Berwick Journal

BERWICK JOURNAL, 9TH SEPTEMBER 1926

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MR. JOHN PEACOCK TO RETIRE

HIS 40TH, YEARS OF SERVICE

“This is my last race among the boys of the Borough,” said Mr. John Peacock, Headmaster of Tweedmouth Boys’ National School at Spittal Feast Sports on Monday night.

By these words M. J. Peacock conveyed to the Public the fact that he was about to retire from the Headmastership of Tweedmouth National School. He retires in November.

When a man has been connected with an intuition for 40 years, the wrench when he comes to retire is so great that it seems as though one’s whole life has been torn from one and that one has to start all over again building up new interests in which one can actively take part. So it will be with Mr J Peacock, J.P, when bleak November comes round and he retires from the headmastership of Tweedmouth National School, where he has so faithfully served for 39 years already, and will retire in his 40th year.

“An inscribed stone in the wall of the former Tweedmouth National School in Mount Road. The inscription reads: Tweedmouth National Schools Rebuilt 1868 Bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” Photo by Graham Robson, 2015.

Under the regulations and conditions of the education department and in accordance with the rules governing the superannuation of teachers his retirement falls due in Nov. next. As stated, he will have entered his 40th year at the school by the time and during this long period many boys have passed through his hands, the school having always been filled to capacity. On school walls hangs vivid testimonial to the worth of the education that has been given over that period-it is the Honours Board bearing the names of many winners of scholarships. Quite a number of the boys whose names are on the long list, after going through a secondary school have proceeded to the Universities where they obtained degrees. The most recent was an old scholar of the school who obtained his M.A. degree at Edinburgh University with first class honours.

Mr J. Peacock, who was a Native of Tyneside, came to Tweedmouth in August, 1887, from Rochester Street School, Gateshead, a highly successful mixed school. Tweedmouth National School, was then only 20 years old, and then fulfilled the conditions of the Education Department of that day.

During the time Mr Peacock has been at Tweedmouth, about 1,000 pupils have passed through his hands. Many of the old boys are holding high and responsible positions in the World; and the school can claim the credit of sending a large number to the Grammar School by means of scholarships. One of the pleasing features is the interest which former pupils still take in the School. Mr Peacock regularly receives letters from old boys in various parts of the world, which display the greatest anxiety for the School’s welfare.

LOCAL NEWS

Berwick’s New Bridge– The piles for the last and largest arch of the new bridge at Berwick are gradually extending over the mainstream of the tweed. Even as the preparations are being pushed forward for this last arch, so the second and third are being uncovered. The decking between the first and second arches is not down yet so that the public cannot get full effect of the south end of the bridge yet. The second archway is all but clear of the tressling and concreting of the arch ribs and decking is still going on, on the third arch.

The Three Bridges of Berwick-upon-Tweed, REF No: BRO 426-059

Among those at Pitlochry Highland Games was Mr Wm. J. Ward Davis, of Berwick. Mr. D. Muir, Berwick, was one of the principal prizewinners at Dundee Open Dog Show, on Wednesday. He had 5 firsts, 2 seconds and 17 specials. Miss Fair had also several first prizes.

Berwick Infirmary has benefited to the extent of £90 as a result of the Infirmary Cup matches at Berwick played in the Stanks last season.

Engraving of Berwick Infirmary HB1-68 late 19th Century

A Children’s Thanksgiving Service was held in St Mary’s Church on Sunday afternoon, when gifts of flowers, fruit, etc, were brought by the scholars.

At a meeting of the committee of Berwick Corporation Academy Foundation, held on Aug. 25, it was reported that the expenditure of the foundation for the last year for educational and other purposes had been as follows: – School fees 8 boys, £40; school fees 10 girls, £90; maintenance allowances 3 scholars, £29, books, £3 2s 6d, £162 12s 6d. Teachers training exhibitions, 2 exhibitions, £70; University exhibitions, 4 exhibitors, £240; administration purposes, £26 9s 9d; £499 12s 3d.

BERWICK JOURNAL, 1ST JULY 1926

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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

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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.

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