9 minute read
Events
SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT
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Newcastle Town Moors cover an area of 900+ acres making it larger than Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath combined and also larger than New York City’s Central Park (843 acres) The Town Moors reach Spital Tongues to the west, the City to the south, Gosforth to the north and Jesmond to the east. Whilst tree planting is important (see below) the moors themselves act as a giant sponge providing a natural flood defence for the city as well as a safe and vital habitat for wildlife which needs grassland to thrive and survive.
Tree Planting
We have commenced an ambitious programme of tree and hedge planting projects within the Town Moors of Newcastle.
In doing so we have considered:
• The aspiration of the Freemen to ensure that we, through management of the Town Moors, play a full role in contributing to Climate Change
Mitigation. • Supporting the needs of Newcastle City
Council climate emergency declaration. • Enhancing biodiversity. • Visual impact of the Town Moors. • Providing environments to encourage and support wildlife and insects. • Enhancing wildlife corridors. • Improving the overall air quality of the city. • Supporting the development of the North
East Community Forest Three projects are currently in progress, scheduled for completion in the 2021/2022 planting season.
The projects include planting on the Town Moor at:
• Nuns Moor at Cowgate/Fouracres Road; • Nuns Moor South at Brighton Grove/
Barrack Road; • Nuns Moor South at Barrack Road/
Walter Terrace. We are delighted to continue our work with Matthew Thornhill of Newcastle City Council and Gemma McDonald and Lynsey Cordiner of Walking with the Wounded who deliver employment, mental health, care co-ordination and volunteering programmes in collaboration with the NHS to get those who served and their families whether mentally, socially or physically wounded, back on their feet and making a positive contribution once more.
Peter Tinker, Scott Fencing
Marking out the hedgerows
Cattle and Grazing
All cattle are naturally grazed, grass fed with no additional requirement for manufactured supplements. Drinking water is supplied from mains water system to ensure that there is no contamination from untreated water sources. Our staff perform daily checks on all grazing herds ensuring the daily health and welfare of all cattle. Any issues that may be identified are immediately acted upon. There is no mixing of herds to minimise the risk of any disease transmission. All cattle
In August, we installed new cattle pens on Dukes Moor.
Mother and baby are thriving
are registered via the “farm records” system and have the necessary ear tags with all movement of cattle recorded and tracked via individual cattle passports. Our facilities and systems are “Red Tractor” assured beef and lamb standards compliant, our procedures and risk assessments are all deemed to be compliant. We benefit from certified herd health plans and facilitate annual animal health and antibiotic usage reviews. Cattle are also required to be part of an ongoing disease prevention process with treatments administered prior to grazing on Town Moors.
HUNTERS MOOR
Amining bell pit collapsed on Hunters Moor near the BBC, leaving a hole 7-8 feet wide and 10-15 feet deep. The team secured the site and contacted the Coal Board to have the hole filled and made safe; and whilst this is all in a days’ work for us we’re very happy to report there were no cattle (or people!) anywhere near at the time.
STORM ARWEN
26th November will be etched on the minds of all North Easterners as Storm Arwen swept through and devastated many areas with gusts of wind up to 95mph. The wall between Moor Bank Lodge and the Dog and Cat shelter was badly damaged and sadly, we lost a number of trees on the Town Moors and Moor Bank gardens. Making the areas safe was our first priority followed by a major scale clearance exercise to remove damaged trees and debris.
A COMMENDABLE ACHIEVEMENT
by Dr Peter Blenkinsop (Coopers)
On 17th July, in blistering 30c heat, my son Adam Blenkinsop (Coopers Company), completed a gruelling 34.76 mile sponsored coastal hike, with 10 other companions, in just over 12 hours, to raise money for East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.
The statistics are quite staggering! Almost 6000 calories burnt, equivalent to 3 times the average recommended daily calorie intake; over £3000 raised in sponsorship; an average walking speed of just under 3 miles per hour throughout each of the 12 hours.
Adam is shown giving the thumbs up at the end. I am of course sworn to secrecy as to how many barrels were needed to ensure the recovery of the 11 stalwarts who completed the hike!
THE TANNERS
AND THE TAXMAN
by Robert C Glass
Some readers will still recall the turmoil brought about by decimalisation in 1971, but despite the challenges this dramatic change in currency brought about at the time, 50 years on, we now take those 100 pennies in every pound completely for granted.
However, it’s worth sparing a thought for the Freemen, who for many centuries had to contend with all manner of confusing legal tender to balance their books and keep the tax man happy, and all without a calculator in sight!
Most of the ancient trades of the guilds of Freemen existed in a time of great economic turbulence which included the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII between 1536 and 1541. This to the guild of Tanners was a very challenging period, as it was formed in 1532 and they therefore had to agree to the registration rules of commerce that existed at that time.
The Tanners were first registered as one of nine other companies and strangely were called ‘Mysteries’, however, were later incorporated into a larger company to become first the guild of Barkers and then the guild we are all familiar with - the Tanners. The Barkers traded by stripping the bark off trees (probably for mulch to be used in agriculture) and the Tanners by using already skinned animal skins to make leather.
There was always demand for high quality leather to meet the urgent requirement for saddles, bridles, boots, shoes and tunics and literally nothing went to waste, with every inch of the skins being used. Even the off-cuts were soaked for months, and the residue would become a very sticky mass which was sold in the marketplace as glue. The lengthy process of curing animal skins and making glue was an extremely odious operation because one of the main curing agents was copious amounts of human urine - this would likely explain why most tanneries were situated far away from the town centre!
In the early centuries even the different guilds of Freemen could not escape the watchful eye of the weights and measures inspector (or the taxman). One of the measures that were adopted was called a Fother, also known as a Fozer or a Fodder. How a weight of Fother was achieved was quite extraordinary; in the absence of weighbridges, it was one cart load of goods. Even coal was measured via the same principle, and it had to be heavy enough to be pulled forward by one horse. Three loads pulled one at a time equated to the value of one Chaldron. The accuracy of such a measure is questionable, as it would surely depend on the size of the cart and how strong the horse was!
As with any business, taxes had to be paid and the guild of Freemen was no exception. Books or ledgers were diligently maintained so accurate profit and loss could be calculated, and profitability (or otherwise) could be determined. Compared to today, bookkeepers and accountants must have had an arduous task as they had to deal in pounds, shillings, pence and even half pence.
One pound would be equal to:
• 960 x Farthing • 480 x Half pennies • 240 x One pennies (exactly the same as in Tudor times where 4 Tudor pennies =one
Groat)
• 80 x Three penny pieces (thrup’peny bit) • 40 x Sixpenny piece (Sometimes called a Tanner – but nothing to do with the guild) • 20 x shillings (also known as a bob)
• 10 x two-shilling piece (two
Bob and sometimes called a
Florin)
• 8 x Two shillings and sixpence (Half a crown but locally called half a dollar)
• 2 x Ten-shilling notes
Finally, just to complicate matters further, there was a coin called a Guinea that was circulated in 1717. Its gold content achieved a value of 21 shillings, but this was replaced in 1814 by a new gold coin called a Sovereign, this disappeared from circulation in England in 1917.
Thankfully, today our legal tender is a great deal simpler and since February 1971, the guinea and a myriad of these other confusing coins have disappeared from circulation and slipped into the shadows of history – a sensible move that even the tax man (or woman) would surely approve of!
BIRD BOX PROJECT
When Storm Arwen battered the North East on Friday 26th November, we doubted that the bird box project could go ahead. Our future Freemen showed their grit and determination when they showed up at Moorbank Lodge as planned, at 11am on Sunday 28th November. After a short briefing from Vice Chairman Nick Atkinson who arranged and organised the event, and local ornithology expert John Jobling, the team set about creating and siting their bird boxes. The bird box project demonstrates the Freemen’s continuing commitment to biodiversity and wildlife. Additionally, this was a pathfinder project to engage more with members, bringing the work of the Freemen of Newcastle to a new generation, ensuring its future in the years to come. Huge thanks to Kevin Batey for prepreparing the kits and to Danielle Batey for much needed hot drinks. Nick told us “It was amazing to see so many engaged future Freemen and their parents asking so many relevant questions” In addition to helping us maintain and repair around 15 – 20 miles of Town Moor boundary fencing, we are very grateful to Peter Tinker of Scott Fencing for donating the wood for the bird boxes, as well as the stakes for the tree planting initiatives. This project was a huge success, so we hope to hold more events giving Freemen
an opportunity to “make a difference” and get involved in our many and varied projects. We are especially keen to involve our young people to build pride in their heritage as Freemen of the City. Contact us at admin@freemenofnewcastle. org if you have any ideas for future projects and if you would like to get involved.
