Life in Earlston in the Late 19th Century

                 What was everyday life like in Earlston 
                             in the late 19th century?

We get a sense of this from old newspapers, They are fascinating documents. The reports enable us to "experience" events, as they were recorded in the press of the time. It is not textbook history in the conventional manner, but is full of vigour, recording many varied aspects of the lives of ordinary people.
 

Take a look at these random snippets of "Headlines on Earlston" drawn from the local press - the first of a regular series.

A NEW SCHOOL 
EARLSTON. The property known as the Thorn House, has been purchased by The Misses Scott, Dunbar, for the purpose of establishing a high class boarding and day school for young ladies. 10 June 1879 - Berwickshire News and General Advertiser.

TEACHER WANTED 
FOR the SCHOOL of REDPATH, Parish of Earlston. Applicants for the situation must be qualified to Teach thoroughly all the Ordinary Branches of Scottish Education. A Salary is given. The School is at present in a highly prosperous condition. 
15 July 1864 - Kelso Chronicle

COALS FOR THE POOR  


EARLSTON.The Kirk Session meeting on Thursday evening resolved to distribute about 35 tons of coal among or poor people in the parish. The coals are to be supplied by Mr William Gray, Coal-Agent, Earlston Station. 
9 November 1878 - Berwickshire News and General Advertiser


WORKING WEEK REDUCED TO 57 HOURS A WEEK             

EARLSTOUN. Short-Time Movement.— Last week Messrs (Chas. Wilson & Sons intimated to their employees that they should henceforth have one hour each meal instead of three-quarters formerly, thereby reducing the time of labour for the week to fifty-seven.  10 November 1871 - Kelso Chronicle.

 

Rhymer's Mill 

WEATHER - (Sounds familiar!)

Since the snow disappeared. a  considerable quantity of rain has fallen, which has saturated the soil with moisture and delayed the work of seed sowing. A favourable change, however, set in on Saturday, which was a good drying day,[

09 April 1872 - Berwickshire News and General Advertiser

PAVING THE STREETS A public meeting of the inhabitants of Earlston was held in the Reading Room Hall, on Wednesday evening, to consider the subject of making pathways on each side of the main street of Earlston, 17 January 1871 - Berwickshire News and General Advertiser.

DEATH OF LANCELOT WATSON:  11th April 1918 - Hawick Advertiser.

But  who was Lancelot Watson, with Earlston, Hawick and American connections?  
More research called for here!

And Finally: 

AN INSTANCE OF BEING FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLYING.

There died the other day at East Morriston a man named John Middlemass, at the very advanced age of 93. He was the father of 11 children. He had 70 grandchildren, 138 great-grandchildren, and 4 great, great  grandchildre , making in all 223 descendants. 17 May 1881 - Berwickshire News and General Advertiser.

So John Middlemass must have been born c.1788, just before the time of the French Revolution, and 75 years before the railway reached Earlston in 1863. 

Also Take a Look At

Life in Earlston in the 1790's 

Life in Earlston in the 1830's
 

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Earlston Railway Cuttings 1 - Celebrating the First Sod

11th October 1862 was a local holiday in Earlston to mark the cutting at Greenlaw of the first sod for the Berwickshire Railway, with shops and businesses closed for the day.  

An article in "The Southern Reporter" 23rd October 1862 gives us a contemporary and entertaining  account of the celebrations  on that occasion:

"Villagers were put on the "qui vive" by the arrival of the brass band of the 2nd Selkirkshire Volunteers who reached here between 8 and 9 o'clock, and after partaking of refreshments and discoursing several spirit stirring tunes, proceeded onwards to the centre of attraction.

They were quickly followed by the majority of our male population in carriages, gigs and omnibus, and not a few in long carts - the occupants making every village and farmstead they passed resound with their oft repeated and hearty "hurrahs".

Of what passed at Greenlaw it is unnecessary to to speak here, suffice to say that the whole of our sightseers arrived home between 6 and 7 o'clock in the evening, all highly gratified by the proceedings, not from what was seen or heard, but from the fact that they had had a period [a stop] put to their desponding fears, and had witnessed the realisation of their ardent hopes. The commencement of the railway will open up a ready means of communication in every direction.

Towards night, rain began to fall which to a great extent marred the effect of a large bonfire on the Western Green, the materials for which had been kindly contributed by Messrs Wood, Gasworks; Smith, merchant; Brownlie. wood-merchant.

The Messrs Wilson, manufacturers, not only closed their factory, and placed their horses and carts at the disposal of their employees. but forwarded a liberal supply of refreshments and had also secured in Greenlaw a private room for their reception."

 A goods train from Earlston travelling between Gordon and Greenlaw.

Copyright  © Bruce McCartney.  All Rights Reserved.  

 http://www.geoffspages.co.uk/monorail/bmcc01.htm

 

This article is the first in a series of newspaper clippings 

on the railway through Earlston.  

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Earlston Women at Work

Women's Worktime Fashions is the theme for  our latest post - from munitions to mills, housework to farming.

                     Earlston Munitions Workers at Charlesfield, St. Boswells.

Around 950,000 British women worked in munitions factories during the Second World War, making weapons like shells and bullets. Munitions work was often well-paid, but involved long hours, sometimes up to seven days a week. Workers were also at serious risk from accidents with dangerous machinery or when working with high explosive material.  Some munitions workers handled toxic chemicals every day. Those who handled sulphur were nicknamed ‘Canary Girls’, because their skin and hair turned yellow from contact with the chemical. [Source: My Learning.Org ]

 Nurses  in the Second World War

                             

Housewives at the Travelling Co-op Van  

I remember my mother wearing this kind of pinny with a handy front pocket for dusters etc. . She made them too for many a sale of work. 

Workwear at the Egg Packaging Station at Georgefield Farm

                     

               

 

 

       

   At Simpson & Fairbairn's Rhymer's Mill, Earlston 

                                                                   Haymaking
                                                                                           

 

 Bondagers

Bondagers were female farm workers in south east Scotland and Northumberland. As part of their husband's contract (or bond) with the farmer, he would undertake to provide another worker (usually his wife) to help as and when required. The women wore a distinctive dress with bonnet, described as the "last remaining peasant costume" in Britain.

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Thank you to everyone who has  donated or loaned old photographs for scanning. 

For more photographs on village life,  
look at our associated Facebook page  Lost Earlston

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Auld Earlston on Track with Open Day & Exhibition

The Open Day and Exhibition held last Saturday  by Auld Earlston attracted a large audience throughout the day at the Church Hall.

The main focus of the exhibition was the launch of the group's latest project "Remembering Earlston's Railway (1863-1965)", with forty photographs, both framed and laminated, which will shortly go on show in shops and other venues around the village. Adding to the display were information sheets on the history of the railway, contemporary accounts from old newspapers  and contributions from primary school children who were involved in interviewing grandparents and older residents on their railway memories. 

 One of the information displays on the railway project. 

 Steam train crossing the Leaderfoot Viaduct, c. 1959

Photograph by the late Rev. John Duncan of Earlston

Visitors also had the chance to browse through extensive displays of vintage photographs on the village, watch a slide show and chat over tea and coffee. 

Chairman Sheila Mackay said " We were delighted at the response and thank all who came along to support our first open day and exhibition,to make it such a success. We were encouraged by the length of time many people took to look around and exchange reminiscences. It was good to meet people we had not seen for many years and some folks who had travelled from far and wide to see what our group is doing to keep Earlston’s past alive."

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Fire at John Wallace, Joiners in 1874.

The Southern Reporter of 17th September 1874 reported the news of a devastating fire in Earlston at the joiner's  workshop of John Wallace. 

"The inhabitants of Earlston were at nine o' clock on Thursday last,  alarmed by the unusual and ominous cry of "Fire".    A cry which turned out to be all too true; the workshop, a wooden erection of Mr. John Wallace, joiner being discovered to be in flames. 

Plenty of willing workers, men, women and even children rushed to the scene, but all saw at a glance that  the shop and  its contents were doomed.......Hardly had some of the men withdrawn when part of the shop fell with a crash thereby endangering the dwelling house of Mr Wallace which forms one of the range of two storey houses known as New Street.   So imminent the danger that at this time most of the dwellers  had removed their household goods and chattels. And that with such a hurry and confusion to cause no  little damage.

During  the dire struggle  to save the house, the fire spread in another direction. and caught hold of a stable in the adjoining property belonging to Mr David Jameson, grocer. All that could be done was done to save it, but the flames gained their mastery, but not before, however, the livestock were got out.  

The damage sustained by Mr, Wallace  is estimated as fully £500,  and is not covered by insurance.  The workmen in his employment have also lost all their tools.......

Great sympathy is expressed by the public to Mr. Wallace. and his men.....and a public meeting was held in the Corn Exchange  on Thursday night ......  A subscription was at once opened ....on Monday the sum  amounted to upwards of £140.  

It is but fair to Mr. Wallace  to say that he had  insured the property up to two years ago, but not only the office with which he had been insured,  but another to which he applied, refused to undertake the risk on any terms.   

The stable and property belonging to Mr Jamieson was insured.  

[Note:   £500 in 1874 is equivalent to £41,500 today - website Measuring Worth]

Seven  years on in the 1881 census, John Wallace was back in business, described as master joiner employing 5 men.  

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The Wallace family remained very grateful for the generosity of the Earlston people.  John Wallace's daughter Isabella was 20 years old at the time of the fire.  She never married keeping house for her brother George, also a joiner. She  died in 1920 and  In her will, after bequests to her nephews and nieces and to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary,  left the sum of £3240 to Earlston Parish Council "For the purpose of improving the amenities of the Town of Earlston including footpaths, paving and lighting and similar objects."

Council records held at the Heritage Hub, Hawick confirm that the Isabella Wallace Fund was used for the provision of lighting, the upgrading of the square, with railings around the War Memorial. the removal of the air raid shelter and a gateway and railings at the riverside park of Mill Meadow, where she is still remembered today.   

 

Background to Searching Old Newspapers
The Heritage Hub at Hawick holds microfilm copies of old Border newspapers.  However these are not indexed, and you do need to have a good idea of a date to search for a specific item i.e. month and year.  

Three websites (subscription or pay as you view) feature searchable British Newspapers including Border titles:   

• British Newspaper Archive
  Berwickshire News, Hawick News, Kelso Chronicle,   and Southern Reporter
• Find My Past
  Berwickshire News, Hawick News, Kelso Chronicle,  and Southern Reporter
• Genes Reunited
  Hawick News, Kelso Chronicle, and Southern Reporter
  
  

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Sharing Memories - The Spittal Trip

MEMORIES OF THE SPITTAL TRIP

   Written by Inez Polson in 1991  

The excitement started  days before - "Are you gaun tae the Trip?" was on everyone's lips.  "I hope ii's no raining or misty".  (What a worry!)  "Will the tide be oot or in when we get there?". 

By Friday, the whole village was excited - not just the children, but  mothers, aunts, uncles, Sunday School teachers (from both churches), retired policemen and helpers of all ages.  Old sand shoes were hunted out and the toes cut out to make waders.  Schoolbags were washed or brushed to carry extra food, spare pants, socks and towels, Spades and pails were examined to decide if they needed replacing.  Travelling rugs were aired, Everyone scrubbed the night before and went to bed early. 

At last, it  was "THE MORNING"!  It was off to the station - a motley crew of some hundreds of all ages. Pandemonium reigned until everyone found their class, and mothers  found friends and relations.  The train came puff-puffing in, blowing steam and tooting. Station Master, Guard and Porter opened the doors as fast as they could and we all thronged in.  Doors were banged shut, the whistle blew and we were off. 

We cheered for everything we passed - the level crossing at "Gates Cottage", the wood yard and Town Farm.  There were some complaints from those who did not have windows seats and then we would cheer for Gordon Station and the quarry, for Greenlaw, Marchmont and Duns.   

There was usually another train standing at Duns and some anxious moments till we safely past by.  Even though there wasn't much at Edrom and Chirnside, we cheered for them, and because Reston was a "junction", we gave it a special cheer, even though some of us were none too sure what a junction was, as we could only see some cattle trucks and coal trucks.  

Everyone crowded to the left side windows near Burnmouth for the first glimpse of the seas, and we were sure we could catch a salty smell from it.  If we had been anxious at Duns, we were very nervous about the crossing of the Border Bridge and looking down on the Tweed.  But that was forgotten as we steamed into Tweedmouth Station, collected our picnic bags and were escorted safely over the lines for the long walk down to Spittal. (Many's the picnic bag consumed before the tea was poured.!)

When mothers, grannies and the odd father were installed on the beach to protect all the belongings, spaces and pails, were brought into action and castles built and knocked down, ball games were started and races run.  Although it was too dangerous to swim, we waded and paddled on even the coldest of days.    Before leaving the beach, we ate the last sandwiches, even though they seemed to be a little crunchy from the sand!

It was a long drag back up the hill, with tiredness, sunburn and sea air all taking their toll.  At the station we  couldn't understand how the train had turned around, but older boys used technical words like "loop lines" and "turntables" and "coupling up" to try to explain.  All back into the train with cries of "Where's Willie?" and   "You had the window the last time", and a green flag and a whistle started us homeward.

Too tired for cheers now, but we could still raise a "Goodbye Sea", "Goodbye Sand" and "Goodbye Spittal!"  And to add to the treat, we were going home a different way by Velvet Hall signal box and the other side of the Tweed.   Unfamiliar station names flashed by, but when we saw Kelso and Roxburgh,  Rutherford and Maxton, we knew that Newtown St. Boswells Station and Leaderfoot Bridge were getting nearer.    As we drew up in a cloud of steam at Earlston, the white station fence was lined with "Dads",  and friends who weren't on the trip came down to see us come home.   The train doors opened and out poured tired, sunburnt, sticky, cheering  children - the Spittal Trip was home. 

Inez died in 2009. She was born in 1914, so her memories of the trip are probably from the mid 1920s onwards.

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Footnote:  The Spittal Trip took place on a Saturday in late June.  We are not sure if the switch to buses was caused by the war, or the floods of 1948 that closed the railway line east.   When was there a change of destination to North Berwick?  Has anyone any further information, on the Spittal Trip or on other train journeys.  


                 Auld Earlston would love to hear from you to share your memories.
                                           E-Mail:  auldearlston@aol.com

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  Photographs of the Spittal Trip from the collection of the late Rev. Duncan 

 

 

 

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