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A group of mysterious nineteenth-century photographs were recently discovered within the Dickson, Archer and Thorp collection. They were found alongside a bundle of envelopes and a copper plate, both embossed with the letters J D C P. Following extensive research these mysterious initials are believed to have belonged to John de Camborne Paynter.
Born in 1845, John had previously resided at Clarence House, Penzance before moving to Belvedere Terrace, Alnwick. He worked as a solicitor’s clerk and, although widowed early in life, had two sons, Captain John de Camborne Stackhouse Paynter and Major William Patterson Paynter. For around twenty-five years he sat as Secretary of Alnmouth’s golf club and also acted as the churchwarden for St Paul’s, Alnwick. Upon his death he left a large sum of £23,658 to be divided between his children. He also made provision in his will for his long-term servant Jane Charters by ensuring a £50 annuity and furnished cottage.
Who the sitters were remains a mystery. Were these pictures the creative product of Mr J de C Paynter, whose name was found on both the envelope and copper plate? Or do these photographs depict Paynter’s own family members? Alternatively they may have been examples provided to Paynter by professional photographers, with the view for possible commissions.
The following images show the sides of the engraved copper plate, found alongside the pictures (REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT):
The mysterious pictures (REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT);
A reverse side for one of the images, listing the details of the studio from which it originated. (REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT):
If anyone has any information regarding the production or identification of these images please contact us.
We have covered John Atkin’s life in our previous blog, but now will look at the younger generation of the Atkin family and their relationship with Stannington.
Robert Atkin
Robert was born at Stargate, near Ryton 1882, where his father John was working as a colliery Blacksmith. He followed his family in their various moves, though he and his sister Minnie lived with their grandparents during the 1891 census, and settled with the family at Whitehouse farm. He is described as a Gardener on the 1911 census. He served in the First World War, and there are two medals roll index cards that may refer to him, both showing a private in the Northumberland Fusiliers that received service medals. He met nurse Hilda Currie at the sanatorium, perhaps through the gatherings and dances that were held for staff.
Robert Atkin during the First World War, kindly provided by his granddaughter.
Robert is one of the staff from Stannington Sanatorium and the Philipson Farm Colony who served in the First World War that are being researched in a new project. As part of the Stannington Parish Centenary Festival of Remembrance (8-11th November 2018), Richard Tolson is producing a series of books looking at Stannington parish 100 years ago, and recording the story of the men who left the parish to fight in the First World War.
The festival is intended to involve the whole community and will include a flower festival, book signing, School trips, WW1 Re-enactments, village dance, brass band concert, a talk about the WW1 history of the village, displays of the research, and a special Remembrance Service. For more details, or to help out with any relevant photos or information contact Stannington History Group via stanningtonhistorygroup@gmail.com
Hilda Currie
Hilda Jane Currie was born in Percy Main or Willington-on-Tyne in 1892. Her father was Captain John Currie, a master mariner, and her mother was Georgina Margaret Robinson, recorded on the census as Meggie. She grew up with sisters Meggie, Ella, and Eva, and her brothers John (known as Jack) and James Herbert. The brothers served at sea in WWI, and they seem to have been a very close family, sending letters from the various parts of the world they travelled to. Jack became an engineer in the Navy, and was killed aboard the SS Whitgift 20th April 1916 in a submarine attack, aged 32. James was a Mercantile Marine, 3rd engineer on the SS Northumbria. On the 9th Jan 1919 he was killed by a mine explosion at Newbiggin-by-the-sea, aged 29. Jack is commemorated on Tower Hill memorial, and James is buried at Wallsend (Church Bank) Cemetery.
Hilda in her uniform holding a kitten (NRO 10361/1/237)
In 1911 Hilda and her sister Ella are not recorded with their mother and other sisters, but were visiting Anne Isabella Richardson, perhaps an aunt, in Willington. She must have gone into nursing sometime after this, and from the album we know she would have been at Stannington around 1915. She was there when her brother Jack wrote to her from the SS Whitgift on the 24th June that year, saying he was glad she was enjoying her new job. A photograph in the Album titled ‘London Hospital Nurse’s training home, Tredegar House, Bow’ suggests she may have learned her skills there. It is clear from her album that Hilda forged some very strong bonds with her young charges, and we see them in her photographs around the grounds, in costumes, and even photo postcards from after their discharge.
Hilda and Robert, photograph kindly provided by their granddaughter.
The Atkin family moved to The Birches in Tranwell Woods, and John built the family a home there in 1910, named White House after the farm. Robert and Hilda married in late 1922, and moved into the Birches, later moving into the White House after John and Margaret died. The family lived there for many years, with successive generations building and living around the two houses.
Hilda’s album
Hilda collected a fascinating album of photographs from her time at Stannington and her later, which has very kindly been deposited with us by her granddaughter. In it we see many snatched moments of quiet for the staff, and fun for the staff and patients. Below we have included some of our favourites such as the 1922 PCHA trip to Cresswell beach, Matron Campbell off duty, and a nurse riding sidecar on a motorbike. We think it shows a very personal view of Stannington around the time of the First World War, and if you would like to see more of them they are now available to search using the reference NRO 10361* through our online catalogue.
Staff, patients and adults paddling in the sea at the 1922 PCHA day out to Cresswell (NRO 10361/1/122).The nurses and a brass band at the 1922 PCHA outing to Cresswell (NRO 10361/1/270).Matron Campbell and another nurse during a break (NRO 10361/1/12).A patient and nurse on a motorbike and sidecar (NRO 10361/1/105).
Northumberland Archives would like to say a huge thank you to Hilda and Robert’s granddaughter for depositing Hilda’s album with us, giving us permission to use the photographs in the blog, and supplying further information and photographs which have helped us to explore the Atkin family’s connection with Stannington.
The Stannington Sanatorium project has been continuing at a good pace. Our digitisation and redaction of the patient files is progressing quickly, and we have now completed repackaging them. Our project assistant is now focusing on some of the photographs we have in the collection, and is listing a 1920s photograph album we hope to be able to feature soon. In the meantime, still thinking of photographs, we thought we would share some from another set from our collection, featuring 1920s Stannington Sanatorium.
May Brown was a nurse at Stannington in the late 1920s, and left after her marriage in 1929. Her family have donated these photographs to the Northumberland Archives, which show a little of Stannington life in the 1920s.
The first, NRO 11036/1, shows two patients and some of the nurses at Stannington on the veranda, and is labelled as ‘May 1927’.
This photograph, NRO 11036/3, labelled Bessie J. Young, shows a nurse with a patient on the veranda.
NRO 11036/4 is labelled ‘This is our baby on my ward’. It is likely the ‘baby’ was the youngest patient on the ward, or perhaps a favourite patient of May’s.
Photograph NRO 11036/5 shows the Nurses photographed together. The matron in the centre of the picture is Miss Campbell, and May Brown is fourth from the left.
NRO 11036/6 shows a larger group of the Sisters and Nurses together. This time May is in the middle of the picture, 6th from the left in the back row.
NRO 11036/7 shows staff and patients gathered outside for a fun day. As it is labelled ‘August 1927’ it could be a sports day or a summer outing.
This last photograph, NRO 11036/9, shows the Nurses’ home at Stannington, where May would have lived during her time there. You can find out more about the Nurses’ home through our Online Exhibition tour by clicking on the Nurses’ home.
We hope to be able to bring you more photographs in the future, however if you would like to see more in the meantime have a look on our Voices of Stannington Sanatorium Flickr set.
