BERWICK ADVERTISER, 10 DECEMBER 1920

11/12/2020 by Northumberland Archives

TEA TO OLD LADIES IN BERWICK

The “Advertiser” Opens a Fund

Captain Douglas, the local commanding officer of the Salvation Army, is arranging to give a free tea on Wednesday afternoon, January 12^th, to all women in Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal, who are in receipt of an old age pension. The tea will be given in the Salvation Army Hall, Quay Walls, and will be followed by a musical entertainment.

The Captain is handing over the work of organisation to the troop of Life-saving Guards, which has recently been started in connection with the Army’s work. This troop is composed of girls between the ages of 11 and 18, and the girls may be recognised in the street by their light grey uniform and red trimmings. The motto of the troop is “To Save and to Serve.” The girls will visit old and sick people in their homes, will be trained in domestic and nursery work, and can be called upon by any in the town who are in need of free domestic or nursing assistance.

It is felt that the work of the Guards will be brought before the ladies in the town who have very few to look after them if they are given the chance of meeting together at the tea and entertainment on January 12. Old folk who are not able of themselves to get to the tea will be helped there by the Guards. The Army is taking the financial responsibility for this tea, but it feels that it can rely upon the generosity of the public of Berwick to subscribe liberally. It is estimated that the tea will cost about 1s 6d per head, and that there will be about 200 old ladies present – a total expenditure of £15. We have agreed to open a fund in the “Berwick Advertiser,” and will acknowledge next week and the following weeks the subscriptions we receive.

LOCAL NEWS

At mid-day on Monday morning, Mr J. A. Young, of the Pier Road maltings, Berwick, had a narrow escape from drowning. He was running along the pier and fell into the water at crabwater corner.

Berwick Pier, the Crabwater corner © Ian Capper – Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

He struck out for the steps, and although the tide was fast running out, he managed to catch the hand of Miss Bella Stewart, who works at his own malting. Great praise is due to the prompt way in which Miss Stewart rendered assistance, and there is a feeling in the town that her gallantry should be recognised. We understand, up to the time of writing, Mr. young, who was able to walk home has suffered no ill effects of his emersion.

On Friday evening, Messrs Millers, F.A.I., offered for sale by auction in the Long Room, Corn Exchange, several lots of property in Berwick. The attendance was small, owing no doubt to the very stormy night. The first lot comprised all the freehold shop, dwelling houses, workshops, stables and stores, Nos. 13, 15 and 17 Woolmarket, at present occupied by Messrs Steel, Thompson and Patterson, Miss Phillie Bruce, Mr John brown, Messrs John Brown and Sons, and Mrs McAllum.

The total rental for this lot amounts to £52 16s. Bidding started at £300 and rose fairly quickly to £750, when the lot was withdrawn. No. 1 Ivy Place held on leases of 150 years, dating from 1859, from the Corporation and with an annual rental of £22, only brought one bid of £200 and was withdrawn. A similar fate befel No. 2 Ivy Place, which is a slightly larger house, with a rental of £24. Only one bid of £200 was forthcoming, and the lot was withdrawn. It was intimated that No. 3 Ivy Place had been disposed of privately. The conditions of sale were read by Mr J. Bate, solicitor.

Corn Exchange building in Sandgate, Berwick,© Ian Capper – Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

While walking along the beach at the Sandybeds, a mile and a half north of Berwick, on Monday afternoon, Alexander Manuel, sen., 19 Low Greens, picked up a drop end flask sealed with a black solution and bound round the neck with a two-feet strand of copper wire. As the bottle had a printed enclosure (in four languages), Mr Manuel handed it oever to the Receiver of wrecks, who opened it. A half-penny was found between the seal and the cork of the bottle, and inside was a printed postcard asking the finder to return it to the Scientific Superintendent of the Marine Laboratory of the Fishery Board of Scotland, Bay of Nigg, Aberdeen. It is the practice of the Fishery Board to liberate these bottles from time to time at various places to test the set of ocean currents, etc.

NORHAM AND ISLANDSHIRE RURAL

DISTRICT COUNCIL

Overcrowding at Beal

When the Council considered the various items in the doctor’s report, Dr McWhir asked to be allowed to supplement what had written regarding the overcrowding in the cottages at Beal. In one cottage six people lived – a father, mother, a young woman of 22, a young man of 20 and two lads of 15 and 12 years. The father and mother slept in one bed in the kitchen, the young man of 20 and the lad of 15 in another bed, and the lad of 12 in a bed chair. The young woman slept in the other room. The kitchen, where the five people slept, was 15ft. 6in. By 17 ft. and 7 ft. 9 in. High. This meant 2042 cubic feet of air for five persons. This family had, said Dr McWhir, gone to Beal Faram with Mr Davidson from Cornhill 30 years ago. In another cottage there were living a woman 64 years of age and a young woman of 34, three young men of 29, 25 and 19 years, and a girl of 12. In this instance the three men slept in one room, and the woman and the girl in the other. Asked as to what condition the empty cottage was in, Dr McWhir said it was very bad and had not been occupied for 30 years.

As this was the first time the cottages had been reported upon, it was agreed to send a copy of the Doctor’s report to both the agent and the tenant. It was also agreed that steps could very easily be taken to remove the earth from the back of the cottages and have the ashpits attended to.

UNEMPLOYMENT IN BERWICK

As far as we can gather there are 200 unemployed men in Berwick. There is a slump in trade all over the country, men are out of work, and industries are going on short time. In Berwick just now seasonal unemployment is at its height, but the great majority of the unemployed in the Borough are unskilled workmen. Is it not time for those in authority to begin working out a scheme for providing employment? It is being recognized generally that each industry should bear the burden of its own unemployed, and this is being arranged for, for instance, in the transport and building industries. This, however, will not help casual labourers, who are not affiliated to any special industry. As we have already pointed out, the work at Mordington, the steel factory, the Tweedmouth housing scheme, and even the new bridge, when it is started, if they absorb all the unskilled labour in Berwick while they are in operation, will not permanently solve the problem. On the other hand, a proportion of the men now unemployed never have done regular work and will need a lot of coaxing and training before they take to it. They prefer to work for two or three days and take a rest, or perhaps for a little longer, but always with a rest at the end of it. Men like this are a very real difficulty. The vigorous insistence on decent housing conditions will help us here. In eighteen months’ time we hope to have 68 new houses up in Tweedmouth. That will enable the medical Office of health and the Inspector of Nuisances to have some of the worst houses in Berwick pulled down. The people who leave these houses will have to go into more expensive houses, which means that they will have to work something like a full week to pay the rent and keep themselves in comfort. Gradually society will realise that the man who does not put in a fair week’s work, be he rich or poor, is a public danger. That, however, is for the future. We know what has happened in other towns which are suffering from unemployment and we have 200 unemployed unskilled workmen in Berwick. The time, we think, has come for the mayor to call a public meeting to discuss what can be done in the way of starting relief measures for those willing to work. It is for such a meeting to decide on the particular measures to be taken. May we suggest- we do no more- that the Borough might set the unemployed to make bricks or concrete block for housing. They are already being made at Mordington by practically unskilled labour with a few skilled supervisors. We have still hundreds of houses to put up in Berwick which can use them, and new houses are to be out up in Belford, Glendale and Norham and Ilandshires. The Government would give financial aid to such can be offered to the unskilled workmen, we shall have provided a test which will give a job to every man willing to work. When we have sifted out those who prefer irregular work or not to work at all, and are sure of our ground, we shall no doubt be able to solve that problem too.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 12 NOVEMBER 1920

24/11/202013/11/2020 by Northumberland Archives

ARMISTICE DAY CELEBRATIONS

At the Armistice Day celebration at the British School, Palace Green, today (Thursday), the Rev. W. Jardine delivered an address after the two minutes’ silence at 11a.m. The hymn “O God, our help in ages past” was sung, and then Mr H. W. Willits unveiled the War Memorial to the fallen scholars. Mr Jardine offered prayer, and the proceedings closed with the “National Anthem.”

There was a short service at Berwick Parish Church today (Thursday), commencing at 10.45. The two minutes’ silence was observed, and prior and after that period appropriate psalms, lessons, and prayers were recited, the Vicar conducting the service.

At the barracks the troops paraded, the “Last Post” being sounded at 11a.m. and Reveille at the expiry of the two minutes.

At 11 o’clock today (Thursday) the Commandant of the Berwick branch of the Comrades of the Great War laid a laurel wreath at the foot of the Tweedmouth War Memorial. The wreath bore the inscription, “In loving memory of those whose names are seen here and their unknown comrades, this wreath is laid by the Comrades of the Great War.”

THE NEW SHERIFF

Mr Robert Carr, of The Elms, Berwick, who was unanimously elected Sheriff of the Borough of Berwick, is one well fitted to hold the office. For such an ancient and honourable position, it is very appropriate that a gentleman who has dabbled in the historical records and folklore of the Border as Mr Carr has done should be selected. It is certain he will fill the office with credit to himself and to the town.

To agriculturists in North Northumberland and Berwickshire, the name Robert Carr, of Grindon, is as familiar as the Corn Exchange on market day. Grindon, apart from Mr Carr and he from Grindon, would have been an unthinkable thing some few years ago, but it came to pass nevertheless, and he now lives the life – to him the rather slow and tiresome life- of a retired gentleman. While in Grindon, Mr Carr became known around the district as one who knew how to produce the most from his land, and who took second place to none as a successful agriculturist. He was a keen student of the various problems arising in the industry, and his advice and word carried weight with others. He was one of the most prominent members of the Berwick and Borders Farmers’ Association, now merged in the N.F.U., and there he took a leading part in the business coming before the Association from time to time. He is still associated with Norham and Islandshires Ploughing and Hedge Cutting Society, which was promoted to stimulate interest in successful tillage and farm cleanliness amongst farm workers and masters alike.

LOCAL NEWS

At the Kennel Club’s Championship Show at Crystal Palace, London, on November 3rd and 4th, Mr David Black, Berwick, won 1st prize Puppy, 3rd prize Limit, and 3rd prize Open Classes, with his sensational winning puppy, Tweedside Red Hot. His well known stud dog, Tweedside Red Squire, was also entered, but failed to do his weight, having lost 4½ lbs. on the journey down, so did not compete in either of his classes.

Wallace Green Literary Society, at their meeting on Monday evening, were invited to discuss various topics, suggested by contributions to the “Berwick Times.” The Editor, Mr W. Paterson, read the various articles, eight in number, and lively discussions followed each one. The first contribution was a poem entitled “Our Literary Society,” and dealt in humorous fashion with the “awful silence” that invariably fails upon the audience, when, after a paper, the chairman throws the meetings open to discussion. Then followed an interesting article entitled “Ought we to criticise the way other people spend their money?” by “Evangeline.” This provoked a good deal of discussion. A third article was in the nature of a plea for Wallace Green Church Library, founded in Golden Square Church in Dr Balmer’s days, when it was the only circulating library in the town. Now the membership has sunk to “three or four devoted souls,” but hopes were expressed that, the volumes having been put in order and the catalogue brought up to date, there would soon be a lengthy queue outside the Session House on a Thursday evening. “Diogenes” gave an amusing criticism on the meetings already held by the Society this session. “II Penseroso” treated with the slang phrase “ I don’t think,” arguing that it contained more than a germ of truth – that a great proportion of the men and women of today do not think, but accept the opinions of other people as their own. “A Sufferer” wrote of the behaviour of people in the street and the general neglect of the rule “keep to the right.” A strong condemnation of the delay in bringing the ex-Kaiser to justice, contributed by “Nemisis.” wound-up the evening. The eighth paper, in the form of a short letter was not read.

THE NEW RAILWAY BRIDGE

The deputation from the Town Council when it goes to Edinburgh to see the General Manager of the N.B.R. about the stairway to the Railway Bridge will have the solid backing of the inhabitants in the northern part of the town.

1970s view of Berwick Station was taken from the current road bridge, which at that time carried the main A1 road over the east coast main line. © Ben Brooksbank, Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0).

At the moment, when alterations are in progress, people are willing to put up with the absence of the stairway, but they could not be expected to do without it permanently. It will, however, be a great convenience to have the reconstructed stairway lead to the platform for the south trains. Under the old conditions, whether you were going north or south, you had to cross the bridge to get a ticket. If the stairway is placed as we suggest, only half of the passengers will need to cross the bridge.

INQUEST ON BERWICK CHILD

Coroner H. R. Peters, without calling a jury, on Friday night conducted an inquest in his office touching the death of Annie Bolton, the four month old child of Allison Bolton, single woman, Driver’s Lane, whose death occurred rather suddenly in the early hours of Thursday morning, 4th November.

Allison Bolton, the mother, identified the body as that of her child. The child had been suffering from a cold for two or three days, but she did not think there was anything seriously wrong with it. It had been taking its food regularly. At eight o’clock on Wednesday night she fed the child and put it into bed. Apart from the cold it was then all right. Witness went to bed shortly after, and at 1 am on Thursday was awakened by the child coughing and having difficulty with its breathing. She at once went for Dr P. W. Maclagan, leaving the child in her mother’s charge. On returning the child was dead.

Dr P. W. Maclagan said he was called by the last witness at 1.30 am on Thursday morning, and proceeded to the house in Driver’s Lane. On arriving there the child was found to be dead. It had only been dead a short time. He enquired about its illness, and was told it had been suffering from a cold, but had only become seriously ill at one o’clock. On Friday, along with Dr Caverhill, he conducted a post mortem at the mortuary, where he found that death had resulted from an attack of acute double pneumonia. The child was well nourished. Witness had attended the birth of the child, and at that time difficulty was experienced in getting the child to breathe. Otherwise the child was all right and healthy. In a child of that age the symptoms of double pneumonia would not be very marked prior to the fatal illness. The pneumonia would develop suddenly.

The Coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 29 OCTOBER 1920

30/10/2020 by Northumberland Archives

TWEEDMOUTH HONOURS HER FALLEN SONS

IMPRESSIVE SERVICE AT WAR MEMORIAL UNVEILING CEREMONY

CAPT. THE HON. W. WATSON ARMSTRONG REMEMBERS HIS TWEEDMOUTH COMRADES

“COUNTRY NEEDS REMONDER OF THEIR DEVOTION TO DUTY.” SAYS COL.WRIGHT

Never perhaps in the history of Tweedmouth, stretching as it does away back into the dim past when it was a hamlet placed under the See [sic] of Durham, has such a gathering been seen as that which assembled round the memorial erected at the Bridge End to the 111 sons of Tweedside who risked their lives and counted not the cost in giving their all for humanity in the Great World War, 1914-18.

The day was bitterly cold, with a damp grey mist hanging over the river, through which the bastioned heights of Berwick loomed ghostly. Nevertheless, a gathering numbering several thousands assembled from all parts of the Borough and preserved a reverent silence prior to the opening of the proceedings. The arrangements made by the Committee were admirable. A large platform was erected on the side of the enclosure nearest the bridge to accommodate those taking part in the unveiling ceremony – the Mayor, Sheriff, and Corporation, the Committeemen, members of the Clergy, and other friends. Relatives of the fallen were lined up inside of the enclosure, while a guard of honour provided by the 7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers paraded under the command of Capt. E. H. Crow and Lieut. J. H. Huffam was also on parade. The guard was lined up along the pavement, and their smartness when they came to the “present” was commented upon.

TWEEDMOUTH WAR MEMORIAL

[Dedicated to the Men whose Names appear.]

We cannot bring you home again,

Brave sons of fair Tweedside;

Nor can we see each battle plain,

Or view the ocean’s tide,

Wherein you lie wrapped in the shroud

Of clay, or waters deep,

Heroes of whom Tweedside is proud,

Proud, though at times we weep.

We cannot see each lonely grave,

Scattered inlands afar,

Some where the stately palm fronds wave,

Under the Eastern star,

Some where the Grecian vintage grows,

Under the deep blue sky,

Some where the frozen Alpine snows

Glisten on mountains high.

Some on the lonesome Russian plains,

Some where the Frenchmen died,

Some where the Belgians’ first campaigns

Held back the German tide,

Some where the oceans toss and roll,

Deep in their hidden gloom;

Over the Globe from Pole to Pole,

You’ll find the Tweedsider’s tomb.

We’ve carved your names on granite pile,

Sons of the Tweedside race,

Where the river dips in its last lone mile

Along to the sea’s embrace.

Your spirits live in the silent stone,

Graced by the sculptor’s art,

Nor can Time’s ruthless hand dethrone

Your names from one Tweedside heart.

THOMAS Grey, Tweedmouth

LOCAL NEWS

There is no truth in the rumour that the baths have been cut out of the Council houses which are to be put up at Tweedmouth, but the Treasury is in a very cheeseparing mood, and is doing all it can to bring down the cost of the houses by cutting out small extras. Those interested in the houses should therefore get the Councillors in their wards to keep a very close watch to see that the houses are not spoilt for the sake of a ha’porth of tar. Sir Francis Blake is pledged up to the hilt in the matter of housing, and his influence can be counted upon for the redressal of grievances.

CARTRIDGE CAUSES EXPLOSION IN BERWICK HOUSE

About mid-day on Saturday an explosion took place in the fireplace of a house in East Street, Berwick, occupied by Mr Wise, a gas worker, but this was happily not attended with serious consequences, though a little material damage was done.

Mr Wise and his little boy were in the room at the time, when without warning something exploded in the fireplace, causing the flames to fly out into the room and scattering fragments of burning coal and a cloud of soot into the room.

The little boy, who was near the fire, had his cheek slightly scorched by the heat. A table was also scorched, and burning fragments coming in contact with clothes hanging before the fire and also the window curtains, were set smoldering. Mr Wise was nearly overcome by the fumes when he got into the street after smothering out the minor fires.

Investigations conducted later showed the explosions to have been caused by a Mark V1 rifle cartridge (old pattern) which had somehow got mixed with the coal. The empty case was found in the grate.

BERWICK RANGERS FOR FINAL

Berwick Rangers intend to make a bid in the final of the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup, when they meet the Vale of Leithen on the Rovers’ ground at Peebles. Some dissatisfaction has been expressed in Berwick that the Association has seen fit to make the venue so far away from Berwick, necessitating the team to spend the greater part of the day travelling. When football is not in a flourishing condition exacting in the south of the Borders, it was also felt that a fitting scene for the final would have been at Coldstream or Duns, this being calculated to stimulate enthusiasm in the game there. The Rangers’ team, however, are making the journey in good heart, and are confident that they will make the Vale go all the way. The team is very much the same as that which has represented the club all season in important matches, with the exception that Fenby, the Spittal outside-right comes in once more in that position. A numbers of supporters will travel to Peebles by char-a-banc to give their team vocal backing. The rangers’ team is:-Edney; Buglass and Purves; R. D. Richardson, Walkenshaw, and Mealmaker; Fenby, Richardson, Falconer, A. Johnston, and Gilchrist. The team will travel by taxi to Peebles, leaving early in the day.

CONTRACT FOR NEW HOUSES PRACTICALLY ACCEPTED

The report of the Housing and Town Planning Council of the 16th October, with reference to the Tweedmouth Housing Scheme, was read as follows: — It was reported Messrs Stephen Easton, Ltd., had submitted the following prices on no.3 contract for 68 houses; — A type of house, £969; B type, £1,091 per house. The price being exclusive of nominal profit if constructed of brick, but if constructed on the Weardale Hoop Iron construction system, the price to include profit. The profit under the contract, if the houses are of brick, to be £40 per house, but if the work comes out at more than this cost, the contractor to be cut down until he may only receive a maximum profit of £20 per house. If, however, the work comes out at less than the estimated cost, the contractor to receive the £40 nominal profit plus 50 per cent of the saving. It was agreed to accept the tender, subject to the consent of the Ministry of Health and subject to the mayor and architect being satisfied with the houses. The houses to be of concrete, and consist of 42 A type and 26 B type.

Pictured are prefabs similar to those which once stood in Valley View, Tweedmouth, Berwick-uopn-Tweed. Prefabs were seen as a solution in the first half of the 20th century to ease the housing shortage. Copyright: Barry Shimmon – (CC BY-SA 2.0).

The Mayor, in moving the adoption of the report, said the architect and himself had gone through and examined the construction of these houses. They say the system of construction, and as far as his own judgment and the judgment of the architect were concerned, they felt quite sure that houses constructed of reinforced concrete were more durable than brick, and a great advantage also to be gained was the saving in time of erection. The matter at the present time was before the Ministry of Finance, and the Housing Commissioner at Newcastle had expressed confidence that the contract would be passed. If it was passed they might expect to see the business of erection commenced within a few weeks, as the contractors undertook to erect the 68 houses within the 12 months. Councillor Dixon seconded, and the report was agreed to.

The Authority, on the motion of the mayor, seconded by Councillor Blench, agreed to seal two bonds for £50 and £250 respectively in connection with the Tweedmouth Housing Scheme.

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