Berwick

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 11 JULY 1919

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PEACE PROCLAIMED AT BERWICK

On Saturday morning, at the Town hall, at about 11.20, before the Mayor and Mayoress, the Sheriff, and a few other ladies and gentlemen, on the steps, and a large crowd at the foot, Mayor’s Sergeant Blakey read the King’s Proclamation of Peace, and after that the proclamation of Special peace services in the churches on Sunday. The reading of the proclamations was preceded by a Royal salute blown by two K.O.S.B. buglers in khaki (Corpl. Watson and Drummer Hart). After the Mayor had intimated that a united service would be held in the Playhouse, “God Save the King” was sung with great gusto, and then Sergeant Blakey accompanied by the Deputy Town Clerk (Mr A. Aird), and the two buglers, set out in a motor (Master Bellringer Payne riding in front) to proclaim peace at the following places. The peace services in church were only proclaimed at the Town Hall.

Dr. Maclagan’s Monument

Corner of Tweed Street and Castlegate

Castle Terrace and Castlegate

Foot of High Greens

Foot of Low Greens

Foot of Lower Ravensdowne

Sandgate (before Corn Exchange)

An early 20th century photograph of the Tweedmouth end of the old bridge where one of the peace proclamations was made. BRO 2103/4/2/21b

Tweedmouth Bridge End

Harrow Inn, Tweedmouth

Blenheim Hotel, Spittal

Spittal Forge

This must be the first time a motor car has been used in Berwick for a proclamation of peace. The announcement at so many points quite close together is a relic of days when the dissemination of news was not nearly so easy as it has been this last hundred years.

THE BOROUGH’S FREEDOM FOR WAR SERVICES

Councillor Anderson’s motion that the Freedom of the Borough should be conferred on the Mayor, the Sheriff, Lt,-Col. Scott Jackson, and Lt.-Col Liddell, and all who have served overseas, at sea, and in the air, will be welcomed throughout the Borough. It is no more than their due. Many have done their best or their country within the island, but none will grudge that this particular honour which is being conferred on Berwick’s soldiers and sailors is confined to those who have risked everything to defend their country overseas. We hope that as many of them as possible will join in the dinners at the end of next week, and if they fail to do justice to them, we are confident that it will not be for lack of good things.

LOCAL NEWS

RELICS OF WAR AT THE BARRACKS – On Wednesday a Trench Mortar captured from the Germans by the 1st Battalion, K.O.S.B., arrived in the town and was handed over to the “Stores” at Berwick Depot, where it will await until the battalion claims it. At present there is quite a “menagerie” at the Depot, including several kinds of Hun machine guns, six of which belong to the 1st Battalion, six to the 2nd Battalion, and two to the 6th Battalion. Up to the present there is no immediate danger of any of the Battalions applying for them.

NOTES FROM SPITTAL

CHURCH PARADE

On Sunday morning last the local branch of the Comrades of the Great War responded to the Rev. J. H. Cuthbertson’s invitation and held a Church parade to St. John’s, Spittal. The Parade was in charge of Commandant Pattison, who was assisted by the Secretary, Mr R. St. G. Tait. Scremerston Band, under Bandmaster Whitfield, also attended, and took part in the musical portion of the service.

The Scremerston Brass Band which took part in the musical portion of a special peace service in St John’s Church, Spittal.  Berwick Record Office – BRO 1753-2a.

About 100 Comrades turned out and there were also on parade a section of the Northumberland Fusilier cadets. Capt. C. L. Fraser, O.C. 4th V.B.N.F., and Lieuts. McCreath and Tweedie were also present.

Special Peace Sermons and prayers being ordered in all Churches, Mr Cuthbertson devoted himself almost entirely to giving thanks to God for the great blessing of peace which they fervently hoped would be an enduring one. He also brought out in the course of his remarks the spirit of brotherhood which should be the symbol of the Comrades and said he hoped that organisations such as theirs would prove a strengthening force in the years which lay before them.

Suitable hymns were sung, in which the men heartily joined while at the conclusion of the service, the band led in the National Anthem.

The Parade was reformed outside the Church and headed by the band, marched to the Ferry Landing where the men were dismissed.

BERWICK AND FOULDEN DIVORCE CASE

In the Court of Sessions on Thursday, before Lord Anderson, Robert Hunter Lees, provision manager, 76, Meigle Street, Galashiels, and an employee of Messrs R. Dodds & Sons, grocers, Berwick, was granted a divorce against Grace M’Cormack or Lees, Foulden, Burnbank, Berwickshire, on the grounds of infidelity.

“I do not love you now,” wrote Mrs Lees to her husband, while he was in France with his regiment. Parties were married in July, 1917, and in August he left for France. Mrs Lees had given birth to an illegitimate child in January 1919.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 9 MAY 1919

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37 YEARS’ SERVICE IN POST OFFICE

MR CLEM. BINGHAM RECEIVES THE IMPERIAL SERVICE DECORATION

Thirty-seven years represent a big slice of a man’s life, but these spent in good fellowship, may not take so much out of one as might be expected. For this period Mr Clem. Bingham has acted as a postman in the Borough, and in all weathers, residents have heard his cheerie call as he delivered his rounds.

Clem is one of the old school, and it is with feelings of sadness that those still in the Post Office Service who served along with him in the time of Postmasters Wilkinson, Jones and Franklin, see him going into retirement through illness. For some time prior to retiring he had not been in the “pink,” and only managed to go on his rounds with difficulty. The only course left open to him was to sever his long connection with the Post office Service, a work which to him had become part of life. A son of the late Mr Bingham, Low Greens, Berwick, “Clem,” since entering the Post Office has had an unblemished career. He speaks of the happy days spent in the old office, then situated on the site of the A. and B. Garage, and amongst his most pleasant memories are the days he spent in the comradeship of old “Joe” Ferrah, Dick Cockburn, and Jimmie Byrne. He had also, some humorous stories to tell of his old postmasters, one especially being about one of his masters who tried pig keeping, with so little success that his “grumphies” were one day mistaken for whippets.

The Imperial Service medal which comes to all “posties” who serve honourably and well, at length has come Mr Bingham’s way, and on Friday evening, surrounded by his fellow postmen and lady and gentleman clerks from the instrument room and counter, he received the decoration from the hands of Mr Snowball, Postmaster.

BELFORD DISTRICT

ON LEAVE

We were very pleased to see Privates Thomas and John Hunter, both of the D. L. I., home on leave from Germany quite recently. These two gallant boys are the sons of Mr and Mrs Hunter, North Lyham. Prior to May 1918 Mr Hunter and his boys were employed by Mr Blenkinsopp, Ross Farm, and might perhaps have been so yet had the manly spirit of the boys not been so persistent.


North Lyham area of Northumberland 
© Graham Robson – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). 

In March 1915 Privates Hunter informed their father that they were going to the Army in the following May, the younger boy having then attained military age, and no obstacles being put in their way, they went and got their training in, and out to France and over the top a few times before the Armistice was signed. Both boys have greatly improved in appearance since joining up having become quite manly-like and from their conversation one might almost believe they had never experienced a single hardship. Mr and Mrs Hunter ought to be proud of their brave young sons. May the best of good luck be theirs.

LOCAL NEWS

This year the Berwick Rowing Club celebrates its Jubilee. This Club started with a membership of thirty at a meeting held on Monday, 18th January, 1869, in the King’s Arms Hotel, and presided over by the late Mr William Miller. The rules of the London Rowing Club were adopted. Later Mr .T. Carter was appointed Secretary and Treasurer, and the late Mr W. Young was elected Captain, and Mr E. Willoby a member of committee. The season was started in June, when the newly purchased Foy Fours arrived from Newcastle. A Regatta was held on 7th September when a silver cup for a race with Foy Fours and a pair of silver sculls for a race with two skiffs, presented by Mr Watson Askew, were competed for. It will be interesting to note also that the present President (Mr Alex Darling) was a coxswain that year. The Club starts operations for this year on Wednesday first. At a Committee meeting on Wednesday three new active members were elected. The pre-war Committee continues in office, with Mr H. R. Smail as Captain, and Mr J. Cairns as Hon. Secretary. Great credit is due to the latter, the President and Mr W. J. Dixon for having “carried on” during the war in the absence of over 90 per cent of the members on active service.

The first cargo of deals and battens to be discharged at Tweed Dock, Berwick, arrived with the Swedish steamship Munkfors this week, and although the cargo is small in comparison to those landed in pre-war days, still it is a sign that normal conditions are coming again. The wood has been shipped from Skoghall, Gothenburg, and is for Messrs Allan Brothers, Tweed Saw Mills.

The British nurse has helped to win the war, and there is scarcely a home in Great Britain that does not owe a tribute to her care of the wounded. The nursing profession tests the endurance of its members very severely, and during the war many nurses have contracted serious maladies, such as loss of sight, injury to limbs, nervous breakdown, etc.



World War One nurses and midwives recruitment poster. © Imperial War Museum (Art.IWM PST 14581). 

An effort is now being made to raise sufficient money to enable the College of Nursing to make provision for the nurses who have suffered through the war. The Nation’s Tribute for Nurses takes the form of a Thank-offering fund with Viscountess Cowdray as Hon. Treasurer, and Miss C. May Beeman as Hon. Organiser. A large sum is aimed at, and all over the country money is being raised. Berwick V.A.D.s not to be behind hand held a most enjoyable dance on Thursday, 1st May to raise funds. The Artillery Hall, Ravensdowne, was kingly granted free by Major Graham, Officer Commanding 4th V.B.N.F., who also sent a donation of £5. Among those responsible for the arrangements were: Miss Anthoney, Commandant: Mrs Scarlett, Mrs Copperthwaite, the Misses Caisley and Kennedy. Music was supplied by Miss Jobson, Miss White and Mr Davidson, violin. The duties of M.C. were capably discharged by Messrs Scobie and Renwick, and Mr J, Wilson also rendered great assistance. A sum of £25 will, it is hoped, be handed over. The members of the V.A.D. are endeavouring to make Berwick’s contribution up to £50 by means of “Wheel of Gratitude” collecting cards.

BLASTING ACCIDENT AT TWEEDMOUTH

A CHARGE WHICH HUNG FIRE

On Friday morning, 2nd May, a blasting accident which might easily have been attended with more serious consequences, took place in the Quarry owned by Mr A. D, Watt, Tweedmouth, resulting in rather server injuries to a miner named Robert Drysdale, whose home is in Blakewell Road.

It appears that Drysdale, who is employed making “shots” at the Quarry had made a charge which for some reason hung fire. Drysdale thinking the squib had failed walked forward to fix another when the charge suddenly exploded, knocking him down and inflicting severe wounds on the hands and head.

He was removed to Berwick Infirmary, where five of his fingers were found to be so seriously hurt that amputation was necessary. He is going on as well as can be expected.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 25 APRIL 1919

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D.C.M Award

R.S.M. Robert Swanston, 7th (Indian) Division, M.G. Corps, son of Mr and Mrs R. Swanston, Woolmarket, Berwick, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for gallantry in the field, and has been mentioned in despatches. He was mobilised with the local territorials in 1914, and after training at Cambois was unable to proceed to France in 1915 with his regiment owing to an attack of pneumonia. He was very quickly promoted Sergeant, and later was transferred from the 7th N.F. to the Machine Gun Corps. He was in Dublin in an armoured car during the Rebellion in 1916.

In July, 1916, he was made Company Sergeant Major, and as such proceeded to Mesopotamia in charge of his corps. He has been through the whole of the campaign in Mesopotamia with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force under General Allenby from July, 1917, to October, 1918. After winning the D.C.M., he was promoted Regiment Sergeant Major.

No particulars are as yet to hand as to the deed for which he was awarded this high honour, but it must have been some specially brave action as his Company Officer was awarded the V.C. in the same engagement.

R.S.M. Swanston, who has not been home for over three years, enjoys the life out East. He is at present stationed at Tripoli, in the Syrian Hills, where he has been acting as demobilisation officer, and has passed well over 1000 men through his hands.

His father has also been with the Army in France, where he served for three years as a private with the Army Service Corps. He was demobilised this year, and has now returned to his work with Messes Elder and Sons, Castlegate, where his son also worked before the war.

LOCAL NEWS

Easter Monday was celebrated quietly in the town, and there was no excessive travelling, even on the Branch lines. Pic-nic parties round the locality had a good time, and the beach at Spittal, and at the Greens had its votaries.

Youngsters enjoy the pony rides at Spittal beach in this early 20th century image. Similar scenes would be seen on the beach on Easter Monday, 1919. BRO 1887-34-2.

On the Whitadder many anglers were out, but the younger generation of Waltonains saw to it that few likely holes in the river remained unwhipped. Towards evening large crowds were about the street, and the presentation to Lieut. Huffam, V.C. made a suitable ending to a perfect day. The weather was on its best behaviour, which is something to be thankful for nowadays.

We referred last week to the fact that premises in Love Lane, Berwick, had been taken over by a firm interested in the wool industry, and we are now in a position to state that the premises were acquired by Messrs J. Sanderson and Son, skin and wool merchants, Tweedmouth, on behalf of the “Border Counties” Wool Sales Limited,” a company in which Messrs H. Bell and Sons, Ltd., Hexham; Messrs Elliot Maetaggart and Co., Ltd., Mr Woodman, Gallowgate, Newcastle; and other firms are associated. A wool warehouse will be set up, and there will be periodical sales of wool by public auction. In view of the large fleece producing area covered, it is anticipated that a considerable business will be done, not without some advantage to the town and district.

QUEENS ROOMS

There have been splendid audiences at the Queens Rooms Theatre during the week where Royal Raceford the Britian American Wonder in his great magical production has been seen. This turn is well worthy of the “Queens” known record and the audience nightly shows its appreciation. There is also the all popular “Go as you please competition” where several local stars are doing their “stunts.” The final will take place on Friday, and none should miss it.

BELFORD AND DISTRICT

BELFORD

MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT

On Monday afternoon Mr James Johnson, Headmaster, Tomlinson’s School, Rothbury, leader of the Rothbury Fife and Drum band, visited Belford and gave selections of music, which were greatly appreciated by all who gathered round to listen to the gladdening strains. The artistes are all boys of Mr Johnson’s school, and great credit it due to him for the excellent way each one performed his part.

Mr Johnson is a native of Belford, and 50 years ago was a member of the Belford Fife and Drum band. Mr Dan Joyce is the only other surviving member of that famous band of fifty years ago.

A silver collection was taken to defray expenses, and any surplus was to be handed to the Blinded Soldiers’ Fund.

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