Military Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Northumberland Archives

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 10 SEPTEMBER 1915

PILGRIMAGE TO LINDISFARNE

On the anniversary of the death of Saint Aidan a party of pilgrims, mainly composed of clergymen from Newcastle, visited Holy Island to attend a service of Holy Communion in the Old Priory of Aidan. The pilgrimage was organised by the Rev. Finkay Sanderson. The party travelled by train to Beal, and crossed to the island – some by conveyances, and others by “plodging” over the sands. At the ringing of the “Peace Bell” at noon calling all people on the island to pray for our soldiers and sailors and all in peril or mourning during the war, the service commenced.

The officiating clergy were Bishop Ormsby, assisted by the Rev. Irvine Crawshaw, Vicar of

The Old Priory, Holy Island, Northumberland. © Christine Matthews - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license. — The Old Priory, Holy Island, Northumberland. © Christine Matthews – Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license.

Holy Island. The service opened with the hymn, “O God of Bethel.” Then followed a portion of Psalm 44 and Psalm 61. These were followed by the service of Holy Communion, taken by the Bishop, who gave his address on the text, “He being dead yet speaketh.” Bishop Ormsby pointed out that 1,264 years had passed since Aidan breathed his last. During this period two voices and been continually heard; one calling us to remember the days that are past, the other exhorting us to listen to the lessons which Aidan would teach. The offertory was given to the Holy Island medicine chest.

The pilgrims had lunch on the links, and tea at the Northumberland Arms. A visit was later paid to Bamburgh. Some of the pilgrims availed themselves of a motor boat, and crossed over to the “Beacons,” walking thence to Bamburgh, where evensong was held in St. Aidan’s Church.

BELFORD

On Thursday morning, while the eight-year-old son of Mr Pascoe, coastguard, Ross, was cycling out of Nursery Lane, Belford, he came in collision with a motor car. The boy’s leg was broken below the knee, and he was taken into the house of Dr Macdonald near by, who conveyed him home in his motor car.

Circus – On Monday night, Pinder and Ord’s Circus visited Belford and gave a performance in a field at the top of West Street. Several of the turns were really good, in particular the performances of the elephant. No bright lights were allowed outside the show by order of the military authorities, but inside all was bright as usual

Image of Pinders Big Top 1890s © George Pinder

GIFT JUMBLE SALE

As will be seen from our advertising columns, Mr A. L. Miller will sell in the Corn Exchange, on Wednesday next, a quantity of miscellaneous effects, the proceeds of which will be applied to the British Red Cross Society. The Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute has purchased the famous “Star and Garter” Hotel on Richmond Hill, and presented it to Her Majesty the Queen, who has graciously accepted the same, to be used as a permanent home for paralysed and totally disabled soldiers and sailors. The members of the Institute have contributed liberally to the purchase money (£21500), and

Image from the Berwick Advertiser 4 December 1858, opening of the newly erected Corn Exchange, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

any sum received in excess of the purchase money will be given to the Red Cross Society, which has undertaken the necessary alterations, equipment, and maintenance of the Home. Mr Miller has received a large number of articles for the sale, including some good household furniture, electro-plated goods and china, some fine old cut glass, 100 volumes of books, poultry, fat lambs, tea, flour, rolled oats, a waggonette, and a number of sundries, which will yield an acceptable contribution to the Fund, if the sale receives the measure of public support which the good cause it seeks to promote fully entitles it.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 30 JULY 1915

HARBOUR REVENUE AND THE WAR

INADVISABILITY OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION

The restriction on East Coast shipping are being more forcibly impressed upon the ratepayers of our own immediate district by the short discussion which occurred at the Berwick Town Council meeting on Tuesday evening. The inability of the local Harbour Commissioners to meet the interest on a by no means large bond is sufficient testimony to the decline in shipping during the past year at the port of Berwick. It was a state of matters which no one contemplated this time last year, and it is satisfactory to learn, despite the intense difficulties placed on shipping and fishing, the trade at the harbour shows a tendancy to revive these last few weeks. There is no doubt whatever that with the advent of normal times activities at the harbour will resume their natural condition, and that the interest, temporarily advanced by the Town Council as guarantors to the bond, will be duly refunded. In the unusual circumstances the Town Council had no alternative but to meet the payment of the interest, and there is no reason why there should be any feeling in the community over what is only a very small item emanating out of the war. The appeal made by Alderman Short to regard the discussion as private might very well have seriously occurred to the Council earlier. Had the Council been unanimous in Committee, as they were to all extents and purposes in public, the whole matter could have been quite easily adjusted. In these strenuous days when every encouraging little item is faithfully served up to the reading public of the enemy on the other side of the North Sea, the less said about decadent sea ports on the east Coast the better. It is a line of action which would have undoubtedly met with the approval of the naval and military authorities who keep a very strict censor on items of such a nature. It may occur to the Council of Borough on the East Coast that there are other things quite as essential to safeguard as bright lights. A spoken word, and an admission on the part of a responsible body such as a Town Council that one of the ports is in a temporary insolvent condition is a grave enough concession indeed, and, garnished and magnified by Tuetonic ingenuity, it can be translated into language out of all proportion to the actual facts. But there is no use lamenting over spilt milk, though it may, and certainly ought to be, a warning to responsible authorities to exercise every degree of care and caution in these eventful days.

Berwick Advertiser 30 July 1915. J Smith Advert

LOCAL NEWS

Belford Church – the church has been enriched by the placing of two finely executed stained glass windows. They are, what is known in architecture, as the early English period, and are lancet in shape. In one window is an illustration of “Charity,” which is depicted by a large figure under richly-coloured canopy work, and standing on an ornamental base, with the following inscription: – “Erected

Belford Church © Copyright Peter Taylor - Creative Commons Licence. — Belford Church © Copyright Peter Taylor – Creative Commons Licence.

by her brother-in-law, the Vicar of Belford, in loving memory of Racheal Smale McLeish, a devoted church worker, who died on December 14^th, 1914; aged 58 years.” In the other window is a figure of St. Cecilia in the act of playing an organ, being patron of music, with the following inscription:-“Erected by her father, the Vicar of Belford, in loving memory of his beloved daughter Helen Katharine Ogilvie Robertson, who died on January 11^th, 1914, aged 37 years.” The windows were designed and executed by Messrs G. J. Bagnley and Son, artists in stained glass, Newcastle.

CROSS-COUNTRY

Splendid Military Run at Berwick

Thirty-Three Regiments Represented

The military cross-country race at Berwick on Saturday proved an eminently successful gathering, and the commontion and stir it occasioned in the ancient Borough will be an event to be remembered as an outstanding incident in the annals of the Great War. The weather was showery, and, though the ground was heavy underfoot, a more ideal summer afternoon could not have been desired. The thousands of spectators who lined the fine vantage ground on the overlooking Walls, as well as on the more expansive meadow where the race started and finished, were enabled to witness the ceremony under most comfortable atmospheric conditions. A sharp shower fell at the conclusion of the subsequent recruiting meeting, but it was short in duration, and it did not interfere with the pleasure of the spectators in witnessing the completion of a most interesting and finely contested race. No one could but be impressed with the sight of so many hundreds of fine specimens of young

WW1 Gymanastics at Aldershot. — WW1 Gymnastics wearing their competitors costume at Aldershot.

fellows in the perfect bloom of physical strength and manhood, all too, trained in the use of arms, and ready and willing to do their bit whenever the opportunity came. As they marched in gymnastic costume, in perfect swing and unison of step to the captivating strains of the pipe music to take up their allotted positions at the starting point it was a singularly charming spectacle. Not a few of the competitors felt the inspiration of the familiar Highland reels, and gave vent to their itch of foot by indulging in brief spells of a dance. To the thinking spectator there came a pang of intense regret to know of a certainty that so many splendid specimens of athletic manhood would ere many weeks were over have to face the terrible scenes of havoc and bloodshed which are being enacted on the plains of Flanders. The arrangements of the committee in charge were admirable. There was ample convenience for so many competitors dressing and preparing for the race, several large tents having been erected, while the course was well mapped out with flags. The start was given by Colonel Peterkin, and though at the finish there was great excitement and some crushing ample room was allowed to the runners to reach the goal.

The presentation of prizes by Colonel Peterkin in the evening in the Corn Exchange along with tea to the competitors was a scene of much enthusiasm and good hearted fellowship. The memory of the great race, and the stir and bustle it created in the streets will be pleasantly remembered by all the citizens, and the only feeling of regret is that so poor a response was made to the recruiting efforts at so imposing a military display.

This Week in World War One, 10 September 1915