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Saturday 16 March 2024

Women in the Workplace - Sepia Saturday

Last week on  Sepia Saturday  I looked at Men at Work, this time Women are in tthe spotlight beginning with images from my local heritage group Auld Earlston.

 

Mill Workers at Rhymer's Mill. Earlston, Berwickshire - early 1900's. As in other Border textile towns, women were a significant part of the ẃorkforce.  But to me, as someone who is non-technical,   that machinery in the first image looks frightening!

 

Earlston Munition Workers in World War Two

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


Earlston Nurses on Parade in a fund raising event in the Second World Wa.

Let's not forget Housewives at Work - Shopping in the Traveling Co-op Van in Earlston

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


Workwear at the Egg Packaging Station at Georgefield Farm, Earlston 

 
 The distinctive work costume of the Bondagers.

Bondagers were female farm workers in south east Scotland and Northumberland. As part of their husband's contract (or bond) with the farmer, he would undertake to provide another worker (usually his wife) to help as and when required. The women wore a distinctive dress with bonnet, described as the "last remaining peasant costume" in Britain.  The custom of bondagers lasted well into the 20th century.

And from my own family collection  three photographs I have featured before, but are among my favourites and fit the theme so well. 

 

My great aunt Jenny Danson  (second on the left) with her work colleagues from the post office in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.  Her daughter Pam recalled a story that during the First World War, a telegram was received at the Post  Office for Jenny's mother Mrs Maria Danson.  Fearing the worst, Jenny was allowed to run home with it.  Fortunately it was good news to say that brother Frank was wounded in hospital in Malta but was doing well.    

                                           
Both before and after her marriage, my mother offered dressmaking services from her home.  Mum had been apprenticed to a tailor at the age of 14, and was still sewing well into her 80's.  I only came across her early business card after her death. 



My mother's second cousin was Elsie Oldham, who as "Elise" (note the French version of her name!) offered "Bobbing, Shingling, Marcel Waving and Perming", from her home in Blackpool, Lancashire, and advertised on this lovely evocative 1920's blotter.


Elsie's old set of scissors and hair clippers

Elsie's son recalled how she continued working  until shortly before she died in 1989 - by that time the number of customers had dwindled to about three a week all of whom were as old as she was!  When the house was emptied  a cupboard was discovered full of bottles of hair dye.
 
 
 A different source gave me a lovely  insight  on my Aunt Edith (Danson) a teacher . Ex pupils at the school set up a Facebook page  ahead of the centenary of the school in 2014 and in a google search found my blog and got in touch. I was delighted to read comments from former pupils of "Miss Danson",  who was remembered with fondness: "I always thought she was a wonderful teacher with lots of patience and 8nderstanding".
 
 
 
 And finally: 

 
  As for my working life life 
 - that ranged from student work in a variety of shops including a fishmongers (totally out of my comfort zone), a bookshop (my favourite) and a tartan trash souvenir shop in Edinburgh  - think garish tasteless  tartan products aimed a tourists. I spent a year in the USA on an exchange  programme as a trainee librarian (wonderful American experience);  as a young mother I did voluntary work setting up a library  at my daughter's school and at the local Citizen's Advice Bureau.  
 
I returned to the workplace in 1978 at my local tourist information centre - above.  It now looks so old fashioned - old telephone, no computer, let alone a typewriter, no uniform, just a name badge - they came years later!   But I loved it   -  until I was made redundant.  Finally I returned to my roots in the Local Studies Library at ibrary HQ,  before    finally being the Family History Researcher in the Scottish Borders  Archive Centre. How many people can say their hobby became their job!!

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Sepia Saturday gives an opportunity for genealogy bloggers   to share their family history and memories through photographs
 

 

 Click HERE to see  other bloggers at work.

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Friday 8 March 2024

Highs and Lows of Work - Sepia Saturday

Take a look at the Highs and Lows of Work with my   contribution to this month's Sepia Saturday prompt of "Work".  


Two Men at work in Rhymer's Mill, (tweeds) in Earlston in the Scottish Borders, early 1900s.
 
 
Rhymer's Mill  in its rural setting in  Earlston, closed down in 1969. 
 

 Steeplejacks working on  the mill chimney at Rhymer's Mill, Earlston.  You get a sense  of the height of the chimney from the picture above., 

John William Oldham, my cousin's ancestor,  sitting high on one of the carriages in the family business of Carters and Coalmen in Blackpool, Lancashire.  The adverts on the wall include one for Mcdougall's flour and for a performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio "Elijah" on the North Pier.  
 
 
Arthur Stuart Ingram Smith (1908-1979) was my cousin's father,  here  emerging from down under a manhole cover,  during his work as a linesman for the General Post Office in Blackpool, Lancashire. 
 
 

 Sitting down is my grandfather William Danson (1885-1962) of Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire.  He worked as a general labourer at the ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) Works  at nearby Thornton,.  Was there  a reason why he was given pride of place here?  
 
 Some 50 years  later, my brother, William's grandson,  was working in the oil industry.
 
 

Sheep shearers, hard at work in Earlston 
 
 
My great great grandfather, Robert Rawcliffe of Hambleton, Lancashire  was a Carter - an essential occupation in transporting farmers' goods around.    But it had its risks. 
One such report was on  the death on November 27, 1860 of Earlston grocer, Alexander McWilliam who was making his rounds, selling to customers and collecting produce from farmers, when he slipped and fell from his car.  He sustained head injuries and died at home.    He was just 36 years old and left two young children and a heavily pregnant wife. 

My own great, great grandsfather Henry Danson of Poulton le Fylde , Lancashire, described in a report as a "expert in horse flesh"  was ironically killed in a horse and cart accident in 1881. 
 


 
Tommy Roger, a coracle maker, born c. 1845, Ironbridge, Shropshire -
 
My father John Weston grew up in Broseley on the other side of the River Severn from Ironbridge, and this photograph was found in the collection of his older brother Fred Weston.

You might be wondering, what is that on his back?  It is a coracle - a small, lightweight boat with a loosely woven frame traditionally covered in animal hide, but in more recent times calico, canvas and coated with a substance such as bitumen.    When the famous Iron Bridge was opened in 1779, locals objected to paying the tolls, so they used their coracles to cross the river instead.

Tommy Roger  was well known as a poacher and the local newspaper reported  his appearance in court on poaching charges.   He also  helped to build the new police  cells and court room in Ironbridge in 1862 - only to be one of the first people to use them!
 
 Taking a break: 
My husband's father, a painter and sign-writer  having a lie down 
after a busy day's work.   

 
Taking a break, or perhaps learning his lines  - this costumed city guide in Vienna. Austria.

 

Down tools for these  Greek workmen,   taking a break  - my husband encountered this group  whilst on holiday in 1971 and when he took a photograph, they wanted some money!
 
With thanks to the Auld Earlston Group for the loan of the Earlston images. 

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Sepia Saturday gives an opportunity for genealogy bloggers   to share their family history and memories through photographs.

 

 Click HERE to see  other bloggers at work. 

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Sunday 3 March 2024

Remembering the Railway - Sepia Saturday

"Work" is Sepia Saturday's theme for March, beginning with  a prompt photograph of a railway signalman - cue for me to look back at  my local railway which  ran 1863-1965.

 

Earlston Station Staff and Visitors, c.1920  

The Berwickshire Railway through Earlston in the Scottish Borders  was one of the many lost lines in railway history, serving the village 1863-1965.  It provided the link between two major routes - on the east coast the North British Railway between  Edinburgh and London  and in the central Borders the historic Waverley Route between Edinburgh and Carlisle and onto London.   The cross country line was built in stages - reaching Earlston in 1863  and  the final stage two years later in 1865  with the completion of the Leaderfoot Viaduct across the River Tweed.  

 It is easy to forget  now what a momentous occasion this was.  For people's lives were so circumscribed then - to get about you needed to earn enough to own a horse, or you hitched a lift from an obliging horse and cart - or simply walked.     

Cutting the First Sod 11th October 1862 was a local holiday in Earlston to mark the cutting at Greenlaw of the first sod with shops and businesses, plus the largest employer,  the local mill , all  closed for the day.  An article in "The Southern Reporter" 23rd October 1862 gives us a contemporary and entertaining  account of the celebrations  on that occasion:

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

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

Of what passed at Greenlaw it is unnecessary to to speak here, suffice to say that the whole of our sightseers arrived home between 6 and 7 o'clock in the evening, all highly gratified by the proceedings, and had witnessed the realisation of their ardent hopes. The commencement of the railway will open up a ready means of communication in every direction.

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

The Opening of Earlston Station 


  "The Kelso Chronicle" of 20th November 1863 reported on the opening at Earlston with an  article which made the occasion seem rather prosaic and low key.  

 "The first train started from Earlstoun and will continue to do so at 7.55am there being other three in the course of the day".  

Accident:  But just one day after the opening of Earlston Railway Station, "The Kelso Chronicle"  headline read   "A  Serious Accident on the Berwickshire Railway" near Dunse. 

"This line which opened with much promise on Monday, was the scene of a rather serious mishap on Tuesday. ....A train on its way to Earlston with a few coal trucks, two carriages and two passengers was  startled by the axle of the one of the trucks giving way and tearing the rails....both carriages and trucks were dragged off the line, but fortunately none were precipitated over the embankment.........A large force of navvies were on the line and were exerting themselves to get the line in order again.  They intended to work all night and have it finished for the next day's traffic.
 

On December 4th 1863, "The Kelso Chronicle" noted   "The new railway [at Earlston] is in regular working order and appears to be giving great satisfaction.  The trains run smoothly and keep tolerably good time.  We are already feeling the benefit of railway communication."

 Two trains in Earlston station.  Copyright © A R Edwards and Son,  Selkirk.    (Cathy Chick CollectionAll Rights Reserved.  

The major engineering feat on the line was the crossing of the River Tweed and the building of the Leaderfoot Viaduct, which involved  a nineteen arch structure  907 feet long and 126 feet above the level of the river bed.  

 
 A charming tinted photograph, c.1900.
 

Steam train crossing the Leaderfoot Viaduct, c. 1959.  

 Photograph by the late Rev. John Duncan of Earlston

]  

Leaderfoot viaduct today - a favourite spot for walkers &  cyclists

Below two railway cartoons feature in the Auld Earlston postcard collection. These are not, however,  original to Earlston,  but penned by  Fife born artist  Martin  Anderson (1854-1932)  - you will see his pseudonym signature of Cynicus  at the foot of each card. Many of his railway cartoons were overprinted with different captions and town names, as here.  

 

 

 
Two prominent visitors through the Earlston station were Prime Minister Asquith in 1908  to make a speech in Earlston, and in 1944 General Eisenhower  to inspect the Polish tank regiment stationed in the village in training for D-Day.
 
 
 
 

 
The Demise  -  The Berwickshire Railway line was never a busy one, with roughly equal traffic of goods and passengers.  In Earlston, coal was brought in and stone from the local quarry taken out, with agricultural produce and livestock the mainstays of  business.
 

        Clearing snow at Earlston Station in the  notoriously bad winter of 1947
 
Devastating floods across Berwickshire in August 1948 meant that passenger services were suspended,  due to parts of the trackbed being washed away.  Repairs were never fully carried out and only freight services continued on part of the line.
 
Closure came without ceremony on 16th July 1965 - marking the end of the 102 year old line of the Berwickshire Railway through Earlston. 
 
 Closing the level crossing gates.
 
                            The last train through Earlston Station - July 1965. 
On the left is the train's fireman;  on the right the couple who  worked the level crossing;  with their young son in the arms of the stationmaster.
Copyright ©  Bruce McCartney.   All  Rights Reserved,
 
Gate today at  the former level crossing cottage.

   
 
The overgrown railway track - now a popular walkway.  

















Photographs courtesy of  the Auld Earlston Collection, 
Cathy Chick, and Bruce McCartny

















 
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Sepia Saturday gives an opportunity for genealogy bloggers   to share their family history and memories through photographs.


 Click HERE to see  other bloggers at work. 

 

Sunday 18 February 2024

Eating Out is Fun -Sepia Saturday

Continuing this month's Sepia Saturday "Fun" theme, I look back at memories of Eating Out.

Restaurant sign in Chartres, France.

I cannot  remember ever as a child going for a meal to a cafe or restaurant.  I grew up in the 1950's and we simply never ate out.  I don't think we were unusual - people just did not do it, when you could eat at home. 

We lived then in the north west seaside resort of Blackpool, so there was an abundance of cafes and fish & chip shops - but they were there for visitors, not for us.  My only memory is of a regular Saturday afternoon trip with my mother  into town to meet my Aunt Edith at a cafe that specialised in icecream from the local Palatine Dairy.    

                         

  Blackpool with its famous tower.

In my  early teens we moved to York,  and again I have no recollections in my teenage years  of eating out. This must  have been the time of the coffee bar culture, but that passed me by, and at weekends I met friends at my home or theirs. There was no "just hanging out". 

By my late teens we were living in Edinburgh and I remember going for a birthday treat with my mother to the Chocolate House (long since gone) on Princes Street.  (I remain a chocoholic!).   There was also the tea room with my mother  at PT's (Patrick Thomson's) department store on the North Bridge, where it was all very genteel with soft music playing and waitresses in black dresses and lace pinnies  serving you.   

I suppose my first experience of eating out must have been school dinners - not much fun!  
 
Like most people I hated them, especially the fatty meat, liver, red cabbage, sprouts and anything with hot milk such as custard and the milk puddings - rice, tapioca (nicknamed frog spawn or fish eye pud!) and semolina where I tried to eke out the miserable spoonful of jam to disguise the awful taste.  Also among my dislikes,  soggy bread & butter pudding  and Queen's pudding (apart from the meringue topping),  Menus did not seem to change much over my 13 years of school life. Fly pie (current slices), was my favourite.  The idea of taking a packed lunch, as now was never consideredMoving to Scotland introduced me to haggis neeps & tatties (haggis with turnips and potatoes)  and a chip butty,  (chips in a buttered roll) and kilted sausages (sausages wrapped in streaky bacon.  s an impoverished student, a lived off beans and chips


(1s.6d) as the cheapest item on the refectory menu. Meeting friends, we would go to a  a Wimpy Bar and make one coca-cola drink last all evening.

Now eating out is one of our great regular pleasures, not just for special occasions such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries or family visits,  but to enjoy a relaxing lunch in a pub, bistro or country house hotel.  
 
 
Burts Hotel in the historic abbey town of Melrose, five  miles from my home.
 
  
Eating out on holidays abroad is extra special, especially if it is out of doors (we don't get much chance of that in Scotland).  
 
 
A  restaurant sign in Poland. 
 
 
We are extremely partial in Bavaria and Austria. to visiting "Konditorei" (the equivalent to  French patisseries) .

A sign at our hotel in Berchtesgarten. Bavaria.  

I was an avid reader in my early teens of the Chalet Scghool stories, set in the Austrian Tyrol where having "Kaffee und Kuchen" seemed to be a favourite phrase.  It was not until I learned German at school that I realised the correct pronunciation - "und" was "unt" and the ch in Kuchen was as  in "loch" not as in "chips" 

By the time we went to Austria on holiday  I could order from the amazing selection of delicious cakes and pastries at the Cafe/Konditorei Zauner, founded in 1832 in the spa town of Bad Ischl,  It more than met my expectations of an elegant, old fashioned  Viennese style cafe. 


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We indulged!  

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Copyright © 2024· Susan Donaldson.  All Rights Reserved