Spittal

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 30 APRIL 1920

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BRIGHTENING UP SPITTAL

Councillor Edminson asked if anything was going to be done for Spittal this year. The place wanted a little cleaning up before the visitors arrived. They wanted to brighten the place up somewhat. The shoulder of the “prom” was in a dilapidated state and there were some palings which needed attention. She also suggested that the tree-guards might have a coat of paint to freshen them up, and asked if anything was going to be done in levelling and cleaning up at the new Fish Quay.

The Mayor – That is for the Harbour Commissioners.

Councillor Edminson – It looks a very untidy place, and is very dilapidated. Situated at the entrance to the town, it does not help to attract visitors, and I think something might be done to clear the place up and make it pleasing to look at.

Councillor Hadley – Has the Sanitary Inspector anything to do with the filling up of the new quay.

The Mayor – He has to do with anything which is a nuisance.

Councillor Hadley – Then I would suggest that he takes a walk round there when he has time.

Mr Boyd said the last time he had visited the place there had been a nuisance, but it had been covered up by ashes. It was a regular tip for all manner of things. He did not think there was anything he could object to as a nuisance.

Councillor Edminson – It has an evil look and a terrible smell. (Laughter).

Ald. Boston – The Harbour Commissioners are taking it in hand.

Ald. Short – I think tonight we might endeavour to meet Mrs Edminson’s suggestion about the clearing up and painting.

The Mayor – Her remarks will be brought up at the Works Committee.

Ald. Short – I hope so. With our blessing. (Laughter)

Councillor Edminson – We have got our spring cleaning done inside, sir, and we want to get started cleaning outside. (Hear, hear, and laughter.)

URBAN SANITARY AUTHORITY

OVERCROWDING AT EAST ORD VILLAGE

At East Ord village, four cottages of a poor type, for which Mr Adam Scott, 6 Winchester Terrace, Newcastle-on-Tyne, acts as agent, call for attention. One of these – a wrenched single apartment hovel – shelters two adults and five children whose ages range from 2 to 9. There is no drainage.

With regard to these cottages, Mr Lake reported that the owner had died, and the present proprietrix was resident in America. A new agent, Mr A. Scott, Newcastle, had been appointed. Mr Wood recalled that many years ago, the late Dr Paxton had reported these cottages. It was agreed to draw the attention of the new agent to the defects.

OTHER COTTAGES

Two cottages owned by Miss Lilly, East Ord, present objectionable features. One, a single apartment dwelling, with a capacity of 2304 cubic feet, accommodates four inmates – two adults and two lads of 16 and 20 respectively. The second, which is of similar size, is occupied by two women, a young man, and a girl of 11. Dr McWhir drew attention to the fact that in this case the privies were 100 yards away from the cottages.

It was agreed to send these to the Housing Committee for consideration.

Several dingy, badly lighted dwellings are to be met with on the Green; and in one of the single apartment type, for which Mr James Simmons, East Ord, acts as agent, there are five occupants – a widow and four children, whose ages range from 6 and 16.

Mr Lake reported that this cottage belonged to a Miss MacDonald, residing in England, and Dr McWhir, while agreeing with Mr Wood that the over-crowding was not so serious as it might have been with persons from 18 to 20 years, yet condemned it from a moral point of view.

It was agreed to defer action to a later date.

ORD NOT A MODEL ENGLISH VILLAGE

To the traditional tidiness of the English village, East Ord can lay little claim. Five privies which belief their designation, occupy places of prominence on the Green, three ash-pits utilised by eleven tenants, and a quota of piggeries, hen houses, and coal houses are also dotted round this open space, that, with a little attention, might be made one of the best rural recreation grounds in North Northumberland.

REF: BRO 0426-1185 East Ord Village c.1900

Mr Wood did not think that the Council could interfere with the privies, as the people were allowed to erect them. The only ground for the Council to complain was if they constituted a nuisance, which Dr McWhir and Mr Lake said they certainly did, Mr Lake adding that in summer the privies were most objectionable. This question was referred back to the Medical Officer and Mr Lake.

LOCAL NEWS

At a meeting of the May Horse Procession Committee, held in Berwick on Monday night, it was decided not to hold the Horse Procession this year, in view of the fact that the Northumberland Agricultural Society are holding the County Show at Berwick this year. It was felt that too many calls would be made upon tradesmen in the town should they be asked to subscribe to the two objects. Cost of prizes having advanced so much it is possible that, should it be decided to hold the Procession next year, the event will be more on the lines of the Norham and Paxton games. The idea is to hold a show in the Fields and charge for admission, and it is also suggested the Show might be brightened by having jumping and driving competitions.

An interesting ceremony took place in the Girls’ C. of E. School, Parade, on Friday afternoon, when the Vicar, on behalf of the Managers, teachers and scholars of the School presented Miss A. D. Shields with a wedding gift consisting of a silver tea and coffee service. The Vicar and Headmistress (Miss M.R. Richardson) both spoke of the service so ably and ungrudgingly rendered by Miss Shields during her thirteen years’ connection with the School, and wished her much happiness in her future life. Miss Shields, in a charming little speech, expressed her thanks for the beautiful gift, and referred to the happy relations which had always existed between her and the other members of the staff. Hearty cheers were given by the scholars for Miss Shields and the Managers, several of whom were present, and the proceedings were concluded by the singing of the National Anthem. Teachers and scholars parted from Miss Shields with very real regret and their affection and hearty good wishes go with her into her new sphere of life.

HARBOUR DEVELOPMENT

SURVEY TO TAKE PLACE SHORTLY

An extraordinary meeting of the Berwick-on-Tweed Employment Committee was held in the Board Room of the Employment Exchange, Berwick, on Saturday, when Councillor W. J.Dixon presided. There were also in attendance The Mayor (Councillor T. Bolus), Messrs T. S. Elder, W. Joures, Jas. Kean, J. Makins, Geo. Martin, A. C. Parkes, R. C. Rennison, W. R. L. Blakiston, Divisional Controller, Newcastle, and Mr R. Tipping, secretary.

The object of the meeting was to prepare for the survey of the harbour, which is now definitely decided upon, and the Chairman intimated that a copy of the Department’s minute had now been received. It was in the following terms:-  “The Committee should be informed that a reply has now been received from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, who state that arrangements are at present being made for the conducting of surveying operations, which will be put in hand as soon as possible.”

In view of this official assurance, the Chairman proposed that a Sub-Committee be formed to meet the Government Surveyor when he arrived and lay all the information available at his disposal.

After discussion, it was unanimously agreed that the following Sub-Committee be appointed to meet the Surveyor if, and when required:- The Chairman ( Councillor W. J. Dixon), Councillor T. Bolus ( Mayor), Mr J. Makins, and Mr Geo. Martin.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 5 MARCH 1920

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MILITARY NOTES

HOW R.S.M. R.J. SWANSTON, BERWICK WON HIS D.C.M

The official account has now been issued as how R.S.M. R. J. Swanston, 7th (Ind.) Div. M.G. Batt., M.G.C., Berwick, earned his D.C.M. R.S.M. Swanston, who was one of the original 7th N.F. mobilised at the outbreak of war, has been very reticent as to what he did to win the medal. He is the son of Mr and Mrs Swanston, Woolmarket, Berwick, and has recently returned to work with his former employers – Messrs W. Elder and Sons.

An early 1950s image of William Elder & Sons, a scene that would hardly of changed in the intervening years between the time the R.S.M., R. J . Swanston, DCM, worked there in 1919. BRO 1944-1-2661-17

The official record is as follows: – “For conspicuous gallantry during the attack on Beit Lidd on 20th September, 1918. When all his men had become casualties, he continued by himself to carry up ammunition to his sections under very heavy fire. Throughout the day he, by his coolness and gallantry, under trying circumstances, set a very fine example to all.”

LOCAL NEWS

During the last little bit they have been laying underground telephone wires in the Berwick streets and the officials of the Electric Supply Coy. have been trying to trace faults in their cable. To the outsider it seemed a lengthy and fairly difficult business. At Wallace Green Literary Society on Monday night, Mr A. C. A. Steven explained how they did that sort of thing at the front under shellfire. With the help of maps and diagrams, he showed what a huge network of lines there was, and how communication was always being interrupted by explosions. For the most part the cables were buried, and repairs were carried through at night.

English Electric Co motors 1920

As a captured German map showed, the positions of these cables was known to the enemy, who had their range and tried, with a good deal of success, to destroy them in the daytime, and to put the men repairing them out of action at night. Mr Steven’s modest narrative made plain how much the Army owed to its technical experts, and what a lot there was to do at the front besides fighting. Another of Mr Steven’s interesting exhibits was a parcel of German propaganda newspapers, which were floated across the British lines by balloon. Mr Jardine was evidently the fittest member of the audience to propose a vote of thanks, and the Padre fully rose to the occasion.

THE NEW TOWN CLERK

HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POST

It is interesting to know that there were 12 applications for the position, and after the Committee had gone through all the applicants’ testimonials, a short leet of three was selected. Mr Douglas S. Twigg and Mr T. Ross Pratt were interviewed last Thursday at Berwick, when the Committee were highly satisfied with the information then laid before them.

Mr Twigg, who is a Yorkshireman, is at present Assistant Solicitor to the Corporation of the County Borough of Bournemouth, and he has previously held appointments as Assistant Solicitor to the Corporation of the city of York, and a like position coupled with the Deputy Clerkship of the Peace of Merthyr Tydvil.

He is 33 years of age, and has had sixteen years’ legal and local Government experience. While at Bournemouth he has carried through the purchase of two estates for housing purposes and has conducted the correspondence with the Ministry of Health and Housing Commissioner relative to obtaining of the necessary approval to the scheme and the sanction to loans. Mr Twigg has attended meetings of the Council and the Committees and has conducted the whole of the Police Court cases of the Corporation and is thoroughly familiar with the work of a Town Clerk’s office. Mr Twigg is expected to take up his duties in Berwick in about a month’s time.

LADY CONGREGATIONALISTS’ EFFORT AT SPITTAL

The ladies of the Congregational Church, Spittal, have every reason to congratulate themselves upon the success of an undertaking which, locally at least, was one of a unique and, at the same time, interesting nature. For some time past the need of laying on a water supply to the church, and with it the provision of other conveniences, had pressed itself upon the female section, and they determined on their own account, to put forth some effort by which their object could be accomplished. As one of the readiest means to this end, a concert suggested itself to their minds, together with the confiscation of the pulpit on the Sunday, where a lady was to be substituted for the pastor. No help of any kind was to be asked or accepted from any male member of the church; indeed, so much was this stricture to prevail that should any member of the  “nobler sex” be so indiscreet as to even offer a suggestion, he, poor unfortunate, was to pay the penalty for his folly with a fine. There were a few transgressors, who were actually made to stump up!

NORHAM AND ISLANDSHIRE

PETTY SESSIONS

GAVE ANOTHER MAN’S NAME

Peter McLaughlan, labourer, Berwick, was charged with riding a cycle without a light at Velvet Hall at 10.15 p.m. on the 2nd January. He pleaded not guilty.

P.C. Richardson proved the case and said when he spoke to the accused he said he had come from Berwick. He gave the name of John Spiers, vaman with Mr Scott, flour merchant, Berwick. Witness found that accused had given the name of another man and he later had some difficulty in tracing the accused to serve the summons at the house.

Accused – I was never on the road. I am not the man. I would like to ask the policeman how he did not recognise me when he passed me twice in the street.

P.C. Richardson – I never saw you in the street, otherwise I would have recognised you. I recognised you at once when I met you and warned you to be at Court, also informing you that the summons had been served on your sister.

Capt. Tippings pointed out to accused that if he was not the man he should have no difficulty in proving an alibi. He had been rather late in thinking about bringing witnesses.

Accused, in the box, gave a very contradictory story of his movements on the night in question. First he said he was at home all that evening and then stated that he had taken a girl for a walk. He refused to give the girl’s name and could not give the names of anyone he met. He knew the man Spiers, but he had never given Spiers’ name to the police.

The Bench decided to adjourn the case for a month to allow accused to bring witnesses in support of his alibi.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 23 JANUARY 1920

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THE CLOSING OF THE SCHOOLS

Berwick Elementary Schools have been closed as follows during the last fifteen months:-

October 22nd, 1918 to January 6th, 1919 – Closed for influenza

Mid – February, 1919 to 17th March – Closed for influenza. Bell Tower Infant School closed for another fortnight.

April 14th to May 12th – Tweedmouth Infants’ School closed for measles.

September, 1919 – Extra week’s holiday for the conclusion of the war.

December 10th, onwards – Closed for scarlet fever.

We don’t wish to suggest that anyone is to blame for this, but when to these periods are added the regular holidays and the absences from school due to individual cases of illness, it will be seen that – to put it at its lowest – the town is paying away a great deal of money for nothing. We suggest that the public and the teachers should consider whether some means cannot be found of avoiding this serious loss.

HOLY ISLAND

WHERE ST. CUTHBERT LIVED- ON FAR LINDISFARNE

The “Sphere” of December 20th contains the following interesting article:- “Lindisfarne Castle, on Holy Island,  is one of the many historic places in the market to be sold, with all its furniture and pictures. It was thoroughly restored a few years ago, after a long period of neglect and is now a most attractive and interesting property. It is situated on a basaltic stone forming the promontory of the little harbour of Holy Island where the small fishing boats gather for their trade in crabs, lobsters and periwinkles. The island has a romantic history, having been the seat of earliest Christianity in the north of England. In 635 A.D., Aidan, the Irish monk from Iona, came to Holy Island at the request of King Oswald to teach the heathen Northerners the precepts of Christianity. He established himself on Holy Island, probably appreciating its similarity to his old home of Iona, and also its nearness to Bamburgh, the Royal seat of King Oswald. Men flocked to hear him preach and his success was tremendous, 15,000 being baptized in seven days. The most famous of his successors was the austere St. Cuthbert, who retired after two years of holding the Bishopric, to his hermit’s cell on one of the Farne Islands. When he died, shortly afterwards, from the severity of his self-inflicted penance, he was buried beside the altar on Holy Island. But his body was not permitted to remain in peace, and was constantly shifted during troubled period of the Middlle Ages, till it now rests in Durham Cathedral. His body was hurriedly removed from Lindisfarne when the marauding Danes attacked the Island in the ninth century, and the Monks had to flee, carrying the body of their revered saint in a wooden coffin.

A photograph of Holy Island Castle taken from the ruins of the Priory, in the early-mid 20th century.
Ref: BRO 1865-12

“The Danes robbed and destroyed the Church and Monastery, leaving the place in utter desolation. It was not till 200 years later that a new Priory was erected, whose remains are to be seen today. The foundations were laid in 1093, the architect being a monk from Durham, who designed a beautiful cruciform Norman church, built of a warm red sandstone. The church remained almost unaltered till the Dissolution of the Monastries brought the inevitable destruction, but the ruins of today are eloquent of the dignity of the 12th century Benedictine Church. The centre tower stood till the middle of the 18th century, only a delicate slender arch over the transept crossing remaining to remind us of what had once stood there. The western end, with its 2 towers and fine Norman doorway, is in course of careful restoration. The cylindrical columns of the nave are of the sturdy Norman type, signalised by sunken zigzag mouldings cut across the piers. The ground plan of the monastic buildings remain in a very complete form, so that it is possible to trace out the whole structure of a Benedictine priory with its cloistered garth, chapter house, dormitory, parlour, prior’s hall, kitchen, bakehouse, and their offices.

  1. The article has 5 illustrations:-Central Holy Island Castle-now for sale. The castle occupied a rocky buff and is here seen from the ruins of the domestic part of the Priory.

2. Repairing the West doorway. (The Abbey doorway is now under repair by the Office of Works) – scaffolding erected to do the work is shown.

3. A fine Norman pillar, with zig-zag ornaments which connect it with Durham, which has similar columns.

4. In the ruined Nave- showing the stout Norman pillars and north aisle, now open to the winds.

5. The flying Arch over the tower crossing of the Priory Church, which still defies the gales from the North sea.

OLD SPITTAL

A correspondent writes:- Mr Borthwick’s lecture on “Old Spittal,” brought together an audience which completely filled St Paul’s Hall- a testimony not only to the ability of the lecturer, but of the esteem in which he is held by the inhabitants of Spittal.

OLD SPITTAL- THE LECTURE

Mr Borthwick said perhaps a more suitable title for his lecture would have been “How Spittal Began.” A brief revisal of the general history of England led up to the first authentic mention of Spittal. When the Tweed first became the boundary between England and Scotland in 1018 or 1020, the salmon fishery at Hallowstell belonged to the monks of Coldingham. King Edgar of Scotland, in 1097, granted a charter to Hallowstell, and presented it to the Bishop of Durham, who gifted it to the monks of Holy Island. The word “stell” means a fixed place. When the monks came into possession of the fishery they hallowed it, hence the name Hallowstell. Both words are Anglo-Saxon, and the fishery was probably known long before we have any recorded mention of it.

About the time the charter was granted to Hallowstell, leprosy was common, and a hospital for lepers was built at Spittal, and dedicated to St. Bartholomew. It stood on the ground now occupied by Messrs Boston’s herring curing yard and the boat-building yard.

An early 20th century photograph of the Sandstell area at Spittal.  Bostons Yard where the hospital for lepers once stood can be seen behind the five fishing boats on the beach. Ref: BRO 1887-2-2

It extended across the street and up the north side of Princes Street to the Well Road. It must have been fairly rich and of considerable dimensions, because in 1226 the revenues for the up keep of the hospital were derived from lands at Tweedmouth, Orde, Scremerstone, Fenwick, and other parishes. In 1234 the Bishop of Durham, when on a visit to Fenwick, confirmed all the gifts made to Spittal hospital. In 1362 the master of the hospital was John de Lowick, and in 1369 his successor Bather, owing to an increase of lawlessness, built peel tower for its protection. This tower was still standing as late as 1612, and was known as Bather Tower. Just before the dissolution of the monasteries, owing perhaps to slender revenues or defenceless situation, with Border thieves on both sides, the revenues of the hospital were transferred to Kepier, near Durham. On the dissolution of the monasteries, Spittal became the property of the King.

During one of the Border raids in 1547, a Scotsman named John Cockburn, Lord of Ormeston, guided a party of English raiders through the passes of the lowland hills, and was rewarded by Edward V1 with the lands of Spittal.

No trace of the old hospital remains. It was probably reduced to ruins about 1555, when the Border Abbeys of Melrose and Kelso were destroyed. In conclusion, the lecturer  described the religious life of the Spittal people from the destruction of the old hospital till 1745, when the first Presbyterian Meeting House was built, on the site where now stands St. Paul’s Church.

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