Fatality

BERWICK NEWSPAPERS, 1923

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BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14TH SEPTEMBER

SCREMERSTON FLOWER SHOW

Scremerston Horticultural Society held their tenth annual show in the Institute on Saturday and established a post-war record as regards entries. The numerous exhibits wee nicely laid out and were admired by the crowds of interested visitors present during the afternoon.

The show was opened by Mr J. A. Kilpatrick, Manager of the Scremerston Colliery, the Secretary and Committee greatly regretting that Mr John Black, Broomhouse, who was to have performed this duty, was unable to be present owing to illness. Capt. J. E. Carr presided, and others on the platform wee Capt. R. E. Carr, R.N., and Rev. J. Lightfoot, Mr John Black, Broomhouse, and Mr James Thomson, Secretary. Introducing Mr Kilpatrick, Capt.Carr expressed pleasure at seeing such a large number of people present.

BRO 0515-211 SCREMERSTON

Mr Kilpatrick said there were one or two little points he wished to emphasise. He understood that the number of entries was very high- between 500 and 600 – and that this was a post-war record. That was very gratifying indeed. The second point was that Mr Richard Thomson had won the shield for the third time in succession. (Applause). Mr J Wilson, the runner-up, had been runner-up for the past two years. (Applause). Speaking as a layman, as one who knew very little about flowers or vegetables, he thought that the show was rather extraordinary, especially when one took in to account the lateness of the season.

Mr Kilpatrick then handed the shield to Mr Thomson amid applause, reading the names of previous winners out as he did so.

WASTE PAPER IN THE STREET

The Watch Committee report of July 30 stated:- With reference to the question of the deposit of waste paper in the streets the Town Clerk submitted a letter from the Under Secretary of State stating that the following bye-law has been allowed in Birmingham, viz.: No person shall throw down or deposit and leave in any street any newspaper or any paper bag, wrapping or sheet such as is likely to create a litter in or to affect or tend to affect injuriously the amenities of the street. Before allowing a similar bye-law to Berwick-on-Tweed the letter further stated that the Secretary of State would require to be informed of the circumstances which are thought to render the bye-law necessary and would also require an undertaking that liberal provision of receptacles would be made in the streets into which the public could deposit their waste paper and also that the Council would do everything in their power to upload the bye-law and prevent it becoming a dead letter. It was agreed to recommend that the Town Clerk submit evidence of the necessity for such a bye-law, and that an undertaking be given as required by the Secretary of State with a view to the bye-law being made.

Early 1900s photograph of the High Street, from the Scotsgate Arch. BRO 1636-2-9

Councillor Bolus moved the adoption of the report, saying – I think this is absolutely necessary. You can go down High Street, Church Street, or up in Castlegate and you will find paper flying about over the houses and shops. I think this regulation is very necessary so that every person will understand that they must not make the streets in such a disgraceful state.

Councillor Campbell, who seconded, said that this summer the condition of the streets through the quantities of waste paper flying about was really so bad that not only residents, but people visiting their native town on holiday had spoken about it. These people when they come back were struck, after living in other areas, with the litter we had in our streets. It was no fault of the Sanitary Authority officials for it could happen even half an hour after the carts had been round. He was convinced they could make out a case to amply satisfy the Secretary of State of the necessity for such a bye-law.

TWEEDMOUTH

The Norman Hall at the West End has had the electric light installed and the hall has been thoroughly cleaned and decorated for the winter session.

We hear that Mr Thos. Wright, son of Mr and Mrs George Wright, Dock view, Tweedmouth, who went to the United States recently has been successful in obtaining employment with the Canadian Pacific Railway Company at Chicago. Mr Wright, who is well-known in the town, started life as a clerk with Messrs Carter and Son, and was later with Messrs Simpson in Alnwick.

On the occasion of her marriage and departure from Tweedmouth Co-operative Society, Mrs Ford (nee Miss Maggie Howie) has been made the recipient of a very nice 40 piece set of china. The gift was subscribed for by the whole staff of the Society, amongst whom Mrs Ford has been very popular. She was in the clerical department at thee Store for many years.

BODY ON SPITTAL BEACH

About 6.30 p.m. on Sunday evening, when Thomas Johnston, a Spittal labourer, was walking on the beach at Hallowstell Fishery, near Spittal Point, he noticed a parcel lying on the beach about four yards from where high-water mark was showing. The parcel had evidently been left by the tide, which was receding at the time.

Johnston cut the string and opened the parcel and was shocked to find wrapped in the clothes the body of a healthy-looking male child. From the size and condition of the body the child had evidently lived, and it had not been in the water any length of time.

The police wee informed, and Sergt. Barclay, Spittal, took charge of the body and conveyed it to the mortuary. In view of certain facts which have come to light it was considered advisable that full enquiry should be made into the case, and on Tuesday, after the Coroner (Mr H. R. Peters) had heard only evidence regarding the finding of the body, he adjourned the inquest until the 3rd October, stating that he would then call a jury.

It is probable that sensational evidence may be given at the adjourned inquest, which may lead to a serious charge against some person or persons at present unknown.

DEATH OF MR AND.MARTIN

The death took place in Berwick Infirmary on Sunday of Mr Andrew Martin, farmer, Town Farm, Tweedmouth, a leader in the Baptist de nomination at Berwick and one well-known to farmers on both sides of the Border. Mr Martin, who was a native of the district, was born at Marshall Meadows. He came to Berwick to work as a traveller with Mr Anderson, seedsman, and later he left there and started business in partnership with Mr Wm. Scott as seedsman in bridge Street, Berwick.

It is some fifteen years ago since Mr Martin took Tweedmouth Town Farm, and he certainly has done much to improve this 300 acre arable holding. At the farm he had thoroughly up-to-date threshing and grinding plant installed and in fact the farm has recently been self-contained, a blacksmiths and joiner’s shop having been fitted up on the premises. It will be remembered that during the war, when the Government was calling for supplies of barley, Mr martin, by putting on several tractors on his holding, cut a big crop of barley and marketed it within fourteen days of the time cutting was commenced.

Mr Martin certainly knew how to farm, and he was a very good judge of horse flesh. He kept fine types of animals on his farm, and believed that only the best results could be got by working with the best of stuff either in horseflesh or other things.

In politics Mr Martin was a staunch Liberal and in him Castlegate Baptist Church has lost a staunch supporter. He took a great interest in all that pertained to the welfare of the congregation, and in the Deacon’s Court he was a prominent figure.

The funeral took lace to Tweedmouth Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, when there was a large following of townsmen and farmers.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 18TH FEBRUARY 1921

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BORDER TRAIN MYSTERY

Unidentified Young Lady’s Fatal Fall

WAVERLEY ROUTE EXPRESS HER MOVEMENTS PRIOR TO THE FATALITY TRACED

East Lothian, Berwickshire and Berwick police are making every endeavour to establish the identity of a young lady who met her death as a result of injuries received by falling from the 9.45 Edinburgh to Melrose express on the night of Monday 7th February, between Fushiebridge and Borthwick Bank, between Edinburgh and Galashiels. The attention of a signalman at Fountainhall was drawn to a door of a compartment n the express swinging open as the train passed, and the train passed, and the train being stopped a search was instituted along the line with the result that the lady was found lying on the embankment of the line suffering from severe injuries to the head. She was conveyed to the Cottage Hospital, Galashiels, where she died without regaining consciousness before midnight.

It was soon ascertained that she had booked at Waverley Station for Melrose, travelling 1st class, and the fact that she had no hat on attracted attention. No hat was found in the compartment or near the body after the accident, nor has the railway ticket been found or near the body.

The lady appeared to be about 24 years of age, and wore her hair bobbed. She was attired in a dark blue costume with brown shoes and stockings, and wore a gold wristlet watch. She had a light suede bag with her containing about £5 in money, a silver cigarette case, a photograph and a box of ointment which had been prepared by Mr Alex. Cairns, chemist, Berwick-on-Tweed. The police not being able to trace the lady’s relatives, the body was interred at Eastlands Cemetery, Galashiels.

MOVEMENTS PRIOR TO ACCIDENT TRACED IN BERWICK AND DUNS

Enquiries have established beyond doubt that the young woman arrived in Berwick and stayed at the King’s Arms Hotel on Saturday, the 5th February. She stayed overnight and signed the hotel register “Elizabeth Grey, Newcastle.” parties who saw her at the hotel noticed that she was a woman of some education who spoke in a refined voice with just a little north-country accent.

King’s Arms Hotel, Hide Hill, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Ref: BRO 0426-355

She seemed very quiet and reserved and it was noticed that her hat was a waterproof one which formed a detachable part of a shower-proof outfit which she carried over her arm. She went out into the town during the day and it was either at mid-day on Saturday or Sunday that she called at mr Cairn’s chemist shop in Castlegate and purchased the box of foot ointment which was later found on her body. The shop assistant is not sure of the exact time and day when she made the purchase, but this is not material.

So far as can be gathered the lady (or a lady answering the description) was seen near the station about one o’clock on Sunday, 6th February. Whether she had been ascertaining if a train was available to Duns has not been elicited, but the fact is established that she arrived in Duns about quarter past six on Sunday night tired and footsore, and told Mr Prentice of the White Swan Hotel that she was on a walking tour and intended to stay the night after having walked from Berwick.

Since the tragedy, Mr Prentice has identified the body as the lady who stayed at his hotel, signed the register “Elizabeth Guy, Newcastle” (but this no doubt was Elizabeth Grey), as the writing was not very clear). At half past ten on Monday morning the lady left the “Swan” and announced her intention of walking to Haddington. Here there is a break in the chain of evidence at hand at present, for it is certain she could not have reached the Waverley Station, Edinburgh, by 9 o’clock that night unless she had received a “lift” on the rod by some passing motorist. The police would be glad, if any motorist did give the lady a “lift”, to hear if any conversation passed which would throw light on her identity. Up to Monday enquiries made by the police in Northumberland and Durham failed to bring any clue to the lady’s home.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 14 May 1920

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MEMORIAL UNVEILED IN AFRICA

IN MEMORY OF LIEUT. G. H. SHIELDS, BERWICK

In February, 1917 Lieut. George Hilliard Shields, son of the late Sergt. Major Instructor Stewart Shields, Berwick, and Mrs Shields, Quay Walls, was killed while on service in the bush country of German East Africa, by an enemy sniper. Now the staff and pupils at the school at Accra have honoured his memory by erecting in the school a handsome brass tablet and hanging on the wall a photo of the deceased officer taken by the side of a stream in the wild bush land.

Lieut. Shields, who was in the Gold Coast regiment, was the headmaster of the school in Accra, and took a great interest in his boys. He was a keen sportsman, and in 1915, the same year as his sister, Miss Agnes Shields (now Mrs Drylie) won the Officers’ Cup and several competitions on the Magdalene Fields course, he won the Sanitation Cup presented to the Accra Golf Club by the Doctors on the Gold Coast. His mother now has a solid silver miniature of this trophy.

THE UNVEILING CEREMONY

The ceremony of the unveiling of the tablet in memory of Lieut. Shields took place at Accra Government Senior Boy’s School, West Africa, on March 10th, and the Director of Education gave an address to the European staff, pupils and native staff.

In proceeding to unveil the Memorial, the Director of Education said- “We are assembled here to pay a united tribute to the late Lieut. Shields, headmaster of the school, who lost his life while on active service in East Africa. Mr Shields came to Accra as headmaster on the 17th January, 1913. He very soon obtained a sound grasp of the organisation of the school and was very quick to appreciate good work done by the members of the staff as well as that done by the pupils. In order to obtain a better understanding of his work he began to take lessons in the Ga language and quickly acquired sufficient knowledge of it to engage in ordinary conversation with the natives of the country. With that, however, he was not content. He made a study of the language and was not satisfied until he could act as interpreter in a native court dealing with purely native affairs. In the study of the Ga language he showed the same thoroughness which he later showed in east Africa. When war broke out he was amongst the first to offer his services, and on August 8th (four days after the outbreak of war) he was attached to the Lome Field Force for service aboard in the “Marina,” a small German ship captured at Accra. On the Marina he acted as chief officer. After the capture of Togoland he returned to his duties at Accra, but when volunteers were required for the Gold Coast regiment he again came forward, and in May, 1916, he was stationed at Coomassie. He proceeded on active service to East Africa in August, 1916. On February 3rd, 1917, he was killed in action. His death is a great loss to this Department, because he was an exceedingly capable headmaster. The good work which he has done was recognised by the Board of Education in May, 1917, when the following resolution was passed:- “That this Board desire to place on record its deep regret at the lamented death of Mr George Hilliard Shields, late headmaster of the Government School at Accra, who whilst serving as Lieutenant with the Gold Coast Regiment in East Africa was killed in action, and that the Board requests His Excellency the Governor to convey to the relatives of the late Mr Shields an expression of the Board’s appreciation of the services rendered by him in the cause of Education in this Colony, and its heartfelt sympathy with them in this, their great sorrow.”

In conclusion, the Director of Education said:- He was mourned by teachers and pupils, who in order to perpetuate his memory subscribed to purchase the brass plate, to be unveiled. By the side of the plate will be placed a photograph of Lieut. Shields, an enlargement from a snapshot taken by Capt.; Harman in East Africa. The brass plate and photo are permanently placed in the building in memory of an excellent headmaster, a brave soldier and a man who gained the esteem of all those with whom he came in contact. It will serve to inspire future generations of schoolboys with that sense of duty, love of country, and allegiance to their King.

The Director’s speech was interpreted, sentence for the benefit of the younger pupils, by Mr Kennedy, one of the teachers who served under Lieut. Shields in East Africa.

At the conclusion of the address, all present rose to their feet and amidst dead silence the Director unveiled the tablet. As the drapings fell away the pupils stood at attention whilst the “last post” was sounded on the bugle.

The plate, which is of brass with black engraved lettering, has in the left hand corner the cap badge of the Gold Coast Regiment and the Elephant and Palm Tree, the regiment badge, in the opposite corner. The inscription reads as follows:- “In Memory of George Hilliard Shields, Lieut. Gold Coast Regiment, Headmaster, Government Senior Boys’ School, Accra, (1913-17), who was killed on active service, near Njimbwe, German East Africa, on February 3rd, 1917.” “This Tablet is erected by the staff and pupils of his school.”

The ceremony terminated with the singing of the National Anthem. The bearing of pupils and colleagues, who numbered a thousand persons, bore striking testimony to the esteem in which Lieut. Shields was held.

SPITTAL NOTES

On Sunday evening last, when Mr Peter Cowe, fish merchant, Berwick, was standing near the Fish Quay at Spittal waiting for a ferry boat, he noticed what appeared to be a boy’s head come up above the water at the end of the Ferry landing.

BRO 1887-2-4 Spittal Ferry

He watched and saw the head disappear and rise a second time, and without waiting any longer he ran to the Jetty Corner, where he gave the alarm. Some fishermen were near, but they had never noticed the boy go into the water. The men, accompanied by Mr Cowe, ran to the spot, and the boy was pulled out in an exhausted condition. He proved to be the nine-year old son of Mr McIntosh, hotel-keeper, and after having been subjected to artificial respiration, he was taken home. We understand he is little the worse of his emersion. It was a happy chance indeed that Mr Cowe happened to be on the spot, otherwise the young fellow might have been drowned.

In last Saturday’s pigeon race from Durham, 53 birds were liberated at 12.25. Seven birds arrived about 2.30, and seconds divided the winners:- 1, Alex. Elliott; 2 and 3, A. Johnson. The first club race will be flown on Saturday from the same place, liberation at 12.30. The prizes will be:- 1st, £1; 2nd, 12s; 3rd, 8s; 4th, 6s; 5th, 4s. A special prize of 5s (by a Friend) will be given for the first hen timed in. There will also be a 6d. “pool.” Two birds will be nominated from each loft on Saturday morning to compete for the Vice-President’s (Mr W. Tait) Nomination Prize from York on Saturday, May 22nd.

“Tommy” Burn, who sailed last Friday for South Africa with the English football team has promised to write articles for the “Athletic News” dealing with the tour.

While playing with a salmon net winch on the beach at Spittal a little boy named Wood was struck with the handle on the chin and sustained a severe cut on the tongue, on Wednesday night. The child was conveyed home and had to be put under chloroform while two stitches were put into the wound.

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