ISSUE 24 AUGUST 2019freemenofnewcastle.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Issue...18 - 19 St Mary Magdalene And Holy Jesus Trust 20 - 21 Richard Hill, Chaplain Retires 22 - 23 The Hoppings

ISSUE 24AUGUST 2019

Freemen Magazine Freemen Magazine2

Cover photo by kind permission of Steph Powells and courtesy of David Wilson. Hoppings, Guild Swearing in Official Photographer Steve Brock Photography. Copies available from www.stevebrock.co.ukSpecial Thanks to Valerie Moody MBE for access to the Town Moor Fair School and for extracts taken from her booklet “It’s a Fair Kind of Life”. and to article contributors, Barbara Nesbit, Ian Miller, Jim Johnson, Nick Atkinson, Angus Lunn, Gary Annan, Newton Shipley, and David Brookbanks.

CONTENTS 4 - 5 The Annual Lord Mayor’s Parade 6 - 7 Sir John Marlay And The Siege Of

Newcastle 8 Lead The Way 9 Newcastle Parks And Allotments Trust 10 - 11 Famous Freemen 12 - 13 Future Freeman 14 - 15 Spotlight On 15 Pretty Muddy & Race For Life 2019 16 - 17 Town Moor Superintendent’s Report 18 - 19 St Mary Magdalene And Holy Jesus Trust 20 - 21 Richard Hill, Chaplain Retires 22 - 23 The Hoppings 137th Year 24 Coconuts, Clarts And Candyfloss 25 The Town Moor Fair School 26 The Old Tyne Bridge 27 Visitors Tales 28 - 29 The Angus Family 30 Christmas And Easter Guilds 31 Notice Board 25

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FOREWORDOur long established responsibility in relation to the guardianship and day to day operational management of the nationally renowned Town Moor very much the ‘city lung’ and all this entails does and more than ever before need to be mindful of

the ever evolving ‘climate change’ challenge with this asset being so strategically sited in the heart of our fine city. Whether resident here in the North East or elsewhere in the United Kingdom or indeed in any other part of the world do not hesitate to stay in touch and express an opinion as to the environmental considerations we shall need to bear in mind in looking to the future.

This year, the Town Moor Herd is enjoying freedom across the respective grazing swards and also established annual public events including the nationally renowned Hoppings are flourishing.

Also the recently constructed Holy Jesus Bungalows as part of the St Mary Magdalene estate are coming into use and plans are being further drawn up to enhance the agricultural base of the Moor Bank Estate.

May I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the publishing ‘refresh’ now being facilitated by Helen, a member of the Stewards Committee and Cordwainers Company.

Sir Leonard Fenwick CBEChairman of the Stewards Commitee

EDITORIALOur sincere thanks to everyone who gave us positive feedback on our last issue, it’s very much appreciated. We have a dedicated band of Freemen volunteers on our Editorial Team who strive to bring you interesting and informative stories about our rich heritage and our busy schedule for the coming months; any comments, suggestions and offers of help will be most enthusiastically taken on board. Back in May, we wrote out to all Senior Stewards to invite Freemen to join us as designated reporters. We did this to ensure a fair and even spread of news and stories across the Companies and also as part of the drive to get younger members of our Freemen community involved. Some of you will not have had your Head Meetings yet this year, so we urge you to raise this and get involved. Two such volunteers are Rachael Heron (Ropemakers) and Tracy Kenny (Tanners) and we are delighted to welcome them onto the Editorial Team.

Having listened to your requests to find out more about the Stewards Committee, you will find various insights into our work throughout this issue.

Also in this issue, we cover the changes taking place within the St Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Trust, we take a look into the very busy lives of our Team at Moorbank Lodge as well as features on Famous Freemen, the Hoppings and a Spotlight On Newton Ridley of the Millers Company who has a fascinating and inspiring story to tell. Continuing with our emphasis on future Freemen, we invite you to meet the charming Grace and Sizzle Atkinson who are doing sterling conservation work in Jesmond Dene.

If you would like to be part of the Editorial Team or simply send us a Freemen related story, article or photograph, we would love to hear from you. Details of how to contact us are on the back cover, or you could take look at our comprehensive website.www.freemenofnewcastle.org


On 12th May, in glorious spring sunshine, the Freemen of the City of Newcastle joined the Lord Mayor, Councillor David Down for a short parade followed by the annual service at the magnificent St Nicholas’s Cathedral.

Canon Steven Harvey extended a very warm welcome to the Freemen, describing the ancient tradition of the Parade and celebrating the long-standing, successful collaborative working between the City and the Freemen.

Keith Hall from the Stewards Committee delivered the first reading and Canon Clare MacLaren gave a highly entertaining

sermon incorporating the important conservation responsibilities of the Freemen as guardians of the Moors.

The annual Parade demonstrates a strong and enduring bond between the Church, the City and the Freemen and represents a tradition going back hundreds of years. All Freemen are encouraged to attend to keep this valuable tradition alive.

THE ANNUAL LORD MAYOR’S PARADE

Lord Mayor, Councillor David Down with

Chairman, Sir Leonard Fenwick and members of

the Stewards Committe

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For those with mobility issues, the Parade is a short walk from the side entrance of the Cathedral to the front door then down the aisle to the front where seats are reserved especially for us. It is wheelchair accessible. The Cathedral has a play area for younger children and the choir is so exquisite it had even the most hardened Freemen close to tears.

Gathering in the “Robing Room”

Many thanks to all those who joined us this year, and especially those, like Steph Powells (Ropemakers) featured on our front cover, who turned the event into a family affair, bringing their children along and starting their journey as future Freemen at an early age.


Sir John Marlay or Marley was Mayor of Newcastle upon Tyne on six occasions in 1637, 1641-44 and 1661. He is best known for his defence of the town on behalf of the King in the Civil War. This led to the town being given the motto “Fortiter Defendii Triumphans” i.e. Triumph by Brave Defence”

John Marlay was of course a Freeman as all Mayors were at that time. His father William was also a Freeman; a Merchant Adventurer and a Hostman. John was born in 1590 and was initially an alehouse keeper but became a Merchant Adventurer, joining the company in 1624 and a Hostman by 1636. He owned collieries and was said to be worth £4,500, so very wealthy. Before becoming Mayor he had been a Sherriff and an Alderman so was involved in politics for much of his adult life. He was strongly anti-Presbyterian although not a Catholic.

John Marlay was knighted in 1639 for his support for King Charles I in the Bishops War; a conflict that was a precursor to the Civil War. Charles had succeeded his father James I in 1625 and had continued to attempt to anglicise the Presbyterian Church in Scotland. In 1639 Charles unsuccessfully tried to achieve this end by force. After some inconclusive skirmishes, a truce was agreed at Berwick. However trouble flared up again in 1640 and the Scots

led by General Leslie (later Lord Leven) moved swiftly through Northumberland and defeated a smaller English army at the Battle of Newburn. The English Army withdrew and the Scots occupied Newcastle. There was little resistance, partly because the Mayor at the time, Robert Bewick had Puritan sympathies.

The Scots’ main purpose in occupying Newcastle was to get their hands on the coal. The King was using taxes raised on the sale of coal to fund his attempts to circumvent Parliament and the Scots wanted the money to fund their own military endeavours. They occupied Newcastle and

SIR JOHN MARLAY AND THE SIEGE OF NEWCASTLE

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Hostmen like John Marley, as well as other colliery owners, were severely out of pocket. Newcastle had to meet a huge bill for the maintenance of the 2,000 Scottish troops billeted there and there was inevitably much disruption to people’s lives. The Scots left after a year.

By the time the Civil War proper began in 1643, the town was being run by a staunch Royalist; Sir John Marlay the Mayor. Newcastle was one of only two large towns on the Royalist side, the other being Kings Lynn. Despite having had disagreements with the King regarding taxes on coal, Puritans were thin on the ground in Newcastle and memories of the occupation by the Scots, who were on Parliament’s side, were fresh and painful so Newcastle sided with the King.

Sir John had ensured that the town’s defences were strengthened; new forts had been built outside the walls at Sandgate and Shieldfield, the ditch around the town was deepened and vessels sunk in the river to block access. By the time the Scottish Army arrived again in February 1644, the Earl of Newcastle had left with his Royalist troops to join the King’s army in Yorkshire and Sir John was left with 1,500 men to defend the town. The Scots were again led by Lord Leven and again they approached via Newburn. Requests for the town to surrender were given short shrift by Sir John. The Scots left a besieging force at Newcastle while most of their troops headed to Marston Moor where the King was defeated in July 1644. In August attention turned to Newcastle again as no coal was being sent to London. The siege intensified with bombardments and attacks on the forts. Still Sir John and his supporters refused to surrender. At one point he was said to have moved Scottish prisoners to the tower of St Nicholas Church to protect it from destruction. Eventually in October the Scots mined the walls but still Sir John

refused to surrender. The Scots stormed the town on 19 October and Sir John and his garrison fought them hand to hand in the streets then retreated into the Keep. After three days he surrendered on the promise of mercy for himself and his men.

The promise of mercy was kept but Sir John was banished and lived for some time in the Netherlands. His collieries were sold and he was reduced to penury. In 1658 he offered to sell Oliver Cromwell details of Royalists’ plans for the restoration of Charles II, for £100 plus the right to return home. He was allowed to return although he didn’t receive any money. It was unsurprisingly seen by many as an act of treason.

After the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II implemented a policy of reconciliation, not wishing to emulate his father, and Sir John was elected MP for Newcastle in 1661 and also became Mayor again in that year. His reputation however never recovered and his Parliamentary career was undistinguished. But by 1665 he was prospering financially; Hearth Tax records show that his house had more than ten hearths when the average for Hostmen was 5.7. He died in 1673 aged 83 and was buried in St George’s porch of St Nicholas Church, now the Cathedral.

He isn’t commemorated to any great extent in Newcastle. Atkinson Road Technical College had its name changed to John Marley School when it moved to new premises and had a house named Hostmen, but that school closed some years ago. His portrait can be seen in the Laing and this is one of the statues on the façade of 45 Northumberland Street (formerly Boots).


The privilege of being guardians of the Town Moor comes with significant responsibility. The right to “air and exercise” for the benefit of residents and visitors is entrenched in law; this right needs to sit comfortably along-side our grazing responsibilities. There should be no reason why – with a little consid-eration and respect - walkers, joggers, dog walkers and cattle shouldn’t share the space in perfect harmony.

However, it would seem that common sense isn’t always that common, so we now display signage to remind people to keep their dogs on leads at all times when walking the Moors to ensure peo-ple, dogs and cattle are kept safe.

There are on-the-spot fines of £85 for non-compliance if your dog is not on a lead and £75 if you don’t pick up dog waste.

As Freemen, we should be the exem-plars, so please enjoy our beautiful Town Moor in safety and keep your dog on a lead – and don’t forget your poo bags!

LEAD THE WAY David Wilson – Vice Chairman of the Stewards Committee with Poppy and Olive

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NEWCASTLE PARKS AND ALLOTMENTS TRUSTYou will recall in our last issue, we brought you news of the new Newcastle Parks and Allotments Trust. The current Freemen Allotment sites and Town Moors are managed directly by the Freemen and are not included in those for which the Trust has responsibility. Four allotment sites currently managed by Newcastle Parks and Allotments Trust will move to the Freemen in April 2020. We continue to work closely together in the best interests of the city.The Newcastle Parks and Allotments Trust is the new independent charity responsible for the management and upkeep of the city’s 33 parks and 64 allotment sites (these do not include Freemen managed sites). Launched in April 2019, it is the first of its kind in the country and a new, innovative approach to securing the long-term future of Newcastle’s parks and allotments. Led by Chief Executive James Cross - former Chief Executive of Natural England - Newcastle Parks and Allotments Trust is committed to working in partnership with the people of Newcastle to provide beautiful and vibrant spaces for visitors of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to enjoy. It will improve the quality of the city’s parks and allotments by continually investing in them for the benefit of local communities. Income from the parks will be reinvested so they become self-sustainable and remain free to enter and enjoy.

Building relationships and working closely with volunteers and groups who share a passion for Newcastle’s parks and allotments, the Trust will create opportunities for local people to collaborate and improve the experience of visiting the city’s shared spaces. It has an open door policy to anyone that wants to contribute to their future development. The Trust will also build close relationships with organisations and businesses in the city, including the Freemen of the City of Newcastle, to support investment in Newcastle’s parks and allotments. As part of its role, Newcastle Parks and Allotments Trust will deliver exciting events; arts, cultural and educational activities, as well as opportunities for sport, exercise and play to add to the experiences on offer in the city’s parks and allotments, giving local communities the chance to come together, get involved and be proud of where they live. Protecting the environment and the city’s thriving wildlife population will remain a priority. For more information about NewcastleParks and Allotments Trust, visitwww.newcastleparksandallotments.org.uk.


When reading issue 23 of the Freemen Magazine, Angus Lunn (Bricklayers) was surprised and delighted to find a picture of his grandfather Sir George Lunn with King

George V and Queen Mary at the opening ceremony of the Tyne Bridge in 1928.George was a larger than life, hugely influential character in Newcastle in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. George’s father, John Ramsey Lunn was a promi-nent builder in Newcastle but George be-came a shipowner, when his older brother James took over the family business.George was elected Lord Mayor of Newcastle three times from 1915 – 1918, during the turbulent WW1 years, earning himself a Knighthood by his third term for “services to the State”. George was a very strong advocate for education and was elected Chairman of the City’s Education Committee; a post he held for 34 years until his death in 1939. He oversaw the building of several schools, including Hea-ton Secondary School. George chaired the National Association of Education Committees of England and Wales, and was an active member of the Board of Governors for the Royal Grammar School – the school he had attended himself years before.

FAMOUS FREEMENSir George Lunn’s grandchildren – with Angus, the youngest sitting on the piano

Sir George Lunn

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According to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, his achievements in the field of education came to be known “throughout the World”

George was a staunch Wesleyan Meth-odist, becoming a lay preacher at the age of 21. He maintained strong links with the Newcastle Brunswick Chapel and his funeral service was held there. Indeed,

Angus’s parents met at the chapel and by happy co-incidence, the Bricklayer’s Company hold their meetings there.George’s equally “colourful” brother James was Chairman of Newcastle United in 1930s, until 1941 and had the dubious honour of seeing them beat Arsenal in the 1932 cup final but get relegated to the old second division before World War Two.Many thanks to Angus Lunn for sharing his family history.

King George V and Queen Mary in 1928 at Heaton Secondary School, shortly after its opening.Sir George – responsible for the building of the school - is walking just behind them

Alderman James Lunn with the triumphant Newcastle United team following their FA Cup victory in 1932

Sir George sharing a joke with King George VI


Nick Atkinson (Ropemakers), a member of the Stewards Committee since 2014, and his 7-year-old daughter Grace have been assisting Northumbrian Water as part of their “Volunteer Water Ranger” initiative for over 2 years. The scheme was introduced by Northumbrian Water 5 years ago as an opportunity to maintain the water quality in rivers, streams, becks and burns across the region stretching from the borders down to Teesside.

The Water Rangers scheme sees volunteers patrolling predetermined ‘public access’ routes within areas that need a little extra attention on a weekly or fortnightly basis. While they are on their walk, Water Rangers report on the condition of the water course so that any potential issues

can be resolved as soon as possible. Clean river and bathing water is a vital resource for our ecosystems, commercial activities, recreation and fisheries. To date over 5,000 patrols will have taken place by volunteers on their specific routes with over 300 issues being reported to Northumbrian Water allowing swift action to be taken if necessary.

The Water Rangers act as the eyes and ears of Northumbrian Water who value their commitment and effort patrolling our miles of waterways in all weathers.

Nick commented “I was born and bred in Jesmond, Jesmond Dene was my playground as a child and I spent many days plodging in The Ouseburn. When I heard that Northumbrian Water were

FUTURE FREEMAN IS NORTHUMBRIAN WATER’S YOUNGEST WATER RANGER

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seeking volunteers to assist them in monitoring water quality in this area, I was keen to get involved. My daughter Grace and her miniature dachshund “Sizzle” are in Jesmond Dene most Sundays therefore being able to get involved was easy. We patrol the Ouseburn from the top end of Jesmond Dene to where it enters the Tyne at by Byker Farm looking at certain assets including sewage outlets, gullies, weirs and overflows. The Ouseburn is in much better condition than it was in previous years due to the significant improvements in sewage treatment and the reduction in pollution from heavy industry.

Northumbrian Water have really taken to Grace and Sizzle and we have become the faces of the Volunteer Water Ranger scheme frequently being interviewed for schemes and initiatives to publicise and share the great work that the Water Rangers perform up and down the region. Grace was welcomed to the scheme as the youngest Water Ranger and even Sizzle was given her own ID badge! Grace loves being involved, and she is learning valuable life skills at an early age that may not be covered by the national curriculum; she is aware of the importance of clean drinking and bathing water as well as what can and can’t be flushed down the loo!

When we come across something that needs reporting to Northumbrian Water, we have a dedicated hotline to their pollution team that operates around the clock to ensure a swift response, we log our route walks to ensure that all areas are covered. We had to report an incident on our very 1st route walk after completing our training. Not a direct pollution incident, but an illegal rave taking place in a culvert under Byker Bridge! Not what we expected, but the contact centre engaged with Northumbria Police and I’m sure that we did, indirectly, prevent a potential pollution incident. There were commercial batteries and generators being transported into the culvert and I’m sure that diesel or battery acid could have ended up in the Ouseburn and then the River Tyne.

If you value the importance of our waterways and enjoy being out and about, I would encourage those interested to get involved with the Water Ranger scheme and visitwww.nwl.co.uk/your-home/environment/water-rangers.aspx or e-mail [email protected] for more details”


On Monday 29th and Tuesday 30th December 1941, during a particularly aggressive enemy attack, ten bombs were dropped in Newcastle, mostly in Matthew Bank and Keyes Gardens.

Seven people were killed, a number seriously injured and in one house which suffered a direct hit, an eight-year-old boy was found hanging upside down by his foot, which had to be amputated to free him. This boy was Newton Shipley of the Millers Company. Fortunately, he made a full recovery and eight years later, in 1950, he was awarded the Scouts VC (Cornwall Badge) for his bravery on that night. The scouting “VC” is awarded“In recognition of his high standard of character and devotion to duty under great suffering”Newton’s house was destroyed by the German bomb and his rescuers told him he was very brave as they dug him out, to which he replied “Of course, don’t you know I’m a Wolf-Cub?” Both of his legs were shattered, one of which had to be amputated below the knee.

SPOTLIGHT ON…NEWTON SHIPLEY

Bomb damaged Matthew Bank

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He returned to his cub pack on crutches and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a Sixer, then a First-Class Scout after a 16-mile trek carrying a full back-pack. He played centre forward in their football team and turned out for the cricket team.

Since then, Newton has led a busy and active life, never allowing his disability to become an issue. He was a successful Business and Accountancy Manager, played tennis for several years and was a very keen golfer for 65 years, becoming Chairman and President of his local golf club.

For 5 years, Newton ran the British Amputee Golf Championships which took him and his late wife Chris, on many amazing journeys, most notably from the East Coast

Newton Shipley as a Boy Scout

of America to the West. One of his most enduring and gratifying memories is organising five-day golf tournaments in the Midlands, involving over 100 people, including around 25 Americans. In his own understated way, he describes these as “happy days”

These days, Newton leads a quieter pace of life, enjoying his beautiful garden…and the occasional cruise!

We were delighted once again, to host the 2019 Cancer UK Pretty Muddy and 5K Race for Life on 13th and 14th July.

The Pretty Muddy 5k is a fun-filled muddy obstacle course entirely contained within the Town Moor and Exhibition Park. Participants scrambled over the A-frame, crawled through the mud pit, bounced on the space hoppers and had a great time while raising valuable funds for Cancer Research UK’s lifesaving work.

The 5K Race for Life begins on the Town Moor, heading into Exhibition Park and continuing along the Great North Road

before returning to the Town Moor. A small section runs along Grandstand Road before participants return to the event site on the Town Moor where they finish to cheers, laughter and sometimes a few tears from friends and family.

PRETTY MUDDY & RACE FOR LIFE 2019


Moorbank LodgeDemolition company Thompson’s turned up on schedule to clear the greenhouses and outbuildings at Moorbank Lodge, work is well under way – despite an initial hiccup when on arrival they thought they were removing the house and offices. It’s a good job we were around when they arrived

to rectify that small error! Prior to commencement, Stewards Committee member Chris Atkinson carried out a salvage review and was able to recover quite a few plumbing items to be used on the Hoppings and running repairs on the cattle troughs.

Summer events scheduleOur Events Team have been especially busy his summer. Planning for the Hoppings starts many months in advance and we are very pleased to report that marking out the site, cutting the grass, laying the aluminium flooring, fitting water taps, security, parking and helping to “pull-on and pull-off” the wide variety of trucks went very well – helped in part by the fine weather.Once again, we provided on-site support for the duration of the Hoppings Fair, which was commended by the Showmen. Special thanks go to Stewards Committee members Jim Johnson, David Wilson and Harry Alder for their massive contribution to the success of this year’s event.The weather continued to favour us for the Cancer UK Pretty Muddy and 5K Race for Life events on the Town Moor and Exhibition Park in July. This meant

TOWN MOORSUPERINTENDANT’S REPORT

Moorbank gardens after demolition

Moorbank Botanical Gardens before demolition

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that setting up and clearing away kept to schedule and we can report that these events were well organised and highly successful.

Maintenance and repairsGrass cutting and rubbish clearing are ongoing on all Moors as expected.We are 100% on top of our core business targets. We continue to keep a close eye on climate control and bio-diversity issues in order to fulfil our responsibilities regarding emerging environmental initiatives and reducing the City carbon footprint. Blue House damaged gate pillars have been re-sited and bedded in. Wooden gates have been refitted and the perimeter wall has been repaired.All fencing has been inspected and repaired or replaced as appropriate.

Discussions regarding the diversion of Devil’s Burn at Montague Avenue are ongoing with the City Council, we will report progress at Guild.

Cattle and GrazingThe total stints for the 2019 grazing season were as follows, Nuns Moor South 30, Nuns Moor Central 55, Castle Leazes 40, Dukes Moor 25, Town Moor 205, Nuns North 94, Hunters moor 40 total 489.Our 2019 strategy was to buy high quality Cattle from a trusted local supplier, 10 cows and 30 heifers were purchased in April to graze Hunters Moor, and they continue to thrive giving confidence that they should return a profit. We have had 2 calves born on the Moors, and for safety reasons within 24 hours, both mothers and their calves were moved back to the respective grazier’s farm.During the season, as cattle mature, they are sent to market; 115 cattle were removed in June, making this a particularly busy time for our staff.


A very special thank-you goes to Keith Hall, who after 20 eventful years as a Director of the St Mary Madgdalene and Holy Jesus Trust, has decided to retire from this position. Keith has made a significant and invaluable contribution and we are happy to report that he will continue to be an active member of the Stewards Committee taking particular responsibility for the Town Moor Money Charity.

Keith’s mother lived very happily in the Holy Jesus bungalows in the 70’s and 80’s; more recently his sister lived there, so he has every reason to have a great affinity and affection for the complex.

Keith has seen many changes over the last 20 years; for example, in 1999, all of the old Holy Jesus bungalows were occupied by Freemen and Freemen’s widows. Today, only 10 of the new bun-galows are occupied by Freemen.

His favourite job as a Trustee was to vis-it residents, he found this most reward-ing and made many friends over the years, but perhaps his finest achieve-ment as a Trustee was to lead the working party overseeing the demolition of 30 old Holy Jesus Bungalows and the construction of 49 brand new “state of the art” bungalows.

As expected, with a project of this

magnitude and complexity, there were many highs and lows over the four- year construction period, however, we are delighted to report that the end product is first class.

Paul Anderson and Alan Bainbridge from the Stewards Committee have been re-elected onto the Trust and Helen Birkett will fill Keith’s vacancy. Further ambitious ideas are in the planning stages and when plans are firmed up, we will report these at Guild. In the meantime, applications are invited from all Freemen who would like to be considered for the new Holy Jesus bungalows.

ST MARYMAGDALENEAND HOLYJESUS TRUST

David and Margery enjoying the view from the garden

Keith Hall Stewards Committee

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In case you’re wondering if this is for you, meet David and Margery Annan; the latest Freemen tenants of the new bungalows. David (Tanners Company) was concerned they may not qualify for a bungalow as they were previous-ly living in their own property. Besides, having lived in their home for 45 years and raising their children there, Mar-gery was understandably reluctant to leave all of her memories behind.

After he suffered a nasty fall, David found stairs a real problem and they were both struggling with the main-tenance demands of a two-storey, 3 bedroom house, so with the full sup-port of their medical professionals and excellent practical assistance from St. Mary Magdelene and Holy Jesus Trust General Manager Sharon Hepple, they completed the application process, were approved by the Board and moved into their new bungalow in November 2018.

They’ve never looked back!The bungalow is state-of-the-art. All of the rooms are spacious and well designed, the sink is lowered for wheelchair access, the hob is on a winder to adjust it to the right height, the doors are wider for wheelchairs and buggies, there are lots of cup-boards and because the bungalow is brand new, there is no DIY for David – a Godsend for Margery!

They have beautifully kept gardens front and back, where they can sit and enjoy the world go by. On Fridays, David and his son Gary enjoy fish and chips in the on-site dining room.

Every now and then, a neighbour will ask if they need anything and David and Margery are very happy to return the favour. David is one of 13 chil-dren and was delighted to learn that

Handyman Paul remembers three of his brothers: Jackie, Matty and Hughie from their time at Holy Jesus.

Perhaps the most important features for their family are the alarm equip-ment linked to a 24 hour response centre and an evening security patrol which gives them peace of mind that Mum and Dad are safe and secure.

David and Margery are the first tenants to be accepted on social and medical grounds rather than on a financial basis.

If you would like to know more about how to apply for a bungalow, please contact Sharon Hepple on0191 2697921 or email:[email protected]

David and Margery in their new bungalow


Deciding what to keep and what to throw away is high on Richard Hill’s itinerary just now, for after 13 years, on Easter Sunday, he retired from his much-loved job as Chaplain of the St Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Trust and is moving to pastures new.

Richard has seen many changes over the years – good and bad - and has thrown himself into this community, making sure he was always available for anyone who needed him, regardless of faith. He soon learned that you can’t please all of the people all of the time – but it’s never stopped him trying!

After a conversation with a resident who told him she was sad that she could no longer visit the theatre, Richard set up the “Out and About” initiative. This was an extremely popular group who would have monthly meetings to generate ideas and organise a wide variety of activities, providing opportunities for anyone who couldn’t or wouldn’t go out alone, to once again enjoy trips in the company of like-minded people. “Out and About” enabled people to get to theatres, concerts and day trips such as Hexham market, Durham, Cragside, Holy Island and many

RICHARD HILL, CHAPLAIN OF ST MARY MAGDALENE AND HOLY JESUS TRUST RETIRES

Richard with his “flock” at his last official service on Easter Sunday

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more places that would have been otherwise inaccessible.

Richard also set up the fortnightly Film Club, an opportunity for residents to mix, mingle and catch up with the latest films, and his quizzes at Trust-led social occasions earned him the reputation as a hard quiz master! In spite of the many and varied activities on offer, he notes with some amusement that the best way to find out all the gossip, was to join in the conversations at the bus stop!

In addition to his Sunday services in the beautiful chapel, Richard also runs occasional services, such as Christmas Carol services, Good

Friday and Easter services, and has arranged for a Remembrance book to be sited in the chapel, bearing the names of departed residents. This means that he can use his Remembrance Services to remember those we lost in conflict – and also departed friends and neighbours from the Holy Jesus and Mary Magdalene community. Richard provided pastoral care for anyone who requested it, issued a regular Chaplain’s newsletter and he was often asked by the families to preside over funerals.

Richard is a well-respected member of the team at St Mary Magdalene and Holy Jesus Trust and has always been keen to help with any of the organised events. Richard speaks with a great deal of affection and admiration for the team he has worked with, especially the hard work General Manager, Sharon Hepple has done building links between the Trust and Dame Allan’s Junior School.

With some sadness, Richard has noticed that interest in group activities has dwindled but he’s hopeful that when people who were moved from their previous homes adjust to their new surroundings and when the remaining Holy Jesus bungalows are filled, people will want to start mixing again.

On behalf of the Freemen of the City of Newcastle, the Stewards Committee thank Richard for 13 years of dedicated service and wish him a long and happy retirement.


On 21st June, the 137th annual Hoppings opened on Newcastle Town Moor and reinforced the particularly strong bond between the Freemen, the Lord Mayor, the City Council and the Show community. The Showmen, as always, extended a very warm welcome and generous hospitality to all Freemen who attended the Opening ceremony.

THE HOPPINGS 137TH YEAR

It’s Showtime!

The Showman’s Guild, Lord Mayor Councillor David Cook, and Stewards Committee join together to open the 137th annual Hoppings.

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The Hoppings meant the welcome return to Newcastle of old friends, Gilbert and Eileen Chadwick, owners and operators of the Funhouse. Gilbert was born into a fairground family and worked as a child on the Town Moor “Show Road”. He fondly remembers the sideshows

The fabulous Eileen and Gilbert Chadwick

Young Gilbert working on his stall

Lord Mayor Councillor David Cook, with the Lady Mayoress enjoying the Hoppings

with the six-legged sheep, fan dancers, boxing rings, the Wall of Death and the family Wild West shows, He ran his own illusion act of the half-bodied girl (the very same full bodied girl who helped him set up his stall!)

At 86, he still has an HGV Licence and drives a 70-tonne truck. His licence is renewed subject to a thorough annual medical and every year, he dances out of the surgery with a clean bill of health. Gilbert openly admits he married a much younger woman – Eileen is 81 - and together, they set up and dismantle their six-wheel truck Funhouse in around an hour, despite Eileen having had open heart surgery just over a year ago.

When asked about retirement, Gilbert’s answer is simple – “Forget it!” We hope to see Gilbert and Eileen for many, many years to come.


COCONUTS, CLARTS AND CANDYFLOSS - THE HOPPINGS THROUGH THE YEARSSeveral origins have been suggested for the name “The Hoppings”. Most relate to dancing, the word ‘hopping’ mean-ing a dance in Middle English (old fairs included dancing). Another idea comes from clothing that became infested with fleas from the animals travelling with the fair. People were often seen ‘jumping’ or ‘hopping’ about, itching from the flea bites. Alternatively, the name may derive from the Anglo-Saxon word “hoppen” meaning funfair.

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THE TOWN MOOR FAIR SCHOOLValerie Moody MBE, of the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain tells us “Show People are a Cultural Community and the Fairground business is very much family based. That means the whole family live and work alongside each other and the children, understand from an early age what is expected of them; they all have a role within the fairground. As the families work side by side, the children are learning their life skills and forging friendships that will last a lifetime”.

Valerie has campaigned tirelessly for many years to improve the standards of education for travelling children and said “From November to March the children attend their normal schools. For many years, there would be a gap in their formal education during the travelling season. These days, most children will take away Distance Learning work, supported by the Traveller Education Support Service”

Every year, the travelling children attend a specially established school during the Hoppings on Newcastle Town Moor. The school is made possible from funding raised by the Show people, Newcastle City Council, The Showmen’s Guild and The Freemen of Newcastle. Willing volunteers such as Sarah Edgar, a local teacher, provide their time and skills to make the learning experience so wonderful that pupils who have left school still come along to see her every year and help out where they can.

Finding the school is easy – just follow the squeals of delight from around 80 excited children! On the final day of the Hoppings School, the children put on a dazzling display of different performances and receive a certificate from Chairman of the Freemen of the City of Newcastle, Sir Len Fenwick.

Sir Len distributing school certificates


The medieval Tyne Bridge lay on the line of the Swing Bridge, upon or close to the remains of the Roman bridge, and is probably late 12th century in origin. It is said to have been 560 feet, or 12 arches, long, of which 3 were cellars by the 18th century. At the south end was a tower with portcullis and drawbridge, in the centre a tower with portcullis, and at the north end the magazine and a 17th century gate tower. Houses were also built on the bridge, though just when is uncertain. The Blue Stone marked the boundary on the bridge between Newcastle and the Palatinate of Durham. The bridge was demolished after being damaged in the flood of 1771. One complete land arch survives under the Swing Bridge and the east face of a second may exist in the basement of Watergate Buildings. The surviving arch is described as 44 feet wide with a span of 21 feet. scheduled ancient monument and listed GRADE 1

The case is between a group of Gateshead men (including Ralph Tallboys) and the Bishop of Durham, but it concerns the river boundary between Newcastle and Gates-head - and between the ‘town and county’ of Newcastle and County Durham. New-castle consistently claimed that its liberties

extended to both banks of the river - and, more importantly, the sale of coal and other products from those banks - and from a few miles inland right out to the sea.

The one exception to these liberties was the Tyne Bridge itself. In the fourteenth century, the bishops of Durham claimed half of the bridge for the bishopric, and there was an extended dispute between 1383 and 1416 over the whereabouts of the bound-ary. But a fifteenth-century jury awarded the bishops only a third, and this was the location that stuck. At this point, according to the Gateshead joiner Thomas Thompson and others, ‘two blue marble stones lying and fixed upon the said bridge’ were ‘the bounders and marks between the Liberties of the Bishop of Durham and the Mayor and Burgesses of the town of Newcastle’.

The Gateshead men and their witnesses claimed that the bridge had been allowed, since the time of Bishop James Pilkington

(1561-76), to ‘become Ruinous’, when previously it had been maintained us-ing timber and stone from Gateshead and workmen ‘set on work’ by the bish-op. We find out that both the bishopric of Durham and the corporation of Newcastle took tolls on the bridge, and that both the bishops’ and the Crown’s revenues would be likely to suffer because of the bridge’s ruinous state.

A blue marble stone marker, which was a marker on the Tyne Bridge until 1771 is now on the lower floor of Newcastle’s Castle Keep.

The dome on the Swing Bridge is painted blue to represent the blue stone.

THE OLD TYNE BRIDGE

This photo by unknown author is licensed to CC BY-NC-ND

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Dolly lived with her son and daughter in an upstairs flat belonging to her widowed daughter who did all the cooking, cleaning, shopping and everything else! I only saw her son once, as usually in the mornings he was in bed and after lunch he went out to the pub – needless to say he was an elderly bachelor with no desire to leave Utopia. The son, legitimate son of a Freeman, had never been sworn- free, so I asked Dolly if she knew why. She nodded at his vacant chair and said that he didn’t like paperwork! By now, in his 70’s he had not even signed up with a GP – he liked his days to be identical with a good lay-in each morning, followed by a good lunch, a visit to the pub for a chat and returning via the bakery to buy a fresh cream cake to have with his tea!

Dolly was approaching 100 and very deaf, and I would be asked to sit beside her on the settee so that she could hear me. One day I called at her neighbour’s first, who told me Dolly wasn’t well at all, as she had been under the doctor for over a week! (I hoped he wasn’t heavy!) When I got to Dolly’s,

her daughter came down to let me in, and said she was busy in the kitchen and would join us later. Sat as ordered beside Dolly, I asked what ailed her, and was told it was one of those long names doctors use which she had forgotten. A few minutes later she said with delight “hypothermia! that’s what he said! I am taking his tablets but they aren’t doing any good!”

Dolly later acquainted us with two of her pet hates – women wearing trousers and women smoking! Her daughter said that she knew that she hated women smoking, that was why she and her sister as teenagers, used to hide their ciggies on top of the cistern in the toilet! A shocked Dolly said “I never knew you did that, you sly devils!” I said to the daughter “Now you’ve confessed you’ll go to bed with no supper tonight!” When her daughter saw me out downstairs, I asked her what really was wrong with Dolly and was told she had Hiatus Hernia! Ah well, she was close!

Dolly scored her century and died just before her 101st birthday.

VISITOR’S TALES


The Skinners and the Glovers were two of the oldest craft Guilds in Newcastle upon Tyne being formed in 1437 and 1436 respectively. The Skinners traditionally met at Blackfriars and were joined there by the Glovers in 1648. The two Companies joined forces in 1703 to become the Skinners and Glovers.

The Angus family have long been stalwarts of the Skinners & Glovers Company, their in-volvement probably starting in 1629. Colin Angus is the current Senior Steward and his immediate predecessors were Fred Angus and John Angus; Fred was Colin’s great uncle and John was a from another branch of the family.

So who are the Anguses? The name sug-gests that they don’t originate in these parts. It seems likely that these Anguses were fol-lowers or relatives of Archibald Douglas the 8th Earl of Angus. The Earls of Angus were themselves illegitimate descendants of an Earl of Douglas and lived at Tantallon Castle in East Lothian. Archibald and his family were Presbyterians or Dissenters and in dis-pute with James VI of Scotland (later James I of England) over his plans to impose an

order of Bishops on the Church of Scotland. After a rebellion in 1584, Archibald and his supporters fled to North East England. The Earl returned to Scotland after a couple of years but Alexander Angus (1560 – 1603) and his family remained in England and settled in Tynedale.

The family were initially farmers specialising in cattle and hence their involvement in the leather trade. Over the years some of the family moved to Newcastle diversifying into various trades and some stayed in Tynedale as farmers. The family remained prominent in the Presbyterian Church and a number of Anguses became Clergymen. A lot of this information comes from the Rev Richard Pengilly who compiled a pedigree of the family in 1898 (one of them was his deacon).

Alexander Angus had one son George. George had three sons; William and George who were apprenticed as Skinners to Cuthbert Thompson in Newcastle and who became Freemen in around 1652 and Henry, known as the Patriarch, whose family prospered in other fields.

THE ANGUS FAMILYTantallon Castle

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William had no children but his brother George (1637-1732) had two sons, John and Thomas and they lived in the Tyne Valley and are the ancestors of current Skin-ners and Glovers. John’s grandson, also John, was a skinner and probably moved to Newcastle. His sons Henry, George and Foster were joiners and cabinet makers and ran a successful business in Newcastle but were still members of the Skinners and Glovers Company.

Another of John’s grandsons Thomas (1746-1784) set up a printing business on The Side Newcastle. He originally printed leaflets and rulebooks but after his death the business was taken over by his wife and two sons who published some of Thomas and John Bewick’s wood engravings. Unfor-tunately, the business failed in 1825.

Henry the Patriarch’s side of the family had an even wider range of business interests. Most older Geordies will recall George Angus & Co.’s factory in Wallsend. This enterprise was started by Henry’s great, great grandson Joseph (1740-1829). In 1788 he had a business selling leather in The Close in Newcastle. His son William joined him and expanded the business to include currying i.e. processing leather that had been tanned. As the Industrial Revo-lution progressed, leather was extremely important being used to make belts, seals and many other machine components. Hosepipes were one of the products that the business produced being made from riveted leather strips.

The eponymous George joined the business in 1836 aged fifteen and was running it by 1855. Rubber was introduced into the products and the business moved first to Grey Street then Westgate Road and finally Wallsend in 1956. It became a limited company in 1888 and diversified into other engineering products. It merged with Dunlop in 1968 and has had a number of different owners since. It is now known as Angus Fire and is owned by an American conglomerate. It has offices in Dubai and Kuala Lumpur as well as the UK but sadly none in Newcastle.

Caleb Angas (b1742) who was a great grandson of Henry the Patriarch and who had changed the spelling of his name for some reason, founded a firm of coach builders in Newcastle in around 1780. He

also owned ships which imported teak and mahogany from British Honduras, used to build the carriages. His firm built the Lord Mayor’s Coach in 1798 and had an order from Paris for 900 coaches when the French Revolution broke out meaning that only 300 were delivered. The business survived however and was run by various family members until Thomas Knox Angus (1879 – 1945) amalgamated it with the engineering firm of Billy and Tom Sanderson. The new firm manufactured the Angus-Sanderson car, (four cylinder 2265cc engine) first produced in 1918. Unfortunately, it couldn’t compete with the likes of Morris and the business closed.

Caleb’s fifth son Henry Fife Angas (1798-1879) packed a lot into his ninety years. He worked in the carriage business travelling to countries that supplied materials He was prominent in the movement that led to an Act of Parliament being passed abolishing slavery in British Honduras. He established a shipping business in London and, while in the UK, was involved in banking and played an important part in the founding of the Na-tional Provincial Bank in 1833. This was one of the banks that merged to become the Nat West. Meanwhile he was instrumental in the movement which set up Sunday Schools.

He had become wealthy and invested heav-ily in the proposed settlement of South Aus-tralia, which was to be settled by emigrants from the UK rather than convicts. Again he was involved in banking; helping to found a bank there. The first emigrants travelled to South Australia in 1836 and he joined them in 1850; at least two of his sons were already there. Once there he was elected onto the State Legislature. He lived on an estate in the Barossa Valley and the local town, Angaston was named in his honour.

The Anguses have also provided New-castle with two Mayors; Henry in 1867 and Jonathan in 1880 and 1881. And a number became Clergymen, often prominent in the Presbyterian Church. Despite being suc-cessful businessmen, many demonstrated a concern for those less fortunate.

The number of members of the Skinners and Glovers Company has declined over the years, but Colin is doing his best to increase membership with help from Ian Miller.

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CHRISTMAS GUILD 14TH JANUARY 2019

Sarah Blackett Slaters and TylersAnthony Charlton House CarpentersWilliam Steven Charlton House CarpentersSusan Durkin TannersLoraine Angela Barrand Tanners

Graham Edward Storey TannersJillian Margaret Phillips TannersJulie Dawn Campbell TannersConnor David Wright Tanners

New Freemen sworn in by Lord Mayor, Councillor David Down

EASTER GUILD 29TH APRIL 2019

Reece Dorward ShipwrightsRebecca Catherine Eschle ShipwrightsMatthew Patrick Brown Butchers

All Company Stewards are reminded that a fundamental requirement of your role and responsibility is to attend Guild to ensure your respective Companies are represented and apprised of Freemen related activity.

New Freemen sworn in by Lord Mayor, Councillor David Down

We wish to congratulate the following Brethren on Swearing in as Freeman of the City of Newcastle and hope to see you taking an active part in the many traditions, events and activities that make us a proud, strong and vital part of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Daniel Barber Bakers and BrewersDaniel William Charlton House CarpentersAnna Patricia Gater Master Mariners

BEREAVEMENTSOn behalf of the Freemen of the City of Newcastle, we extend our sincer-est condolences to the families of the following Brothers and Sisters

Denise DavisonHouse Carpenter

John William Bell TaylorShipwright

Margaret BlandShipwright

Robert A GrahamPlumbers

Sydney James AlderSlaters and Tylers

Stephen TaylorMasters & Mariners

Gilbert HogarthBarber Surgeons

COMPANY NOTICESIncorporated Company ofCordwainersThe half yearly meeting will be held at Freeman Hall, Blackfriars on 27th December commencing at 7pm

Incorporated Company of TannersThe half yearly meeting will be held at Freeman Hall, Blackfriars on 9th De-cember 2019 commencing at 6.30pmMembers please confirm attendance. [email protected]

NOTICE BOARDFreemen of Newcastle upon Tyne

Mr Kevin Batey,Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont Road,Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4NLTel: 0191 2615970Email: [email protected]: www.freemenofnewcastle.org

COPYRIGHT: Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne.

PUBLISHER: Riney Publishing Limited, Sue Riney-Smith Tel: 01325 304360 Email: [email protected]

http://www.facebook.com/groups/freemenofnewcastle

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FORWARD LOOKMoscow State Circus 8-18th AugustMela 25-26th AugustGreat North Run 8th SeptemberMichaelmas Guild Will take place on 7th October 2019 in the Guildhall. Closed Guild for all Company Stew-ards begins at 10am. Open Court of Guild for all Freemen begins prompt at 12 noon.Remembrance Sunday Parade10th November, St Georges Monument, Old Eldon Square at 11am

SPECIAL SWEARING-IN CEREMONYTim Cooper, Senior Steward of the Millers Company, has arranged a special ceremony in Newcastle Civic Centre to swear in his daughter, who lives in Australia. The ceremony will take place at 11.30 on Wednesday. 18th December.

Tim has generously suggested we open up the opportunity for anyone who cannot attend Guild for swear-ing in, to join him and his family at this ceremony. There is still time to have names called at Michaelmas Guild on 7th October.

Numbers will be limited, so please contact Admin using the contact details on the back cover to make the necessary arrangements as soon as possible.

Our next issue of the Freemen Magazine is due for publication at the end of December 2019. We propose to issue 2 editions per year in August and December. If you have any items or articles to be posted on this noticeboard, contact Admin and mark your correspondence “Magazine”

Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne

Mr Kevin Batey,Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont Road,Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4NLTel: 0191 2615970Email: [email protected]: www.freemenofnewcastle.org

COPYRIGHT: Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne.

PUBLISHER: Riney Publishing Limited, Sue Riney-Smith Tel: 01325 304360 Email: [email protected]

http://www.facebook.com/groups/freemenofnewcastle

COPYRIGHT: Freeman of Newcastle upon Tyne.PUBLISHER: Riney Publisher Limited, Sue Riney-SmithTel: 01325 304360 Email: [email protected]

ISSUE 24 AUGUST 2019freemenofnewcastle.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Issue...18 - 19 St Mary Magdalene And Holy Jesus Trust 20 - 21 Richard Hill, Chaplain Retires 22 - 23 The Hoppings

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