Twixt Thistle and Rose is a project funded for one year by Archives Revealed to make the records of Berwick-upon-Tweed more widely accessible.
Twixt Thistle and Rose refers to the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed which sits on the Border between Scotland (Thistle) and England (Rose). The phrase- as Twixt Rose and Thistle – has been often used to describe Berwick. For example, it was the name of a public house in Walkergate (now the Cobbled Yard – the windows are etched with the symbol) and it featured on a railway poster of Berwick around 1920 “The Mecca of All Seeking Health and Pleasure”.
If you are interested in volunteering please email us at ttar@northumberland.gov.uk. We’ll add you to the mailing list and you’ll be invited to come along to one of the introductory sessions we plan to hold in March.
Berwick had it’s own Police Force until the 1920’s
One group of records that we hope to make better known is the series of Police Posters and Informations that date from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. These were sent to Berwick Police Station to alert the local constabulary about a variety of criminals or absconders from the Army or Workhouses.
Currently the records are boxed, arranged in bundles and are clean and dry. However, they require some conservation work to prevent deterioration with use and they are in need of detailed cataloguing. This is an ideal project for volunteers!
Police Posters and Informations, reference M16/1-17
Although the notices were received from elsewhere they may be the only surviving copy. They provide lots of information about all aspects of life at the turn of the twentieth century including attitudes to vagrancy at the time. If you like detective work, volunteering could give you a chance to investigate the background to the story or what happened next.
12 year old child “used to being on tramp”
They used the technology of the time – photography and telegraphy – to convey detailed descriptions of criminals or items stolen
Photographs of wanted men, 1896Telegram issuing order to check premises and carriers for stolen pigeons
There are scams that seem very modern – such as a the circular from the Hawick Police reporting a false collecting agent for Miss Stirling’s Orphanage operating in the area. Miss Stirling was a well known philanthropist in Edinburgh who pioneered the sending of pauper children to Canada. Her Charity was involved in a scandal that revealed the lack of supervision of her child migrants after they were placed abroad.
False charity collections in Hawick
There are instances of local crimes such as the malicious damage of salmon nets in Spittal. The wording of the poster and the offer of a reward strongly suggests that this kind of activity was perceived as economic sabotage.
Malicious damage to nets at Sandstell Road, Spital
There are also dramatic depictions and accounts of individuals wanted for serious offences. The artist’s sketch in this poster – raising the alert for a man wanted for an horrific murder – alongside the detailed character note creates a very sinister image!
Wanted – Donald McDonald – for Murder
And postcards were used to inform the constabulary when a search could be called off.
Job done – thanks!
This is just one small example of the wealth of information found in the Berwick Borough collection. If you feel inspired to help please get in touch.
Gunner George Percy Pringle, 10th Battalion, Tank Corps, son of Mr and Mrs Pringle, Murton Farm, has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field, the honour having only recently come through. Last October when his crew were all casualties or wounded and the Tank had two direct hits, he stuck to his gun and kept the enemy at bay until further assistance arrived. Gunner Pringle joined up in December 1914 in the K.O.S.B., and was at Dardanelles on the memorable 12th July, 1915, was invalided home with dysentery, and was transferred to the Tanks a year ago. His brother William was killed 1916, and another brother, Richard, is serving in a Labour Battalion.
BERWICK’S WAR MEMORIAL
ANIMATED DISCUSSION
Berwick War Memorial in Castlegate
A public meeting was held in the Townhall, Berwick, on
Thursday evening, 23rd January, for the purpose of considering the question of
a War Memorial. The Mayor presided, and, if the audience for a Borough the size
of Berwick was disappointingly small (there were perhaps fifty present), it was
a distinctly representative one and keen interest was manifested in the
discussion. We were glad to notice such a strong representation from
Tweedmouth, whose sons have certainly not been lacking in service to their
country.
At the commencement the Mayor referring to the special object for which the meeting had been called said the idea of a War Memorial was a laudable one. A visible memorial might not be needed for the present generation, as there were few homes in which there was not resting the sad consciousness of a shadow, caused by the War. It was only fitting that some memorial should be reared to be handed down to future generations, as a reminder of the sublime heroism displayed on the part of our men who had all through shown such an utter disregard to personal danger. The idea of a War Memorial had been considered by the Town Council who resolved to call a public meeting. Suggestions as to what form the memorial should take were to be invited, and, should, so as to be embodied in concrete form, be submitted in writing.
BELFORD AND DISTRICT
Former Belford Lad Honoured
Sergt. Andrew Tully, 15th D.L.I., has been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field. In civil life he was employed as game keeper on the Haggerston Castle Estate and resided at Berrington Law, Beal. Enlisting in 1916 he trained at Redcar, going to France in July of that year, and took part in the great offensive at that time. He was wounded in September 1918. His parents resided for many years in the Belford district but have now removed further south. He married a daughter of Mr and Mrs W. Clark, Belford Station, and has a younger brother in the Army.
SPITTAL NOTES
Private J. Purvis, D.L.I., is once again back to civil
life. He went through a course of signalling, this course being rather lengthy
it remained incompleted at the time when the Armistice was signed. Being a
pivotal man he was amongst the first to be released from military duties. We
wish him the best of health, and hope that he will be able to carry on in the
usual way a Spittal Spade Works, where he is employed, for long years to rome.
Corpl. B. Lough, T.C’s., has been demobilised. Bart, who joined the N.C.B.’s at Berwick in 15, had the majority of his training in this country, being located in the county of Lincoln. From that training camp he was sent to France, and subsequently transferred to the Tank Corps, and saw a good deal of heavy fighting in that unit. He was sent home on sick leave, and hostilities ceasing in the interval, he was permitted to remain in this country until demobilised. He commences his trade of cooper shortly, in which we wish him every success and robust health to carry on.
TWEEDMOUTH JOTTINGS
We are pleased to see home to Main Street, Tweedmouth, Lanc-Corpl. B. Marston, having received his discharge. He was in Australia at the commencement of the war and came home to do his bit on the battle fields of Europe or elsewhere. He has been in the Labour Corps, and has done much good and useful work with that unit. His eldest son, Private Harold Marston, of the M.G.C., was killed in the St. Julien battle, where so many of our local lads fell.
We notice on leave, Private John Swinney, of the Tank Corps, whose home is at West End Tweedmouth. When mobilization took place he was in the Territorials, after training at Gosforth and Cambois he went to France with his Battalion in 1915, taking part in many actions in which the 7th N.F. were engaged.
He was wounded on the Somme front in November, 1916, his wounds not being of such a nature as to send him to Blighty. He was treated at the Base Hospital. After his recovery he was transferred to the Tank Corps, where he has had some rough work to do with this crawling complex contrivance which has played such a prominent part in the war. We understand he is demobilized and we welcome him back to civil life.
We sincerely regret to learn that Mrs Clements, Spa Well Villas, Spittal, has received the sad news that her husband, Lieut. R. C. Clements, N.F., who was previously reported missing, is now reported to have been killed in action. Lieut. Clements joined up early in the war and had considerable service in France as an N.C.O. with the N.F.’s before receiving his commission. He had only been at the Front a few months on the second occasion when he was called to make the supreme sacrifice. Local people will remember what an enthusiast he was in many branches of sport with which he was so prominently connected. The scholars at Spittal Council School (where he served so ably as assistant master) will be sorry to know that he who cared so much for their welfare has had to pay the great price for the liberty they enjoy. We extend to Mrs Clements and her little daughter our deepest sympathy in their most distressing time.
TRIBUTE BY MR BORTHWICK, SPITTAL
Mr T. W. G. Borthwick, headmaster of Spittal Council School, has forwarded us the following particulars regarding Lieut. Clements:-
The news of the death of Mr Robt. Clements, Second Lieut., N.F., was received with regret and sorrow all over the district. In Spittal, especially, where he lived and was so well known, respected and loved, the sad event was the only subject of conversation, evoking universal sympathy for Mrs Clements and her little daughter in their great bereavement. A little more than a month ago Mrs Clements was informed that her husband had been transferred to an Irish Regiment, and later the news came that on August 8th, the first day of the great advance, he was missing.
BRO 1828-1 Lieutenant R.C.Clements bottom right.
He had gone out on a scouting expedition accompanied by three of his men and none had returned. As our troops were advancing, the general opinion was that the whole party had been made prisoners. On Friday night, Mrs Clements received letters from the Colonel and two officers who state that when the regiment arrived at the village of Vieux Berguin the bodies of the three men who accompanied Mr Clements were found lying beside a grave in a secluded corner of the village. Over the grave was the inscription “To an unknown Hero.” The officers opened the grave and found the body of Mr Clements. Death, they say, must have been instantaneous as the head was badly shattered by a bullet, but the badges and other tokens showed without doubt that Mr Clements had been buried here by the Germans. The body was reverently re-interred in the little cemetery of Vieux Berguin.
His brother officers speak of him as a brave and fearless soldier, and this is proved by the fact that Mr Clements had penetrated into the German lines much further than anyone expected.
The death of Mr Clements is a very great loss. Goodhearted, generous, cheerful, full of humour and at the same time gentle and sympathetic, no wonder everybody liked him. To the many hundreds of boys who have had the privilege of being his pupils he was more than a teacher. They worshipped the very ground he walked on; waited to escort him home from school at night, and hung around his house door to walk down to school with him in the morning. They clung to him like needles to a magnet. What shall I say of him as a teacher? Mr Clements was a man of great natural ability and his initiative and individuality were great assets.
The whole community in Spittal mourns his loss; many were moved to tears when they heard of his death.
Mr Clements was the oldest of three assistants who have served in this school. The two younger men, Mr Roy Hunter, and Mr John M. Tate, both university graduates and fine men have been killed. They were not so well known as Mr Clements, but their memory is held in loving respect by all who were associated with them.
I had hoped that Mr Clements might have been spared to us, but all three are lying out there on the field of honour in France, three brilliant young men whose memories will be cherished by their colleagues and hundreds of older scholars of Spittal Council School.
After his death, Robert’s wife Minnie and their daughter, Nancy stayed in Spittal. Minnie continued to teach at Spittal School which their daughter also attended. Nancy won a scholarship and eventually moved away from the area. However, in the 1970s, she returned to Spittal. In 1982, she presented Spittal School with the Clements Cup in memory of her parents and the family’s long connection with the school
LOCAL NEWS
Captain R. C. Richardson was decorated by the King at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday week with the Military Cross. He has had a month at Aldershot, and at the end of a fortnight’s leave expects to go to France.
The Distinguished Service Medal has been awarded to Lieut. William Douglas Baird Thompson, M.C., D.L.I., for having showed great courage and determination in holding the line, which was the left flank of the battalion, and not in touch with any other unit, beating back every attempt of the enemy to advance. After dusk he restored the situation by his energy and fearlessness. Lieut. Thompson is the son of Mr Wm. Thompson, shipping agent, Newcastle, and grandson of the late Mr and Mrs Richard Thompson, Cheswick Farm, Goswick. Mrs R. Thompson was a Miss Fawcus of Charlton.
BELFORD
Mrs Cuthbert, High Street, Belford, has received official news that her only son, Priv. R. Cuthbert, has been wounded and gassed and admitted into hospital in Birmingham. In civil life he was a butcher employed by his mother, and on attaining his 18th year joined the colours. He put in a few months training, and afterwards sailed for France in the beginning of this year. He has our best wishes for an early and satisfactory recovery.
Private John Scrowether, husband of Mrs Scrowether, West Street, Belford, has now spent four long years in a German prison camp. Jack was an old soldier and was called up at the outbreak of war, and was sent to France almost immediately. He took part in all the early battles of the war, and fought till taken prisoner in the battle of the Aisne. He is going on well and by his photo looks exceedingly well, through having had to work very hard. He has our best wishes for an early return
