BERWICK ADVERTISER, 17TH FEBRUARY 1922

18/02/2022 by Northumberland Archives

CAPTAIN COWAN’S TESTIMONIAL

TO THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE

EXPERIENCES AND SUGGESTIONS

(To the Editor)

Sir, – Having been one of the unfortunates who has had foot-and-mouth disease on his farm lately, I wish to state my experiences and conclusions.

I bought home 16 stirks from the local market on January 28, two of which showed signs of distress about mid-day January 30, and that afternoon the disease was confirmed by the local authorities, who communicated with headquarters. I had previously given instructions that these cattle should be completely isolated from all other stock for seven days after their arrival. Thus from the moment they came home they were never in contact with any other animals. The net result was that only that bunch of 16 were slaughtered on the morning of the third day after confirmation of the disease, thirteen of which were then affected – not wholesale slaughter of all the other cattle, sheep and pigs on the place as many of my neighbours thought.

The shed in which the animals were isolated was within 50 yards of the main cattle pens where there were 63 other cattle and 29 pigs. It is now eight days since the affected cattle were slaughtered, and there has been no further outbreak here, and I trust there will not be. On January 31 the Inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture took full charge of operations, and all his instructions were most carefully carried out and have so far been successful in checking the progress of the trouble.

I should like to contradict most emphatically what I have heard said in many quarters, namely, that the Ministry’s officials help to spread the disease through carelessness in moving from infected cattle to uninfected ones without proper disinfection. This is a libellous statement as far as my experience has gone, as the two officials I had the pleasure of dealing with in these distressing circumstances here, were most particularly careful, and did not enter uninfected areas after having been into the infected area, and whenever they came out of such places they washed their hands, oilskins coats and rubber boots most particularly all over in very strong Jeyes’ fluid.

I consider that if all cases are treated similarly the Ministry are doing the very best thing for the country in view of out great export trade in stock. Stock owners must co-operate and help officials to the utmost ability in fulfilling instructions to stamp out the disease.

My suggestion is – only import cattle from countries which can show a clean bill of health for a certain period of time, say, two years at least.

What about the Canadian embargo now? Put Ireland and Canada on the same basis. I hope our inspectors at ports and markets will use more care and discretion when performing their duties, as I am afraid somebody blundered at Newcastle, as apparently the bunch I bought on 28^th January were watered and fed there, a then infected area. – Yours etc., JAMES R. C. COWAN. Shidlaw, Cornhill-on-Tweed, February 10.

LOCAL NEWS

A curious incident happened on the Old Bridge on Friday morning. A flock of sheep refused to pass a large motor lorry on the narrow thoroughfare at the high arch. Evidently with the intention of taking them off the Bridge,

the shepherd signalled to his dog. Not realising where it was, the animal cleared the parapet in a bound and landed in the Tweed. For some time it swam round the pillar in an endeavour to get out, and eventually, in response to a further signal, swam up stream and reached terra firma at the Boathouse.

For some weeks large quantities of crude rubber have been washed ashore on the coast between Bamburgh and Boulmer. Where the rubber has come from a mystery, as no shipping casualty has been reported off this part of the coast. The rubber is on slabs and appears to have been baled. It is just possible that it may have formed part of the deck cargo of some vessel caught in the recent heavy weather.

Bamburgh Castle, c.1930’s Ref: BRO 426/0927

Fishermen at Craster, Dunstanborough, Newton and Ross Links, as well as at Boulmer and Bamburgh, have been salving large quantities.

A hen met with a curious death at an East Lothian farm the other day. The steading has lately been brought up to date with labour saving machinery, one of the most interesting of which is a threshing-mill having conveyers for straw and grain, and blow-pipes through which a powerful draught of air draws away the chaff, and ejects it into the chaff-house. The hen selected an unfortunate position for egg-laying purposes. It was close to the intake of the blow-pipe, and when the machinery was set in motion, she was irresistibly carried away by the force of the draught and killed.

FASHIONABLE MARRIAGE

HOLDSWORTH-HODGKIN

The marriage took place on Monday at the Friends’ Meeting House, Truro, of Mr John Holdsworth, of Swartmoor, Havelock, North New Zealand, son of the late Mr and Mrs J. Holdsworth, of Eccles, and Miss Lucy Violet Hodgkin, of Truro and The Constable Tower, Bamburgh Castle, eldest daughter of the late Mr Thos. Hodgkin, D.C.L., of Newcastle, and Mrs Hodgkin, of Treworgan, Falmouth. The bride, who entered the Meeting House leaning on the arm of her brother, Mr Robert Hodgkin, of Oxford, wore a beautiful gown of grey chiffon velvet, with soft lace fichu clasped with a spray of real orange blossom grown at Glendurgan. She wore her mother’s wedding veil and carried a bunch of violets, with sprays of white heather, myrtle, and the New Zealand Manuka. The niece of the bride, Miss Violet Frances Bosanquet, eldest daughter of Professor R. C. Bosanquet, of Rock, attended the bride, wearing deep violet velvet with trimmings of grey fur. Grey shoes and stockings and a grey hat completed the toilet and a posy of violets was carried. She wore a circlet of pearls in the form of a brooch, the gift of the bridegroom. Mr J. Oliver Holdsworth, of Bolton, cousin of the bridegroom, acted as best man.

The wedding was very quiet and no reception was held at Treworgan; but Mrs Hodgkin entertained near relatives, and a few intimate friends in a room adjoining the old oak panelled meeting house. Later, the bride and bridegroom left to spend their honeymoon at Highcliff, Lyme Regis, Dorset, kindly lent by the Misses Lister. Mrs Holdsworth travelled in a suit of Parma violet faced cloth, with vest embroidered in silver threads, a hat of slightly darker shade of panne. The bride and bridegroom had expressed a wish not to be given wedding presents, but that these might take the form of contributions to the Russian Famine Fund or to the recently-formed Friends’ School at Wanganui, New Zealand. Many cheques were received for both objects, and in addition some useful and beautiful personal gifts.

BERWICK ADVERTISER, 22 AUGUST 1919

23/08/2019 by Northumberland Archives

FASHIONABLE WEDDING AT NORHAM

MORLEY-CROSSMAN — GARTSIDE-TIPPINGE

The wedding was solemnised today (Thursday) in St. Cuthbert’s Church, Norham, between Major F. L. Morley Crossman, D.S.O., and of the late L. M. Morley-Crossman and of Mrs Morley-Crossman, Cheswick House, and Miss Ruth Gartside-Tippings, daughter of Capt. V. Gartside-Tippings, and of Mrs Gartside-Tippings, Morris Hall, Norham.

Major Crossman is 31 years of age, and received his education at Wellington College, and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In 1907 he was gazetted to the Royal Horse and R.F.A. He served during the war, was awarded the M.C. in 1915, and the D.S.O. in June this year, and has been mentioned several times in despatches. He received his present rank of Major in 1917.

Canon Roberson, vicar of Norham officiated, Mr Walker organist of the Church, presiding at the organ. Before the service, while the guests were assembling, the strains of soft music floated through the beautiful old Norham Church, which dates from the 12th century. The music, specially chosen by the bride was as follows:- “Song of Thanksgiving,” Josiah Booth; “Andante,” Wely; Impressions Du Soir,”H. Stiehl; “Andante,” Myles B. Forster; “Melody,” S. Coleridge-Taylor. During the service Psalm 67, and the hymns “Love Divine” and “O perfect Love” were sung, and at the conclusion of the ceremony the bridal party left the church to the strains of Mendelssehn’s Wedding March.

St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, Norham © Copyright Andrew Curtis – Creative Commons Licence.

The Bride, who was given away by her father, Capt. V. Gartside-Tippinge, looked very beautiful in a robe of simple white satin, trimmed with lace, with train, falling from the shoulders, of chiffon draped with Carrickmacross lace (the gift of the bride’s Godmother, lady Francis G. Osborne, Ord House). She wore a tulle veil, held in place by a bandeau of pearls (the gift of Mrs Houstoun) and carried a bouquet of lilies and white heather.

She was attended by four bridesmaids, Miss Hunter, Miss Hycinth Hunter, Miss Cicely Gough (cousin of the bride), and Miss Sybil Younger, who wore dresses of yellow crepe-de-chine, draped with georgette of the same colour, shoes of silver, and hats of silver lace, and carried sprays of copper beech. Each wore a diamond initial letter mounted on a black moire wrislet, the gift of the bridegroom.

The bride’s train was borne by two pages, Master Hugh Houstoun and Peter Marrow, who were attired in white satin knee breeches, white silk shirts, yellow sashes, and white buckleshoes, each wearing a gold safety pin, the gift of the bride.

Major Ackerman, D.S.O., M.C., R.A., acted as groomsman, the duties of ushers being discharged by Major Sinclair Wemyes, Wedderburn; Capt. Blake, Tillmouth; and Mr J. Allenby.

The bride’s mother was dressed in black georgette over satin, with deep fringe and sash lined with petunia and embroidered in petunia and gold. She wore a black georgette hat with ostrich feather trimming.

There was a large and fashionable assembly of guest in Church, which was also crowded with spectators from the village and neighbourhood.

After the ceremony a reception was held at Morris Hall, the beautiful home of the bride, within sight of Norham’s historic Castle.

LOCAL NEWS

The following war trophies have been received by the Mayor, and will remain in store in the Town Hall until such time as a portion of the Museum can be arranged to form a War Trophies Section :- Anti-tank rifle, helmet, German wire cutter, Austrian entrenching tool, German water bottle, 18 German rifles, carbine, body armour, bayonet, Turkish bayonet.

Mrs Bell, Chapel Street, Berwick, has received word that her nephew, Air Mechanic Ballantyne, who stowed away on R.34 on the Atlantic trip, has now arrived back at the aerodrome, East Fortune. Up to the present the Air Force Authorities have inflicted no disciplinary punishment. Air Mechanic Ballantyne hopes soon to visit Berwick, which has always been a spot favoured by him when on leave.

WAR MEDALS

The British War Medal which had been granted to His Majesty’s Forces is to be granted also to the British, Dominion, Colonial and Indian Mercantile Marine.

The Medal, in Silver, will be given to those who have served at sea for not less than six months between the 4th August, 1914, and 11th November, 1918, inclusive. A mercantile Marine War Medal is also to be granted to fishermen who can supply evidence of having served at sea on at least one voyage through a danger zone. The medal will be in bronze, and the riband will be in green and red arranged vertically, with a narrow white line between them. Applications for medals should be made to Mr Toohey, Customs Office, Berwick, for all those residing within the Port of Berwick.

CROOKHAM

We are sorry to hear of a very nasty accident which has befallen Mr Conquer, of Palinsburn Cottage, whilst working in Flodden Quarry, on Wednesday, 13th August. The injured man was at work along with his son John and another man on the top of the rock, when a small portion of the soil gave way and caught him in the breast, knocking him down and breaking his leg between the knee and thigh.

Flodden Quarry © Copyright Andrew Curtis – Creative Commons Licence.

He also received nasty injuries to the back, but happily no bones are broken there. Dr Badcock was soon on the spot and he was removed to his home. This is the first accident of any kind at the quarry, and it reflects great credit on the part of Mr Conquer, who has worked it for 18 years. He is now 68 years of age, and it will be some time before he is able to get about. However, we wish him a speedy recovery.

The Meeting, Marriage and Parting of Ways: The Scandalous Mr Hewgill

08/05/201825/04/2018 by Northumberland Archives

A Wedding Day

On the morning of the 4th March, 1851, Margaret Dawson was preparing for her wedding day. She was, at thirty-eight years old, about to marry the Reverend Francis Hewgill. Margaret had originally hailed from Yorkshire, although she had spent the last few years in Northumberland. Following her Northumbrian wedding she would move to join her new husband in his parish of Trowell, Nottinghamshire. But the bridegroom was not as sprightly as his bride-to-be, instead he was nearing almost seventy years old. Their marriage would only last seven years before Francis’ death left Margaret a hugely affluent widow.

Documents retrospectively analysing the terms of the Hewgill’s marriage settlement, which had taken place over forty years before. *REF: NRO 11343/B/DAT*

During the 1830s Francis, already nearing his sixties, had volunteered to take care for his nephew Henry Hewgill, aged twenty-two. Henry, despite his youth, already had a wife and infant son, who Francis also took on. The household Francis brought them into was one of order and substance. He had four domestic staff (a number which would slowly dwindle when he lived with Margaret) and he supported his nephew to the best of his abilities. This careful nurturing resulted in Henry following his uncle’s spiritual footsteps and becoming the curate in Crofton, Fareham Hampshire. But Francis’ efforts to raise a gentleman were marred with scandal when, in 1853, Henry Hewgill was dragged before the magistrates at Fareham charged with obtaining money by false pretenses. This conviction pierced the quiet and subdued existence Francis had been enjoying with his caring new wife.

Need or Greed?

Henry had used both his uncle’s good name and that of the Rev W. M. Cosser to persuade two local men to hand over large amounts of money. He claimed the first amount, taken from a shop owner called Thomas Watters, was requested by Rev W. M. Cosser to pay off debts. Henry had forged Cosser’s handwriting to support his story and tricked the shop keeper into believing him. The second amount was fraudulently received from a church warden, Daniel Bartholomew, supposedly on behalf of Henry’s uncle. Once again he claimed the money was part of an owed payment and copied his uncle’s handwriting. But why did Henry need the money? And what had drove a well-stationed man to criminal behaviour?

Intimate Dealings

Henry had married Frances Decoetlogon on the 22^nd August 1836, aged just eighteen years old. Five years later the young couple, and their infant son Charles Henry, were living with Henry’s generous uncle Francis Hewgill. Ten years later the couple, joined by two more children called Antonina and Ellen, had set up their own large household. Also living within this house was Henry’s mother, Harriet, and a selection of domestic staff. By 1853 the couple had added one more child to their growing family and had been settled in the area of Crofton for around eighteen months.

But the move to Crofton had not brought the couple joy, and Francis soon sought affection elsewhere. Retrospective newspaper reports claimed that, whilst covering for the local rector during a bout of sickness, Henry had been required to attend the local school more frequency. It was during these visits that a “close intimacy had sprung up” between the curate and the school’s mistress; Miss Macfarlane.

Henry concocted a desperate plan to elope with his lover; obtaining the money to do so by defrauding the aforementioned men. In the November of 1853 Henry and Miss Macfarlane “suddenly left Crofton” and their disgraced families with the stolen money and headed for Boulogne.

Following the couple’s disappearance their families found a secret diary written by the school teacher, and the scandalous entries were later published in the local newspaper. These entries described the dates, times and places of the couple’s illicit meetings and included notes such as “Dear Harry kissed me for the first time.”

During their absence in France the couple were reported to have been “living in the first style, and frequenting the theatre and other places of amusement”. They returned to London after a few weeks and, upon hearing an arrest warrant was out for his fraudulent tricks, Henry abandoned his lover with no money and fled.

When both were found Henry was apprehended to be placed immediately before the courts. He was convicted of having obtained money by false pretenses and imprisoned for six months. Ironically, upon Francis’ death in 1858, his uncle left a personal estate worth just under £6,000. Had Henry and his lover cooled their passions they may have received some of this legacy and been able to elope ‘legally’ but, instead, this money allowed Margaret to live comfortably on independent means until her own death in 1902. Whereupon, having resided in Ripon for the majority of her widowhood, she used the Dickson, Archer and Thorp firm to settle her legacy and effects totaling £10934 1s 6d.

We would like to thank the volunteers who have tirelessly transcribed the Hewgill’s marriage settlement and related documents. A document retrospectively concerning the original settlement, and Margaret’s assets, can be viewed along with its transcription here.

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