Tudhoe & Spennymoor Local History Society
Spennymoor (16th November 1899 Northern Echo)
Tonight the members of the Urban District Council have arranged for a public meeting to beheld in the covered market, the object being to arrange for making collections throughout the area of the Urban District, on behalf of the wives and children of the soldiers and sailors now serving in South Africa. Collections have already been made in many of the places of worship. With the worthy object of augmenting the funds, the choir of Holy Innocents’ Church, Mount Pleasant, rendered ashort programme of sacred music after evening service on Sunday. There was a large congregation, and the collection made amounted to a good sum.
Spennymoor (18th November 1899 Northern Echo)
A well attended public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Spennymoor, on Thursday night, under the auspices of the Urban District Council, presided over by Mr T Black, J.P.
Dr Anderson in a very eloquent speech moved: “That this meeting cordially expresses its approval of the actionof the Urban Council, and pledges itself to do all in its power to assist with subscriptions, and to continue the subscriptions so long as mat be necessary.”
Councillor Rhymer seconded the resolution, which was supported by Councillors Coldwell, Dowdell, and Bell, and enthusiastically carried. The meeting was thoroughly representative. A strong committee was formed, consisting of the members of the Urban District Council, School Board, trades union secretaries, overseers, Guardians, medical men, clergy, and many tradesmen. Councillors H Copeland and Thompson Raine were appointed secretaries.
Mr McClellan informed the meeting that the men and boys employed at Messrs Coulson and Co.’s foundry had agreed to contribute 3d and 1d per week, also that the firm would supplement those subscriptions. A letter was addressed to the Chairman from County Councillor Dodd regretting inability to attend the meeting, but enclosed a cheque for one guinea.
Spennymoor (29th November 1899 Northern Echo)
The various collectors appointed by the Spennymoor Urban District Reservist Fund are meeting with hearty response from the public. The Whitworth Prize Silver Band paraded the Spennymoor streets on Saturday last playing selections of music. The money collected amounted to £2 19s 2d. The band will be out again on Saturday. The whole of the money is to be handed over to the Spennymoor Urban District Committee. Collections will be taken up in Twelve Primitive Methodist chapels comprising the Spennymoor Circuit at an early date.
Reservists’ Families – Practical Sympathy (13th December 1899 Northern Echo)
Monday night the first meeting since the various collectors were appointed was held in the Council-room, consisting of a committee, comprising the members of the Urban Council, School Board, clergy of all denominations, overseers, Guardians, works and colliery managers, schoolmasters and several local tradesmen and trades union secretaries, together with the secretary Mr T Raine, and the treasurer, Mr F J Rowland of the North-Eastern Bank. Mt T Black JP presided. Very encouraging reports were read by the secretary. It is proposed to hold these meetings monthly, and the first month’s contributions are as follow:
It is not expected that this sum will be collected every month, but it is hoped that at least £60 per month will be forthcoming from the weekly subscriptions promised by workmen, tradesmen etc. There was considerable discussion as to the best means of dividing the money, seeing that the Urban District is situate in two petty sessional division, namely Durham and Bishop Auckland. It was resolved to divide the money as follows: Lady Eden’s Fund £10, Lady Boyne’s Fund £10, Lord Mayor’s Fund £20
A special committee was appointed to distribute £10 among the local reservist’s wives during Christmas and New Year’s weeks as a Christmas box and New Year’s gifts.
For The Front (29th December 1899 Durham County Advertiser)
Some 50 officers, non-commissioned officers and men of the G and H Companies, 2nd DVBLI, Spennymoor detachment, have volunteered for active service.
Reservists at the front in South Africa from Spennymoor. (10th January 1900 Northern Echo)
2nd VBDLI - Two Spennymoor Volunteers for the Front (12th January 1900 Durham County Advertiser)
As the selection from the eight men requested to present themselves before the examining officers at Bishop Auckland, on Tuesday night, two were selected from the G and H (Spennymoor) Companies, namely, Private Jerrold Holder, G Company, son of Mr James Holder, assistant engineer at Tudhoe Ironworks, and Private Thomas Smith, second son of Ex-Sergeant Smith, of the 4th VBDLI and a native of the city of Durham.
Spennymoor Reservist Fund (12th January 1900 Durham County Advertiser)
On Monday night the second monthly meeting was held of the Spennymoor Urban District’s Committee (strengthened by several local gentlemen) in the Council Chamber, Silver Street. Mr Thomas Black JP occuoied the chair. Some 37 members of the committee present. Mr F J Rowland of the North-Eastern Bank Spennymoor hon. Treasurer reported that £180 had been collected and that during the month £10 had been paid to Lady Eden’s Fund £10 to Lady Boyne’s Fund, also £10 to the National Fund, in addition to the sums paid weekly to the reservist’s families.
After much discussion as to the best means of distributing the money, the following resolution was carried, with only one dissentient:- “That this committee, feeling assured that a local committee have a better knowledge of the circumstances of the claimants upon the funds of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association ask Lady Eden and Lady Boyne to allow the committee to say what amount each claimant shall have, and to distribute it.” A sub-committee was appointed to act in conjunction with Lady Eden’s and Lady Boyne’s committees. The committee agreed to give £10 to the Lord Mayor’s Fund and £15 each to Lady Eden’s and Lady Boyne’s Funds. There are now 20 Reservists at the front from Spennymoor district, without the Regulars. Over 50 of the Spennymoor Volunteers have offered their services for South Africa.
The sub-committee was elected as follows:- Mr T Black, JP, Mr R Dakers, Tudhoe Colliery, Dr R S Anderson, Medical Officer of Health, and Councillor Dowdell, with the treasurer and secretary.
Volunteers to the Front - Tom S Willey (26th January 1900 Durham County Advertiser)
On Saturday night a select company assembled at Mr Ralph Richardson’s, Green Tree Inn, Tudhoe Village to give Mr Tom S Willey a good “send off” to the front. When it became known that Willey had been accepted as a volunteer in the Northumberland Yeomanry, a few of his friends decided to celebrate the event by a dinner and presentation.
Willey served his time in the Lancers, and his reserve period elapsed some three years ago. He has for some time been employed on Mr Bryan Salvin’s Burn Hall estate and is a man highly respected in the district. The presentation following a capital dinner, took the form of a silver-mounted cigar holder and a substantial box of cigars. Mr Bond presided and Mr T Gittens, after a few appropriate remarks, handed the articles over.
Willey, responding, said he was proud to have the honour of being one of those selected to serve his Queen and country. He would do his best, and hoped to meet his old friends again. The handsome cigar holder would always be treasured by him. After the usual loyal toast songs were sung by Messrs Hutchinson, Lister and Savage, a most pleasant evening being spent by all.
A Durham Miner’s Lament - “We Cannot Get Any Beer” (3rd January 1900 Northern Echo)
Private Thomas Flockett, 1st Batt. Coldstream Guards, now in South Africa, who is a native of East Howle, near Spennymoor, writes the following short letter to his brother at East Howle:-
“Dear brother,
I am still alive and in good health. I have been in three engagements, and we are having a warm time of it; but we have made the Boers run every time yet. On 23rd October we fought the battle of Belmont. It was a terrible engagement. It simply rained lead, and the men were falling on all sides. On the 25th we fought the battle of Graspan. This was followed by the battle of Modder River. It was a battle worthy of note. I have played at many games, but this takes the cake. For 24 hours we had neither bread nor water. We are expecting another engagement every day, but we will soon go through them”.
He concludes his short letter with saying that the worst of all is that they cannot get any beer. Mr Flockett was a miner at Tursdale Colliery before he joined the Coldstream Guards.
Thos. Gibson and Pte R WilsonLetters from the Front - The following two letters from Spennymoor youths were received on Monday from South Africa (10th January 1900 Northern Echo)
“Magersfontein 14th December 1899
Dear Mother, Just a few lines in haste by way of wishing you all a happy New Year. We have very little time or convenience for writing. We had a very severe battle on Monday the 11th, when nearly a thousand fell, including poor Lindsay and Dowsey, but fortunately both only slightly wounded. Myself as lucky as usual, not a scratch; but I suppose you will have heard of it before now if you have been looking up the movements of the Highland Brigade in the papers.
This war is going to last much longer than was expected, but for myself I am enjoying it A1. So with compliments of the season to all, for the present, good-bye Thos. Gibson”
“Mooi River Nov 28th 1899 Dear Father and Mother and Brother and Sister,
We landed alright in South Africa, after a fair voyage, and went straight up the country. All was quiet for the first night, but on the second the Boers started to fire on our camp, but we drove them back. They are playing havoc with the English people out here, taking all things of value and breaking all their furniture, and driving them out of their houses; but I am glad to say we will best them. We are very busy, but I will have a lot to say when I see you again if I pull through all right. You would not know me if you were seeing me now, because it is over six weeks since I had a shave. We have no time, we are lucky when we van get a wash. Night after night we are patrolling, for fear the Boers get into our camp. Don’t fret about me; I had to come and do my duty as a soldier and a man. We are going further up the country. So good-bye and God bless you, hoping that our hands will meet again.
From your loving son, Pte R Wilson, No 6318 E Company 1st Batt Durham LI 4th Division, South Africa”
Extracts from a letter from a Spennymoor Reservist (12th January 1900 Durham County Advertiser)
Police Constable Charles Miller late Houghton-le-Spring - Modder River Dec 15 1899
Dear Father, Brothers and Sisters,
Just a line to wish you all the compliments of the season, which, however, may be passed before you receive this. But better late than never. I suppose since I have left home you have many times thought of me. Phill will have kept you going by reading the paper about the war. We get no newspapers her, and we never know when we are going to move. At present we are in camp at Modder River, about 22 miles from Kimberley, the town we are trying to relieve. I have been in four hard fights already. But of course you will have read about it in the papers. The last battle commenced on the Monday, December 11th, and continued until the 14th. At this moment our artillery is shelling the hills, about six miles from here. The fighting here has been principally close to the Modder River where we are now. The day after we got the order to advance up to within 900 yards of the Boer’s trenches, our company lying, commenced firing at each other; a lonely time we had in this position, from 6am to 7.30pm in a burning sun, without a drink of water. Now it is no use telling you anymore, as by the time you receive this you will know all about our doings from the papers. I am very thankful to say today I am in the best of health and spirits although we have lost a lot of men. Bill Berriman is first mate?. He also has seen four fights “so we are doing well.” I would like to hear from you. Papers would be most acceptable as we don’t know anything that is going on at home. Give my best wishes to all friends etc. from your loving son and brother Charles Miller
PS to give old friends a chance to send the soldiers a few papers my address is Private Chas. Miller 9953 No. 8 Company, 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, Cape Town South Africa.
A Narrow Escape (13th Jan 1900 Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough)
Corporal J Dale, of the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers, a native of Durham, who served through the last Egyptian campaign, has written to his aunt at Spennymoor just to let his relatives know that he is still in the land of the living. The writer details a very narrow escape, he having his mess tin lid shot clean off, whilst a second bullet struck his haversack. As they marched from Molteno on the surprise attack upon Stormberg scores of bullets were whizzing past them. A great number were shot down in crossing the plain, when the order was given to retire.
Spennymoor Men’s Letters (25th January 1900 Northern Echo)
Christmas Day, 1899 Colenso
Dear Father and Mother etc,
You would scarcely believe what a pleasure it is to read any letters from you. The bullets and shells were flying around us at the battle of the Tugela River on the 15th December. It was a very fine morning, and we went out about two o’clock in the morning, and we were marching till about five o’clock; then the fighting began, and it never stopped till four o’clock in the afternoon. The sun was scorching hot; it burnt the skin off our faces in some places, and the troops were almost dead for a drink of water. We were fighting all that time, with only one pint of water and nothing to eat. The sight we saw was heartrending, dead and dying were lying all over. There were over a thousand of our men killed and wounded, and over two thousand Boers. This is supposed to be one of the largest battles ever fought out here. After the fight we came in for about one hour and had a cup of cold tea and a biscuit, and went straight out again, and we were out all night on the top of a hill. The rain poured down in torrents, and we were drenched through when we came back. Again, that afternoon we had to do a ten mile march. We got no sleep for several nights, and when we did get any sleep we had to lie on the bare ground. I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and New Year’s time, for I have not. It has been a queer Christmas to me. We got up at two o’clock on Christmas morning, and we thought the Boers were coming again. At five oo’clock the cannon balls were flying all over, so you may guess what sort of a Christmas I had. Good-bye
Your loving son, Pte R Wilson, Durham Light Infantry.
The following letter has been sent to the Tudhoe Good Templars’ Lodge by Pte W Berriman, who is a member of the same lodge.
Modder River, South Africa December 29th 1899 Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am pleased to tell you that I am in good health at present. I have had some very trying times since I came out here. We have been in four engagements, and very heavy fighting there was, but I have come out all right. We lost a terrible lot of men as you will see by the papers. There is one good thing in this campaign, and that is, there is not much beer or spirit. The only place where it could be got was at Orange River, and the men had to pay 41/2d per pint for it, and they could only get one pint per day. I am pleased to tell you they got no 41/2d out of me for it, and there were a lot more that would not buy it, for there are a great number of teetotallers in the army. After we left there no more drink could be got till Christmas, and on Christmas Day they allowed one pint of beer for each man, or if preferred one pint of lime juice. There were a lot of men who preferred the lime juice before the beer. There is one thing I noticed in particular when we marched into Modder River the day after the battle, and that was, a place where the I.O.G.T. had been held, and when I saw it I thought of my own lodge, and wondered how it was going on, and just awhile after that I had two letters from you, for which I am very thankful. I only wished that I could have been with you this last Christmas time, but God has willed it otherwise, and it is God’s will be done and not ours. I hope to come out of this all right, and be with you once again, but it will be a long time, as I think the war will last a few months yet. I am very glad to hear that you held a service for the benefit of our reservists’ wives and families, as there are a lot of married men out here who have left wives and families behind them, and who will never return again. I have had three chums wounded, and one of them has died since. I was again him, poor fellow when he was shot, and I nursed him until they brought a stretcher, and as they took him away he wished me good-bye, and he died two or three days later. It’s a funny thing is this war. We have to drive the enemy out, and keep on advancing, while the bullets are flying around us, and men are dropping down all around you, and you are expecting every moment to be shot. It brings some queer thoughts into a man’s head. I can tell you there are many prayers offered up on the battlefield. The last battle we had we received a check, but we expect to wipe them out next time, although they have a very strong position. While I am writing to you the dust is blowing over the paper. Hoping to hear again from you some time.
Believe me to be, your faithful friend and brother, W Berriman, Coldstream Guards.
Was this the same W. Berriman returning from the war to a presentation from the Good Templars in 1902.
Presentation at Tudhoe (1st August 1902 Durham County Advertiser)
In connexion with the “George Dodds” Lodge of Good Templars a large gathering of members and friends assembled in the Temperance Hall, Tudhoe Colliery, to give a reception and presentation to Bro. William Berriman, of the 2nd Coldstream Guards, who has just returned from South Africa after being through the whole of the war. Bro. G H Pattinson, C.T., presided, and after a capital musical performance had been given and refreshments dispensed. Bro. Berriman was presented with a beautiful illuminated address framed in dark oak.
The address was as follows:-
To Brother William Berriman
Dear brother,
On behalf of the members of the “George Dodds” Lodge No 1045 of the Independent Order of Good Templars, Tudhoe, we desire to xxpress our thankfulness that you have been mercifully preserved from the perils of every kind that have surrounded you during your stay on active service in South Africa. We rejoice that through many temptations and trying circumstances you have been faithful to your Good Templar obligation, and have consistently kept to your temperance principles.
We trust that the same courage, devotion, and faithfulness to duty will distinguish you through lefr, that we will have again the privilege of your co-operation and fellowship in fighting the great enemy of the race, “the only enemy that England has to fear”, and that we may be helpers of one another and many others.
With all good wishes from your brothers and sisters in the Lodge, and with our earnest prayers for your future happiness and success, we beg to subscribe ourselves, yours fraternally.
Signed by the Officers of the Lodge
Brother Berriman gave a very touching reply, and referred to some very interesting incidents in the stirring times he had been through, and after other addresses and more music an inspiring meeting was brought to a close.