Spittal

BERWICK JOURNAL, 1ST OCTOBER 1925

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BERWICK’S MAYORALITY

ALD. ALEX. DARLING

In connection with Berwick’s Mayorality for 1925-26, we understand that Ald. Alex. Darling has been approached to accept office.

Ald. Darling is a native of Berwick, and a prominent member and office bearer of Wallace Green English Presbyterian Church. He has been and is conspicuously identified with Border Sports and Pastimes. As President of Berwick Rangers Football Club, he has rendered valuable service in support of one of the most popular pastimes. He is an official of the North-eastern Amateur Athletic Association he holds high rank in the Masonic world. He has been Worshipful master of St. Daid’s Lodge of Freemmasons, W. M. of St. Cuthbert’s mark Master Lodge of Freemasons and is a member of other branches of Freemasonary. He is an ex-official of Berwick St. Andrew’s Club, Berwick Athletic Society, Ravensdowne Bowling Club, Berwick Amateur Rowing Club, Berwick and District Motor Club, and is connected with almost every sporting institution in the town. He is a Vice-President of Edinburgh Borderers’ Rugby Club. He has been Chairman of Berwick Salmon Company and is a Director of Berwick Gas Company and other companies.

He has an extensive experience of Council work, having presented the Middle Ward on two different occasions; he held the office of Sheriff, 1908-09; and is a Justice of the peace. He was elevated to the Aldermanic Bench in Nov. 1922, to fill the vacancy created by the retiral of the late Ald. Richardson.

Ald. Darling belongs to a family who has a fine record of municipal service. His father, the late Adam Darling, was Councillor, Sheriff, thrice Mayor, Alderman and County Alderman; has brother, County-Alderman Thomas Darling, J. P., has been Sheriff; and another brother, Mr Adam Darling, Bondington, is an Ex-Councillor.

REPORT ON BERWICK MUSEUM

BY MRS W. B. DICKINSON

The following is the report on Berwick Museum by Mrs W. B. Dickinson, prseneted to Berwick Town Council:-

The Museum is in a very neglected condition. This is not the fault of the caretaker, who does his work conscientiously and well. It is in departments not pertaining to his duties that much work and care is required to make the Museum a place that the town may be proud of. The co-operation of the public is also much needed. Perhaps the best way to gain this would be to make a list of the exhibits required, which, with the consent of the Committee, I would be pleased to do after the work of cleaning, re-grouping and re-classifying is finished. For instance, we have no specimens of locally found prehistoric implements. The local historic objects could almost be counted on one hand. We have scarcely half of the British wild animals, and many of the very component birds such as blackbird and robin are needed in the case of British birds. There are no specimens of needlework and only one or two literary exhibits. There is only one exhibit in connection with the Border marriages at Lamberton: none in connection with the Battle of Halidon. There are no exhibits in connection with the Great war, nor anything to remind future generations that the German Zeppelins visited Berwick. These are only a few examples to show what lines the list of requirements might be compiled. On the other hand, we have too many cases of stuffed pheasants, and examples of such monstrosities as two-headed lambs are out of place in a local museum.

In the meantime, the primary work to be done, and which is now proceeding, is as follows:- When the workmen left, the cases were full of dust that had sifted in, covering everything with a thick layer of dirt. The caretaker has scrubbed out the cases and polished the glass, but careful cleaning of all the exhibits is required.

Many of the exhibits have got mixed and require re-grouping and re-classifying.

Some objects are damaged or broken and require careful; mending.

Labels are lost in many cases, also there are labels with no exhibits to correspond, and groups of unlabelled objects with groups of labels beside them that have to be sorted out and re-attached.

As most of the labels are too dirty to read clearly, practically the whole of the exhibits need re-labelling.

Spoiled and unsuitable exhibits need weeding out.

DAVID ATKINSON

The photograph here reproduced is a known face in Berwick, at least to the football fraternity. Davie Atkinson, Berwick Rangers’ captain, is one who has done his bit to help the club along. The backbone of the team, he has many a time carried them through on his own broad shoulders. Davie is an earnest worker, and though he may, at times, be rather robust in his methods, it is but an excess of zeal. Glasgow born, Davie first showed his paces with Jordanhill, a juvenile team. Clyde F. C. spotted the lad, and right away he was transported from the juvenile ranks into senior league football. The Second Division of the Scottish League was formed at the end of the season, and Armadale, who were on the look-out for a good half-back, spotted Atkinson. At the end of the season Davie transferred his services to Dunfermline Athletic, and in May 1923 came to Berwick Rangers as player manager. This season the Club decided not to have a player-manager, but Davie is captain. Atkinson scored the goal which secured his side’s entry int o the Scottish Cup in the qualifying tie against Gala Fairydean.

LOCAL NEWS

Spittal-by-the-Sea grows in popularity on Borderland and far beyond. This noted health and holiday resort was the objective of 70 pupils, who filled 3 char-a-bancs drawn up at Denholm School gate last Friday at 9.30am. Route was by Jedfoot,[sic] Heiton, [sic] Sprouston, Cornhill, Tweedmouth to Berwick. After dinner the company motored to Spittal Beach. There they had Promenade and beach at their disposal. To half of the children this was their first sight of the sea.

One wonders what their thoughts were. Unfortunately, visibility was poor, and the water was sufficiently stormy that no fishing was in progress. In a trice over 100 bare feet were in the brine, and nearly 2 hours the wave and the sand arrested the attention of every boy and girl. Later the rocks, Spa Well, spade works etc attracted attention. Returning to Berwick at 4pm, harbour, town walls and pier were explored. Tea was served at 5pm Some time remained to wander about the town before starting for home at 6.15pm Returning, the route was Coldstream, Birgham and Kelso. By 9 o’clock they had returned safely to Denholm. The desire to have this outing originated with the pupils a year ago, and since September, the teachers have been receiving from them” offerings” for the trip. Each scholar made up his own fare, besides contribution towards cost of dinner and tea.

Driver T. Douglas, and Fireman John Waite, both of Tweedmouth Loco Sheds, N.E.R., have each received from the directors of the company, a bronze medallion for service rendered by them, as the oldest driver and fireman of Tweedmouth, during the recent commemoration of the centenary of British Railways at Stockton and Darlington. The souvenir, for such it is, is a fine piece of work and well worth its place amongst whatever other relics of the past they may have preserved in their possession. Fitted into a neat little case with a cavity for its reception, the medallion bears the following on the obverse side: “Portraits of Edward Pease, Chairman and guiding influence in the management of the first public railway, and of George Stephenson, who built the first engine on the railway, and actually drove it on its historic journey on Sept.27, 1825.”

TWEEDMOUTH RAILWAY STATION, 1936. Ref no: BRO 2482-001

There are also shown the coats of arms of Stockton and Darlington, the two towns between which ran the world’s first passenger train, the arms of Stockton being on the left hand, and those of Darlington on the right. On the reverse side is a figure of Vulcan holding in his hand Locomotive No.1, the first engine to be employed on public railway, with in the background, one of the London and North Eastern Railway Company’s famous 1925 type, “Pacific” express locomotive. A letter has also been received by the two men mentioned, which is as follows;- “Divisional General manager, North Eastern Area, L. and N. E. Railway, York, 24th Sept. 1925. Dear Sir, – On behalf of the Directors of the Company, I have great pleasure in sending you herewith a medallion struck by-in connection with the recent commemoration of the Centenary of British Railways at Stockton and Darlington, which I hope you will accept as a souvenir of the events- Yours faithfully, George Davidson.” Needless to say, both gentlemen are quite proud of the distinguished honour conferred upon them by being presented with so unique and interesting a souvenir, for services rendered ion such an occasion

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 1ST JANUARY 1925

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THE PASSING OF NED CUTLER

AN INTERESTING LINK WITH THE PAST BROKEN

In passing of Edward Martin, or “Cutler Ned” as he was perhaps best known, Berwick has lost an old standard and a link with the past. Ned, who was never the same after the death of his wife in 1922, has been in failing health and very feeble for some years and has been practically an invalid for a considerable period. He died on Saturday at the age of 94.

Some fifteen years ago “Ned” was going strong and never missed a day at his accustomed stance outside the shop of Messrs Redpath and Son, drapers. High Street in fact was not complete in those days without “Cutler Ned.” The old man was ever ready for a “crack,” but no matter how much he talked or how long the yarn was that he was prevailed upon to spin, his cutler’s wheel never ceased to revolve merrily.

High Street, Berwick-upon-Tweed. c.1900. Ref: BRO 426/294

Many a time he told his inimitable angling stories to his acquaintances, the emery wheel meanwhile filling in the gaps with a steady “bizz.” How often he told of a big fight he had with a heavy sea trout just below Canty’s Bridge and ultimately lost it. If his auditors were not mistaken, the grinding wheel was wont to give an extra angry “bizz” when this unfortunate ending of the story came.

He used to tell with great glee, of how he once put a number of Spittal men on their guard that Temple, the bailiff, was watching them as they passed down the river en route to the “babbin” while Ned was fishing from the Pier. Temple, who was a bit of a tough nut, threatened on the occasion that he would throw Ned into the river, but the old hearty laughed in his face and told him to get on with the business.

There were few, if any, could come up to Ned at wielding the rod, either on Tweed or Whitadder. He prided himself that he knew every inch of either stream from Ellemford to Berwick, where trout were likely to lie. He scorned the use of waders for many years and candidly told other anglers that he had no use for such new-fangled notions. Twenty years ago, he could be seen whenever he had a slack day, casting a line as true as a dart with a long rod from the bank.

Royal Border Bridge, over the River Tweed, Berwick-upon-Tweed, c.1900. Ref: BRO 426/569

It was rather fun to the youngsters to stand a little way behind him and hear him reasoning with himself quite audibly how best to get a big fellow to rise, which he knew was there, though not a movement showed on the surface. Ned was a born angler, there was not the slightest doubt about that. Times came when even his attention to business gave way before the call of the tinkling of waters over mossy stones.

Ned was not a native of Berwick, though he might almost have been counted as one. He was born in 1830 and for a time worked in Glasgow, where he met his wife. The pair decided on a runaway marriage, the popular vogue in those days, and in 1851 they arrived at Lamberton Toll, and there were made one through the instrumentality of the Priest, William Thompson. The certificate is in the hands of the family to this day. It is the usual Border marriage certificate and is certified at the end as follows: “Married by me on the 3rd of January 1851-William Thompson.”

There were eight children of the marriage, four sons and four daughters, all of who are in good positions in England.

Ned had a host of good stories always ready to tell of people and happenings in Berwick up to fifty years ago. The high times old angling cronies had in Mrs Tim’s and Taffy Jack’s hostelries were well worth preserving, but as the families of the worthies who used to foregather are still in the town, silence is best.

GLENDALE PLOUGHING AND HEDGE CUTTING COMPETITIONS

The interesting ploughing and hedge-cutting competitions promoted by Glendale Agricultural Society will be held at Doddington, weather permitting, on Thursday, 8th January, when it is anticipated there will be keen competition in all classes. There are five classes in all for ploughing, prizes being offered for work done by any type of plough, swing ploughs and wheel ploughs. Special prizes are also offered for best start, finish, and two classes for hedge-cutting and laying, and all the North- country experts are certain starters.

THE STORM ON THE BORDERS

FLOODS AND DAMAGE BY GALE

Though Berwick and the surrounding districts got off comparatively lightly in the great storm of wind and rain which swept the country at the weekend, other parts of the blast, and damage was done in several occasions.

The Tweed rose rapidly inconsequence of torrential rain in the West country, and at Melrose it was said to have risen like a wall of water. Many portions of low lying haugh and fields abutting the river, were under water and scenes at the caulds and salmon ladders were such as not to be readily forgotten.

At the river flood gauge near the Chain Bridge the water rose to about three-quarters of an inch below the abnormal mark of the flood of some seven years ago. Numbers of spawned salmon, sickened by the density of the flood were noted about the shallows, turning on their backs. Large quantities of fencing and fallen timber were washed down the river, to provide a welcome Yule log for the poor, who were out by times to see what was going. The Tweed got above its banks in the vicinity of Horncliffe and Norham and flooding took place.

Union Chain Bridge, c.1900’s. Ref: BRO 426/1137

The river was at its highest flood level in the early hours of Sunday morning, and it is still running big and red.

Monday night saw a repetition of the gale, though rain hardly fell in such quantities. A stiff breeze was blowing about eight o’clock in the evening and this steadily freshened until it blew a gale towards midnight. Some damage was done to old properties in the town, slates and chimney tops being shaken from their fastenings. Wireless aerials too came in for a rough handling with the blast. A heavy blast of rain laid the wind considerably ere morning.

BERWICK JOURNAL, 1ST MAY 1924

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LONG SERVICE MEDAL FOR MR ROBT.BURGON

Mr Robt. Burgon, ex-Coxswain of Berwick Lifeboat, has been awarded the Long Service Medal of the Lifeboat Institution. This medal was to have been presented to him on Sunday at Lifeboat Concert but did not come to hand.

When the lifeboat station was changed from Spittal to Berwick, Mr Burgon formed one of the original crew, and was appointed second Coxswain under his cousin, the late Mr James Burgon, who, after holding the office for 4 ½ years retired and became lighthouse keeper. On the retiral of his cousin Mr Burgon was promoted to the post of Coxswain, and held that position 14 ½ years, during which time he won the appreciation of his superiors. Berwick Lifeboat House was recognised by the Lifeboat inspector as a model of how such a place should be kept. It is significant of Mr Burgon’s keen sense of duty that during the time the boat was at Berwick he had only once been absent when the boat went to sea, and that was April 1914, when he himself was one of the persons to whose assistance the boat was called out.

During those years he assisted in rescuing about 30 lives, and the largest rescue was performed in March 1913, when the crew of the Swedish barque Jacob Rauers was saved from a watery grave.

The special vote of thanks on vellum, presented by Royal National Lifeboat Institution to ex-Coxswain Burgon, in recognition of his valuable service to the Institution and humanity at large, was publicly handed to him in Feb., 1920, in the Queen’s Rooms by Lady Francis G. Osborne, Ord House, president of the Berwick Branch.

In making the presentation lady Osborne said- The certificate was a mark of the Institution’s appreciations of the excellent work ex-Coxswain Burgon had performed on their behalf and for mankind at large. Had the audience thought of it? Mr Burgon had served 20 years in the lifeboat, 5 years as 2nd Coxswain and 15 years as skipper of the boat. They who lived within sight and sound of the North Sea knew full well what that meant, and what it must mean to the crew of a doomed ship to see the lifeboat battling to their rescue. It had been the custom in late years that after any meritorious service the Coxswain had received a medal. That was as it should be, because very often it was largely due to his seamanship that the rescue was due. But it had been felt that every member of the crew should receive some recognition and ow, thanks to the energy of the Secretary of the Berwick Branch it was suggested, and she hoped it would soon come to pass that every member of the crew would receive a badge at the same time as the Coxswain received his medal. Mr Burgon wore 2 medals on his breast and the other by the Swedish Government. On the latter were the words “For bravery and valour at sea.” What splendid words they were; and how glad Berwick people ought to be that they had among them a man, who, by his conduct, had earned such a medal. In handling over the certificate to Mr Burgon she expressed the hope that for many years it would remind him not only of the many lives he had saved, but of the 20 years of splendid work which he had given to the Institution. She knew it could not but bring back memories of days and nights when he battled with the waves, but she hoped also that it would remind him of the peace which followed the storm.

Mr Burgon, in returning thanks, said he was the first man to volunteer to become a member of the crew when the lifeboat was moved from Spittal to Berwick. His cousin: the late Mr Wm. Burgon was appointed Coxswain, and he himself received the appointment of 2nd Coxswain. For 4 ½ years they worked hand in hand, and then his cousin was appointed keeper of Berwick lighthouse, and he was promoted Coxswain. During all his 20 years he had done his best both for the crew and the Institution. On many a stormy night he had gone about the fields when everybody else was in bed. He thought that would be the last time he would have a presentation made to him in public. The lifeboat was now to be manned by a crew from Spittal; and he thought in Mr Lough they had got a man to take charge who was as good as he was himself. He promised that if ever the boat was needed, he would assist it in every way.

Berwick Lighthouse, Ref: BRO 426-0414

Dr C. L. Fraser said as Secretary he had been in the exceptional position of coming into close contact with the Coxswain and member of the crew, and he would like to state that during his long service ex-Coxswain Burgon had always been found on his beat. In speaking of their ex-Coxswain, he wished also to remember his very active lieutenant, ex-2nd Coxswain Jas. Jamieson (who is also to receive Long Service medal), who had done splendid service. They must not also forget the men who had sailed with these gentlemen- rank and file of Berwick Lifeboat. The Institution had agreed that their services too would be recognised and on some other night he hoped the badges for them would be publicly presented. The attributes of a good Coxswain were very many. He must have a keen professional knowledge, the ability to form his judgments quickly; and alertness and carrying these into practice. Robt. Burgon had shown on more than one occasion that he possessed all these qualities. He was sorry to have to say good-bye to so old a comrade. They had had many experiences together. Mr Burgon had been a good and faithful servant to the town, and to the Institution. He had brought great honour to the town, to the lifeboat and to himself, and in bidding him good-bye they could say to him “Well done.”

Commander Carr, R. N., said the rescue for which Mr Burgon received his Swedish medal was one of the finest pieces of work performed on this coast. He showed on that occasion a seamanship which few men would have shown. The life-saving apparatus could do nothing to save the crew of the schooner Jacob Rauers; and the lifeboat could get into communication with them only after much difficulty and skilful handling. In another 10 minutes or so the crew of the schooner would have been drowned. There was no jealousy now between the lifeboat and the L.S.A.

Bred of a fishing family, Mr Burgon, although born in Berwick, first became acquainted with the sea at Hartlepool, whither his benefits, along with many other Greenses families, removed when he was 2 ½ years of age. He first went to sea at the age of 11 in a boat skippered by his uncle, the late Alex. Hall, who for many years acted as Treasurer to the Greenses Fishermen’s Benefit Society, and who for a long time prior to his death a few years ago, was well known to the frequenters of Spittal Ferry.

The Motor Ferry, Berwick, dated 1923. Ref: BRO 1636/6/6

Sandy decided to return to Berwick in the first year that “Bob,” as the subject of our sketch is familiarly known, was with him, and bringing his furniture with him in the boat he fished for a season at Berwick, after which Mr Burgon returned to Hartlepool. After a second season at Berwick, he settled in Hartlepool for a few years, and went to sea in a coble which his father, Mr James Burgon, had had built for the family. At the age of 19 Mr Burgon left his father and became skipper of a coble owned by his uncle. Fate dealt kindly with him for he left that crew and joined another uncle in the following year, and shortly afterwards the coble of which he had been skipper for a year was lost with all hands. 3 years later he came and settled in Berwick, but in the summer his father and other members of the family went to Hartlepool for the fishing there and in 9 weeks they shared £34. Afterwards he acted as skipper of the Berwick fishing vessel galatea and has acted as skipper of herring and line fishing boats ever since. He and one of his brothers fished together for 32 years and had 3 herrings boats in that time. Readers will remember the Brothers, belonging to his brother James, which foundered in the bay some years ago.

In a life spent at the mercy of the elements there have been many exciting incidents and numberless narrow escapes, but although his boat has been filled almost to the gunwales, and a coble belonging to some comrades had been sunk within a short distance of his own boat, which was also in great difficulties, he has come through it all, and in addition has had the satisfaction of rescuing others of his fraternity who were in distress.

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