ISSUE 18 SEPTEMBER 2015
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Contents
20
4 Spring Clean Up
14 Town Moor
& Drainage Works
Superintendents Report
16 ITV Drama
5 Guild Meetings 6 Family Tree 8 St Mary Magdalene &
Holy Jesus Bungalows
10 Grandstand Road
Tree Planting Guildhall Plaque
17 BBC Documentary
11 Hoppings 2015
Tree Maintenance
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18 Trade Guilds History 19 Town Moor Aerial
Photography
20 Lord Mayors Parade 21 TMMC Coach Trip 11 The Coat of Arms of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne
Front cover photograph: Kevin Batey Guild swearing in photographs taken by Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne Official Photographer , Steve Brock Photography. Copies available from www.stevebrock.co.uk Tel 01912863430
Foreword A philosophy of being progressive, albeit in a traditional way, is without any shadow of doubt serving to sustain a public trust and confidence in all that we do. The Newcastle Town Moors are nationally acknowledged as a most distinctive environmental asset and I would wish to express a big thank you to the many Freemen who are
pro-active in bringing commitment to our key objectives in this regard. Further, the ongoing support and effective partnership working with Newcastle City Council is a truly complementary strength and to be very much commended. Our multi-factorial engagement and responsibilities are reflected upon in this edition of the Magazine. As ever contributions also welcomed for inclusion in future editions.
Sir Leonard Fenwick CBE Chairman, Stewards Committee
Editorial They say time passes quickly when you are busy and this has been true for the Freemen, it has been yet another busy year for us and here we are already in the late summer of 2015 with issue 18 of our magazine. This issue is the first which has been guided by our new ‘Editorial Team’ who are shown in this photo; We hope that you enjoy the insight into some of our activities presented in this issue as well as the other articles of interest. There continues to be a great demand for use of our Town Moor for a wide variety of events from Sport, Charity Runs and Fairs to TV Programme filming. The Stewards Committee continues to work to enable as much appropriate public use of the Moors whilst balancing with the need to protect the land, the environment and the facility of air and exercise in peaceful and beautiful surroundings. As always, we are happy to receive contributions from yourselves for potential inclusion in future issues. In particular items relating to current activities from your own Company would be welcomed. Edited by Freemen of Newcastle Upon Tyne Editorial Team The Newcastle Upon Tyne Freemen Magazine, Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4NL
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Devil’s Burn Nuns Moor North - Clear up. In late April of this year The Stewards Committee of the Freemen engaged with the Skill Mill, a local not for profit Social Enterprise organisation, which provides employment opportunities for young people between 16 and 18 years of age. Each cohort receives 6 months paid employment, giving them invaluable practical experience. Upon completion, students obtain a City and Guilds Level 1 certification. The work was to clear all “fly tipped and windblown” rubbish from Devil’s Burn so that the stream could then be cleared of silt and dug down back to its natural bed by our contractor. The group consisted of up to 5 youths and 1 Supervisor, who took 4 days to clear the stream. The team recovered 130 bags of rubbish, 2 push bikes, 10 vacuum cleaners along with several mattresses, carpets and other fly tipped items. Below are photographs taken before and after the work which indicate the extent of the improvements.
Before
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After
Drainage works spring 2015 During February and March of this year we began our drainage improvements programme on the main Town Moor. This programme was one of the largest we have tackled in recent years. The former Pond which had been situated at the foot of the Cow Hills has been removed and reinstated as grazing pasture. This area and the field drain systems that either fed the lake or passed through it were heavily infested with tree roots because the western end northern boundaries of the pond were heavily planted with water loving trees such as willow and alder along with a few poplars. As a result of all drains being either blocked, collapsed or infested with roots the water was forced to the surface which created a huge wet bog. This mean that around 6 acres of grazing pasture had been submerged and was of no use to the grazing animal or the local wild life populous. Town Moor Staff Billy Harland and Dave Holland commenced the works prior o our contractor, Sean Rogerson from Martin Bell Ltd, arriving on site. The stock-proof fence around the pond was removed and 50 trees were cut down to ease Mr Rogerson’s access with his plant. Once all of the tree stumps and tree roots had been removed, work on the drainage system commenced. All drains entering the site were picked up and connected into two new main drains, which were installed to take the water around both sides of the former pond. These were then connected into a 2000 litre drainage ring, which was installed at the southern end of the pond site (see pictures). Installing a ring of this size enables us to retain water and allow it to drain away at a slower speed, thus improving the impact on the eastern end of the Town Moor and Exhibition Park. The works were completed before the cattle returned to graze although the area has been fenced off and re-seeded. It is anticipated that the site will be reopened in time for next year’s grazing season.
Guild Meetings Easter Guild took place on 13th April 2015 in the Guildhall, with the Closed Guild commencing at 10.30am. Close Guild was opened with Prayers by Reverend Kevin Hunt, this was Kevin’s last attendance at Guild as he has accepted a new post in Canada; in appreciation of his service to the Freemen over many years Kevin was presented with a gift by Guild. The assembled Stewards of the various Guilds discussed a varied and lengthy set of matters relating to the full spectrum of activities and items relevant to Freemen. Open Guild commenced at 12 noon and was attended by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor George Pattison, and the ‘Acting Town Clerk’ Mr. John Softly. Following the Easter Guild the Chairman of the Freemen, Sir Leonard Fenwick made a presentation to the Lord Mayor as this was the last Guild he would attend during his term of office.
At the Closed Guild only Company Stewards are eligible to attend, however all Freemen are eligible to attend the Open Guild; it was good to see that there was a large attendance of Freemen at both Guilds. Following proceedings Sir Leonard then unveiled a Heritage Plaque which was to be mounted outside of the Guildhall to show the association of the building with the Freemen. The swearing in ceremony then took place with 22 proud new Freemen. All attendees enjoyed an excellent buffet lunch in the Merchants Hall.
Penny Marron, Coopers: Alison Barbara Lishman, Coopers: Rachel Elizabeth Colvine, Cordwainers: Niall Andrew Hunter, Cordwainers: Lee Sample, House Carpenters: Paul Sample, House Carpenters: Karen Wilkinson, House Carpenters: Mark Anthony Kenny, Joiners: Kathleen Margaret Blackhouse, Joiners: John Anthony Hogg, Masters & Mariners: Finlay Macpherson Brown, Plumbers: Hector Macpherson Brown, Plumbers: Matthew Brown, Plumbers: Ben Inglis, Shipwright: Emma Lawson, Shipwright: Graham Lawson, Shipwright: Shani Marie Bishop, Skinners & Glovers: Matthew Youll, Smiths: Karen Patricia Tunstall, Tanners: Sophie Victoria Patterson, Taylors: Georgia Amy Foggin, Taylors: John Michael Foggin, Taylors:
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Your Family Tree: how to get started It has been possible to explore your family history for many years but the internet has made it so much easier. This article attempts to help you get started.
familysearch.org which is the Mormon Church’s site. Subscription to Ancestry costs £14 per month or £120 per annum, however it can generally be accessed free at libraries.
Firstly, what is available? The compulsory registration of births, deaths and marriages (BDM) was introduced in England and Wales in 1837 and in Scotland and Ireland in 1855. All Irish records up to 1922 were all held in Dublin when unfortunately the General Record Office (GRO) was burnt down during the Civil War. Copies were held in some local offices including Belfast but Irish records are sparse. There are UK Parish Records of BDM for earlier years. These weren’t held centrally so aren’t comprehensive. Censuses have been held in the UK every ten years since 1801. 1841 is the first census to give details of households: the last one in the public domain is 1911. The 1841 census gives the names and ages of members of a household but later censuses 6 FreemenMagazine
give occupation and place of birth. There are many other records available including military, shipping lists, probate details, overseas records, press cuttings that are not covered here. There are records of Freemen. Ask your Company Steward what records are available and how you can access them. Searching records of births deaths and marriages plus censuses will enable you to draw up a family tree; the other records add flesh to the bones. Actual documents are held in GROs and city and county archives, however much of it can be accessed on line. Many websites offer search facilities but I use Ancestry.com. It is generally accepted to have the largest collection apart from
The Scottish records held on Ancestry aren’t comprehensive but more can be accessed via Scotland’s People, the website of the Scottish National Archives. To view their records you have to register and purchase credits. Some Scottish records are more comprehensive than English ones e.g. marriage certificates give the mother’s name as well as the father’s. I generally search on Ancestry then go to Scotland’s People for more detail if necessary. Parish Records are being added to websites all the time but it is a massive operation. If Parish Records are not online, they can be accessed on microfiche at local archive offices such as Woodhorn for Northumberland or Blandford Square for Tyne and Wear. And there are masses of books and magazines. Pen and Sword Books publish a series of specific titles e.g. Tracing Your Northern Ancestors. I only buy a magazine if it has something specific to my area of research. To get started, write down what you know about your
parents and grandparents i.e. name, approximate date of birth, where they lived and where they were born. Talk to older family members and get as much information as you can. You need information about someone born before 1911. Enter their details into the search field on Ancestry. Like any search engine you will be given the most probable matches first. Censuses are the most illuminating as you may find your grandfather as a child living with his family thus giving you details of his parents and siblings. Online records of births and deaths give you register numbers so you can apply for a certificate should you wish. Marriage records give details of the spouse’s surname. Parish records of births give both parents’ names. Ancestry provides links to online family trees researched by other subscribers where there appears to be a common ancestor. These can be useful and save you a lot of time but always check that it is a correct match. Copies of certificates can be purchased. Ancestry is expensive so go to the appropriate GRO. For England and Wales (gro.gov. uk) a certificate costs £9.25. I have found that birth and death certificates generally don’t add a lot but marriage certificates give the name and occupation of the woman’s father. So following from above: you have details of your grandparents’ parents then you search for them and go back a further generation and so on. Of course it’s not all straightforward. It’s said that
it is rare that someone isn’t on the census. The most common reason you can’t find them is a transcription error so search for similar names or use wild card searches. Or they may be living somewhere you’re not expecting even in prison or on a ship. Birthdates are often wrong; either by design or ignorance. First names were passed down through families, so look for patterns. This can be a curse because you will find cousins with the same name born in the same town around the same time. Scottish names are particularly prone to duplication. But with persistence it’s generally possible to trace a line back to the mid to late 18th century.
northern cities. My family the Hiscocks came from Dorset; living in Poole in 1834 but at Dents Hole Byker in 1841. There they became shipwrights. You’ll find examples of abject poverty: huge families in one dwelling, children aged ten working in mills and pits, twelve year olds sent from home to work as servants and labourers, old people dying in the workhouse. Social mobility; money made and money lost. You may find nobility or Royalty although I certainly haven’t. Matching the Freemen’s records to your family tree will help you identify Freeman relatives and shed light on how your family lived. I find it fascinating. Do give it a go and good luck.
It’s very important to record the information that you have accumulated. Books and websites describe various indexing systems. It is very easy to set up a family tree on Ancestry and, if you wish, share details of family members no longer living with other users. The system regularly gives you hints of matches with other family trees and records. Your family history will give you fascinating insights into how people lived. They moved around more than we think; the idea of an unchanging community is nonsense. There were huge migrations of people in the 19th century. The potato famine in Ireland and highland clearances in Scotland drove people to England. Mechanisation of agriculture, the Enclosures Acts and the industrial revolution led to enormous influxes of people into the FreemenMagazine 7
St Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Bungalows The Holy Jesus Hospital (HJH) was an almshouse supporting poor Freemen and their families. Many of us have ancestors who lived and died there. It was built around 1682 by the Mayor and Freemen of Newcastle on the site of an Augustine Priory. The original building is on City Road virtually underneath the Swan House roundabout having survived the redevelopment of Pilgrim Street in the 1960s. It is now the National Trust’s Regional Office and is only occasionally open to the public for example on Heritage Open Days in September.
In the 1930s the Freemen decided that the old building was no longer fit for purpose and built forty bungalows on Town Moor land off Hunters Road in the Spital Tongues area. The last Freemen moved out of the old building in 1937. St Mary Magdalene Hospital (MM) was probably established in the thirteenth century as an almshouse that cared for people suffering from leprosy and for pilgrims visiting Newcastle. By the twentieth century it had become an almshouse for the poor administered by the City Council. The two charities were merged in 1957 when further bungalows plus flats were built on the Hunters Road site. The merged charity is known as the St Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Trust. It is run by twelve trustees, three of whom are appointed by the Freemen. The charity had substantial funds when it was set up and the investment income and rents received mean that there is enough money to carry out improvements where needed. The MM accommodation has been updated over the years and there was additional building in the 1990s. There are currently 117 units of accommodation; 38 HJH and 79 MM. Ten of the MM units are especially adapted for assisted living for disabled residents. At one time there was a care home on the site but that has now closed. The site is now essentially sheltered accommodation although the Trustees and staff encourage residents to live independently. There are staff on site during 8 FreemenMagazine
the day and a security firm patrols the site at night. Residents are linked to a Community Care Alarm system. There is a handyman available to carry out repairs, help can be given with cleaning and the gardens are maintained by contractors. The Trust doesn’t provide personal care but staff will help residents to apply to the Local Authority if necessary. There are communal areas that residents can use if they wish. There is a dining room providing cooked lunches and café facilities that also acts as a social area and there is a recreation room where residents can play snooker, billiards, darts and board games. Various activities such as a film club, bingo, and trips are organised by residents, staff or the Chaplain. Residents pay a rent broadly equivalent to that they would pay in social housing (currently £71 pw). They also pay half their gas bill and the full cost of their electricity. The HJH bungalows, which are only suitable for single occupancy, have now become outdated and that part of the site is being redeveloped. The HJH bungalows will be replaced by forty nine state of the art one and two bedroomed bungalows suitable for one or two people. The work is just about to start and should be completed in two to three years. It will be carried out in stages; that is a block of the bungalows will be demolished and rebuilt, then another block and so on. While this is happening, residents will be moved into other properties on the site then returned to new HJH bungalows
All the HJH bungalows plus sixteen MM bungalows are allocated for use by Freemen but currently they only occupy around 40% of the bungalows available to them. The balance are occupied by tenants who are not Freemen. The Trustees would like to increase occupancy by Freemen. So who can apply? As the Trust is a charity, it must have a charitable purpose and this is “to support older persons of limited financial means”. Applicants for the Freemen’s accommodation have to be aged fifty or over and be a Freeman or the surviving spouse or daughter of a Freeman. Although there used to be rigid rules as to the current residence and financial standing of applicants, the Trustees have discretion in dealing with applications and treat each one on its merits. For example at one time applicants had to live within a five mile radius of St Thomas’ Church. That condition has been dropped. Applicants must not be in any form of paid employment and this means that they are generally of pensionable age, on average in their mid-70s. At one time an applicant would not be considered if their capital, including a property, exceeded £32,000. The Trustees will now consider applicants whose capital exceeds that amount if there are other factors such as social isolation or difficulty managing a current property that mean that they need support. However you would not be considered if you had sufficient capital to buy an equivalent property. The MM properties not allocated to Freemen are occupied by Newcastle residents who meet the same criteria and are generally referred by GPs or Social Services.
If you want to apply for a bungalow then your first step is to ring the office (0191 2697920) and talk to Sharon Hepple the General Manager or one of the administrative staff. They will explain to you how the Trust operates and get some basic information from you. If they think you might be a suitable applicant and you are still interested they will normally send you an application form that asks for details of your finances, current housing, medical conditions and interests and hobbies plus your reasons for applying. Sharon will then visit you at home to go through the application. Applications are then considered by the Trustees and successful applicants are entered on a waiting list. When a property becomes vacant, the Trustees consider the applicants on the waiting list and allocate the property to the one in greatest need, not the person who has been on the list for the longest. However Freemen’s bungalows are allocated to Freemen applicants. There are currently thirty names on the waiting list but most of them are MM applicants. I say they will normally send you a form because the building works have meant that no new applications are being accepted at the moment but names are being put on another waiting list. When the Trustees start considering applications again, then application forms will be issued to people on this list. It probably sounds complicated but if you or one of your relatives is interested in applying then do give Sharon Hepple and her staff a ring; it’s a great facility in a great location.
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Guildhall Plaque The Guildhall has played a major part in the history of the Freemen and the City and continues to play an important role in the activities of Freemen today.
Grandstand Road Tree Planting 2015 Grandstand Road tree line is currently approaching the end of its natural life span, unfortunately disease and ground conditions are speeding up this process for quite a number of the trees. We are working closely with the City Council’s arboriculturist’s team to draw up a new planting scheme for the avenue of trees. We met the City Council representatives during the week beginning 3rd August 2015 to discuss the removal of the dead and infected trees, and to look at new species that might thrive better in the verge and thereafter bring a little more colour and diversity to the avenue once they have become established. We are considering reducing the rows of trees from two to one, which will hopefully allow the trees to thrive better and get a stronger root hold. The species of trees we are considering planting are English Oak, Holly and particularly Dutch Elm - there is a new hardier and disease resistant variety now available. The Holly may break the vista up as well as bringing all year colour and berries for the Bird-life. Hopefully the scheme will be finalised shortly so that stock can be obtained. Once the dead and diseased trees have been removed, the new trees will be planted and should hopefully flourish in the coming years.
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Once at the heart of Governance of the City the Guildhall is the venue for the three Guild meetings per year at which the assembled Stewards of all Companies meet in Closed Guild, then in Open Guild with the Lord Mayor and Town Clerk. This is the main formal meeting of the body of Stewards with the City, a tradition going back hundreds of years. As part of their efforts to inform the public of the Heritage of the Freemen, the Stewards Committee commissioned a ‘Heritage Plaque’ for the Guildhall. The plaque was unveiled at the Easter Guild on 13th April by the Chairman of the Freemen, Sir Leonard Fenwick and was subsequently mounted on the outside of the Guildhall next to the main entrance door. The Guildhall is a grade 1 listed building so of course this work was done in conjunction with the City Council.
Hoppings 2015 This was another successful year for the Hoppings, with the Freemen of Newcastle taking a lead role. Because of the benefits apparent in 2014, despite the expense, the metal roadway was again installed ensuring that the large rides enjoyed a smooth pull-on, build up and pull off with minimal damage to the turf. A smooth pull on is vital to the success of the event and the metal road is now regarded as an essential element in enabling protection of the surface and a safe and trouble free pull-on.
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A comprehensive marketing campaign commenced several months prior to the event, including TV, Radio, Newspaper, Posters, Website, Social media (Facebook & Twitter) and for the first time the new electronic billboard over the Central Motorway.
to low cloud a scheduled freefall parachute shoot jump was cancelled, the opening ceremony had a very different look this year with armoured vehicles located at each side of the platform, a tour of both events took place.
The 2015 Hoppings opened on 19th June with the official opening taking place on Saturday 20th, the Newcastle Military Show also took place over the first weekend adjacent to the Hoppings and complemented the event.
Once again we were able to bring the very best the industry had to offer with many new attractions attending for the first time, making this premier fair the very best in the country with many of the showmen and public saying it was the best fair ever. One new initiative was to replace the music stage with a picnic area which proved very popular and we hope to develop this over the coming years. We are fortunate to have 16 showmen who volunteer as stewards and are integral to the event providing a link with the showmen’s community and Guild and assisting with any day to day issues from the tenants, for which we are very grateful.
The opening ceremony was preceded by a rousing march by the Regimental Guards band, and was attended by Chairman of the Freemen of Newcastle Sir Leonard Fenwick, Vice Chairman David Wilson representing the Freemen of Newcastle, President of the Showmen’s Guild David Wallis, Colonel Steve. Hopper TD, Assistant Comd 4 Infantry Brigade representing the Tri-Forces and Lord Mayor Councillor Ian Graham who opened the event; due
Organisation of the event starts within weeks of the
end of the previous fair, City council officers oversee the procurement of the infrastructure items such as cabins, toilets and school for the children of the showmen. The Freemen oversee the advertising and PR, site marking out and preparation, administration of the applications and allocation of the various attractions, collection of rents and liaising with the showmen. We anticipate a revenue surplus again this year, this being achieved by attracting more applications than we can accommodate and ensuring the procurement policy delivered the very best at a competitive price. Joint meetings take place throughout the year between ourselves, City officers from various departments, Police, Fire & Rescue Service, St Johns Ambulance, event security, all making up the SAG (Safety Advisory Group) all contributing to the event manual which is pivotal in the event receiving a licence and the success of the event.
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Town Moor Superintendent’s Report My main report in this issue of our magazine may be brief as I have spread items over several articles, each covering different topics in a bit more depth. Our grazing season got underway as usual on the 31st of March of this year. The early months of the season proved very cold and the ground did not warm at a pace that grass likes to grow. Hence grass growth was slow, which in turn, had an effect on the early stocking rates for our graziers. As we approached, the end of May weather conditions had warmed and the grass started to shoot away. By early June we were almost at our grazing quota for the season. On the 12th of May the Town Moor Staff and I, in conjunction with Peter Scott, retired City Council employee previously responsible for marking out the Hoppings site, started the lengthy process of preparing the Town Moor Festival site for the annual arrival of the Hoppings. The main grid was completed in two weeks, leaving our staff and I to finalise the positions for the individual attractions, and keeping the grid lines continuously cut and marked. This had to be completed by the 10th of June as 1km of aluminium roadway, was to be delivered and laid through the centre of the site, providing a suitable service road for all major rides/ equipment attending the main machine row. This is a most valuable resource as it
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protects the Moor and keeps reinstatement cost to a minimum. The weather was very kind for most of the event. Unfortunately, the heavy bursts of rain that we did receive fell at the time of day when most people would be leaving home to visit the Fair. With ground conditions so good the land absorbed all that fell upon it, a result of all the new drainage and land maintenance that has gone into the site over the last few years. The Army, Navy and Air Force held an event which ran alongside the Hoppings on its opening weekend, and this proved very popular with all who attended the Fair that weekend. The Hoppings site was vacated on the 1st of July; as ground conditions were exceptionally good, the City Council were able to get straight on with final site clearance, which was completed in a very short time. As a result, the site was left in the best condition I have ever witnessed, and I thank them for this. No sooner was the site back to “normal�, we had Cancer Research UK and their Pretty Muddy and Race for Life events on the Town Moor on the 10th of July - again the weather was very kind and both the events were very well attended, proving that, once again, our Town Moor is a very popular events site and can accommodate a wide range of events. Cancer Research vacated site on Monday 13th of July and the Northern Pride Event took control on Tuesday the 14th. Everything was in place for the Northern Front Runners 5k Race which took place on the opening Friday evening; some 550 people took part in this event. The event carried on over the Saturday and Sunday, and feedback from the Northern Pride organisers is that it was their best event to date with record attendances.
On the 17th of July, the Nuns Moor Recreation ground was used by the Muslim Community residing within the West End of our City for their Eid Prayer celebration marking the end of Ramadan. This is the 3rd consecutive year that Nuns Moor has hosted this event, starting in 2013 when around 300 people attended. This number jumped to around 1200 people in 2014, and whilst no official head count was taken, estimates suggest that over 3000 Muslims attended this year.
fence line will enhance the visual impact of the Moor and improve the sight line as people commute into our City, it will also let people know that it is Town Moor Land. I am liaising with Utility Companies regarding the services plans for this area and having agreed on the fence line route, some 700 metres of Elizabethan fencing will be installed to complete these works.
We now have a short recess in our events calendar and the Town Moor staff are now concentrating their efforts on pasture topping, and boundary strimming works to tidy the Moors and prolong the grass growth, which will in turn carry the cattle into the back end of our grazing season.
Men’s testicular cancer 5k Race (Movember) November
Events still to come Heaton Harriers Memorial Race November
New Year’s Resolution Run 1st January 2016 Kevin Batey Town Moor Superintendent.
Environmental Programme – We are installing a new Elizabethan fence around the boundary of Little Moor in Gosforth, the new
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ITV Drama The local population were a bit puzzled as to what was happening on the Town Moor when the popular drama series of Vera descended on the Town Moor, the episode for series 6 is based around a fairground and being aware of the Hoppings fair the producers made contact to request permission to set up a fairground as a film set on the Town Moor and to film the episode, saying the size of the location was ideal as the City of Newcastle skyline would be in the background. With arrangements made, one of our Hoppings tenants ‘Scott Pullen Fairs’ had arrived on site and setup his fairground on Sunday 2nd August with filming commencing from the Monday through to Sunday 9th August with the last shoot taking place at 10pm on Sunday night. Brenda Blethyn the star of series along with Kenny Doughty, Sean Gilder, Ben-Ryan Davies, Finn Atkins, Julia Ford assisted by 6 uniformed Police, 15 Fairground workers, 39 16 FreemenMagazine
Fairground customers were on set along with the entire associated infrastructure which resembled a small City which was based at the Grandstand Road entrance. Brenda said she was enjoying shooting the scenes on the Town Moor especially as the weather had been so kind. As with all commercial events the Freemen of Newcastle charity benefit from usage of the Town Moors.
BBC Documentary A year in the life of the Town Moors. BBC Radio Newcastle is currently collaborating with one of the world’s top wildlife sound recordists Chris Watson - and two local photographers - Kaleel Zibe and Jacky Longstaff - to document one year in the life of the city’s Town Moor. Capturing the sounds, sights, birds, beasts, people and events in the green lungs of the city. As well as the many sounds there are interviews by the Chairman of the Freemen Sir Leonard Fenwick, farmer Brian Manners, President of the Showmen’s Guild David Wallis, Pastor Reverend Eglestone Newcastle Pride to name but a few. This ambitious project can be followed by visiting the BBC Newcastle website, just search ‘a year in the life of the Town Moor or by using the link www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/p02vk0z2
Tree Maintenance Day to day maintenance within the Moor Bank estate includes the management of trees as can be seen with our staff member Billy Harland doing some necessary tree surgery, Billy was granted time off from his duties with the Freemen of Newcastle to complete a course and is now a qualified tree surgeon and uses his knowledge for the benefit of the Freemen. FreemenMagazine 17
Newcastle Guilds Goldsmiths
This ancient company was incorporated with the Plumbers, Glaziers, Pewterers, and Painters, in 1536, and separated from them in 1717. (fn. 2) In 1702, this society obtained an assay-master. “ In 1249, the king commanded the bailiffs and good men of Newcastle upon Tyne, to choose in full court by the oath of four and twenty burgesses, four of the most prudent and trusty of their town for the office of moneyers there, and other four like persons for the keeping of the king’s mints in that town; also two fit and prudent Goldsmiths to be assayers of the money to be made there, and one fit and trusty clerk for the keeping of the exchange, and send them to the treasurer and barons of the exchequer, to do there what by ancient custom and assize was to be done in that case. By an act of parliament, 2 Henry VI. c. 14, it was ordered how silver should be touched and marked in Bristol, Chester, Exeter, Newcastle upon Tyne, &c. Matthew Prior was sworn assayer at Newcastle in 1759; and when an attempt was made to take the office from the town, he gave evidence before the House of Commons on the subject. Being asked if he knew whether his scales were good ones, he professed his conviction that they were remarkably true. “What would cast them?” asked a member. The reply to this question was full of the shrewdness and argumentative illustration for which the man was remarkable: “Why, sir, they would be cast by one of the hairs from the back of my hand!” Another anecdote of this gentleman is told in the Newcastle Magazine for 1821:- “In one of his jovial 18 FreemenMagazine
moments, he observed that he durst do what a certain alderman in the town durst not do for his life. This came to the alderman’s ears, and he asked Matthew what was the meaning of his observation. The assay master recollected that the alderman was a person of considerable wealth, and one, as many of such men are, from whom ideas of rank and property were inseparable. ‘Sir,’ said he, ‘I dare do what you dare not do for your life. ‘The repetition of the language was still more irritating to the alderman, and he exclaimed, in a passion, ‘Well, sir, and what is it you dare do?’ ‘Why, sir,’ replied Matthew, ‘I dare spend the last sixpence I have in the world!’”
Skinners and Glovers The ancient ordinary of the Skinners’ Company is dated January 20, 1437. The names of Richard Hall, mayor, Thomas Wardell, sheriff, Roger Thornton, Robert Whelpington, Laurence Acton, Simon Weldon, and William Ellerby, aldermen, occur in it. The society were to meet on the Tuesday after Michaelmas every year, unless that festival should fall on a Monday, and then on the Tuesday sevennight following, to choose their stewards, and pass their accounts. The different orders it contained, together with others
of a subsequent date, were transcribed into their present order book, 1735. One of these forbade the use of tobacco at their meetings, under a penalty of 3d. for every offence. The Glovers, one of the bye-trades, occur in 1648 as renting part of the Skinners’ meeting-house, at the annual rent of five shillings. They appear to have been incorporated with the Skinners about the year 1703. In 1712, their meetinghouse, on the west side of the Black Friars, was repaired at their joint expense. The ordinary of the Glovers’ society, dated January 20, 1436, enjoined them to go together in procession at the feast of Corpus Christi, in a livery, and play their play at their own charge; to choose annually three stewards; that apprentices should serve seven years, on pain of forfeiting 6s. 8d. “to the light of the said craft;” that no Scotsman born should be taken apprentice, nor allowed to work in the town, under a penalty of 40s.
Town Moor Aerial Photography The Stewards Committee have commissioned a specialist firm to undertake a project to photograph the Town Moor from the air. A company called Macaw Engineering have been selected to carry out the project using highly advanced aerial photography equipment. The ‘Small Unmanned Aerial Systems’ (SUAS) referred to as “drones” can be equipped with high quality photographic and video technology, and are operated to a stringent set of standards laid out by the Civil Aviation Authority. It is expected that the photographs and videos produced will be an excellent point of reference for both Freemen and the wider population of Newcastle upon Tyne to highlight the individual moors, their topography and utilisation. It is expected that the project will commence during August/September, subject to favourable weather. Keep an eye on The Freemen of Newcastle website and social media platforms where the videos and photographs will available to be viewed and enjoyed by all.
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The Lord Mayor’s Parade 2015 This was the best attended parade for many years with 36 Freemen, most of whom were robed. The Freemen in their red and blue robes looked splendid. Winding their way towards the Cathedral accompanying the Lord Mayor of the City is an impressive sight. The Lord Mayor’s Parade has been on the calendar of the Freemen for many years and has always been a special occasion and the only time in the year when we come together with the City for the pomp and pageantry that define us as a nation. It must always be remembered that the link between the Lord Mayor’s office is very strong, next year being the 800th anniversary of the making of the first Lord Mayor of this great city, a Freeman.
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It is always good to see regulars attending but this year it was especially nice to see so many newly sworn in Freemen of both sexes enjoying the Parade. It was unfortunate that the number of Robes in stock on this occasion were insufficient, however that did not detract from the occasion. Tea and biscuits were available following the Church service giving the Freemen the opportunity, in a very informal setting, to chat with members of the public and explain what the Freemen are all about, in these days of austerity and urban sprawl they are, in the main, great supporters of the Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne. To the Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne who did not make it in 2015 make a note to attend for 2016 on Sunday May 8th.
TMMC Coach Trip The Town Moor Money Charity Coach Trip 2015 travelled to the picturesque market town of Keswick in the Lake District. The trip was well attended with around forty souls including several of the trustees. The coach set off from the front entrance of St. Mary Magdalene Hospital on Claremont Road, pausing briefly to pick up a few additional travellers outside the Central Station in Newcastle. The journey towards Carlisle took several diversions along the A69 and the B6318 ‘Military Road’, passing Chesters Roman Fort and a few other notable landmarks including the splendid Sycamore Gap. I normally travel this route by car and don’t get to see much in the way of scenery so the coach journey was particularly enjoyable. Lunch was well timed, and served at Shepherds Hotel near Carlisle. The food
and service were excellent. Keswick is a small market town at the top of Derwent Water. We were dropped off right in the middle of town and visitors had the option of visiting the famous market or just exploring the surroundings. We were drawn to the water’s edge which features an abundance of bird life and a myriad of pleasure vessels whilst a few brave, some say foolhardy, swimmers braced the chilly water. With the sun shining and a gentle breeze to blow away the cobwebs, we enjoyed an overpriced ice cream not far from the Theatre of the Lake. Tea was served at Shepherd’s in Carlisle and, as before, was uniformly excellent. The trip home was just as interesting and included a fair number of excellent photoopportunities finished off by a lengthy detour whilst circumnavigating the picturesque road works within Newcastle City Centre. FreemenMagazine 21
Diary Dates Michaelmas Guild Monday 12th October 2015
Christmas Guild Monday 18th January 2016
Held upstairs in Newcastle Guildhall (on Quayside, bottom of Dean Street)
Held upstairs in Newcastle Guildhall (on Quayside, bottom of Dean Street)
Close Court of Guild (for Company Stewards only) begins at 10.00 am. At this particular meeting the Stewards Committee is democratically elected via ballot for the ensuing year.
Close Court of Guild (for Company Stewards only) begins at 10.30 am.
Open Court of Guild (for all Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne) commences at 12 noon prompt.
You must be seated by 12 noon for the Open Guild in readiness to receive the Lord Mayor.
Open Court of Guild (for all Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne) commences at 12 noon prompt.
You must be seated by 12 noon for the Open Guild in readiness to receive the Lord Mayor.
The meeting concludes with new Freemen being called, and if present being sworn in by the Lord Mayor.
The meeting concludes with new Freemen being called, and if present being sworn in by the Lord Mayor.
Following the proceedings a buffet lunch is served in the Merchant Adventurers Court.
Following the proceedings a buffet lunch is served in the Merchant Adventurers Court.
Annual Guild Days Christmas Guild - the first Monday after 13th January Easter Guild - the first Monday after Easter Monday Michaelmas Guild - the first Monday after Michaelmas Monday (Michaelmas Monday is the first Monday after September 29th)
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Notice Board & Freemen Shop Bereavements Angela Allison Tanners Company John Armstrong Ann Irwin Shipwrights Company Ellen Ruth Turnbull Cordwainers Company Joyce Greenwell Bricklayers Company Alice Ann Oliver Gladys Fletcher House Carpenters Company
Stewards/ Junior Stewards Attending Close Guild for the first time.
Helen Burkett Cordwainers Company Donna Shrigley Tanners Company Joan Wilkinson Bricklayers Company
The Freemen of Newcastle shop is open Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne pin badges are available now. The 16mm badge depicts the armorial bearings of the City circled by the inscription “Freemen of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne”. The ever popular multi crested silk ties are back in stock. And new for the ladies - 25mm Charm, Necklaces are also available complete on a 60mm chain, both depict the armorial bearings of the City circled by the inscription “Freemen of the City of Newcastle upon Tyne”. Orders to Kevin Batey Town Moor Superintendent at Moozr Bank Lodge, payment with order by cheque payable to ‘Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne’ - the address can be found at the rear of the magazine. Ties - £27.00 Pin Badge - £3.00 Stick Pin Badge - £4.00 Charm - £6.00 Necklace - £7.00
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Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne Superintendent and Office Mr Kevin Batey, Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4NL Tel: 0191 2615970 Email: admin@freemenofnewcastle.org Website: www.freemenofnewcastle.org http://www.facebook.com/groups/ freemenofnewcastle
COPYRIGHT: Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne. PUBLISHER: Riney Publishing Limited, Sue Riney-Smith Tel: 01325 304360 Email: sue.riney@btinternet.com