance Corps. Mr Douglas is also well known at Tweedmouth as the Chairman of the Ratepayers” Association. He is a keen Burns enthusiast and has acted as President of the Tweedmouth Burns Clubb, and at the annual dinner has been frequently called upon to propose the “Immortal Memory.” He also takes a deep interest in Berwick Infirmary, and for three years was a member of the Committee of Management. Mr Douglas is a Trustee of Tweedmouth Scotch Church. His recreations are rod fishing and gardening. In 1923 Mr Douglas was presented with a handsome silver-mounted walking stick from the members of the Tweedmouth Branch of the Railway Ambulance Corps in recognition of his long and valuable service to ambulance work. Mr Douglas started work when he was 10 years of age, and for four years he worked as a salmon fisher at East Ord before joining the service of the Railway Company.

It is interesting to note that last year Mr Douglas was chosen to represent the Locomotive Sheds at the Centenary celebrations of the London and N.E.R. at Stockton and Darlington at which the Duke and Duchess of York were present. Our photograph shows Mr Douglas standing near his engine on that occasion just prior to the start of the procession of engines past the Duke and Duchess.

When Mr Douglas was a fireman, he was firing a through goods train from Tweedmouth to Newcastle. At Ashington Junction, on the main line, they ran into the rear end of a train of empty coal wagons, struck the van of that train and knocked it clean over a steep embankment. The van was full of pitmen living at Pegswood and travelling to Ashington to their work. The van toppled over and over, and when Mr Douglas went to the van, inside resembled a shambles with blood. He helped these men out one after another and found that although all had received bruises and were considerably shaken, none of them were seriously injured. It was daylight at the time.

In connection with the Railway Centenary, Mr Douglas received a fine bronze medal specially struck for the occasion. One side bears portraits of Edward Pease, Chairman and guiding influence in the management of the first public railway, and of George Stephenson, who built the first engine on the railway, and actually drove it on its historic journey on Sept. 27^th, 1825. On the other side is a figure of Vulcan holding in his hand “Locomotion No.1,” the first engine to be employed on a public railway, with, in the background, one of the London and North Eastern Railway Company’s famous 1925 type “Pacific” express locomotives.

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