BERWICK ADVERTISER, 7TH JANUARY 1921

LOWICK WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILED

Sunday, the 2nd day of January 1921, will be a never-to-be-forgotten day in Lowick and parish, for on that day the memorial was unveiled in honour of the brave lads who went forward at their country’s call to make the great sacrifice. The memorial has been erected in the Market Place, opposite the Post Office, and is of Aberdeen Granite, with a Doddington Freestone base. The site is an ideal one, and the memorial standing 11 ft. 6 ins high, looks well and lends beauty to its surroundings.

Lowick War Memorial which was unveiled in 1921, amidst great ceremony.  © J Thomas – Geograph – Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

It was early evident the work of the Committee had been appreciated, for people came from all parts of the parish, many carrying wreaths. About 2 p.m. the crowd numbered anything from 800 to 1,000 persons. Promptly at 2.10, the procession was formed up at the churchyard gates and singing the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers,” moved slowly forward as follows: Buglers, Comrades of the Great War (under Capt. Gee and Sergt. Pringle), relatives of the fallen, Sunday School children, Church congregations, Church Officers and Choirs; Major Rea, Capt. Elliott, Capt. Alexander, Mr R. Barber, the Rev. C. V. Gee, and the Rev. G. Tait, followed by the general public.

On arrival at the memorial, the procession formed into a square with military precision. On the platform were the Rev. C. V. Gee, the Rev. G. Tait, Major J. G. G. Rea, Captain Elliott, Mr R. Barber, Capt. Alexander, and Capt. Gee.

LOCAL NEWS

Arrangements are being made for the distribution of guaranteed pure fertile Italian Queen bees during season 1921, at a cost of 11s 6d for each delivery during May and up to June 25th, and 8s 6d each for July and August. Beekeepers should apply not later than January 25th to the Director of Education, The Moothall, Newcastle-on-Tyne.

There is prevalent in London and throughout the country a rather mysterious infection, which causes swelling of the glands around the angles of the jaws and sometimes in front of the ears. At first it was supposed that the condition was mumps; but now it is evident that there is a difference. Happily, the glands seem to subside of themselves in a period of a few days or weeks. The nature of the condition is not clear; by some it is regarded as a complication of “influenza.”

On New Year’s night the Long Room of the Corn Exchange was comfortably filled when a whist drive was held under the auspices of the Berwick-upon-Tweed Public Bowling Green. Mr R. Logan officiated as M.C. This was a new role for Mr Logan and he fulfilled the duties very courteously and efficiently. Before commencing play Mr M. L. Walker, the President of the Club, on behalf of the Committee, wished the company a Happy and Prosperous New Year. This was reciprocated with one shout — “the same to you, Mr Walker.” Extra prizes were given on this occasion, the successful winners being: — Ladies — 1, Mrs Thompson, 234; 2, Mrs Hendry, 231; 3, Mrs Cowperthwaite and Miss Morton tied with 226 and on being drawn Mrs Cowperthwaite was successful; booby, Miss Drummond, 188. Gentlemen — 1, Mr T. Harbottle, 254; 2, Mr H. Jamieson, 231 Mr R. Butler, 226; booby, Mr Duncan, 191. At an interval in the proceedings the usual supper was served and much enjoyed. Mr Walker presented the prizes, and before the proceedings terminated intimated their next whist drive would be held in about a fortnight’s time.

On Wednesday evening, 22nd December, St. Andrew’s Church Woman’s Guild held their Christmas tea, at which the members of the congregation and children of the Sunday School were entertained. During the evening the Rev. J. Scott Morrison was presented with a wallet containing Treasury notes by Miss Tait, on behalf of the Guild and members of the congregation. Mrs J. Sanderson was also presented by Miss Bella Gemmel with a brush and comb on behalf of the Children’s Choir, and with a picture from the Rev. J. Scott Morrison for services rendered in training the children. Suitable replies were made by both recipients. There was a large gathering present. A splendid tea and varied programme of songs and recitations was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Fruit was served to the children, kindly provided by the Rev. J. Scott Morrison and Mr Landels.

CORNHILL

In the January “Border Magazine” “Herd Laddie” tells the following Border anecdote: — “One of the Askews, a former squire of Pallinsburn, was a very eccentric person, who frequently went about the district dressed with a threadbare black velvet suit and carrying under his arm a big old-fashioned umbrella green with age. Nothing gave him greater delight than people mistaking his social position, and at dinner parties he was wont to relate some of the ridiculous remarks made to him.

The Blue Bell Inn, Pallinsburn, where one of the Askew’s, a squire, had his encounter with the carter and his horse. © Andrew Curtis – Geograph –  Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The following is said to have been his favourite: — One day he was sauntering down the steep bank between Pallinsburn and the Blue Bell Inn, when he met a lame carter with a very hard-up horse. The horse was struggling up the hill with the load of lime, and the carter was assisting it for all he was worth by pushing behind the cart. On seeing the old squire, and not knowing who he was, shouted, “Come and gies a sheet (push), man.” “Sheet yursel,” was the tardy response. “ Eigh! Yur just some auld lazy deevil,” was the disappointed rejoinder.

This Week in World War One, 3 September 1915

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.