SALE OF CORPORATION ACADEMY

MR J.I.CAIRNS ACQUIRES THE PREMISES AT £3,150

In the Assembly Rooms of the King’s Arms Hotel on Thursday afternoon, Mr W. J. Bolam conducted a sale of property, chief among which was that part of the Corporation Estate known as the Corporation Academy, situated between High Street and Bankhill. There had numerous enquiries made regarding this property prior to the sale, and judging from the very large attendance present when the sale opened, there was great interest in the town in regard to its final destination.

When bids were invited they came readily and the price mounted rapidly. Some of those present at the close of the sale were very much surprised to learn that Mr J. I. cairns had become the owner, as he was seen to leave after bidding up to £2,100, but he secured the lot at £3,150, Mr Hugh Percy, solicitor, having taken up the bidding on his behalf. Mr Cairns also became the owner of the condemned dwelling at 30 Golden Square, which abuts to the rear on the Academy premises, Mr Nelson, Berwick, bidding for it on his behalf.

The conditions of sale were read by the Town Clerk, Mr D. S. Twigg, after which Mr Bolam invited questions upon any point arising in the conditions.

Mr P. M. Henderson – Are we clearly to understand this property comes under Schedule 4?

The Town Clerk – We have the full consent of the various Government Departments who have approved the sale, and so far as I know that is all the consent that is necessary to sell.

Proceeding to sell the property, Mr Bolam said it was a somewhat sad occasion to be met to take part in the selling of the old Academy. The Academy had played an important part in the history of the town. Its pupils had gone to all parts of the world, and generally they had done well wherever they had gone. Circumstances however had arisen which had caused the school to be closed, and much though they might regret selling the old school they could not help it. Times had changed from those of the old days and they found they could not afford to run the school. That was the reason it was being offered. It was a beautiful site, probably the finest site ever offered in Berwick. There are no limitations to its development, and it would indeed make a splendid site for a hotel. A gentleman in the room, he knew, was going to bid for it for that purpose. The area of the site was over 2,000 square yards, and he specially drew the attention of prospective purchasers to the fact that the last plans prepared for the New Bridge showed the road being brought out only a little way below this property. A great many strangers had been making enquiries about the property and he hoped Berwickers would not forget their old fighting spirit, and by bidding keep the strangers out, and secure the site for some local industry. One point which he wished to make clear was that the windows of Bankhill Church Hall which overlooked the playground were only allowed to do so under agreement and they could be closed at the will of the owner.

The Bankhill entrance which the Corporation had been paying 1s per year for had now been redeemed, and the purchaser of the property would get uninterrupted passage to Bankhill free. The only thing the site needed was a side entrance, and the lot he would offer later in Golden square would afford an entrance of 30 feet in width. In regard to the reserve price the Corporation was in the hands of the Ministry of Health, who had fixed it. No doubt their reserve would be reached, but he wished to make it clear that they could not deal with anyone after the sale if the reserve was not reached. If they could not effect a sale they must go back to the Ministry for further consent to reduce the reserve price.

THE BIDDING

Offers being invited the lot was started at £1,000, and by bids of £100 it rose rapidly to £3,000, when the ardour of bidders began to cool. At £3,100 bids of £50 were taken, and at £3,150 the hammer fell to Mr Hugh Percy, solicitor, Alnwick, who was bidding for Mr J. I. Cairns.

The freehold premises at 30 Golden square, which were closed by the local Authority as unfit for habitation in 1914 and ordered to be demolished in 1915 ( the latter order however having never been enforced) were then offered. Starting at the modest sum of £5 the price rose to 350, when Mr Jas. Nelson, Berwick, bidding on behalf of Mr Cairns, got the fall of the hammer.