the name’s Bond…. James Bond

Books   Great North Museum: Hancock
Posted by administrator on September 25, 2014     Permalink     Leave a comment

On the morning of 17 February 1952 Ian Fleming started writing what would become his first book “Casino Royale” at his Goldeneye estate in Jamaica. Fleming took the name for his character from that of the American ornithologist,  James Bond – a Caribbean bird expert and author of the definitive field guide ” Birds of the West Indies”.

Fleming is quoted as giving the following reason for his choice of name of the newly created,  shaken but not stirred spy….

“I wanted the simplest, dullest plainest-sounding name I could find, “James Bond” was much better than something more interesting like”Peregrine Carruthers”. Exotic things would happen to and around him, but he would be a neutral figure  – an anonymous, blunt instrument wielded by a government department”

If you would like to see a 1960 edition of the book that inspired Ian Fleming,  a copy can be found in the collection of the Natural History Society of Northumbria at the Great North Museum: Hancock Library.   Unfortunately we won’t be able to provide you with a dry martini, but we do have a wonderful collection of books that you can browse at your leisure.

 

est Indies

Birds of the W

 

 

 

H. F. S. Mackreth

Art   Exhibitions   Local History   Segedunum Roman Fort
Posted by administrator on September 19, 2014     Permalink     Leave a comment
The finished engraving of John Hodgson. Copyright: National Portrait Gallery, London

The finished engraving of John Hodgson. Copyright: National Portrait Gallery, London

Whilst I was researching the picture of John Hodgson for the Wall Face exhibition (on display at Segedunum Roman Fort) I was interested to find out that the painter of the original portrait used as the base for the published engraving, one H. F. S. Mackreth, was a woman. The engraving was used as a frontispiece in Hodgson’s work ‘The History of Northumberland’ and the published letters in Hodgson’s biography include a number relating to the portrait and its engraving, although all the correspondence is with Harriet’s brother rather than with her directly.

Harriet Frances Sophia Mackreth was born in London in 1803, moved with her family to Newcastle in 1823, and died at York in 1887. She had already had some of her paintings exhibited at the Royal Academy in London by the time she painted the miniature of Hodgson in 1829, and at least 12 other portraits by her are known, including one of the architect John Dobson. The people she painted seem to have been mainly family friends or acquaintances, and after the family moved away from Newcastle her portrait painting petered out.

Hodgson’s friend Edward Swinburne saw the portrait at the time the engraving was being made, although statements he made in a letter to Hodgson suggest he did not think too highly of it. He also remarked that: ‘There is an expression of sensualism in the lips which yours have not a bit of’. In a letter to Harriet’s brother Hodgson commented on Swinburne’s opinion, saying: ‘I am no physiognomist, and therefore do not know what that expression is, but if Miss Mackreth can discover it, and rectify what seemed to offend my kind and excellent friend, I will feel obliged to her’. Hodgson himself thought ‘there is perhaps more of frown than of contemplation or thought in the contraction of the muscle over the right eyebrow’ in the final engraving.

I agree about the frown!

First World War Stories: A headmaster’s view of the War’s first months

Collections & Objects   Discovery Museum   Local History   Military History   Social History   The Archives   World War 1
Posted by administrator on September 10, 2014     Permalink     Comments (1)

On 4 August 1914 Britain entered the First World War. Events moved swiftly over the following months and I thought it would be interesting to take a look at them through the eyes of someone who lived through those turbulent times – Alfred Grundy, Headmaster of Whitburn Junior Mixed School.

Grundy was in charge of Whitburn Junior School for over 40 years from 1877 to 1920. As a head teacher his responsibilities included keeping a weekly record of school events in a log book.

Grundyblog1

Whitburn Junior Mixed School log book (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

The Archives holds hundreds of log books for schools in Tyne & Wear but those for Whitburn are special because of the many fascinating details that Alfred Grundy added to his entries.

In his weekly entry on 10 August 1914 Grundy wrote:

“England is at War … From Roker to Marsden the 1st L & Y Regiment [York and Lancaster Regiment] are watching night and day behind entrenchments. The Cleadon Hills are occupied by heavy guns and are guarded night and day”.

School log book entry, 10 August 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WH2/2/3)

School log book entry, 10 August 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

Grundy’s observations about troop mobilisation at Cleadon are confirmed by the minutes of South Shields Rural District Council. These reflect how the sudden arrival of large numbers of troops took the Council by surprise. The minutes of a Special Council meeting on 10 August 1914 state:

“The Clerk and Medical Officer reported that a very large number of Troops had come into the District and that many more were expected and that many of them were billeted in Farms and other places where there was not sufficient sanitary arrangements and that the Medical Officer and the Clerk had had an interview on Sunday with the Medical Officer of the Troops and they had suggested that slop pails be provided at various places and that three dozen pails had been ordered and distributed.

The Surveyor reported that rough wood should be got to provide Latrines for the men in several places where they were exposed to the public gaze” (TWAM ref. UD.BO/1/9 p326).

These discomforts might seem ‘beyond the pale’ to many of us but would be a minor inconvenience compared to the harsh realties of trench life that many of the men would later experience.

Back to the Whitburn Junior school log book, though, and in his next weekly entry on 17 August 1914 Grundy writes:

“Scores of thousands of visitors have viewed the entrenchments between Sea Lane and Whitburn and the marching and moving of Khaki clad soldiers, singing as they go, has created quite a military air in the usually quiet village. In all other respects it is “Business as usual”, while about two million soldiers are facing each other on the coasts of Belgium, and it is supposed that our Fleet is holding the German Fleet in the Kiel Canal”.

School log book entry, 17 August 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WH2/2/3)

School log book entry, 17 August 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

In the log book Grundy gives detailed updates on the progress of the War on land and at sea, reporting what he has presumably read in the papers. The entry of 2 September 1914 certainly reflects the anti-German propaganda and sentiment of the time.

“The Fleets had a preliminary encounter in the Heligoland Bight. Three German Cruisers were sunk and the rest crept back into the Kiel Canal.

The Germans covered themselves with infamy by burning the small town of Louvain with its priceless books, manuscripts and pictures. The paths of the German armies are marked by bloodshed, rapine and robbery. Old men and women – women and children being ruthlessly done to death, while there are many reports of the violation of girls”.

School log book entry, 2 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WH2/2/3)

School log book entry, 2 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

On 7 September Grundy noted sarcastically:

“The 1st glorious “Victory” of the German Fleet took place last week a squadron having captured and sunk 15 fishing vessels in the North of the North Sea and taken the fishermen prisoners to Wilhelmshaven. HMS Pathfinder was sunk by a mine 30 miles from the coast.

The Call to the Flag has been well responded to, over 300,000 having now been received. 500 are at West Hall and a Battery of Artillery is at Cleadon.”

School log book entry, 7 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WH2/2/3)

School log book entry, 7 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

Grundy’s reports in the early weeks of the War certainly seem to present a very rosy picture of events, reflecting perhaps the popular attitude that it would all be over by Christmas.

“A great fight is taking place between the German Army and the Franco-Anglo Army. The Germans have been compelled to retire a distance of ten miles with great loss of men guns and ammunition. Provisions are no higher in price, owing to the fact that our Cruisers keep open the main lines of seaborne goods from all over the world” (8 September 1914).

“The German retreat has become a rout. They are now 65 miles from Paris and our French Allies and ourselves are giving them no rest … The Belgians with their brave little force have driven the Germans out of Belgium” (14 September 1914).

School log book entry, 14 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WH2/2/3)

School log book entry, 14 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

 

The War impacted the school directly in a number of ways, such as the call-up of staff on active service. Grundy’s entry on 15 September documents the emotional departure of Frank Orr, one of the teachers.

“On his return to School this afternoon Mr Orr showed me a communication he had received from his commanding officer desiring him to report himself at once at headquarters. Mr Orr having been trained in the Bede College Company had offered himself for Active Service.

Accordingly directly Grace had been sung the Master addressed the School stating that Mr Orr had offered himself for Active Service to fight for his King, his country, our mothers, our sisters and our children; that we ought to be proud of him and glad that he felt so full of that patriotism for which his native County of Cumberland had long been noted; that we hoped the Great God would send him back to us well and whole in mind and body.

‘In the name of the Teachers and Scholars’ the master said ‘I wish you God-speed, good luck, good health and a safe return’.

Three Cheers were given for the King, three for Mr Orr, the National Anthem was sung. Mr Orr simply said ‘I thank you’ and went off to pack his things and report himself at Durham”.

School log book entry, 15 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WH2/2/3)

School log book entry, 15 September 1914 (TWAM ref. E.WHB2/2/3)

The school log book gives us a fascinating insight into attitudes and perceptions in the early weeks of the War. I hope to bring you some more entries from it in due course. If you’d like to take a look at the school log books we hold then why not visit our public searchroom. Details of the schools records we hold can be found in our user guides. Opening times and our location can be found on our website. An excellent account of Mr Grundy’s time at Whitburn has also been written by Sybil Reeder – ‘A Victorian Village School’ (published by South Tyneside Libraries).

Visit the Wor Life website for more about our events and exhibitions relating to the First World War.

Robert Spence – artist and ambulance service hero in France in World War 1

Art   Laing Art Gallery   World War 1
Posted by administrator on September 5, 2014     Permalink     Comments (6)

TWCMS_2014_1019 detail200aNorth-East artist Robert Spence (1871-1964) joined an ambulance unit in France as soon as possible after the First World War broke out. This scene shows a first-aid post on the front line near the village of Mesnil-les-Hurlus. In 1915, French troops were advancing against the German army there. TWCMS_2014_1019 redu whole200As a result of his bravery rescuing soldiers under fire, Robert Spence was awarded the Croix-de-Guerre medal in 1915.  At this time, he was about 44 years old, which made his brave actions on the battlefield even more of an achievement. The fighting around Mesnil-les-Hurlus was so heavy that the village was destroyed (some details here).

Spence’s picture is an etching, which he created after the war from his memories and sketches made at the time. The full view of the scene is on the right. The wood and corrugated iron used to build this first-aid post all had to be carried into the trenches by the soldiers. The stretcher bearers would do the best they could here before moving wounded soldiers to safer first-aid posts and field hospitals.

TWCMS_2014_1018 loading ambulance185This ambulance post is a bit further back from the fighting. The image is the central part of Spence’s etching titled Field of Action, Souvenir of War, August 1918. In August, the tide turned in the war, with victories by the British and French armies and their allies on the Somme battlefield. It was this campaign that led to the end of the First World War in November 1918. However, success was accompanied by massive loss of life. Many survivors would have wounds that would be a permanent reminder of the war. In this scene, soldiers are being loaded into an ambulance. The uniforms show the men are French.

TWCMS_2014_1018 reduced 3-200

The full view of the ambulance scene (right) reveals that the unit appears to have taken over a large cave for their depot. Its original use may have been for storing wine, as they were in a wine-making region.

Robert Spence was in an ambulance unit organised by the Society of Friends (Quakers), working with the French Red Cross. The unit treated all wounded soldiers, friend and enemy alike. (A history of the British involvement in the French Red Cross during the war can be read here.)

Robert head & shoulders 2

This photo shows Robert Spence as a young man of about 19, at home in North Shields. He trained as an artist in London and Paris, and worked both as a painter and etcher. He came from a local banking family, with a strong Quaker background. These two original etchings were given by the Spence family and are on show in the Laing Art Gallery’s First World War exhibition until October 19th 2014.

Visit the Wor Life website for more about our events and exhibitions relating to the First World War.

First World War – Viscount Grey and the Natural History Society of Northumbria

Books   Great North Museum: Hancock   Local History   World War 1
Posted by administrator on August 22, 2014     Permalink     Comments (1)

Elizabeth Garnett  – a Volunteer in the Great North Museum: Hancock Library has been investigating the fascinating link between the Natural History Society of Northumbria and a key figure in the First World War, Viscount Grey.

“The lamps are going out over all of Europe. We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime”

This famous quote has recently been the inspiration behind a ‘Lights Out’ ceremony, where all lights except one were extinguished in homes and buildings across the United Kingdom to commemorate the British entrance into the First World War.

This quote has greater links to the North East, and the Natural History Society of Northumbria than most people realise. It was made during a speech by Sir Edward Grey, who was the British Foreign Secretary from 1905-1916. In 1916 he received the title Viscount Grey of Fallodon. He is a relation of Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, most commonly recognised in Newcastle by ‘Grey’s Monument’ that is located in the city centre.

Viscount Grey

Viscount Grey

 

The quote was taken from a speech he made regarding Britain’s entry into the First World War and highlights his eloquence.  He also has the distinction of holding the position of Foreign Secretary for its longest tenure, a testament to his abilities.  However it has to be taken into account that he was a Foreign Secretary who spoke no foreign languages and disliked ‘Abroad’ – factors unimaginable in modern society.

He was, however, a keen ornithologist and was the President of the Natural History Society of Northumbria for nine years. Published in 1927, his book entitled ‘The Charm of Birds’ is an observational piece of writing where he records the birds on his Northumbrian estate. There is a copy of this book in the NHSN collection that is located in the Great North Museum: Hancock Library.

Charm of Birds

Charm of Birds

Also available is a signed copy of his book the ‘Fallodon Papers’ (1926). In his spidery handwriting the Viscount Grey of Fallodon himself, donates the book to the Natural History Society of Northumbria. The book itself records the pleasures of reading, the outdoors, fly-fishing and waterfowl. However good, or bad, he was considered to be in his role as the country’s foreign secretary, it was these things that he was passionate about. It was with great sadness that his death is recorded in the Natural History Societies Council Report of 1933 – 1934 and his presence was undoubtedly missed.

 

Grey's signature

Grey’s signature

 

For more information on Viscount Grey of Fallodon and his links to both the First World War and his love of the outdoors in Northumberland, visit the Great North Museum: Hancock Library. The previous books mentioned that were written by the man himself are available for reference as are a number of biographies which give more detailed information on his life.

NHSN Collection

NHSN Collection