Fishing

This Week in World War One, 26 November 1915

08/03/201827/11/2015 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 26 NOVEMBER 1915

SEAHOUSES

Coble in Peril

What might have proved a serious accident occurred to a coble named The Jeannies, owned by Mr George Fawcus, Seahouses, and others. While returning from the fishing ground under sail at about five miles per hour, the coble suddenly struck some submerged wreckage. The wreckage went through two planks, causing the coble to fill in about five minutes. The coble had about 50 stones of fish on board, and but for the fact that it was “air-boxed,” the occupants would probably have been drowned. The accident was witnessed by the coble Briton’s Pride, owned by William Rutter, who at once proceeded to give assistance. Fawcus’ crew of four were taken on board the Briton’s Pride, and they and the damaged coble were safely brought to North Sunderland Harbour. The two crews managed between them to save 20 stones of fish.

Entrance to North Sunderland Harbour, Seahouses. Phil Champion, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

“NORTHUMBRIANS’ OWN DAY.”

LOCAL SOLDIERS AND SAILORS TO BENEFIT

Alan Ian Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland (1880-1930), in a Grenadier Guards uniform, photographed by Alexander Bassano before 1913 (Date of Bassano’s death). Licensed under Wikimedia Commons, National Portrait gallery – PD-US (over 100 years old).

“Northumbrians’ Own Day,” is to be celebrated on Saturday throughout the county of

Northumberland, and only the generosity of the public is needed to make the undertaking a complete success. The emblem on this occasion will be an artistic medallion, on which is figured in relief one of the Fusiliers advancing with a fixed bayonet, and bearing the inscription, “Strike hard, Northumbrians.” and the date “1915.” The medallion, neatly cased in plush, is to be presented as a souvenir to the helpers who assist with the sale of these mementoes. “Northumbrians’ Own Day” is under the patronage of His Grace the Duke of Northumberland, K.G., Earl Grey, Viscount Allendale, Viscount Ridley, Lord Armstrong, and Lord Joicey, and a host of other notable and distinguished gentlemen of the North Country. The committee earnestly appeal for subscriptions, however small, knowing that this special Christmas effort on behalf of our soldiers and sailors can only be the great success hoped for through the generosity of all. A number of subscriptions have been received, including a cheque for £200, from His Grace the Duke of Northumberland. Cheques and postal orders should be crossed “Northumbrians’ Own Day” Barclay’s Bank, Collingwood Street, Newcastle. Mr Leonard Dalrymple is the chief organiser, Mr Fred Sutcliffe the hon. Treasurer, and Mr George Harcourt the hon. secretary, the central headquarters being at the Westgate Picture House, Newcastle.

HOLY ISLAND AND THE WAR

Holy Island is doing its share of work during the present time of anxiety and stress. Although the population is small, nearly all the eligible men are engaged in working for the country, either as mine sweepers or in the Army. Amongst others who have left is the schoolmaster, Lieut. Hollingsworth. He departed from the island with the best wishes of all for his welfare, accompanied by a rousing cheer from the Scouts and school children assembling to wish him good luck and a safe return after the war is over.

GRACE DARLING’S CENTENARY

There seems to be some conflict of evidence regarding the birth of Grace Horsley Darling, if one is to depend upon the veracity of the official guide to Holy Island. It is there stated that she was born on December 17th, 1815, and that she was one of a family of seven.

Darling Family Grave, St Aidan's Churchyard — Darling Family Grave, St Aidan’s Churchyard.

The grave is the resting place of Grace and several of her family members. The headstone is a copy of the original which has been preserved and is on display in the nearby Grace Darling museum.

On the other hand it would appear from more authoritative sources that the birth of the heroine is recorded as 24th November, 1815, and it would be interesting to learn how this discrepancy has occurred. It is unnecessary to enter into any lengthened story regarding the devotion and heroism of the famous daughter of the lighthouse keeper of the Longstone. It is familiar to all from their childhood days, and more particularly so in this part of Northumberland. Suffice it say that the recue from the S.S. Forfarshire which left Hull for Dundee on 5th September, 1838, took place on the morning of the 7th of that month. With the assistance of her father, Grace Darling in a frail coble, succeeded in rescuing five of the crew and four passengers. As is well known the heroine is buried at Bamburgh, where a handsome monument surmounts the grave.

This Week in World War One, 20 August 1915

08/03/201821/08/2015 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 20 AUGUST 1915

PECULIAR CAPTURE OF A ROACH IN THE TWEED

A correspondent, writing in the “Northern Echo” on the paragraph which recently appeared in our columns regarding a roach jumping out of the river into a salmon fisher’s cobble near Horncliffe House, points out- The spot where the roach was thus “caught” unawares is quite an ideal one for that fish. The waters are still and deep, with an abundance of weeds, trees and bushes on the edge of the river. The tidal water will contain very little, if any, salt in it at Horncliffe,as the Tweed does not flow much above there, and it may only be a little brackish at the top of the tide, and will soon run out when the tide sets in. Besides, the writer has had some of his best creels of yellow freshwater trout at

The Roach by Eleazar Albin 1690-1742 - English naturalist and watercolourist illustrator. — The Roach by Eleazar Albin 1690-1742 – English naturalist and watercolourist illustrator.

Horncliffe, and a mile below at the Union Chain Suspension Bridge at Scotch New Water Ford. Free trout fishing may be indulged in on the Tweed as far as two miles below the Chain Bridge at West Ord ford. So if trout can live so far down in the tidal waters why not roach. Indeed, I have seen large yellow trout caught in the nets as far down as Berwick Bridge, about a mile from the sea. Large numbers of roach have been netted in recent years at Twizel, near the mouth of the Till, where it enters the Tweed. The roach is a poor mean fish so far as eating goes, but he is handsome and strong, also he will afford the angler capital sport when he rises at the fly which he commonly does about the months of August and September, both boldly and freely. Roach are very prolific. In the ovarium of an ordinary sized roach were counted no less than 25,000 eggs. Fishery Boards are waging a strong crusade against the roach, for wherever they take up their abode trout fishing suffers and the streams are depleted to an alarming extent. Therefore during the summer months, on the Tweed, thousands have been destroyed. The Tees also has been netted regularly during recent years by the water bailiffs for the destruction of roach, dace, chub, and many other useless “coarse” fish.

SCREMERSTON

SUNDAY SCHOOL EXCURSION

Though public excursions of pleasure seem generally out of place in face of the cares and anxieties of the time it is no less generally felt that where possible the usual arrangements for the pleasure of the little ones should be carried through. It was, therefore, resolved that the children attending the Scremerston Church Sunday School should have their usual summer trip, and this was held on Saturday last. A thunderstorm and heavy rain delayed the starting of the trip for three-quarters of an hour, during which time the children took shelter in the Church, but soon after a start was made the rain cleared off and for the rest of the day the weather conditions were all that could be desired. The party travelled in carts kindly lent by Messrs T. and J. Jobling, and the Scremerston Coal Company,

The sand dunes on Goswick Beach where the children from Scremerston went on their Sunday School trip - Stuart Meek - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license. — The sand dunes on Goswick Beach where the children from Scremerston went on their Sunday School trip –
Stuart Meek – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.

to Goswick fishery kindly place at their disposal by Mr M.C. Robertson, who had also erected swings for the pleasure of the youngsters. Various games were indulged in until tea time when an abundant supply of cakes and tea formed an important feature in the afternoon’s proceedings. After tea a small memento of the occasion was presented to each child by two young ladies in national costumes, Miss E. M. Lightfoot, whose white dress was trimmed with red roses, and draped with a Union Jack representing England; while Miss A. M. Stokes wore the actual fete day costume of a French fisher girl. On the call of the Vicar, hearty cheers for the Allied Nations were raised by the interested children. Before starting for home Mr Thompson, who has for some years taken an active part in the work of the Sunday school, called upon the children to express in the usual way their thanks to the Vicar and Mrs Lightfoot for so successfully arranging and carrying through the day’s enjoyment, to the representatives of the Allied Nations for distributing the toys and otherwise assisting at the treat, to Mrs Thompson and Miss E. Mowitt for the preparation of the tea, and to Mr and Mrs Robertson for their permission to visit the Fishery and their general interest and help in the afternoon’s proceedings. A packet of sweets for consumption on the journey between Scremerston and Goswick was most kindly presented to each child by Mr and Mrs W.J. Blackett. After an afternoon of very general enjoyment the children reached home safely and happily a little after eight o’clock.

Berwick Advertiser 20 August 1915. Birds Custard Advert

NATIONAL REGISTRATION IN BERWICK

Influx of Visitors Complicate Matters

The task of numbering the people in the Borough of Berwick under the National Registration Act was carried out on Sunday last, and already a considerable quantity of the forms have been duly collected by the band of ladies and gentlemen who so willingly devoted their services gratuitously to the task. It was expected that the whole of the papers in the Borough would be collected by Wednesday. The arrangements made under the superintendence of Mr James Gibson, acting Town Clerk, have worked smoothly and well. The enumerators in a number of cases had difficulties to overcome in securing a proper and intelligently filled up form, and in several instances had to lend personal assistance to obtain the various details. During the week-end, too, there was a large influx of visitors into the town, and this had the effect of complicating and rendering more arduous the duties of the enumerators. The second and no less important duty of classifying and arranging the details of the Register has yet to be undertaken, but already Mr Gibson has set about the bare preliminaries of this. The enumerators who have distributed and collected the forms will take part in the work, and Mr Gibson is waiting to see what other ladies and gentlemen will come forward to lend a hand in the duties. The forms have to be arranged into 46 occupational groups for males and 30 for females, while there are also nine age groups, each sub-divided, stating whether the lady is unmarried, married, or a widow.With the completion of the collections of the forms the first step will be to separate visitors from a distance who were resident in the Borough last Sunday, and dispatch the forms to the various districts where the visitors have their permanent residences. With the completion of the details each registered person receives a certificate certifying that he or she has been duly registered, along with their code number. Special buff forms have to be filled up for those males or females who are skilled workers. These are retained until instructions are received as to how they are to be dealt with. A pink coloured form has also to be prepared of those males whose ages are from 18 to 40, and have not completed their 41^st birthday, these being for the special use of recruiting authorities.

Mr Gibson will deal with the preliminary work in the Town Clerk’s Office, but when the more strenuous and important part comes to be undertaken he will have his staff accommodated in the ante room at the entrance to the Town hall, where more adequate room will be found. The Registrar General expresses the hope that the whole of the details will be completed by Saturday, 4^th September.

This Week in World War One, 6 August 1915

08/03/201807/08/2015 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 6 AUGUST 1915

ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR

It is a year this week since Berwick was all in an excitement and hub-bub caused by the declaration of war against Germany. Well do we remember the stirring street scenes at the assembly of our brave Territorials and Naval Reserve men. Who, too, does not at the same time vividly recall the financial panic, followed by the Government extending the August Bank holiday, and closing the banks throughout the land for three days. Those opening incidents are now alas mere insignificant details in the subsequent titanic struggle that has since been waged night and day in the trenches. They loomed no doubt largely in our eyes at the moment giving a hazy portent of the upheaval, but without in any way affording a reasonable idea of the duration of the conflict.

Berwick’s Response to the Anniversary

In common with almost every town and village in the kingdom, an open-air public meeting to mark the anniversary of the war took place in front of the Town Hall, Berwick, on Wednesday evening. His Worship the Mayor (Mr Thomas Wilson) assisted by the other speakers taking part in the proceedings, admirably voiced the feelings of the assembled multitude who heartily responded to the loyal and patriotic sentiments which were uttered. There is no doubt that the inflexible determination of every one after such a year of tremendous struggle and sacrifice is to see an end once and for all to the military aggression which has threatened Europe and the world for years past. The accomplishment will call for many more acts of heroism and self-denial, but the same dauntless courage which brought us through the hard campaigns of the Indian Mutiny and the Crimean War still lives in the hearts of Britain today. The end may not be in sight, but each day that that passes brings the certainty of victory nearer and the downfall of a hideous and brutal military despotism the more certain. The more recruits who come forward to take the places of those who have to go to the actual scene of hostilities with the greater celerity will the day of deliverance come; and, of course, all classes can assist the Government by practising economy and placing every spare penny into the War Loan.

bAdvertiser 6 Aug 1915 Don't Swear Dunlop Advert resized — Berwick Advertiser 6 August 1915, Don’t Swear Dunlop Advert.

HERRING FISHING AT BERWICK AND THE COAST

Berwick, 4^th August

Before giving the results of the herring fishing for the past week, it may be as well to state briefly what was done in the early part of the season. In April the order was issued that drift net fishing was only allowed within the three mile limit by boats under 40 feet overall. As fishing with the first class boats either by net or great line – it being a first necessity to catch herrings for prosecuting the latter fishing – was now out of the question, the outlook for the fishermen in the district was far from promising. However, within a few days of the above order, arrangements were made by which seventeen of the Eyemouth steam drifters with their crews were engaged for Admiralty work. Those who remained at home began to turn their attention to small line fishing, so that by the middle of May there were forty-seven crews working from the stations of St. Abbs, Eyemouth, and Burnmouth. Mussel bait was obtained from Clyde district, and the scene on the Eyemouth quay at the distribution of the mussels was reminiscent of about twenty years ago when haddock fishing was the principal industry in the locality. Shortly after this trails were made at the herring fishing, first one boat and next week twelve boats, each week adding to the number until by the end of June there were over sixty boats fishing from Eyemouth. The local men hired boats of a suitable size from Cockenzie and other Leith ports, others who could not procure boats remained at the lines. Of the above number there were thirty-six local crews, and others from Firth of Forth ports.

BRO 426/669 Fishing Fleet, Berwick Harbour early 1900s — BRO 426/669 Fishing Fleet,
Berwick Harbour early 1900s

But the proverb about giving an inch and taking an ell (sic) was exemplified in the case of the fishermen. They soon began to go beyond the three mile limit, until at last the authorities had to interfere and put a stop to it, and consequently few herrings were landed at Eyemouth during the first three weeks of July. The catch for June was about 1700 crans, representing a value of over £5000, the prices ranging from 45s to 130s per cran. Indivdual crews earned from £50 to about £500 for the month. During the past week a few local crews have been fishing along the coast from the Farne islands to North Shileds. The number of boats fishing was twenty motor and five sail. The landings were – Eyemouth, 137 crans; Berwick, 15; North Sunderland, 77; and North Shields, 207 crans. There were also 165 crans of trawled herrings landed at the last named port, maing the total for the week 601 crans of the value of £2400. Prices were from 50s in 132s per cran. The highest shot was 35 crans by a motor boat at Eyemouth.

LOCAL NEWS

War Memorial, Castlegate, Berwick-upon-Tweed. © Copyright J Thomas - (cropped image) Creative Commons Licence 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0). — War Memorial, Castlegate,
Berwick-upon-Tweed.
© J Thomas – (cropped image) Creative Commons Licence 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0).

MILITARY FUNERAL– On Friday afternoon the funeral of Private *Wm. H. Stevenson, of the 7^th N.F., second son of Mrs Margaret and the late Mr Wm. H. Stevenson, late of Church Street, took place to the Berwick Cemetery. The coffin arrived with the afternoon train from the south, and this was witnessed by a very large crowd of sympathetic spectators who lined the approaches and route. A detachment of the local Territorials with pipe band acted as a military escort, bestowing full military honours to the departed soldier. The coffin was covered by the Union Jack, and a number of very pretty wreathes were sent by friends. A short religious service took place in the chapel at the cemetery, and the committal service was read over the grave. The firing of three volleys and the sounding of the Last Post marked the close of a singularly touching funeral.

* The above report should read Private Robert Richmond Stephenson and not as Private Wm. H. Stevenson. The correct information appears on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website: Robert Richmond Stephenson, Private, service no; 2177, date of death 27th July aged 26 years.

Pictured above the war memorial in Berwick, on which the name of Northumberland Fusilier, Robert Richmond Stephenson appears.

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