Bedlington Colliery Institute Scroll of Honour

[PaulJ]

Hi,

Doing some research on family history and the topic of the "Scroll of Honour" from WW1 came. Apparently it was displayed in the Institute so does anyone know where it is now?

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

20 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Hi,

Doing some research on family history and the topic of the "Scroll of Honour" from WW1 came. Apparently it was displayed in the Institute so does anyone know where it is now?

 

@PaulJ - I  can't remember anyone discussing a 'Scroll of Honour' on this group. 

I do remember a topic -  WW1 Private James Bonner Archbold - was raised under the History Hollow section by @Harry  and some comments were posted about the WWI Poppy Map that was created and researched by staff at the Bedlington Community Centre.  

I do not know it that Poppy Map has any link to a Scroll of Hounor.

This is a direct link to the topic WW1 Private James Bonner Archbold :- 

 

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@PaulJ - I Googled the Bedlington Community Centre to find out their contact details and info on their activities etc. that they used to have on on a web site but all attempts to link to that site failed so I don't know if they have closed it down and now use Facebook as their main source of contact and info.

This is a screen shot of their Facebook page :- 

 
:- 

[PaulJ]

Thanks Alan

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@Rigger & @Maggie/915 - have either of you herd of the 'Scroll of Honour' for WWI ?

[Vic Patterson]

I didn't know of it but thought I had read about here a few years ago.

[Symptoms]

The North East War Memorial Project has an entry for the Roll of Honour but no info apart from a couple of old newspaper clippings.  This very useful site is searchable: 

http://www.newmp.org.uk/index.php

 

[James]

On 24/04/2022 at 16:31, PaulJ said:

Hi,

Doing some research on family history and the topic of the "Scroll of Honour" from WW1 came. Apparently it was displayed in the Institute so does anyone know where it is now?

 

I believe it is at the Beamish museum.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

@PaulJ - this is not the Scroll of Honours board but it is a link to a project created by @Rigger. Rigger did research on all those that lived in Bedlington and were killed in WWI.

 

This is a link to the full document published by Rigger :-

 http://www.newmp.org.uk/memimages//05. Enlistment Project Compiled Version.pdf

[Symptoms]

James - the one you mention is for the Mechanics Institute and the one PaulJ is after is the Colliery Institute; both are listed at: http://www.newmp.org.uk/index.php

The Mechanics is at Beamish as you say but the Colliery one is missing.

[James]

Symptoms

The full name of the institute was the Bedlington Colliery Mechanics Institute. It was first located in the Market Place (Peter Bacci’s shop) then moved to what is now the community centre. This was the only colliery institute in Bedlington. The other colliery institutes were at Netherton Colliery, Bedlington station, and Barrington (the Glove Factory)

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

16 hours ago, James said:

Symptoms

The full name of the institute was the Bedlington Colliery Mechanics Institute. It was first located in the Market Place (Peter Bacci’s shop) then moved to what is now the community centre. This was the only colliery institute in Bedlington. The other colliery institutes were at Netherton Colliery, Bedlington station, and Barrington (the Glove Factory)

@James & @Symptoms - the oldest map I can find with the Top End Mechanics Institute named is an 1896 map, National Library of Scotland, and it shows the building named at what us now the community centre. The 'Old Maps' site has now moved, taken over by 'Landmark Estate Agency Services' and you can't access the maps unless you join. So the only maps I use now are from the National Library of Scotland.

Don't know if @Canny lass has access to other maps.

 

[James]

Eggy

It was never known as the Top End Mechanics Institute. It was the Colliery Mechanics Institute, referred to by everyone as “The Chute.” Your map shows its location after it moved from the Market Place. The 1860 map I have attached shows it when it was in the Market Place. We were told that it was situated in the building that later became Peter Bacci’s shop (there was a billiard room at the back of his shop with two billiard tables.) but I have no proof of this although the map indicates that this is where it was sited. You have posted an 1896 map and mine is dated 1860 so it must have moved between those dates.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

3 hours ago, James said:

Eggy

It was never known as the Top End Mechanics Institute. It was the Colliery Mechanics Institute, referred to by everyone as “The Chute.” Your map shows its location after it moved from the Market Place. The 1860 map I have attached shows it when it was in the Market Place. We were told that it was situated in the building that later became Peter Bacci’s shop (there was a billiard room at the back of his shop with two billiard tables.) but I have no proof of this although the map indicates that this is where it was sited. You have posted an 1896 map and mine is dated 1860 so it must have moved between those dates.

Thanks @James - I couldn't find that map - I should have copy of it saved but I must have deleted it 😁

[Canny lass]

I’ve only seen the MI mentioned on the 1897 and 1910 maps but I can tell you a bit of its history because it featured in my (on-going) research on Michael Longridge who was the initiator of the Mechanics Institute in Bedlington.

As far as I’ve been able to see it was established in or around 1851 in the building which later housed Peter Bacci’s shop, where it can be seen on James’ map of 1860. It was founded by the 'Society for Mutual Improvement', Bedlington Iron Works and was originally called the ”Literary and Mechanics Institute”. I’ve found it mentioned as such in several documents, among them:

Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Reports from Committees. Vol. 3 Page 227 (published 1853).

Five years later, however, The Literary and Educational Year Book, page 262 (published 1859) , refers to it simply as ”Bedlington Mechanics Institute”.

It would seem to have relocated to the position now occupied by the Community Centre in 1888. This is the old Court House - shown on the 1860 map . The court house was vacated in 1888 when the petty sessions court moved into the new court house and police station next to the Red Lion. Of the old court house it can be read that while the date of opening is unknown, the date of closure was 1888 when "a new combined police station and court house was built and the old court house near the Market Place became the Mechanics' Institute".

https://www.prisonhistory.org/lockup/bedlington-court-house

This is supported by an extract from The Monthly Chronicle of North-country Lore and Legend, Vol 3, page 93, (published 1889) where the entry for December 1889 (relating to that year's events) states:

"The committee of the Bedlington Mechanics' Institute celebrated the 38th anniversary, by planting a number of trees in the ground in front of the large building in Front Street". This also supports the institute being established in 1851.

 

Edited May 9, 2022 by Canny lass

[James]

Canny Lass

The Bedlington Iron and Engine works operated between 1736 and 1867 and The Doctor Pit operated between 1855 and 1968. Each had their own Mechanics Institute.

The Ironworks Mechanics Institute was in the Clock House at Furnace Bank and was opened in 1829 (from Evan Martin’s book on the Ironworks.)

The Colliery Mechanics Institute was initially at the Market Place and then moved to what is now the community centre. I don’t know when it opened but it is shown on the 1860 map of Bedlington so it must have been shortly after the colliery started operating

[PaulJ]

Hi all,

Thanks to all for the info. Like you I use the maps from the National Library of Scotland. They are good for seeing what was around the area way back. It helped to explain why I was seeing “Red Row” in census reports for Bedlington area when I was following family history as my GG grandfather was living in Bedlington after his family moved up from Norfolk in the 1850’s.

The info about the origins of the Institutes is really interesting. I was looking for information on the Honour Roll as my wife’s GG uncles are named on it.

[Canny lass]

14 hours ago, James said:

Canny Lass

The Bedlington Iron and Engine works operated between 1736 and 1867 and The Doctor Pit operated between 1855 and 1968. Each had their own Mechanics Institute.

The Ironworks Mechanics Institute was in the Clock House at Furnace Bank and was opened in 1829 (from Evan Martin’s book on the Ironworks.)

The Colliery Mechanics Institute was initially at the Market Place and then moved to what is now the community centre. I don’t know when it opened but it is shown on the 1860 map of Bedlington so it must have been shortly after the colliery started operating

Thanks for the heads up, James. I'll have to have another look at that piece of my research.

[Canny lass]

18 hours ago, James said:

The Ironworks Mechanics Institute was in the Clock House at Furnace Bank and was opened in 1829 (from Evan Martin’s book on the Ironworks.)

Hang on a minute! There's something here that can't be right. If The MI was celebrating its 38th anniversary in 1889, it surely couldn't have been founded in 1829 as Evan Martin says? I was pretty sure it was founded in 1855 or thereabout. I'll have to dig out my notes and refresh my memory.

[Symptoms]

We did have a bit of a discussion a while ago about 'The Mechanics Institute' in the thread about listing our pubs and clubs ... there may be some crumbs there that'll thicken the mix of this thread.  Look here:

https://www.bedlington.co.uk/forums/topic/4448-list-of-pubs-and-clubs-bedlington-district/?page=5#:~:text=Clubs - Bedlington District-,List Of Pubs And Clubs - Bedlington District,-Rate this topic

As promised in that earlier thread I continue to look for more info on Mechanics Institutes but documents are difficult to find online;  they will no doubt exist as ledgers archived somewhere on dusty shelves but haven't yet been digitized for all to see.

 

[James]

Canny Lass 

You are getting mixed up with the two different Mechanics Institutes.

Evan Matin's book is about the Ironworks Mechanics Institute.

The 38th anniversary refers to the Colliery Mechanics Institute. 

[James]

23 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Hi all,

Thanks to all for the info. Like you I use the maps from the National Library of Scotland. They are good for seeing what was around the area way back. It helped to explain why I was seeing “Red Row” in census reports for Bedlington area when I was following family history as my GG grandfather was living in Bedlington after his family moved up from Norfolk in the 1850’s.

The info about the origins of the Institutes is really interesting. I was looking for information on the Honour Roll as my wife’s GG uncles are named on it.

Were any of your wife's relatives on the Roll of Honour?

[PaulJ]

8 hours ago, James said:

Were any of your wife's relatives on the Roll of Honour?

Hi all,

Thanks to all for the info. Like you I use the maps from the National Library of Scotland. They are good for seeing what was around the area way back. It helped to explain why I was seeing “Red Row” in census reports for Bedlington area.
 

Not on the Mechanics Roll of Honour

[Canny lass]

19 hours ago, Symptoms said:

We did have a bit of a discussion a while ago about 'The Mechanics Institute' in the thread about listing our pubs and clubs ... there may be some crumbs there that'll thicken the mix of this thread.  Look here:

https://www.bedlington.co.uk/forums/topic/4448-list-of-pubs-and-clubs-bedlington-district/?page=5#:~:text=Clubs - Bedlington District-,List Of Pubs And Clubs - Bedlington District,-Rate this topic

As promised in that earlier thread I continue to look for more info on Mechanics Institutes but documents are difficult to find online;  they will no doubt exist as ledgers archived somewhere on dusty shelves but haven't yet been digitized for all to see.

 

 

18 hours ago, James said:

Canny Lass 

You are getting mixed up with the two different Mechanics Institutes.

Evan Matin's book is about the Ironworks Mechanics Institute.

The 38th anniversary refers to the Colliery Mechanics Institute. 

Warning! make a cuppa this may be long!

Thanks James and thanks Symptoms! I knew there’d been a discussion somewhere. I’ve had an opportunity to rummage through my vast amounts of notes. I see now that I was confusing the date 1855 as the founding of the Mechanics’ Institute (MI) when it was in fact the date of Michael Longridge’s departure from the Ironworks. However, I wasn’t too far out.

 

I spent yesterday and this morning reading a document which I started reading at the time of the last discussion. Symptoms, if you’re interested in MI history in the north east, and not just Bedlington, then I can absolutely recommend it. It’s an academic thesis but the language isn’t overly academic and, whatever their education, anyone with a keen interest will find it readable. Excellent bibliography too, which gives plenty of sources for further research should you need them after reading. The document is Clifton Stockdale’s doctoral dissertation from 1993, entitled:

Mechanics’ Institutes in Northumberland and Durham 1824-1902

Stockdale traces the Mechanics’ Institute movement from its beginnings in London 1823 but, as the title suggests, the main body of his dissertation follows the introduction of the MI movement in the north east (1824), its development and eventual demise. He discusses along the way contributory factors and their effect on the movement – among them the 1826 depression, various reform bills, trade union movements, economic patronage, social and cultural factors and a whole host of other interesting things.

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Canny lass

[Canny lass]

continued:

Having read Stockdale's work I now think I, and possibly we, may be confusing the number of Mechanics’ Institutes with the number of Institute buildings because there seems to have only ever been ONE Mechanics Institute in Bedlington. Briefly (by my standards) those points of interest, gleaned from Stockdale. and relating to our discussion, are the following.

 

1824 Ten Mechanics’ Institutes in England of which eight were in the North East and Durham. Among these, only Alnwick and Newcastle were in Northumberland.

1825 Twelve MIs in the north east, Hexham, Morpeth and Tynemouth Institutes established.

1827, 1829, 1830, 1831 With the exception of one institute 1828, NO MIs were established in the entire North East. This was due to the effects of the depression. This places a large question mark on Evan Martin’s claim of the Ironworks MI being established 1829.

1834 – 1846 Crisis years in the movement. Only 13 new institutes established.

1847 – 1851 Revival of the movement

1847 The location and economic base of MIs was established between 1847 and 1851

1848 Bedlington Mechanics Institute established. Its economic base was Bedlington Iron Works.

1852 – 1873 Government interventions in education are introduced and public libraries opened. This heralds the demise of the movement as its traditional services now have strong competition.

1855 -1862 The North East movement reaches its peak of activity

1874 to 1902 The MI is still facing strong competition for its traditional services of education and libraries, added to which the institutes are now amalgamating with the Working Mens’ Institutes as the social and drinking side of the movement has gained ground, being almost the only function they have left.

1878 Delegates reports on their Institutes to the Northern Union Annual Meeting were said to be of a ”satisfactory nature”. There was no cause for concern for the movement.

1881 Delegates reports, including from Bedlington, were giving more details on membership, activity and finances and concern is expressed that MIs are still extremely dependent on financial support from the upper classes. This dependency continued throughout the remainder of the century.

 

The death of MIs in the North East:

The financial support of the upper classes facilitated a lot of rebuilding and refurbishing within the north east movement during the latter years of the nineteenth century, something Stockdale describes as a possible ”mission of responsibility toward educational and social improvement of the working-classes”. (Netherton got a reading room!). However, it didn’t seem to help other than allowing the movement to go out with a whimper rather than a bang. Bedlington Mechanics’ Institute, which had 200 members in 1906 hade NONE in 1907. Like Monty Python’s Norwegian Blue parrot it had ceased to be. It was extinct. It was dead.

 

The movement ended in the north east in 1913. Several establishments retained the name Mechanics’ Institute, or something similar, but they are basically social clubs.

 

Source:

http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/5614/1/5614 3030.PDF

 

In light of that I suggest that Bedlington Mechanics’ Institute, established 1848 at Bedlington Ironworks, may have had its origins in the Society for Mutual Improvement at the same place. I don’t know when that was established, possibly 1829, but i’ts well documented that BIW had students from all over Europe.

I’d further suggest that the institutes located at Bedlington Station Colliery and Market Place Bedlington were all part of the same ’Bedlington Mechanics’ Institute’ created to provide easier access for people on the Bedlington side of the river.

 

 

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Canny lass