BERWICK ADVERTISER, 20TH JULY 1923

21/07/2023 by Northumberland Archives

57 YEARS ON THE RAILWAY

RETIRAL OF MR GEORGE YOUNG AND PRESENTATION BY FELLOW WORKMEN

After fifty-seven years spent in the service of the North British Railway Company, Mr George Young, 8 Infirmary Square, a well-known figure at the Loco. Sheds at Berwick, retired at the beginning of the month, and on Thursday evening, in the Oddleffows’ Hall, a company of some forty fellow workmen under the presidency of Mr Joe Gray assembled to make a parting gift in token of the respect and esteem in which Mr Young was held.

The front of Berwick Railway Station — An early 20th Century postcard of the front of the Berwick Railway Station

Mr Gray briefly explained the object of the gathering, saying they were there to do a little honour to the oldest servant of the Railway Coy. at Berwick station, a man who they all held in the highest respect and esteem. Personal, said Mr Gray, I have always been closely associated with Mr Young. He was my driver at one time, and the friendship we formed on the footplate was not one to be readily broken.

A letter read from Mr J. P. Grassick, the Loco Running Superintendent of the L. and N.E.R. Coy. at Cowlairs, Glasgow, showed how much the long and honourable service of Mr Young was appreciated. “I cannot allow the occasion of your retiral from active service to pass unnoticed,” wrote Mr Grasswick. “Your work has been appreciated, and you enter upon your period of rest after a strenuous career with the best wishes of your employers. Personally, I have to thank you for services well rendered, and I hope you will belong spared to enjoy the remainder of your days in peace and comfort, freed from stress and turmoil of modern railway life.” The reading of the letter was received with applause.

Mr William Ewing, the foreman at Loco. Department, Berwick, then made on behalf of the employees at the sheds the presentation of a handsome silver lever watch, albert and medallion to Mr Young, along with a small sum of money remaining in the presentation fund. In a speech where the good qualities of the recipient were eulogised, Mr Ewing told of the ready way the employees had subscribed to give some little token to Mr Young as a memento of the many years he had been amongst them. He hoped Mr Young would accept the gift in the spirit in which it was made, and there was no need to assure him that he had left the Company’s service with the good wishes of all who had esteemed and appreciated his companionship and service in the past. (Applause).

Berwick Railway Station during World War One

Mr Young replied in a speech full of happy reminiscences of his past life on the railway, some of which we reprinted below, and he also told of one or two instances which were not of such a pleasing nature, when accidents had nearly brought about his end and the end of others. I started life as a boy under Mr Cargill in 1866, said Mr Young, and well I remember asking him for a start. I was just a little fellow then – fifteen years of age – and it was like looking up toa giant, for Mr Cargill was not a small man by any means. However, I was fortunate, for he started me at the handsome salary of 10d per day – ( laughter) – which was 2d a day more than was usually given to boys starting. Their wage worked out at ¾ per hour or 4s per week. Well, I was fortunate because I got 5s per week, but I wonder what some of you young chaps would say if you were asked to work for that now-a-days. (Applause). Mr Young also mentioned that there were only other two men alive today who had started life with him at Berwick Station. One was Mr Thos. Aird, coal merchant, who was then a fitter, and the other was Mr David Lawson, a native of Berwick, who had risen to be stationmaster at Shettleston, Glasgow, and who was now retired. During the time he had been on the railway he had worked under five different general managers, five loco. Superintendents, and fourteen loco. Foremen. He also mentioned that the father of Mr Ewing, their present foreman, had worked on the same footplate with him. Mr Young concluded a very interesting speech by thanking his fellow workmen for the honour they had done him.

A FEW REMINISCENCES

A DASH FOR SAFETY

A thrilling experience I have had, said Mr Young, was when I was running the 10 o’clock express between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Just at Winechburgh tunnel a goods train broke an axel and the damaged axel flew in front of my train. There was no time to draw up, and the only safety lay in putting on speed in the open of shifting the obstruction. We put on full steam. There was no Westenhouse brakes to apply and stop in time then, and when we hit the wreckage, we happily shifted it from the line. I was handsomely rewarded by the passengers, who subscribed for myself and the fireman the sum of £2 15s – quite a lot in those days.

PULLED A MAN OUT OF WAY OF EXPRESS

Another thing I remember, said Mr Young, happened shortly after that at Berwick station near the turntable. A St, Margaret’s driver named George Fortune – he is dead now, poor fellow – got right in the way of the express which was coming along. I saw his danger and clutching him succeeded in pulling him off the line. He did not escape injury, for he got a glancing blow from the buffer of the engine, which broke seven of his ribs, but he soon recovered and lived to a good age. Had I not reached him he would certainly have been knocked down and cut to pieces.

A PERSONAL ACCIDENT

I was nearly killed many years ago, said Mr Young, but it must not have been to be. I was starting a pumping engine which was used to be at the Sheds when my coat got into the belt. I did not pull it clear quick enough and I was carried round the shafting until I was stripped of clothing, and then I was flung senseless against the wall. Had I been thrown the other way I would have assuredly been killed outright, for I would have fallen into the well. As it was, I was very seriously injured about the head, legs and arms, and to this day I carry the marks on my legs. All the inspectors who examined the machinery in motion where I was caught could not credit that I could be carried round the shaft as I was and escaped alive.

BERWICK PETTY SESSIONS

MONDAY

Before C. L. Fraser and Chas. Forsyth, Esqs

A MORALISING TRAMP

John Kelly, vagrant, no fixed abode, was charged with being drunk and disorderly in Marygate at 9.5 p.m. on the 15^th June. He pleaded guilty.

P. C Jefferson said the man was drunk, getting in front of motor cars and behaving in a foolish and disorderly manner.

Kelly was asked if he would promise to leave the town if he was discharged and he said, “I can promise nothing. I might just get drunk again and get into mischief. I do not think a day or two at Newcastle would do me any harm. It is the only way for you gentlemen to protect yourselves. I don’t believe in making promises if there is a possibility of breaking them. A man who habitually takes drink should not make promises.

Dr Fraser – Then there is no other option than to send you to prison for seven days.

Mr Forsyth – With hard labour.

Prisoner – With all due deference to you, sir. I don’t think they can give me hard labour. I am 62 years of age.

Dr Fraser – I don’t think he is sober yet.

Prisoner – Oh yes, but I will be better at Newcastle. It is twenty-one years since I was in Berwick last, and I hope it will be as long again before I am in it.

Dr Fraser – I hope so, too.

With a “Thank you, gentlemen,” prisoner went below to the cells prior to his trip to Newcastle.

SPORT

FOOTBALL

INFIRMARY CUP

Owing to the majority of the Spittal Hearts’ team being unable to be present at the Pierrots’ stand on Friday night the presentation of medals has been postponed.

It is hoped to send out circulars to all teams within a 25 miles’ radius of Berwick, and if a satisfactory entry is obtained to play one match per week throughout this season for the Cup. The rules, which are comparatively few, bar players who have played for Berwick Rangers or Coldstream during the season. The competition is strictly amateur, and teams will be paid minimum travelling fares for 12 players. Layers must play for one team only in the competition.

CYCLING

TEN MILE CYCLING RACE ON NORTH ROAD

The Tweedside Cycling Club held their 10 miles road trial over the North Road on Thursday evening last under handicap conditions, when a large assembly lined the footpath out by meadow House to see the finish of the race. The feature of the handicap was the wonderful riding of J. H. Kirkup, a Millfield lad aged nineteen, who had the fastest time of the evening, 25 mins, 44 secs. actual. The prize winners and times were as follows: – 1, P. Gleig, 29 mins. 46 secs., less 6 mins., 23 mins. 46 secs.; 2, J. Tennant, 29 mins, 16 secs., less 5 mins., 24 mins. 16 secs.; 3, J. H. Kirkup, 25 min. 44 secs, less 1 min., 24 mins. 44 secs. E. Young, who was scratch, covered the distance in 25 mins. 59 secs., or 15 secs, longer than Kirkup. Other young riders’ times were :- T. Clazie, 28 mins. 30 secs., less 4 mins., 24 mins, 30 secs.; L. B. Dickinson, 31 mins. 17 secs., less 5 mins., 26 mins. 17 secs.; and A. Aird, 31 mins. 45 secs., less 4 mins., 27 mins, 45 secs. Kirkup, it will be remembered, was the rider who won the double event in the half mile and mile last years at the Tweedside Cycling Club Sports. He is riding wonderfully well this year, and those in the know look upon him as a coming champion.

AUSTRALIA’S CALL

BAMBURGH MAN’S SUCCESS IN FARMING

“This country appears to be over-crowded, and to find so many young men unemployed and hanging about the city streets is a sad and depressing reflection on present-day life when one knows that in Australia there are thousands of acres ready for settlers to enjoy a new and glorious life. The kind of men wanted are only those who are determined to work hard, and to make a home for themselves in that fertile country. Fired by that ambition, emigrants are almost bound to succeed.”

These sentiments were voiced to a “Newcastle Daily Journal” representative by Mr George Waddell, a Western Australian farmer, who, with his wife, is at present on a visit to Tyneside, renewing old friendships. Mr Waddell, who was born in the parish of Bamburgh, fifty-eight years ago, at one time followed the plough, and later was a servant on the railway company in Newcastle as a rolleyman.

SUCCESS IN TWELVE YEARS

It should be noted that Mr Waddell was forty-six years of age when he decided to seek his fortune in Western Australia, and within the space of twelve years, by reason or hard, unremitting labour, he has built up one of the most successful farming businesses in that fertile area, 200 miles from Perth, Quarendin Vale, Belka. What was once a stretch of 1,000 acres of rough forest land, obtained from the Australian Government, has now been converted into a wheat-growing farm, yielding satisfactory returns.

Having visited the recent Royal Show, Mr Waddell said the bulk of the farm machinery there displayed was not applicable to western Australia wheat farming conditions. Out there, farm appliances are manufactured on a larger scale, teams of five to six horses being employed as a rule on one implement. The harvesting machines, for instance, are built on altogether different lines, as only the heads of the grain are cut and harvested, the “straw” being left standing in the field to be used as fodder or burned.

HORSES PREFFERED

The farm tractors are not yet much in vogue on the large fields of this Western Australian State. Most farmers, chiefly on grounds of economy, pin their faith to horsepower. Personally, Mr Waddell prefers the Clydesdale horses, of which he owns 25, because of their power and activity.

While the disposal of the wheat is now free and independent, Australian farmers in Mr Waddell’s area have formed a voluntary co-operative wheat pool by which about 80 per cent, of the wheat produced is dealt with.

With regard to the labour question, Mr Waddell stated that no women are employed in field work. With so many labour-saving appliances now in use six men can work quite well a wheat farm of about 1,000 acres. One experienced man is required to handle a team of five or six horses engaged in field operations. Seldom does a farm hand require to work more than eight hours a day.

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, 14TH OCTOBER 1921

15/10/2021 by Northumberland Archives

HORNCLIFFE MEMORIAL HALL

OPENING CEREMONY

What may be termed as Horncliffe’s completion of her memorial schemes to her fallen sons was the opening of the Memorial Hall on Thursday. Favoured by delightful weather, there was a crowded attendance within the building when Mr Alec. Ritson, Thornton, declared it open in fitting terms.

There still remained a debt of £200 to be cleared off, however, and immediately after a sale of work, for which preparations have been going on for many months, followed. Business was very brisk during the afternoon, which augured well for the effort being successful.

Horncliffe War Memorial © Eric Musgrave (WMR-33471)

THE OPENING CEREMONY

Capt. F. C. H. Allenby, R. N., presided, and in calling upon Mr Thornton to declare the hut open, made fitting reference to those who had returned after enduring hardships for the sake of those at home. He mentioned that they had collected the sum of £583 to date for the Memorial and the Hut, and he hoped that at the end of the day they would be able to raise the greater part of the £200 to clear off the debt still standing on the building. They could not, he proceeded, have selected one more fitting than Mr Ritson to declare the Hall open. He was always willing to help and serve the community. He much regretted that he suffered from ill-health, but he had served his country to the best of his ability in the War. He knew he felt deeply he was unable to serve in the trenches. He remembered a service friend of his telling him that he wished all men would only do their duty in the sphere they were told off for, and Mr Ritson had always done his duty in his own sphere, rather than call on other people to do it. (Applause).

VISCOUNT GREY AT BERWICK

A LONG AND THOUGHTFUL SPEECH

For some weeks Berwick has been a centre of political interest, on account of Viscount Grey’s return to active politics in support of Mr Walter Runciman in his candidature for the Berwick-upon-Tweed Division, and on Monday night the Corn Exchange was filled with an audience drawn from all classes of opinion in the constituency. The daily and Sunday newspapers have been prophesying that Viscount Grey was to assume the leadership of the Independent Liberals, and again that he was to announce an alliance with Lord Robert Cecil. Neither of these things came off. The meeting was arranged in support of Mr Runciman, and the main thing that came out of Viscount Grey’s speech was that he was in entire sympathy with the Independent Liberals and Mr Runciman. Whether he will be able to remain in the background time will show. There was a large gathering on the platform, and the list we give of those present will also be interesting for its omission of some who have been prominent Liberals in the past, but who are not at the moment “Independents.” In addition to the two prominent speakers there were: – Mr. R. C. Bosanquet, president of the Berwick-upon-Tweed Liberal Association ( in the chair) and Mrs Bosanquet; Mrs Runciman; Sir Walter and Lady Runciman; Mr G. W. Hindmarsh, chairman of the Executive; Ald. T. Wilson. J. P.; Messrs Gerald France, M.P.; Wm. Macdonald, Rock; Rutherford, Seahouses; A. Mitchie, Alnwick; J. Clark, Belford; the Rev. C. L. Stowe, Berwick; D. Elliot, Belford; Mrs Richardson, Berwick; Messrs R. Boston, Spittal; J. Boston, Spittal; Ald. P. Boston, Spittal; W. Nelson, Lowick; J. H. Culley, Kirknewton; T. L. McAndrews, Amble; Miss Boston, Spittal; Messrs F. R. Padley, Wooler; J. Seals, Berwick; A. Younger, Allerdean; Councillor Dudgeon, Berwick; T. Elder, Berwick; Ald. J. Elder, Berwick; Miss Hume, Alnwick; Messrs H. Dowsett, Northern Liberal Federation; D. Elliot, Alnwick; C. Hindmarsh, Alnwick; H. W. Willits, Berwick; J. Cleghorn, Wooler; F. Hindmarsh, Alnwick; J. B. Beveridge, Tweedmouth; T. Morrison, Berwick; J. J. Simmen, Berwick; lady Robson; Miss Gregson, secretary Women’s Liberal Association; Mr W. A. Edwards, secretary Berwick Divisional Liberal Association, and Mrs Edwards; Mr J. Macnab, Beal.

Image from the Berwick Advertiser 4 December 1858, opening of the newly erected Corn Exchange, Berwick-upon-Tweed.

When the party filed onto the platform, amid cheers, there was a pause for a flashlight photograph, and then Mr Bosanquet welcomed Viscount Grey on his return to the constituency from which he had been taken during the war, assuring him that their love and pride and confidence in him were unabated. A rapturous welcome greeted Viscount Grey when he rose. There was a marked improvement in his appearance since he last spoke in Berwick at the War Memorial Meeting. He was more vigorous in his gestures, and had much less difficulty in referring to his notes, which were brief. At one point he was speaking with uplifted arm, and there was another disturbing flash from the camera, which should never have been allowed. We give below a full report of the speech. There was no lack of ability in the Government, he said, but great ability was combined with extreme instability of policy, which had shaken the confidence of people both at home and abroad. We saw it in their treatment of Russia, Mesopotamia, the French Government and the Labour Party, with whom they had played fast and loose over Nationalisation. His most important remarks were on Ireland, and it is a pity that they were not made months ago. We should clear our minds, he said, of sentiment and gush and face the facts of the situation, instead of pretending to be generous after our policy of reprisals had failed. His only reservation to admitting Ireland as a full partner to Dominion partnership was that the naval defence of both islands should be under one naval authority. His last topic was unemployment, and the only permanent remedy in his opinion was good trade. Nationalisation was not the remedy but labour should have its share in the management of industry- an important admission. The speech was well received. There was silence while Lord Grey spoke of nationalisation, loud applause when he said that time had shown the South Africans that in negotiating with them we had been speaking in good faith and that what we had promised had come true. References to Mr Gladstone and Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman were also cheered. Indeed one felt that at the back of Viscount’s Grey’s mind was the thought of what a difference it would have made if Home Rule had been accepted, as it was first offered by the great leaders he had a served under.

TWEEDMOUTH RATEPAYERS’ MEETING

In the absence of Alderman Elder, Councillor Brewis presided over a large and orderly meeting of Tweedmouth ratepayers in the Mitchell memorial Hall on Wednesday night. Supporting him were Councillor Watt, Mr T. Douglas, Mr D. Watson, Mr Eales, and Mr Bradford. Apologies were sent by Councillor Lockhart and Mr Trainer.

Councillor Brewis, in his opening address, touched on various topics. With regards to the Glasgow Steel Company he thought the non-Freemen were wrong in commencing their activities when the negotiations with the Council were at a critical stage. He thought it was only when the Company saw that the Freemen and non-Freemen could not agree among themselves that they decided to go elsewhere. He could assure any industrial company that wanted to establish themselves in their neighbourhood that Tweedmouth could supply them with a site and equal railway facilities.

The opening of the housing scheme on Monday was a great event for Tweedmouth. The cost to Tweedmouth was a penny in the pound, and the income taxpayers in the country found the rest. They welcomed the new residents. Unfortunately they would not see the whole scheme carried out; in fact, full consent had not yet been obtained for the present addition of twenty-four.

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