BERWICK ADVERTISER, 10TH NOVEMBER 1922

11/11/2022 by Northumberland Archives

BERWICK BOARD OF GUARDIANS

The monthly meeting of the Berwick Board of Guardians was held in the Board Room of the Workhouse on Monday afternoon. Miss C. H. Greet presided, others present being Miss J. E. B. Miller, Messrs J. H. Armstrong, bell, T. Bolus, T. Aird, E. Waugh, J. R. Wood, R. Rea, P. G. Peacocke, J. R. Mountjoy, and T. A. Summerfield. Mr H R. Peters, Clerk, Messers Short and Kennedy, Relieving Officers, and Mr A. H. Banks, Workhouse master, were also present.

The receipt of fruit and vegetables was intimated from Miss Greet and Mrs Sitwell, and from St. Mary’s Church, books and periodicals from the King’s Arms Hotel, Mrs Purves, and Mrs Aitken, fruit from Scremerston Parish Church, and magazines from Mrs R. R. Riddell. The thanks of the Board were directed to be conveyed to these donors.

DECREASE IN NUMBER OF INMATES AND TRAMPS

The inmates for the four weeks ending 21^st October were as follows:- In the sick ward 12 men, 9 women, 1 child, and 2 infants, and in other parts of the House 11 men, 4 women, a total of 23 men as against 24 for the corresponding month last year, 13 women as against 19, 1 child as against 1, and 2 infants as against 1, a total of inmates of all classes of 39 as against 45 last year, a decrease of 6. The casuals numbered 13 as against 19 last year, also a decrease of 6.

Mr Wood commented on the decrease in the number of inmates. In view of the extra ordinary amount of unemployment and depression all round, the decrease was extra ordinary. The number of tramps was also reduced.

FIREWOOD TO BE CHEAPER

On recommendation of the Workhouse Committee, it was agreed to reduce the price of firewood sold at the Workhouse from 4s 6d per cwt. to 4s as from 1^st November. Mr Bolus, in moving the adoption of this, stated that they had made a reasonable profit by the sale of firewood in the last 12 months, but the Master reported the sales were going down on account of competition. They thought it wise to reduce the price, which would also give them a good reasonable profit if the sales continued.

BA-U10-2 SHEET , 1852 cropped. Pictured above the layout of the Berwick Workhouse,
Board Room (centre of image).

WATER FOR BULL CLOSE HOUSES

The Committee also reported on having been obliged to connect a water supply to the Board’s property in Bull Close at a cost of £14. Mr Bolus explained that there had not been water laid on to the property, the tenants getting their water from a pipe in a yard near St. Mary’s Church. There had been a leakage which had flooded the stokehole of the heating apparatus at St. Mary’s Church and when this insisted on them putting in their own water supply. They had got an estimate from Mr Lamb, plumber, to connect the water outside on the roadway with the property and this had been completed. The Committee took expert advice on the question before accepting the estimates.

Mr J. R. Wood supported the action of the Committee. He was surprised to hear that water had not been connected up with property when it was purchased. If it had been done at the time the cost would have come as a capital charge on the premises and they would have heard no more about it. They must just pay the money and look pleasant.

BOILER UNSATISFACTORY

A report as to the condition of the boiler at the Workhouse was submitted from the Insurance Inspector, who drew attention to a bulge on the side of the boiler and also pointed out that they were only insured up to a pressure of 10lbs. with a blowout at 25lbs. and had been working the boiler up to 25lbs. He suggested that the repairs should be carried out within 12 months and that the safety valves should be readjusted.

Mr Bolus pointed out that a certain amount of responsibility rested with the board in view of the Inspector’s report as to the boiler. They had only a premium up to 10 lbs. and had been working the boiler from 15 to 25 lbs. This was important as the disinfector would not work under a pressure of 15 lbs., and in addition the heating apparatus and the laundry had to be worked, which would require not less than a 20 lbs. pressure, and if they were only allowed a pressure of 9 or 10 lbs., the boiler was no use for the work it was wanted to do in the Workhouse. He moved that the matter go to the Workhouse Committee for them to deal with it. He wondered as to why a boiler had been put in that did not to the work required to carry on the work of the Institution.

The Workhouse master thought the Inspector’s report was misleading, as it inferred that the boiler had been worked regularly to 25 lbs. that was not so. It was worked to anything between 10 and 25 lbs. and only occasionally up to 25. He thought it was peculiar that they were only allowed a pressure up to 10 lbs. but a blow out up to 25 lbs. The disinfector was not efficient till a 15 lbs. pressure. They might be able to carry on as at present but in a very unsatisfactory way. On account of the low pressure of the boiler the disinfector was not sufficient to kill vermin, and he had to rig up a cupboard in the tramps’ ward to fumigate the tramps’ clothing when necessary.

After further discussion the motion was agreed to the Committee being empowered to get expert advice on the matter, but to report to the Board before going further.

TWEED ROW, HORNCLIFFE

Dr McWhir reported as follows: Three cases of scarlet fever have been notified- one at Horncliffe, a second at South Ord, and a third at Shoreswood. Removal to hospital of the patients at Horncliffe and Shoreswood was deemed advisable. A case of scarlet fever in one of the cottages at Tweed Row, Horncliffe, had a fatal termination. The house, which has only one apartment with a capacity of 1798 cubic feet, accommodated five inmates- the father, the mother, and three young children. The floor is badly broken and the window is a fixture. The walls, roof and chimney of the dwelling all call for repairs, and the soil which is heaped up behind it ought to be removed.

The state of housing in the area in the early part of the 20th century is exemplified in this picture of Golden Square, Berwick, similar problems being experienced in the Norham and Islandshire District.

There is no privy for the household. Opportunity was taken to visit other cottages in the same row. One, also consisting of a single apartment with capacity of 1848 cubic feet, is tenanted by a family of five- the father, two daughters both over 20, a son aged 25, and a child of 4 years. The window of the apartment is a fixture, and there is no privy accommodation. The masonry is in much need of repair, and soil ought to be removed from the back. A third single-apartment house furnishes a home for five inmates- a mother, two girls aged 14 and 9 respectively, and two boys of 12 and 10 respectively. Here, again, there is no privy accommodation. A fourth house boasts two apartments with capacities of 1550 and 1300 cubic feet respectively, and shelters three inmates. The kitchen floor, framed of broken paving flags and concrete, is in need of repair. Both apartments are insufficiently lit. A down-spout is unprovided with a trap; there is no sink, and the chimney has a twist, which, to the mind of our Surveyor, rivals that of the leaning tower of Pisa. The wood of the back door, which is only 5ft. in height, is defective.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 18TH MARCH 1921

19/03/2021 by Northumberland Archives

BELFORD RURAL DISTRICT COUNCIL

Housing Scheme Held up for Want of Money

At a meeting of Belford Rural District Council last Wednesday.

Colonel Leather enquired how the Council were going to get the money to carry out the housing scheme.

The Clerk explained that endeavour had been made to obtain the money locally, but so far he had had no replies from an advertisement asking for loans. If they failed to raise the money they could apply to the Ministry of Health, who would supply the money.

Colonel Leather – The Ministry will probably not give us the money. I propose we postpone the whole scheme for three months till we see whether we can get the money. Everything is cut and dried, but we are not committed to anything and the time has come for us to mark time. No businessman would go on with the scheme, why should the Council do so?

Mr Davidson seconded Colonel Leather’s proposal.

Dr Macaskie explained that all that was necessary if they could not raise the money locally was to apply to the Ministry of Health who would lend the money.

The Clerk – There is no fear of not getting the money.

Colonel Leather – Look how the Government tried to wriggle out of the agreement with the farmers about the price of corn. I move we delay matters till, we get a definite and satisfactory answer about the money.

On being put to the meeting the motion was caried unanimously.

Mr Hunter – Will the plans be laid before the Council to be passed?

The Clerk – The plans have been been passed.

Mr Hunter – The original plans have, been cut down to get cheaper houses. Things have been taken out of our hands. The Surveyor ought to see these new plans before approved.

Mr Clark – We are not providing the money and can’t grumble.

Mr Hunter – We will ultimately have to provide the money from the rates. It is not right for the houses to be built and the Surveyor not to see the plans.

Mr Davidson moved and Colonel Leather seconded that copies of specifications be submitted to the Council before any tenders were accepted. Agreed.

Sir E. C. Haggerston – If the tenders were accepted the firm could carry on, but Colonel Leather’s motion stops this.

Colonel Leather – It does not stop us going on with the details

WORKERS’ UNION MEETING AT NORHAM

How Changes in The Minimum rate will affect the Worker

At the branch meeting of Friday night, Mr. Borrell attended at the last moment, in the place of Councillor Buchan, who was unable to keep his appointment.

Asked as to the position of the wages in case of a change in the wages Board rates during the year, Mr. Borrell explained that if a man hired for say 51s or 52s per week, he would receive that wage throughout the year, even if the Agricultural wages Board rate fell.

An early 20th century photograph of a Haywain. © Richard Mark Johnson. Creative Commons License (CC-BY-SA 2.0).

If the Agricultural wages Board rate went up, the total difference between the rate he hired for and what was due to him under the Wages Board increases would have to be paid to him in a lump sum on May 12^th, 1922, if it had not been paid previously. If, however, a man hired at the wages Board rate without specifying any figure his wage would naturally go up and down with that rate. He did not think there was any likelihood of a reduction in the wages Board rates. They had to find a subsistence basis, and they still stood much below other industries. There was only a slight reduction in the cost of living. The railways were 21 millions to the bad, and they would have higher transport charges. Coal was going up, and it was an important item in the farm workers’ budget. His house required a deal of warming, and his cooking arrangements were wasteful and extravagant of fuel. There was often a quantity of wet clothing to dry, which entailed the fire being kept up after the household had retired. He could see little prospect of any material lowering of their household expenses, and he urged them to put aside all thoughts of a reduction of wages as impractical at present.

BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS

THURSDAY

EXTENSION OF HOURS FOR DANCING OVERDONE.

Mr W. B. Dickinson applied for an extension of hours to 2.30 for the Good Templar Hall, on the occasion of a whist drive and dance on Thursday 17^th, to be held by Berwick Cycling Club.

Sup. Halliday considered that the extension of hours for dances was overdone. If they got to 1a.m. that was quite long enough. Most of the people who went to the dances had to be up early in the morning for work. These applications were too frequent. In other districts the Magistrates were not granting extension after 12 p.m.

The Mayor — The dancing season is nearly over now. Mr Dickinson pointed out that formerly dancing used to be allowed to 3 and 4 a.m., without need for applying for extensions of licence. The Mayor — The Bench grant the licence on this occasion but will consider future applications.

SHOWMAN’S OFFENCE

James Ratcliffe, showman, was charged with failing to employ a third person to give assistance to drivers of horses if required while in Berwick on 2^nd March, and with not having the weight of his wagon affixed.

Serg. Middlemass gave evidence, proving the charges. Superintendent Halliday said it was very important these regulations under the Locomotive and Highways Act should be carried out. He did not look upon the offence as serious but wished to bring to the notice of users of the road the fact that these regulations could not be broken with impunity. He would not press for a heavy penalty, only wishing to draw the attention of users of the road to the regulations. The defendant was a showman and had called at the Office stating he had to go to Kelso to secure his stance and could not appear. Fined 10s for each charge.

DRUNK IN CHARGE OF A MOTOR CYCLE

Robert G. Waugh, commercial traveller, 20 Fenkle Street, Alnwick, was charged with being drunk in charge of a motor cycle on the Old Bridge, Tweedmouth, on 4^th March. Defendant did not appear, but wrote expressing regret, and stating he had had trouble with his clutch and had not had time for lunch.

The Berwick Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed, locally known as the Old Bridge.© Kenneth Blackett, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

The Mayor said the bench considered this a very serious case. A motor cycle was dangerous at any time, more so when in charge of a drunkman. In addition, the Old Bridge was a dangerous place. Fined the maximum penalty of £2 or 18 days.

Volunteers and Research – Berwick Record Office

03/04/201918/03/2019 by Northumberland Archives

Volunteers at the Berwick Record Office are encouraged to research people or events mentioned in the records they index. This enhances the lists and is an opportunity to bring together information from a number of sources that the Archivist may not have the time to collate.

Following a thread

Helen is a volunteer at the Berwick Records Office and has been involved in a number of projects – particularly those with schoolchildren. Recently, she has been looking through the Borough Surveyor’s notebook (featured in an earlier post) for references to Berwick men who served in World War I and decided to find out more about one of them – Sidney Hill.

Sidney Hill

Sidney Hill was born in Berwick in 1900. He was drafted towards the end of the war and from 1918-1919 served on HMS Kildonan – a patrol gunboat that monitored the British coast.

In 1936 he was appointed the first Housing Officer of the Berwick-Upon-Tweed Town Council. However, in 1937 he and his wife emigrated to Salisbury in, what was then known as, Rhodesia to take up a post on the Bulawayo Railway. This followed “malicious rumours” that he was involved in financial irregularities at the Council. However, The Mayor appealed for this gossip to stop, in the Berwick Advertiser on the 29 June 1937, saying neither he nor the Surveyors Department was under investigation.

Local newspapers are a useful source of information for this kind of research and the Archives has a collection of them dating back to the early 19th century. The Berwick Advertiser and Berwickshire News regularly carried reports about Berwick people who lived in other parts of the world. Helen also looked at national sources – such as the census of 1901 – to find out about Sidney’s family background.

Armenia Tabor

My own curiosity was piqued last week by reading the petition of Armenia Tabor, the widow of Thomas Tabor, a Freeman of Berwick-upon-Tweed (Draft Guild Minute Book 1738-1755 B 2/4). She asked the Guild if they would pay for her to return home to Holland because, she said, she had become “burthensome ” to the Incorporation. They agreed as letting the meadows and stints to which she was entitled as a Freeman’s widow would defray the expense of sending her home.

It is interesting that, as a Freeman’s widow, Armenia was able to bargain with the Guild to improve her lot. The Borough Archives are a rich source of information about women’s lives – though not all of them as lucky as Armenia. Guild petitions and court records, for example, illustrate what life in a Garrison town was like for ordinary women through incidental and direct references to them.

Possible baptism of Thomas Tabor, Transcripts of Berwick Holy Trinity Church Baptisms

And, it is likely there is much more to be discovered about Armenia and Thomas should someone want to look. Were they brought together by war (the War of the Spanish Succession took place around the time they might have met), did trade with the Netherlands play a part or was it something else entirely? What happened to her when she left Berwick?

Would you like to join us?

If you are interested in researching stories like this we are looking for volunteers to help us.

At 2 pm on Saturday 23rd and on Tuesday 26th March we will be holding introductory sessions for potential volunteers at the Berwick Record Office in Walkergate. Please come along if you are thinking about getting involved. We want to hear what interests you.

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