A Tribute to the Fallen – The Men of Alnwick, Amble, Rothbury & Wooler Districts 1914 – 1920
There are several published works & online sources of information detailing men killed, died or posted as missing presumed killed for different communities within the wider Alnwick, Amble, Rothbury & Wooler districts, but none approach the size & scope of Northumberland Branch of the Western Front Association’s database. Compiled over the last 6 years, it aims to build a fitting, & lasting, legacy to honour the response of a large part of north Northumberland to the nation’s call to arms in 1914. The database provides detailed information of 1,539 men who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of their country during the First World War. Men who were resident & / or born & / or enlisted in an area stretching from Bamburgh, west to Doddington, Kirknewton & Wooler, south-west to the Coquet Valley (up to Elsdon), then east towards Longframlington, Felton & Chevington, eventually reaching the coast at Druridge Bay. In all, this embraces about 60 communities
Click here to access the database.
The branch will be receptive to requests from researchers, students, community groups and institutions for copies to be made available, to aid their researches. An email box has been created specifically to handle any such requests – tttffww@gmail.com
Ashington War Memorial
One of our volunteers, Margaret Allison has been working with other volunteers engaged by Ashington Town Council to research the names of the men who appeared on the old Ashington War Memorial. As part of the WW1 centenary commemorations Ashington Town Council developed a project to develop ‘Ashington Memorial Garden’ – http://ashingtontowncouncil.gov.uk/services/war-Memorials and a team of volunteers were engaged to research the names of both WWI and WWII personnel listed on the original memorial. As a result of this research many new names have been added to the new replacement plates. The database provides name, age, rank, service number, regiment and date of death of all WWI servicemen. There is also a link to information on the Commonwealth War Graves website – www.cwgc.org and a notes filed for any additional information discovered.
Click on the link below to view the index and a PDF document.
Ashington WWI War Memorial Index
St George’s Gazette Obituaries
The St George’s Gazette was the monthly regimental magazine of the Northumberland Fusiliers. Unlike some other regimental magazine it was continued to be produced throughout the period of WWI. One of the features of the Gazette was a series of obituaries of officers who lost their lives during the war. Two of our volunteers have prepared a database of these obituaries. This provide the name, rank and battalion of the officer, a summary of the information provided in the obituary – often details of career and family relationships, a photograph where available and a link to information on the Commonwealth War Graves website – www.cwgc.org
A big thank you to Margaret Allison for transcribing and collating the information and to Hector Gilroy for digitising the images. Click on the link below to view the index as a PDF document.
Northumberland Fusiliers WWI Obituaries
Berwick-upon-Tweed Military Service Tribunals – 1916
At the beginning of the First World War, Lord Kitchener launched a campaign to recruit a volunteer army. By 1915 it had become clear that it was not possible to sustain forces of the required capacity by voluntary recruitment alone. On 27th January 1916 the Military Services Bill became law. The Act introduced the compulsory enlistment of every man aged between 18 and 41. Under the Act Military Service tribunals were formed by Borough, Urban District and Rural District Councils to hear applications for exemption from conscription. Very few records of the tribunals have survived – many were destroyed in the years immediately after the War upon the orders of the Government. However, the business of the tribunals were reported in local newspapers.
At Berwick Record Office we had two volunteers – Graham Robson & Terry Ford, extracting the Military Tribunals from the weekly local newspaper “The Berwick Advertiser”, for 1916. We are hoping to continue with this work and provide databases for subsequent years. Information provided includes claimant’s name, occupation, address, reason for claim and the outcome of the tribunal.
Below is an example of the additional information which gives an insight into the social consequences of that time.
Joseph Leitch, Tailor of 27 West End, Tweedmouth – Conscientious Objector, serious hardship and medically unfit – exemption from combatant service only – Aged 38, employed by Co-operative Society. Mr. Hogarth said the case should be heard in public. He said he believed that the bible forbade the taking of human life and that he should be judged by things written in the book. He was prepared to do work of National Importance in civil employment and would rather not have anything to do with the army as it was not within the accordance of the teaching of Christ. He also said he was the only son at home, his father had a housekeeper, and he would not be able to keep them if he was called up.
Click on the link below to view the index as a PDF document.
Military Tribunals Berwick Advertiser 1916
Ashington Coal Company Minute Books – August 1914 to March 1918
The Ashington Coal Company was formed in 1870 from the partnership of Joseph Lee and John Henderson, two of the owners of the old Ashington Colliery, together with Carl Large, William Milburn and Jonathan Priestman. The company extended the concern from the two former pits of the ‘Fell em Doon’ and the Bothal Downcast at Ashington to sinking further pits namely the Bothal Upcast and Bothal Relief shafts, the Carl Pits and Duke Pits, New Moor and Bothal Barns, giving Ashington the accolade ‘The Biggest Mining Village in the World’. The Ashington Coal Company also sank collieries to the north and to the east of their Royalty at Woodhorn, Linton, Ellington and finally Lynemouth, in 1931.
A big thank you to Derek Holcroft for the hours he spent transcribing and collating the information relating to the company during First World War. Click on the link below to view a PDF of the document.
ZMD 54-7 Ashington Coal Company Minute Book
ZMD 54-8 Ashington Coal Company Minute Book
List of Northumbrian Men Serving In 21st (Service) Battalion The King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 1915. [Ref:- ZSA 3/107]
Amongst the papers of the Sample family, agents to the Duke of Portland, is a bundle of papers relating to the formation of and enlistment to the 21st (Service) Battalion The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (Yeoman Rifles). The Battalion comprised farmers and farmers’ sons and the papers indicate that The War Office expected Northumberland to raise men for three platoons.
One of our volunteers Sue Lonsdale, worked on these papers and transcribed the lists of men identified as possibilities for the recruitment to the Battalion. From these we have compiled a composite spreadsheet listing all men referred to.
Click on the link below to view the index as a PDF document.
ZSA 3-107 21st (Service) Battalion The King’s Royal Rifle Corps (Yeoman Rifles)
Bedlington Enlistments
We have a microfilm copy of an interesting register within our collections which lists men from Bedlington, Northumberland who enlisted for service during the First World War. This film has been transcribed by two of our volunteers Sue Lonsdale & Cathy Stoker.
This transcript includes over 1000 men and shows the following information to assist the researcher – Name, Address, Rank, Regiment or Service, Theatre of Engagement if they Returned or Not, some do have additional comments of interest.
Click on the link below to view the index as a PDF document.
Berwick Petty Sessions
Petty Sessions courts were organised within a county on a divisional basis. The Courts were presided over by two or more Justices of the Peace who made decisions without recourse to a Jury. They met as often as they were cases to hear which could be every couple of days, depending on local circumstances.
The records of the Berwick Petty Sessions Register 1914-1915 can be a great source of genealogical information and you’ll be pleased to hear that your ancestors don’t have to have been hardened criminals to appear in these resources. There’s a considerable amount of information in these records! This is where local life was played out, with all its silly squabbles, personal tragedies and gossip. Some of the offences carried out were non-payment of poor rate, drunk and disorderly, unsociable behaviour and also being a deserter. Typical punishments for the guilty included fines, a few weeks in the goal with or without hard labour and being bound over to keep the peace for a specified period. Also recorded in these records is where the defendant lived at the time of the offence.
A big thank you to Danielle McDonnell and Heather Waldron, Berwick Record Offices volunteers who have extracted, collated, transcribed the information from the Berwick Petty Sessions Register and cross referenced this with the local paper, “Berwick Advertiser” to give extra information on various cases.
Berwick Petty Sessions PS4-45 Register 1914-1915
Glendale Petty Sessions
Petty Sessions courts were organised within a county on a divisional basis. The Courts were presided over by two or more Justices of the Peace who made decisions without recourse to a Jury. They met as often as they were cases to hear which could be every couple of days, depending on local circumstances. The cases recorded in the Glendale Petty Sessions registers 1915-1920 relate to teh area around Wooler, including Milfield, Lowick and Kirknewton. they give similar information to that recorded in teh Berwick Petty Sessions Register. This includes information about the person charged, address, crime and punishment.
A big thank you to Pat Gibson and Julie Gibbs, Berwick Record Office volunteers who have extracted collated, transcribed the information from the Glendale Petty Sessions and cross referenced this information from the local papers, “Berwick Advertiser” and the “Alnwick Gazette” to give extra information on various cases.
Glendale Petty Sessions PS9-6 Register 1915-1920
Norham and Islandshire Petty Sessions
Petty Sessions courts were organised within a county on a divisional basis. The Courts were presided over by two or more Justices of the Peace who made decisions without recourse to a Jury. They met as often as they were cases to hear which could be every couple of days, depending on local circumstances.
The cases recorded inteh Norham and Islandshire Petty Sessions Register 1915-1923 relate to the area from Cornhill across to Holy island. They give similar information to that recorded inthe Berwick Petty Sessions Register. This includes information about the person charged, address, crime and punishment.
A big thank you to Julie Gibbs, one of the Berwick Record Office volunteers who has extracted, collated, transcribed the information and cross referenced this from the local paper, “Berwick Advertiser” to give extra information on various cases.
Norham and Islandshire Petty Sessions PS6-1 Register 1915-1923
Arrivals & Removals
As a result of the National Registration Act passed in July 1915, all men and women between the ages of 15 and 65, who were not members of the Armed Forces were required to register with their Local Authority. Information provided by those who registered enabled the military authorities to discriminate between persons who should be called up for Military Service and those who should in the National Interest be retained in civil employment. Forms were collected locally and then the information sent to Central Government.
Berwick Town Council kept registers of people moving in and out of the town which is a very useful source for family historians, particularly as electoral registers were not complied during this period and did not include women.
D8-9 Register of Arrivals to Berwick October 1915 – July 1919
The information recorded in the arrivals register includes the surname, christian name, age, marital status, old and new addresses. occupation and when the registration certificate has been despatched and date of receipt of registration certificate.
A big thank you to Heather Waldron, one of the Berwick Record Offices volunteers who has extracted, collated, transcribed the information from the Register of Arrivals to Berwick Oct. 1915 – July 1919.
Register of Arrivals October 1915 – July 1919 [Ref D8-9]
D8-10 Register of Removals within Berwick August 1915 – June 1919
The information recorded in the removals within the Berwick register includes the surname, christian name, age, old and new addresses, occupation, date of receipt of notification and date when a fresh certificate was supplied. Please note this register covers change of address within Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal.
A big thank you to Karon Ives, one of the Berwick Record Offices volunteers who has extracted, collated, transcribed the information from the Register of Removals within Berwick and the outside area of Berwick Oct. 1915 – July 1919.
Register of Removals Berwick [Ref D8-10]
D8-10 Register of Removals from Berwick to outside the area August 1915 – June 1919
The information recorded in the removals from Berwick to outside the area including the surname, christian name, age, old and new addresses, occupation, registration district, removal and arrival dates.
A big thank you to Karon Ives, one of the Berwick Record Offices volunteers who has extracted, collated, transcribed the information from the Register of Removals within Berwick and the outside area of Berwick Oct. 1915- July 1919.
Register of Removals from Berwick to outside the area [Ref D8-10]
Comrades of the Great War
The Comrades of the Great War was a national non-political organisation set up in 1917, to support ex-servicemen and women who fought in the First World War. Local branches were established throughout the country including one at Crookham in North Northumberland.
A register of their meetings survive amongst the records of the Ford and Etal Estate, kept at the Berwick Record Office.
On 15 May 1921, this organisation along with three others established for ex-servicemen joined together to form the British Legion which is still in existence today
At the back of the Crookham Minute Book there is a list of members. This includes details of their name, address, regiment and rank. It is very useful source for family historians wishing to find information on relatives from that area who fought in the First World War.
A big thank you to Annette Woolfson, one of the Berwick Record Office volunteers who has extracted , collated, transcribed the information from the back of the Crookham Minute Book [Ref NRO 2085/54].