Berwick

This Week in World War One, 17 September 1915

by

Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 17 SEPTEMBER 1915

 

BOY DROWNED AT BERWICK QUAY

 

Shortly after noon on Monday, George Grieve, 13 years of age, son of James Grieve, baker, 1 Palace Street, Berwick, was discovered in the Tweed near the Leith Dock, and is supposed to have taken a fit, to which he was subject, and fallen from the Quay into the water.  Thos. Laidler and James Burgon, who were salmon fishing close by, went to the spot with a boat and lifted Grieve from the water. He was conveyed to the Fish House, where artificial respiration was tried for some time, but on the arrival of Dr Taylor, who examined the boy, life was found to be extinct. The body was taken home on the Police ambulance

The Inquest

Coroner Weatherhead and a jury held an inquest on the body in the Town Hall on Tuesday afternoon.

James Grieve, baker, identified the body as that of his son, George, aged 13. His son was subject to fits, and took them frequently.

 

 

Photograph of the Berwick Quayside early 1900s © Berwick Record Office BRO 1636-5-6
Photograph of the Berwick Quayside early 1900s © Berwick Record Office BRO 1636-5-6

 

William McPhee, private of the 210th Royal Scots, said he was on sentry duty on the Quay guarding the transport waggons for the Royal Scots. He knew the deceased and had taken him away twice from the edge of the Quay on Saturday. Shortly after twelve on Monday he saw deceased standing behind one of the transport waggons. He turned to go to the other end of his beat, and on looking round he saw some boys running and one of the boys informed him that there was a boy in the water. He turned out the remainder of the guard, and on going to the spot he saw deceased in the water. By that time a boat was a few yards from deceased, which had come from the other side of the river. The body was lifted into the boat. He heard no shout from the deceased nor did he see deceased fall over.

Thomas Laidler, salmon fisher, West End, Tweedmouth, said he was fishing at the other side of the river where the deceased fell in. He heard some boys shouting for help, and he rowed a boat over with John Burgon and saw deceased lying under water on the bed of the river. He got off the boat and lifted the deceased into the boat. The water was about three and a half feet deep. He conveyed deceased to the Salmon Stairs.

By a juror- I never heard the splash or saw deceased come to surface. It took me two minutes to row across.

Dr J. Cleasby Taylor stated that he was called to the Fish House, where he examined him. Life was then extinct. Deceased was frothing considerably at the mouth and nose, and it appeared as if deceased had had a fit and been unable to extricate himself. The cause of death was drowning.

The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical testimony.

 

MOTOR ACCIDENT NEAR BERWICK

 

 The first serious accident since the lighting restrictions came into effect at Berwick occurred on Tuesday night, two men being injured by being knocked down by a motor car. The accident took place in the dark near to Castlehills Lodge, on the Canty’s road. A motor car belonging to Mr Wm. Askew, of Ladykirk, was returning from Castlehills to Ladykirk, when it overtook and knocked down three harvest labourers. Two of the men, named Arthur Jackson and Edward O’Neil, were bruised, one of them somewhat badly. The car was proceeding at a very slow pace. The men were conveyed in the motor car to Berwick Infirmary, where they were detained. It was found that no bones were broken, and one of the men had escaped uninjured, while the other two were bruised.

Berwick Advertiser 17 September 1915. John Mosgrove Advert
Berwick Advertiser 17 September 1915. John Mosgrove Advert

 

DEATH OF MR JOHN ROBERTSON

 

We regret to record the death of Mr John Robertson, for many years senior traveller with the firm of Messrs Redpath and Son, draper, etc., Berwick. Outside of business Jack Robertson, as he was familiarly called, was best known in cycling circles. He was the founder of the Tweedside Cycling Club in 1893, was its first secretary, and at the time of his death held the office of president. He was a member of the recently formed Berwick Athletic Society, and served on the committee. Mr Robertson has been in failing health for some time, and passed away at his residence 1 West End, Tweedmouth, on Wednesday. Much sympathy will be expressed for his widow and family. His eldest son is serving with the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers somewhere in France. The funeral takes place on Sunday at Tweedmouth Cemetery.

Leon Georget Pictured above is road and track racer Léon Georget (2 October 1879 – 5 November 1949)
Pictured above is road and track racer Léon Georget (2 October 1879 – 5 November 1949)

Leon Georget was known as The Father of the Bol d’Or, having won the race nine times between 1903 and 1919 in Paris.  He also won the Bordeaux to Paris in 1903 and 1910. This image originally formed part of the George Grantham Bain collection which is now in the procession of United States Library of Congress‘s Prints and Photographs division under the digital ID ggbain.04379.

 

This Week in World War One, 3 September 1915

by

Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 3 SEPTEMBER 1915

 

MARRIAGE OF CAPTAIN P. W. MACLAGAN

 

Marriage of Captain P.W.Maclagan. – The numerous friends of Captain Philip Whiteside Maclagan, R.A.M.C., son of Dr C.G.Maclagan, Ravensdowne, will be interested to learn of his marriage, which took place on Wednesday in the Erskine U.F.Church, Annan, the bride being Miss Jane Scott, second daughter of the late Mr William John Robinson and of Mrs Robinson, Cluden, well-known and much esteemed citizens of Annan.

Annan Free Church
Annan Free Church

The bridegroom, who has been acting as assistant to Dr. Hunter, Annan, joined the R.A.M.C. at the beginning of the war. Dr Maclagan has been much thought of during his stay in Annan, and has made a large circle of friends and acquaintances. The presents were numerous and costly. There was a large attendance of personal friends at the wedding, the interior of the church being adorned with many pretty floral decorations. The officiating clergyman was the Rev. Archibald A. Campbell, and the bride was given away by her grandfather. Miss Robinson, the bride’s sister, acted as bridesmaid, and Dr Hunter officiated as the best man. At the conclusion of the marriage the happy couple left on their honeymoon per motor car.

A TWEED ANGLING STORY

 

The autumn season of salmon angling in the Tweed properly begins in the middle of September, when the nets are taken off at Berwick, according to law, as the phrase goes. Last year the stretches of the river belonging to the riparian properties were poorly let. The war called away many potential lessees, and those who remained did not care to enter on the sport. This year (writes a correspondent of the Glasgow Bulletin) there is an improvement. How the season will turn out nobody can tell. The weather is a great factor – a big flood in September or October being absolutely necessary to bring up the fish from the sea. But the more important question of supply arises. A venerable and experienced angler informed me that salmon are very scarce at Berwick this year up till now. I asked the reason, and added, half jocularly, “Owing to the war?” he replied in all gravity: “Weel, that might be sae. Thae submarines an’ torpedoes an’ other things mann hae had an unusual effeck. The sea about the East Coast has been greatly disturbit, an’ it’s juist possible it mav hae changed the coorse o’ the fish. Mind ye’ salmon’s queer beese.”

Salmon net fishing Paxton House, 2013
Salmon net fishing on the River Tweed below Paxton House, 2013. Copyright: Les Hull, Creative Commons Licence.

 

ITEMS OF INTEREST

 

Forbidden Postal Packets – The Press Bureau issues the following:- Attention is called to the fact that it is a punishable offence to send through the post any explosive substance or any article or thing likely to injure other postal packets or officers of the postal service. Cases have recently occurred of shells, pieces of shells, fuses, and cartridges being sent through the post. This dangerous practice has already caused loss of life, and has been forbidden by the military authorities.

 

LOCAL NEWS

 

The Last of an Old Spittal Family – Mrs G. Forsyth, late of 20 West Street, Spittal, died last week, in her eighty-fourth year; the last of a generation of a long lived family named Richardson. Nine of them reached maturity, and their ages when added together amounted to 726 years. We noted, some time ago, that one of them, Elizabeth Richardson, married to Thomas Elliot, fisherman, Spittal, who died aged 94, had 222 descendants, children, grand-children, and great-grand-children. The country which has most of that kind of citizen will quickest and best get over the ravages of the war.

 

SALE OF WORK AT CORNHILL

Sum of £43 Realised

 

The interior of Cornhill Schoolroom on Saturday afternoon wore a bright and fascinating appearance – just the very opposite to the rainy weather outside – for it was arrayed in all the splendour of an eastern bungalow, and it certainly well maintained the reputation to the title of an Oriental bazaar.  The various stalls were laden with a most artistic selection of all kinds of fancy and embroidery work, worthily sustaining the labours of Mrs Holland, of the Rectory, and the other ladies in the district who were responsible for the effort. There was a beautiful display of embroidered and decorative napery, Chinese and Japanese tables, Chinese lacker tables, Thibet and Lhassa tables, Indian rugs, Chinese, Venitian, and Jerusalem jewellery, besides Indian chutney, Java jelly, foreign stamps.

Lhasa style antique Tibetan Buddhist Altar table
Lhasa style antique Tibetan Buddhist Altar table

 

A feature was the Sowers’ Band Stall, the labours of the Cornhill  children, which was devoted to  the Cornhill Cot in Quetta hospital. The remainder of the sale was for the benefit of the Church Army Ambulance Fund, and Foreign Missions. Mrs Holland, the respected mother of the Rev. Mr Holland, and the several ladies who assisted her certainly deserve all credit for the splendid result of their labours as was witnessed in the display on the various stalls. A refreshment and tea stall was also tastefully arranged at the end of the schoolroom for those who wished to have a quiet cup and friendly crack.

Among those who assisted at the various stalls were Miss Low, Mrs Collingwood, Mrs H, St. B. Holland, Miss Rand, Mrs. J. Logan, Miss Murkin, Mrs Matthewson, Miss Hoyle, Mrs Fleming, Miss Tristram, Misses Collingwood, Fenwick, and Fleming, and Messrs Blake, Collingwood, and Fleming.

During the afternoon the sale was visited by a considerable number of representative ladies and gentlemen and among those present and who kindly sent donations were :- The Countess of Home; Sir Francis Blake, the Honourable Mrs Baillie Hamilton, the Hon. M. Joicey, the Misses Milne Home, Mr and Misses Selby, Mrs Neligan and party, Mrs Rea, Miss Fleming and party. Mrs Little, Mrs Maling, Mrs Swan, Mrs Shotton, Mrs Mackay, Mrs R. Carmichael, Mrs Mangin, Miss Baker Cresswell, Miss Sellar, Rev. W. I. Moran, Mr Swanston, Mrs Bell, Mrs Dickson, Misses Raines, Mr H.J. Swanston, Marshall Meadows, etc.

During the evening patriotic and other glees were well rendered by members of the choir, and Miss R. Jeffrey’s solos were much appreciated.

The proceeds amounted to over £43.

 

 

This Week in World War One, 27 August 1915

by

Berwick Advertiser title 1915

 

 

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 27 AUGUST 1915

 

 EARLY SHOP CLOSING IN BERWICK

 

Although it may appear on first examination to be inflicting a hardship on some people to close the merchants’ shops at six o’clock in the evening still it has to be borne in mind that we are living in very abnormal times. It is a time when sacrifices have to be made, and the man or woman who exhibits any hesitancy in adapting himself or herself to the special and exceptional times manifest a want of true consideration to help their country in the hour of its direct necessity. The highest and supreme sacrifice has been paid by many a family during the terrible times we have passed through. The closing of business establishments a few hours earlier is a small matter in comparison therewith, and if it is to safeguard the lives of the community and frustrate the cowardly intentions of an unseen enemy nothing should stand in the way of adopting the most stringent and exacting precautions. There is no reason why a shopkeeper should not be able to close early if the public determine to assist in this direction. If the public resolved to discontinue patronising a particular shop they would very effectively close that shop altogether.

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

 

The early closing of business premises, therefore, depends wholly on the public being alive and educated to the fact. And as the early closing does not effect locally till the 1st October there is ample time for all customers to realise the fact, as well as for the various merchants taking adequate steps to meet the inauguration of the new hours. The easiest way to meet the new situation is either for the customer to send in a list of his orders early, or else for the merchant to call at the customers’ residences and take a note of these. On Saturday evening there should be no hardship inflicted, for all will surely manage to purchase there weekend provisions before nine o’clock. Indeed, at the Town Hall meeting, there were no real solid arguments adduced against closing earlier, and as soon as the public can thoroughly comprehend the hours the new method should be found to work quite smoothly in a small borough such as Berwick. No merchant need be afraid of losing his customers, as these will quickly respond to the altered circumstances, and they will not desert patronising a particular shop where they think they have an inducement to buy. Although there was a small minority against the motion which became the finding of the meeting it was very gratifying to observe how whole-heartedly they fell in with the majority. Unanimity means success, and all that is now required is that the various merchants should take full advantage of the reasonable interval before 1st October in reminding all their customers of the changed hours to suit the exceptional needs of the country’s peril.

 

BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS

Friday

Before Captain Norman, R.N., and J.McNab, Esq

 

Hanselling of Spittal Lock-Up- A large crowd gathered in the precincts of Spittal’s new Police Station on Thursday afternoon. The occasion was not the opening ceremony of the imposing building by the civic fathers but merely the new cells receiving their first occupant. The crowd again gathered on Friday morning with a view to seeing the delinquent take her departure to the more commodious quarters of Berwick Police Court. However the curious ones were disappointed for the prisoner was taken out by the back door while the crowd waited patiently at the front door. Following upon the foregoing events Mary Johnson, married woman Lanark, was charged with being drunk and disorderly near the Forge, Spittal, at three p.m. on Thursday afternoon. Defendant pleaded guilty, Sergt. McRobb said that upon receiving a complaint he proceeded to the Forge and on the grass

A half crown coin (2s 6d), the sum of which Mary Johnson from Lanark was fined, with the alternative of seven days imprisonment.
A half crown coin (2s 6d), the sum of which Mary Johnson from Lanark was fined.

near there found defendant lying in a drunken condition. Defendant had been creating a disturbance and on witness attempting to lift her to her feet she drew forth her hat pins from her hat, and by this action exposed witness to the hatpin peril by attempting to thrust the aforesaid pin into his leg. Foiled in this defendant refused to walk to the lock-up but witness obtained a trap and she was driven there in state. In defence defendant said she had met someone home from the Front. The Chief Constable said defendant had 2s 6d in her possession. Captain Norman-We will relieve you of that half crown with the alternative of seven days imprisonment. The Chief Constable said defendant was the first to be locked up at the new police station at Spittal.

Berwick Advertiser, 27 August 1915 Playhouse advert.
Berwick Advertiser, 27 August 1915 Playhouse advert.

 

BELFORD CENTENARIAN

MRS ISABELLA LEARMOUTH OF ROSS

 

A happy event was celebrated at Ross, Belford, on the 5th August, when Mrs Isabella Learmouth, wife of the late George Learmouth, North Sunderland, attained her 100th birthday. Mrs Learmouth, who is the daughter of the late Mr Robert Geggie, is in good health, retains all her faculties and at present is always busily engaged knitting socks and comforts for the troops. On the morning of her birthday she received many letters of congratulations and birthday cards from the following- Rev. J and Mrs Miller, Belford; Mr J. and Misses Blenkinsop, Ross; Miss Arthur, Chathill; Mr David Black, Berwick; Miss P. Aynsley, Blyth; Mr Adam Jefferson, Spittal; Mrs Margaret Clark, Beal; Mrs Hunter, Ross; Misses Ross, Grange Mill; Mr John English, Bedlington; Miss M. Davison, Ross; Miss A. Heffen, Ross; Mr James Hoje,(sic) Ross; Mr George Hope, Ross; Miss M.G.Clark, Newcastle; Mr and Mrs W. Learmouth, Gosforth; Co-operative Society, Ltd, Wooler; Mrs Young, Ross; Miss I. Learmouth, Ross; Mrs Gibson, Bltyh; Mr J. Mole, Belford.

To mark the occasion a birthday cake was made and presented to Mrs Learmouth by Mrs Graham and family, Belford. Mrs Learmouth also sent a birthday cake to her grandson at the front, Lance Corporal George English, 7th N.F., to celebrate the event with his comrades in the trenches. It will be the wish of all that Mrs Learmouth may be long spared to enjoy the quiet eventide of life.

In the 1911 Census, Isabella is living with Alexander Hope, her son-in law at New Shoreston in Bamburgh. According to the Census, she was born at Ayton in Berwickshire.

 

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