BERWICK ADVERTISER, 8 AUGUST 1919

09/08/2019 by Northumberland Archives

MILITARY NOTES

TO RESERVE

In the K.O.S.B., Regular Forces, Captain R. Joynson resigns his commission and joins the General Reserve of Officers, getting its seniority as Captain as from September 28th, 1915.

VOLUNTEERS’ CERTIFICATES

The work done by volunteers during the war is to be commemorated by the War Office Certificates, bearing the signature of Mr Churchhill, are now being given to all ranks who joined the various units as a record of their service in the force.

K.O.S.B. AND MINDEN DAY

On Friday, August 1st, Minden Day, the officers, W.O.’s, N.C.O.’s, and men at the Barracks, Berwick, wore a red rose in their caps. The battle of Minden was fought during the Seven Years’ War on August 1st, 1759, when Prince Ferdinand with 40,000 British and Hanoverian troops defeated the French, who lost 8000 men, of whom 3000 were made prisoners. As a result of the seven years’ war British supremacy in India was secured, Canada became a British colony, and the British command of the sea was to a great extent secured.

SPORTS AT THE GREENS

IN CELEBRATION OF ANNIVERSARY OF MOBILISATION

Residents in the upper part of the town and in the Greens in particular spent a pleasant hour on Monday evening, when in celebration of the anniversary of mobilisation, a small sports meeting was arranged and gone through on the Main Street in front of the Pilot Inn.

A crowd of several hundreds turned up to witness the events, and great hilarity prevailed, especially in the treacle bun competitions for youths resident in the Greens. Mick Noon, who is reputed to hold all the worlds records for treacle bun contests, was present as an interested spectator, but took no part in the bun worry, preferring to leave the honours to those of more youthful years.

The sports were in charge of Messrs Richard and Alic Murphy, who were assisted by a willing band of stewards, who took entries in the crowd, and greatly helped to run the events through smoothly.

An early 20th century image of the Low Greens, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Ref: BRO 515-398

The boot race for youths provided some good running, the competitors getting off their marks smartly, only to find trouble in store for them at the lower part of the Greens, where “Tucker” saw it that the boots were well mixed. Manuel was an easy winner, walking home as he liked. Several who followed were disqualified for not having their boots properly laced.

The potato picking race brought out several of the old-time athlete. Amongst the entrants were such peds. As “Tucker” and “Dodger,” and great laughter was occasioned when the latter prepared to strip off and indulge in a preliminary canter. The pace was fast from the start, and “Tay” Burgon was a popular winner. Robert Burgon was awarded second place, and “Tucker” Jameison third.

The crowd surging around, rather spoiled the first treacle bun event, but screams of laughter could be heard as the young competitors made franctic drives at the elusive buns, only to be smeared with treacle all over the face. The prize-money was divided between Gillie, Manuel and Jamieson.

A similar event for younger boys was equally amusing, and Matthews got through his bun at least a minute before anyone else, Borthwick being second, and Patterson and Dixon tying for third place.

Children’s races were then run off, and the sports were brought to a close with a women’s race. This created great amusement, several dames of mature years turning out. Mrs Wakenshaw ran well, and was at the tape a good three yards ahead of the others. Mrs Gillie was second, and Mrs Young third.

In the race for young men, Manuel got home first, with Gillie and Burgon a good second and third.

During the evening a collection was taken up for St. Dunstan’s Hostel, and the creditable sum of £2 6s 4d was raised, for which the promoters thank the public who subscribed.

The fun was kept up to a late hour, dancing to the music of an accordion taking place. “Auld Lang Syne” brought to a close a most enjoyable night.

ORD

The presentation of Peace Mugs, which could not take place on the day appointed for local Peace Celebrations, was carried out in ideal weather on Friday afternoon, August 1st, at the close of school for summer holidays. The scholars assembled at the Village Green, and were joined by others from outlying parts of the parish. After singing several songs, the arrival of Lord and Lady Francis Osborne was the signal for the ceremony to begin. After a short and appropriate speech from Mr Armstrong, chairman of the Parish Council, the children marched past and received their mugs.

Lady Osborne complimented the children on their appearance, and conduct, wished them a happy holiday, and hoped they would treasure the mugs as a souvenir of the great occasion. On the motion of Councillor Armstrong, Lady Osborne was cordially thanked for her services. The singing of the National Anthem marked the close of quite a pleasing function. In addition to scholars and teachers, the company present included:- Lord and lady Francis Osborne, Ord House; Mr and Mrs Armstrong, Murton White House, Mr and Mrs Lake, Tweed View, East Ord; Mr Harry Lake and Miss Lake, Bourne, Lincolnshire; Mrs McBain, Ord Cottage, Mrs Hornby, East Ord Schoolhouse, and Mr and Mrs Chrystal, East Ord.

GLENDALE AGRICULTURAL SHOW

POPULAR FUNCTION REVIVED

The war having curtailed the energies of the Glendale Agricultural Society, the public looked forward to the time when the show would be revived, and they were not disappointed in the splendid meeting which was arranged for on Thursday last. Old institutions die hard, but there is a yet no sign that the Glendale Society has reached the period of the sere and yellow leaf. Under the capable direction of Mr R. Noble, Shipley, Alnwick, little is left out of account which would be material to the success of the meeting.

Sheep Farmers, Glendale Show 1957. Ref: BRO 1760-1

Under the restrictions and curtailment of railway service, this year’s revival falls short of pre-war days, but notwithstanding this, the Show as presented gave satisfaction to all, and was a happy augury for the future. The jumping of hunters, which was at one time a feature of the show, had this year to be cut out, owing to the great difficulties which are being experienced by agriculturists in getting stock removed from place to place. Part of the large field too where the event was held formerly is now let for grazing, and the cattle, sheep, and industrial sections had to be held in the Wooler Mart premises, kindly placed at the disposal of the Committee.

During the forenoon, the weather was fair, with a high wind prevailing, and most of the judging was carried through expeditiously. Unfortunately, however, in the afternoon a rainstorm was experienced, and the velocity of the wind increased, which must have had an adverse effect upon the attendance.

Compared with 1914, when the last show was held, the entries showed a total decrease of 80. As a whole, the display of stock was quite creditable, the sheep and horses being particularly good.

TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

ACCIDENT

What might have proved a very nasty if not fatal accident, occurred on Monday forenoon. While Edward Simpson, Border Inn, and a worker in Scremerston pit, was cycling down Sunnyside, in endeavouring to pass a flock of lambs being driven to Berwick Mart, two or three lambs ran across the track of his cycle, throwing him heavily. Fortunately, he fell on to the top of sheep, but his shoulder was pretty badly bruised.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 11 JULY 1919

01/08/201912/07/2019 by Northumberland Archives

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

10/05/2019 by Northumberland Archives

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.

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