Berwick

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 28 FEBRUARY 1919

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TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

Another of our West End lads home for good is Seaman Gunner Thomas Binney, R.N.R. Being in the Naval Reserve he was called up on August, 1914, and has been most of the time in the neighbourhood of the Orkneys and Iceland. He worked from the “Kirkwall Base for 2½ years. He saw the German submarines futile attempts to break through the British Fleet, and had numerous adventurers while operating from that Base. His part has therefore been a noble one in defence of his country.

Seaman James Binney, a brother, was also a reserve man, and has an equally good record of service. His work during the war has been chiefly that of minesweeping, one of the most dangerous occupations known. On one occasion his boat was rammed and sunk, fortunately all hands were saved. Afterwards he was on a armed drifter working further south in 1918, and until demobilised.

LOCAL NEWS

The laying of the foundation-stone of Berwick Pier, on February 27th, 1810, was an occasion of great interest to the whole population of the north, the “Newcastle Daily Journal” reminds us. The various lodges of Freemasons from the neighbouring towns joined that of Berwick, and together with the County Magistrates and a large concourse of people,

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marched from the Town Hall to the church. After service they proceeded, attended by a band of music, to lay the foundation-stone. The ceremony was honoured by discharges of cannon from the ramparts and the ships in the harbour, and afterwards the Lodge of St. George held a dinner party in the Town Hall.

The Queen’s Rooms have been a great centre of attraction this week, and the bookings for the Revue, “Hullo! Who Are You? have been excellent. The public have enjoyed the Revue which is brim full of fun, and the chorus singing as well as that of the principals in the catchy songs has been bright and tuneful. One of the great attractions was, of course the new Jazz Dance descriptions of which fill the papers, and which is all the rage at present. The four girls who executed this feat are certainly well versed in the art of graceful dancing.


Carter and King Jazz Orchestra in the early part of the twentieth century.  American Jazz was the music that inspired the various types of dance of that period around the globe. Wikimedia Commons.

We are quite sure patrons will welcome a return of the Revue or others on similar lines. For next week the great attraction will be Charlie Chaplin in “Shoulder Arms” a film that has never yet been screened in Berwick. Mr T. Nicolls, ventriloquist is sure to thrill the audience with his clever impersonations. In the end of the week in addition to several good comedies the public will have an opportunity of seeing the sensational film entitled “The Failure”. Messrs Lindsay and McIndee are to be congratulated on their efforts to provide such pleasing performances at the Queen’s.

There has been a great scarcity of coal in Berwick during the last few days. The district is supplied from some eight collieries, but the supplies promised have not been forwarded, and on Tuesday Mr Turnbull went to Newcastle and interviewed Sir Johnston Wallace about getting further supplies from the south. He expresses himself satisfied with the result of his interview and has been promised a further supply of 25 per cent from the southern collieries.

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The embargo on small quantities of coke has been released, and a good deal of coke has therefore been distributed to supplement the coal supply. The threat of a strike amongst the miners may have something to do with the scarcity, as country people have been drawing their full rations. If the strike does occur, there are no reserves in Bewick at present; but in view of the promise for further supplies from the south, the situation in a few days ought to be easier.

BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS

TUESDAY

Before T. M. Morrison, Esq.

Francis McDady, private, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, who was apprehended by the police at Berwick Station on Monday, was charged with being a deserter from his regiment in France.

He pleaded guilty. The Chief Constable said Private McDady had travelled up from London, and at Berwick Station it was found he had no ticket, and for this reason was handed over to the police. He had deserted from his unit in France in November last, and had been going about ever since.

P.C. Welsh said that at 3.15 on Monday afternoon he received a complaint from Berwick Station, and on proceeding there, defendant was handed over to him by the Stationmaster. The defendant admitted having travelled from London without a ticket. He also said that he had deserted on the 17th November, and from that time up till Sunday last, had wandered about in France. He had crossed by boat on Sunday to Folkestone, where he was apprehended as a deserter. He had, however, managed to escape, and reached London, where he boarded the train on which he travelled to Berwick. Defendant was remanded pending the arrival of an escort.

CHATTON

Mourning and gaiety have had their alternate reigns in the village this week. The funeral of R. Muckle was very largely attended, but the laying to his last rest of Private Carr, who, after suffering heavily as one of our brave defenders, came home only to die of influenza, attracted a very much larger gathering. There is little doubt that the gassing to which he was subjected on the battle front weakened the constitution of the noble young lad.

So far the sadness of the village; yet in these days very few live with the dead for long. First the Chillingham girls celebrated the return of their heroes with a dance at the Parish Hall, and then the young ladies of Chatton followed with a ball in honour of theirs. The days of the Canadians are numbered, and without the camps what will the ladies do?

The birds are making music and snowdrops and aconites are looking lovely. But in these racing days who is there to appreciate duly these signs of coming Spring? “O that men would therefore praise the Lord for His goodness, and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men!”

Building Berwick Old Bridge (Twixt Thistle and Rose)

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Old Berwick Bridge has recently re-opened after essential repairs and a further £250,000 has been allocated for maintenance during 2019/2020. It is a well-used crossing of the Tweed, popular with visitors and locals alike and it has a very well documented history – including a record of all the names of the people who built it and what it cost.

Increase in costs for tide work

The old bridge has linked both sides of the Tweed at Berwick for about 380 years. According to Fuller’s History of Berwick work ended on the 24 October 1634 having taken “twenty-four years four months and four days”. The construction was a major feat of engineering – working around tides and the powerful surges of the river. Although at times convoluted, both the King and the Guild saw the building of permanent crossing of the Tweed at Berwick as a crucial investment and symbolic too.

Supplies of building materials for Berwick Bridge, 1613

The building of a stone bridge over the Tweed at Berwick marked the end of hostilities with Scotland on the accession of James VI of Scotland to the English throne in 1603. Berwick had been, for centuries, a town at war. From 1482 to 1601 it had a Governor appointed by the Crown and was occupied by a large garrison. The crown paid for repairs to the castle, the fortifications and the old wooden bridge (which was often washed away in floods) as it was a strategic military base.

Summary bridge accounts 1612-1613 (H1/1)

The Earl of Dunbar – George Home – who held a series of royal appointments in Scotland and England under James I/VI had been granted the fortifications of Berwick when the garrison was disbanded. He was instrumental in making the case for the building of a stone bridge, proposing how it should be funded and appointing, for life, the bridge surveyor and designer, James Burrell. Home’s funding scheme gave way to other arrangements but Burrell stayed the course.

Particular payments for work beginning the 11 May 1622

The “particular accounts” for the building of the bridge from 1611-1635 (H1/1-4) survive in the borough archives – volumes that Fuller cites extensively in his History of Berwick. The other side to the story is found in records held at The National Archives (such as The Exchequer Pipe Rolls – declared accounts for the building of Berwick Bridge ref: E 351/3585) as this was a crown enterprise. Indeed, the bridge building accounts held in the Berwick Archives might not be so”particular” had they – and the works – not been routinely audited by royal inspectors. These included the Bishop of Durham and the poet Fulke Greville in his role as Chancellor of the Exchequer (Source: The History of the Kings Works Vol IV (part II), Colvin et al pp.774-775, HMSO 1982).

Payment to Foulke Reynards Master of the good ship the “Boweringe of Stavering” for freight of oak trees, coal, oakum, holly wood, rope and steel from Newcastle to Berwick, to John Wylde the pilot from Newcastle to Berwick and to Henry Scott and his “fellowes for their pains and their bote” in helping the ship up Berwick River, 1614

The accounts describe materials used at different points in the construction, the use of oak from the royal estate at Chopwell near Blaydon, the freight of coal, oyster shells and stone by sea, and the people – men, women and boys (all named) – who built the bridge.

Timber from Chopwell Woods, 1613

The accounts for subsequent repairs by Guild and the Town Council are also held by the Berwick Records Office to 1835 as Bridge Account volumes, later as part of the annual reporting of accounts.

Today the bridge is the smallest of the three that span the Tweed at Berwick but in it’s day it would have made a significant impact on the landscape. It was clearly a source of civic pride as funds were routinely levied on the burgesses for it’s upkeep – in addition to the Crown costs of around £13,000 which is the equivalent of about £1.5 million today.

Illustration depicting the bridge about 1799 from Fuller’s History of Berwick

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14 FEBRUARY 1919

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BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14 FEBRUARY 1919

PRESENTATION AT HOLY ISLAND

Returning from the war as well as going to it, is accompanied with changes; and Mr Hollingsworth’s welcome return to the island, after so nobly leaving school and family, three and a half years ago, to do his bit at the war, relives Mr Pearson, who has acted as temporary head master during his absence.

Three and a half years is a considerable time in the life of the school children; and while they had not forgotten their teacher at the war, and were proudly conscious of the heroism displayed in his absence from them, nevertheless they had also learned to love their present teacher; and to make friends of his wife and daughter; it was only natural they should wish in parting to show these feelings in the form of parting presents. We do not wonder at these feelings existing, for anyone who knows Mr Pearson readily come to perceive that, besides being an able teacher and a strict disciplinarian, he is remarkably fond of his scholars.


Children playing beside lobster pots at Holy Island, in the early 20th century.  © Northumberland Archives, NRO 683-13-33. 

On the afternoon of Friday last, the master being previously told to expect visitors, there duly appeared in the School, the Vicar, accompanied by a number of former scholars, and the ceremony of presentation proceeded. The Vicar gracefully presiding, the top boy, Master A. Crawshaw, with neat speech, expressed the kind wishes of the scholars for their teacher and his family, and in token of their good feeling asked the Master to accept of the following mementos. To the teacher himself, leather collar box and ebony-backed hair brushes; to Mrs Pearson, roll of music.

Mr Pearson, in returning kind knowledgements for himself and family testified the pleasure he had in receiving these gifts was the conviction that they were spontaneous and affectionate. Though leaving the Holy Isle he would never forget it, never forget the kindnesses he had received from all the people; and especially would never forget his beloved pupils. Thus ended the programme, according to plan; but the vociferous cheering, first for himself, then for his wife, and then for his daughter, which came neither from programme nor from plan, but from their heart, was perhaps the best part of a most pleasant meeting.

LOCAL NEWS

Congratulations to Gunner Robert Leach, 106th Siege Battery, R.G.A., husband of Mrs Leach, Bishop’s Entry, Berwick, who has been awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the Field in France. He joined up in June, 1917, and has been over 15 months on active service in France, and has had the good luck not to be wounded, though he has seen much heavy fighting.

The Military Medal, awarded to Gunner Robert leach from Berwick

Before enlisting he was Secretary to the Co-operative Society, Ltd., at Tweedmouth, and was also at one time in the office of the Borough Surveyor, Mr R. Dickinson. His younger brother has been in the army since out-break of war, but is now demobilised. They are the sons of Mr Leach, Main Street, Tweedmouth

It is expected that the new Sanatorium which the Northumberland County Council have decided to build at Wooler, will be ready for occupation in about twelve months. The total cost will be £55,804, and the building, which will be timber, lined and covered with asbestos when completed will house 500 patients. At present, however, it is only proposed to erect a building large enough to provide for 144 patients. When the question of building the new Sanatorium was discussed at the recent meeting of the Council, one member advocated “holding their hands,” as there were two excellent houses which would shortly come into market, and which would be suitable for a sanatoria. We understand that one of the houses referred to is on the banks of the Tweed, and not many miles from Berwick.

TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS

The brothers Private James Yourston, 1st K.O.S.B., and Private Andrew Yourston, N.F., have been home to Main Street, Tweedmouth, on leave together. Private James Yourston enlisted in the 7th N.F. in 1914, and went to France with the local Battalion. He was wounded shortly after his arrival on the Western front, and was out of action for a considerable time.


A British officer writing home from the Western Front during World War One
 © Copyright expired.  National Library of Scotland image: digital.nls.uk/74548100. 

He had the honour of being awarded the D.C.M. while in the first battles, and was presented with the same at a public gathering in some time, and is returning back to his unit, Berwick. He has been in the 1st K.O.S.B. for some time and is returning back to his unit, which is now in Germany. Private Andrew Yourston now demobilised joined the 7th N.F.’s early in the war, and went through much of the campaign with the 7th, being later transferred to the 14th N.F. He also has been wounded, but is now fully recovered from all the ill effects of the war in general. He is a baker to trade, and intends commencing with his old employers the Co-Operative Society, as soon as convenient.

DUDDO

Although the fighting was finished it was thought that as the boys could not be at home for Christmas they would be delighted to receive a present from home to show them that they were remembered. Accordingly subscriptions were asked for and a ready response was given. Owing to the food regulations, etc., the usual parcels could not be sent, but instead a gift of money, socks and cigarettes, or money alone to the value of 10s was sent to each man. The answers received from the men showed how much they appreciated the kind thoughts of those at home.

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