ISSUE 13 DECEMBER 2012

freemen
THE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

MAGAZINE
 Foreword Contents
Editorial 4

‘Open’ and ‘Closed’ Company 4

Exhibition Park Clock Tower 5

Superintendent’s report 6-7

Michaelmas Guild 8-9

Changing Role of the

Stewards Committee 10

The Coat of Arms of the Moor Bank Botanic Gardens 11

City of Newcastle upon Tyne These are to say the least, the
Stewards Committee supports
most challenging of times from the
perspective of the national economy
the Environment 12
and the consequential impact on our Shipwrights tour of
city.
North Shields Fish Quay 13
The Freemen can and are making
a positive contribution from the Hoppings 2012 14-15
environmental and heritage
perspective, perhaps more now than in
Summer Spectacular 16-17
living memory. Gruesome and Hard Times
ISS UE

in Newcastle 18-19
13 DE

Our close working relationship with

CE
MB ER

Newcastle City Council has served to

The Mansion House 20
20 12

facilitate and engender confidence

that we are not simply a social artefact
Mayor’s Gilded State Barge 21
of history that has managed to survive
since time and immemorial. We are Diary dates 22
demonstrating trust in the public realm
as the catalyst for many aspects of well Notice Board 23
being through the guardianship of the
Town Moors. It is with pride that we set
about these commitments and in the

freemen
TY NE
E UP ON

good name of Newcastle upon Tyne.

WC AS TL
TH E NE

ZIN E
MA GA

May we commend Newcastle

City Council and residents for such Magazine Editor:
unequivocal support in 2012. Jim Johnson
Tanners Company, Stewards Committee
We shall use every endeavour to be Ian Miller
Front Cover photograph: ‘Owl’ carved by Tommy Craggs at the even better in all that we do in 2013. Shipwrights Company, Stewards Committee
Summer Spectacular 2012.
Swearing in photographs taken by Freemen of Newcastle upon The Newcastle upon Tyne Freemen
Tyne Official Photographer, Steve Brock Photography: Magazine, Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont
Sir Leonard Fenwick CBE Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4NL
www.stevebrock.co.uk Tel: 0191 2863430 Chairman, Stewards Committee
E-mail magazine@freemenofnewcastle.org

FreemenMagazine 03
 Editorial
Welcome to the 7th year of the
publication of our Magazine. In issue
13 we again cover the activities of
the Stewards Committee providing
an insight into the management of
the 1200 plus acres of Moors as well
as related affairs, although it is not
possible to cover much of the behind
the scenes work which the committee
undertakes.
Many readers commented how they
enjoy reading about the lesser known
and at times rather gruesome side of
our past, so in our look back into the
History of our fair City we include a
couple of rather grotesque incidents
What is the difference between
an ‘Open’ and ‘Closed’ Company
A question is often asked what the
difference is between a Closed and
Open Company in this day and age.
In essence term ‘Closed’ Company
covers several scenarios.
Historically it would indicate a
Company where only members who
hail through the Company and hold
an Oath paper for their Trade would
be admitted, ‘Closed Company’.
The majority of ‘Closed’ Companies
whilst retaining their closed status
welcome in, or indeed actively
engage in seeking out and admitting
Freemen to the Company who were
sworn as a Freemen of the City through
their Guild but were not for whatever
reason admitted into the Company
04 FreemenMagazine
(which are not for the squeamish) if
you are then best skip page 18/19.
As ever the editors are keen to hear
your comments and ideas to improve
the content of the Magazine, or learn
more about the activities of your
Company.
We are still receiving a number of
Magazines returned with the message
‘addressee has moved away’, hence
please keep the Administration Office
at Moor Bank Lodge informed of any
change of circumstance either within
your family or Company.
at the time they became a Freemen.
A ‘Closed’ Company will not accept
as a member any Freemen sworn in
through another Guild.
In respect to an ‘Open’ Company
An ‘Open’ Company will not only
admit members who hold an Oath
paper for the parent Guild through
whom they hail, but will also accept a
Exhibition Park Clock Tower
Freemen of the City from other Guilds
into their Company, either by invitation
or by proposal of Company Keepers at
As reported in Issue 12 the restoration of the Exhibition Park clock tower to
the Head meeting. This has provided
commemorate the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee was completed which
an opportunity where the number
included the replacement of the old workings with a modern electronic clock
of Company Keepers are such that
mechanism and lighting.
the Company may cease to exist, if
not bolstered by a more proactive
To inform that the restoration was funded by the Freemen of Newcastle, a plaque
membership.
has been placed to mark the commitment.
FreemenMagazine 05
 Superintendent’s Report
I may have tempted fate with the last sentence of my June
report as we suffered the wettest June for 100 years, weather
and ground conditions we have ever experienced during the
Hoppings before arose to test our resolve.
Standing firmly together with the City
Council and the members of the
Showman’s Guild of Great Britain we
met the challenge head on, with all
parties agreed that “the show had
to go on” we commenced to pull
into position every single ride and
attraction that had applied to attend
this year’s event, a first in the history of
the Hoppings. I will not dwell on this too
much as it will be covered further on
in the Magazine, but needless to say
what was pulled in had to be pulled
out leaving behind a reinstatement
nightmare and beyond anything we
have had to tackle before.
The weather again played its part as
we couldn’t get anywhere near the
site to reinstate until early September,
now the seed is sewn it’s had all
06 FreemenMagazine
the elements thrown at it that may
hamper its germination, the site will
be monitored through to the spring
and any outstanding reinstatement
will be carried out then “if the weather
allows”.
The weather has had an impact on
all of our Summer tasks that were
scheduled to be undertaken. For
example the spraying programme
was hampered as some 350 acres
that were requiring attention due
to creeping thistle and buttercup
infestation had to be split into two
treatments, the second a little late in
the season but still fit for purpose.
The Summer topping task was delayed
by almost 6 weeks as the moors were
so saturated with the very high water
table the plant would have made
more mess than was worth risking, so
boundary work such as strimming and
rubbish clearing was undertaken.
The Elizabethan metal fencing
programme continued with the inner
boundary of Nuns Moor Central, our
staff worked with our contractors Scott
Fencing to dismantle the old wooden
fence and remove all spoil from site.
As ever the prevailing wet weather
hampered this work with staff having to
pull Scott Fencing trucks into place each
day and also decant their concrete into
the tractor bucket and deliver it to site
where it could be used to set the metal
posts into position as some 54 cattle
were still grazing this moor.
The fenceline is now complete and
has improved the boundary security
of this moor. We have now moved the
metal fence programme across to
Walter Terrace, where we have several
acres of grass land which are used for
recreation by the residents of Fenham
and the Arthur’s Hill area. This fence
line is being installed as part of the
contribution to the ‘Greening Wingrove’
project and does also serve to more
distinctly identify this particular parcel
of land as Town Moor.
As Winter approaches the staff assist
the graziers with the removal of their
cattle, as well as continuing with
the installation of the metal fencing
at Walter Terrace. Our drainage
programme will hopefully commence
in late November as the cattle will
have gone, with general maintenance
and key environmental improvements
to the moors continuing through the
Winter months.
May I take the opportunity to wish you
all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous
New Year.
Kevin Batey
Town Moor Superintendent.
FreemenMagazine 07
 Michaelmas Guild
8th October 2012

Michaelmas Guild

Jackie Slesenger, John Softley and Sir Leonard Fenwick
Sir Leonard welcomed the Lord Mayor
to the first of the 3 Guilds she will preside
over. The Chairman then welcomed
John Sofley, recently appointed Head
of Law at Newcastle City Council to his
first ever Guild, referred to by tradition
as the ‘Town Clerk’, also Ian Humphries
Principal Secretary to the Lord Mayor.
Following responses from the Lord Mayor
and the Town Clerk, Ian Humphries
read the callings of those who claimed
their right to be sworn in as Freemen of
Newcastle, there were thirty six callings.
(It is at this juncture that any Freemen
may call a ‘Stop’ to anyone being
called whom they believe do not qualify
or as in ancient times an unfit person to
be come a Freeman. The stop if stated
shall be entered into the ‘Stop’ book).
The swearing in ceremony was
convened directly after the proceedings
with six new Freemen being sworn in.

The Michaelmas Close Guild which is restricted to Company

Stewards only, commenced at 10:30am, following the welcome Late News Items . . . . .
by the Chairman of the Stewards Committee. The election of the
Stewards Committee was a key task. Moor Bank University Botanic Gardens
There were 14 nominations for the Sir Leonard Fenwick, was re-elected Volunteers under the auspices of Friends of Moorbank’ have set up a
12 positions and with the following Chairman of the Stewards Committee, campaigning group ‘Growing Moorbank’ with a view to a charitable Trust
elected: F.H. Alder, Butchers: H. Alder, and David Wilson, re-elected Vice being set up to take responsibility for and run the facility. An open letter to
Butchers: P.Anderson, Bricklayers: C. Chairman. Michael Grey was re- Senior Stewards has been circulated by this campaign group.
Atkinson, Ropemakers: A.R. Bainbridge, appointed as Honorary Treasurer.
Goldsmiths: Sir L.R. Fenwick, Shipwrights:
The Open Guild, which is open to all
W.G. Frizzle, Goldsmiths: R.M. Grey, The University have stated that it is their intension to re-house any valuable or
Freemen of Newcastle commenced
Hostmen: K. Hall, Colliers: J. Johnson, rare plants at one of their other local facilities as part of the transition of the site.
at 12 noon and presided over by Lord
Tanners: I.F. Miller, Shipwrights: H.D.
Mayor Councillor Jackie Slesenger.
Wilson, Ropemakers.

8 FreemenMagazine
08 FreemenMagazine FreemenMagazine 09
 Changing Role of the
Stewards Committee
The affairs of the Freemen of Newcastle are overseen by the
Stewards Committee i.e. twelve members who are elected at
Michaelmas Guild by Stewards of the 28 Guilds, and meet on
the first Wednesday of the month.
Over recent years there have been
many changes, the positions of
Secretary and Administrator being
discontinued, and the role of Town
Moor Superintendent reinstated.
The Town Moor Superintendent has
overall responsibility for the day to
day management of the Town Moors
and is the first contact for City officers,
graziers, contractors, and the public.
The Committee has evolved to
become much more involved in day
to day affairs, with members taking on
specific areas of responsibility where
they have professional expertise,
10 FreemenMagazine
financial, business, administrative,
land management, and much more,
all of the facilitating occupies a
vast amount of their personal time
attending extraordinary meetings in
addition to working from home. There
are also many Freemen who make
themselves available for specific
tasks and commitments where they
have knowledge, expertise and
networks that ensure the Newcastle
Freemen meet the needs of a modern
organisation.
We will continue to embrace change
as and when called for.
Moor Bank Botanic Gardens
The Newcastle University botanic garden is to close in
what is its 90th year!
Newcastle University leases the four- Viburnum and Corylopsis collection.
acre Moor Bank botanic garden from
In addition there is a large building
the Freemen of Newcastle. They have
informed us they will not be renewing
containing offices, education rooms,
and a soil sterilisation plant, the plants
their lease as the botanic garden
and the hot houses along with the
no longer meets the University’s
outbuildings will be removed over the
educational or research needs.
next 12 months with the land being
The garden has two large ‘hot houses’, returned to grassland if the decision
A Tropical House, rainforest habitat goes ahead, although dialogue is on-
contains a unique collection of rare going in this regard.
and endangered plant species
During the Summer Spectacular many
including cycads, strangling figs,
Freemen and guests would have
tree ferns and orchids. One area is
visited the gardens.
dedicated to economically important
plants that include rice, coffee,
banana and sugar cane. The Desert
House contains cactus and succulent
collection
Across the outside garden there are
Rhododendron and rare species of
Alchemilla whilst the Primula and
Meconopsis bed contains species
grown from wild seed collected from
China and Nepal. There is also a
FreemenMagazine 11
 Stewards Committee
supports the Environment
The previously reported fence line
improvements are continuing with the
Elizabethan metal fence replacing the
wooden ranch style fences is being
installed. A new metal fence on the
perimeter of Nuns Moor South the site
of the former Benwell Cricket Club.
This is our contribution to improve the
area for local residents as part of the
Greening Wingrove initiative.
The Greening Wingrove is a partnership
of local Councillors, residents,
community organisations and
Newcastle City Council and aims to
create a sustainable, inner city garden
suburb in an ethnically and socially
12 FreemenMagazine
diverse area of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The Newcastle Freemen supported their
bid which culminated in the BIG Lottery
awarding Greening Wingrove almost a
Shipwrights tour of
million pounds to spend over the next
five years under the Communities Living
Sustainability scheme.
North Shields Fish Quay
It also aims to tackle the problems
of climate change and urban grime
through a ‘green lens’.
Any meaningful change for the
On Saturday morning the 15th
better in a neighbourhood depends
September twenty two members of the
on focussing Council services on
Shipwrights Company met at the North
neighbourhood needs, and unlocking
Shields Fishermen’s Mission for a guided
resident’ enthusiasms.
tour of the Fish Quay with guide
Alex Hastie. After such an inclement
summer we were indeed lucky to have
a fine sunny day for a very informative
tour which we can recommend
wholeheartedly.
During the tour a collection was made
from which Alex took his out of pocket
expenses and we all had a nice day
out while about £40 was raised for did not have far to go for their fish and
a deserving charity, the Fishermen’s chips lunch.
Mission. Ian Miller
After thanking our guide, members Senior Steward, Shipwrights Company
FreemenMagazine 13
 Hoppings 2012
a year to forget!
The Hoppings 9 day event was reduced to 6 days as a
consequence of the most challenging weather and persistent
torrential rain leading up to the planned opening day on Friday
22nd June to be deferred for safety reasons.
On the Saturday we worked with all
agencies including the Showmen
laying tons of bark chippings and straw
enabling the fair to open on Sunday
24th, although ground conditions were
poor the public turned out in their
thousands to support the event and for
which we are grateful.
14 FreemenMagazine
We are understandably anxious as to
whether or not the site will be fit for
purpose by June 2013.
We continue to meet with Showmen
instatement, no less than 324 tons of from around the country at our
materials were removed to land fill.
Disappointedly much of the rubbish had
consultative meetings which we hold
at the Guildhall. These meetings are
been left around the site by Showmen, an opportunity for our Event Group to
including bags of household rubbish, keep the travelling fairground industry
lorry wheels, diesel drums and tank, informed of the site condition and to
wooden and plastic boards. put ideas for improving the fairground
Thursday 28th witnessed the worst storm
Unfortunately following the re- offer to the people directly involved with
in living memory totally flooding the site
instatement and seeding the weather the event. We have a long standing,
preventing once again the opening
turned very wet, and due to the high generation on generation relationship
of the fairground. On the Friday many
water table level preventing drainage with the Showmen and share cultural
attractions were unable to open for the
the site soon resembled a paddy field. values.
final two days, and once the fair closed
at 11pm on the 30th the pull down
commenced.
Four specialist tracked vehicles were
deployed to assist the removal of the
equipment many weighing up to 80
tons, leaving the turf resembling a bomb
site. Due to extensive flooding around
the City and overstretched demands
on manpower the City Council were
unable to fully clear the site of litter
so we took control and cleared the
site with our staff which enabled us to
arrange for our specialist contractor
to begin the site clearance thereby
ensuring the commencement of re-
FreemenMagazine 15
 Summer Spectacular August 2012
The 2nd Freemen Summer event,
according to the majority of my
feedback, can be described as a
success.
The weather of course makes a big
difference to attitudes and the way
people view any organised event and
this summer in particular has seen lots
of disappointment with events not just
in Newcastle, but around the country
that were cancelled or modified to
everyone’s dismay.
Organising such an important event as
the Summer Spectacular you cannot
rely on bright sunshine to come to your
aid and make the day a success, as
we proved the previous year.
2012 however proved to be totally
different from 2011 with sunshine
prevailing throughout the afternoon.
There were well over 350 Pork and
Lamb sandwiches consumed which
gives an indication of how popular
the event has become in a very
16 FreemenMagazine
short period. At times the queue for
food was snaking around the tarmac
area with people drooling when they
got close to their choice of meat;
reinforcements had to be drafted onto
the catering team in the shape of a
Steward to cope with demand.
Throughout the afternoon the drinks
table was busy dispensing a whole
range of beverages which helped
wash down the Pork and Lamb rolls,
my thanks must go to the ladies who
worked so hard during the event.
All the attractions were very popular.
The Birds of Prey were the most glorious
when they were flying around the
grounds of Moor bank, the animals
proved to be a delight to young and
old with several visitors experiencing a
rather large spider walking over their
arm, and snakes slithering across the
table - a truly scary experience.
“Heartbeat” a local group led by
Doug Tate an active Freeman,
produced music that was a joy to listen
to, providing a great rhythm to the
afternoon activities and their period
costumes reminded some of us of our
youth. I was convinced that the guitarist
was wearing one of my old jackets.
The Pipe and Drum band of the 101
Regiment of the Royal Artillery was
a delight to watch and listen to. The
marching skills they demonstrated
were of the highest order. Their
performance culminated with Sir
Leonard Fenwick taking the salute
which was quite moving for lots of
visitors as it reminded them of their own
experiences under the colours.
Our thanks must go to both to Drum
Major Ian Alexander, another active
Freeman, who was responsible for the
way the soldiers turned out together with
Pipe Major Cameron who is responsible
for the music that was played.
Lots of visitors wandered through the
Botanic Gardens just to have a look
as many did not know that such an
interesting and informative place
existed in Newcastle. The visit inevitably
turned to purchasing with many
visitors staggering back to their cars
overloaded with green bundles.
One of the amazing attractions was the
wood carver Tommy Craggs who took
a huge chunk of timber and with great
skill and talent using only chain saws
carved an owl.. There were several
Freeman who were mesmerised,
including myself, by the skill with which
he wielded the chain saws.
The owl which was carved will be
donated to the Great North Children’s
Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary
where it will be mounted and on
display for the children, parents visitors
and staff to admire.
If any reader has any ideas that
would fit into the Summer Spectacular
for future years please email me at
bainbridge9@talktalk.net
FreemenMagazine 17
 Gruesome and Hard
Times in Newcastle
1703 a horrid suicide was committed in
the suburbs of Newcastle The following
particulars are given by Brand from
the MS. Life of Barnes:—”Elizabeth
Sharper was well respected by all her
neighbours, and lived with her sister
to a great age unmarried, only it was
whispered she bore a child to another
woman’s husband in her younger years.
When she had reached her 80th year
of age, she fell at once into a deep
despair: there was no outward cause by
losses or other calamities, that could be
assigned as the occasion of it:—most,
if not all the parish clergy of Newcastle
visited her, but no comfort they could
offer ever staid with her. She confessed
her bearing a bastard, which was taken
from her body, and she believed was
murdered. She ripped up her belly with
a pair of scissors, and pulled her bowels
out with her hand. A surgeon put them
in their place again, and sewed up her
belly. She had her reason and senses
perfectly, and lived and died in a house
that belonged to Mr. Barnes.”
“I was myself,” continues Brand, “an
eye-witness of the deplorable effects
of a similar paroxysm of despair in
Susannah Nicholson, an inoffensive old
laundress, who lived in the Back Row
in Newcastle upon Tyne, and who on
Sunday evening, October 23, 1763,
maimed herself deliberately in the most
dreadful manner, by cutting off her
breasts, her lips, ears, and nose, and
yet lived for some days afterward.—An
account of this suicide (as a gentleman
with whom I then corresponded at
Paris informed me) had found its way
into the Paris Alamain, soon after it
18 FreemenMagazine
happened, and excited the horror and
commiseration of all Europe.”
During the severe winter of 1739–40, the
poor in Newcastle suffered severely; and
numbers must have perished with the
excessive cold, had not Alderman Ridley
permitted them to carry away as much
as they pleased from his heaps of small
coal. The corporation also gave £50 to
the four parishes of the town, and Walter
Blackett, Esq. 200 guineas, besides £50 to
Gateshead parish.
On the 9th of June, this year, an alarming
riot commenced at Newcastle, in
consequence of the dearness of
provisions. The militia of the town was
instantly raised; and a promise being
given that corn should be sold at a much
lower rate, the mob was pacified. On
the following day, Alderman Ridley, at
the head of the militia, announced that
the corn-factors had set a certain fixed
price on their grain, which information
was received by the multitude with
satisfaction and applause.
On the 21st of June, the pitmen,
keelmen, and poor of the town, finding
that the factors kept their shops shut up,
and that most of them had absconded,
proceeded to plunder the granaries.
A vessel loaded with rye, and about to
sail, was also stopped, and the grain
sold to the poor at the stipulated price.
On the 25th, the militia was imprudently
disbanded; when, on the following
day, immense numbers of people
assembled on the Sand Hill, while the
Mayor, Aldermen, and other gentlemen,
were consulting in the Guild Hall on the
best measures to be adopted during so
pressing an emergency. The mob soon
grew extremely unruly; and a gentleman,
venturing out to inform them that the
ship would be defended until the poor
were supplied with the rye in it, was
knocked down. Upon this, the rioters
were fired upon; and one of them having
been killed, and several wounded, they
rushed in a body upon the gentlemen
assembled in the hall, wounded most of
them, and then proceeded to ransack
the town-court and chambers. Many of
the public writings and accounts were
destroyed, and a very large sum of the
corporation money was carried off. The
mob afterwards traversed the streets,
where, finding all the shops shut up,
they threatened with horrid execrations
to burn and destroy the whole place.
In the evening, three companies of
Howard’s regiment, under the command
of Captain Marmaduke Sowle, who had
marched that day from Alnwick, entered
the town, and soon dispersed the
rioters, forty of whom were seized and
committed to prison. At the following
assizes, six of this number were convicted
and transported, each for seven years.
Their names were, Thomas Grey, James
Harriot, Thomas Wilson, William Sopit,
Robert Hatherick, alias Hatherwick, and
William Keed, alias Kid, alias Keedy.
This affray is said to have cost the
Corporation £4000.
It appears that the Guild-books of the
corporation, from Christmas, 1721, to
Michaelmas, 1738, were destroyed in
this riot. Those who withheld any of the
books, parchments, paper, writings,
or other things that were then carried
off, were threatened with prosecution;
and a generous gratuity was offered
for such information as might lead to
their recovery. The wood-work in the
town-court was greatly damaged,
the portraits of Charles II. and James II.
spoiled and torn, and all the windows
towards the Sand Hill were broken. Some
say 12 or 13, and others £1800, was
taken from the Hutch. Captain Sowle
applied for preferment for his services
on this occasion, and his request was
seconded by a letter to his Grace the
Duke of Richmond from the Corporation
of Newcastle. The innkeepers, who
had dragoons quartered upon them in
consequence of these riots, claimed of
the corporation six-pence a day for each
man and horse, to the amount of £213,
10s. 6d. The Common Council appointed
a committee to settle this account.
FreemenMagazine 19
 The Mansion House
The first Mansion House was built in 1692 on the Quayside and
used until 1837, the Copthorne Hotel now stands on the site.
Newcastle was without a Mansion
house until No.1 Ellison Place was
purchased in 1865 for £3000 plus
a further £1700 for furnishings to
accommodate visiting judges.
However in 1868 it became the second
Mansion House and was in use until
1953 when Sir Arthur Sutherland died
and bequeathed the present building
to the City.
This third Mansion House is conveniently
situated on the North side of Fernwood
Road, just off Osborne Road, near
Jesmond Metro Station. The building
had been two houses which Sir Arthur’s
father bought in1879 and he lived in
Thurso House while renting out Kelso
House to business colleagues.
In 1901, after the death of his father,
Sir Arthur bought the two properties
from the family and in 1910 he started
modifications to convert the two into
one large house, as it is now. In the
20 FreemenMagazine
1930’s he purchased and demolished
two adjacent houses in order to have
a larger back garden and more
garage space.
Sir Arthur had followed his father into
a shipping career and also into local
government. His father had been Sheriff
of Newcastle in 1891 and Sir Arthur was
Sheriff in 1917 becoming Lord Mayor in
1918. He was knighted and took over
the Evening Chronicle group in 1920
and subsequently became Sheriff of
Northumberland in 1943.
The house has been maintained
substantially as it was in Sir Arthur’s
time and, in addition to its use for
civic functions, from 1993 it has
been available for private hire and
licensed for civil weddings. Usually
during Heritage Open Days in early
September free guided tours of the
building can be booked and it is well
worth a visit.
Mayor’s Gilded State Barge
Behind the old Mansion House on the quayside the Mayor’s
Gilded State Barge was moored to receive his Worship and
guests for the processions on Ascension Day.
Barge Day was a grand event in old proclamation was again read. On
Newcastle. The whole town turned returning to the Mansion House the
out to see a gallant show. Barges of rest of the day was spent feasting and
the Mayor, the Trinity House, and of merrymaking.
the various trades’ companies rowed
by men in picturesque costumes,
accompanied by a flotilla of boats
moved down river amidst the firing
of cannon, ringing of bells and
cheers from the crowds on shore.
They continued to Spar Hawk at the
rivers mouth, the proclamation of
the jurisdiction of the corporation of
Newcastle over the river was read.
The procession returned sailing passed
Newcastle to the other boundary
at Hedwin Streams where the
FreemenMagazine 21
 Diary Dates
Monday 14th January 2013
CHRISTMAS GUILD
upstairs in the Newcastle Guildhall (On
Quayside, bottom of Dean Street)
Close Court of Guild (for Company
Stewards only) begins at 10am
Open Court of Guild (for all Freemen of
Newcastle upon Tyne) commences at
12 noon prompt
You must be seated by 12 noon for the
Open Guild in readiness to receive the
Lord Mayor.
The meeting concludes with new
Freemen being called, and if present
sworn in by the Lord Mayor.
Following the proceedings a buffet
lunch is served in the Merchant
Adventurers Court.
Monday 8th April 2013
EASTER GUILD
upstairs in the Newcastle Guildhall (On
Quayside, bottom of Dean Street)
Close Court of Guild (for Company
Stewards only) begins at 10am
Open Court of Guild (for all Freemen of
Newcastle upon Tyne) commences at
12 noon prompt
Notice Board The Freemen of
New Stewards Newcastle shop is open
You must be seated by 12 noon for the
Philip Elsdon Bell Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne
Open Guild in readiness to receive the
Lord Mayor.
Doreen Fagan pin badges are available. The 16mm
Smiths Company badge depicts the armorial bearings
The meeting concludes with new of the City circled by the inscription
Nicole Hankinson
Freemen being called, and if present “Freemen of the City of Newcastle
Ian Andrews
sworn in by the Lord Mayor. upon Tyne”.
Saddlers Company
Following the proceedings a buffet The ever popular multi crested
Peter Blenkinsop
lunch is served in the Merchant silk ties are back in stock.
Coopers Company
Adventurers Court. And new for the ladies 25mm
Charm, Necklace’s are also
Sunday 12th May 2013 Bereavements available complete on a
John Bainbridge 60mm chain, both depict
FREEMEN OF NEWCASTLE Goldsmiths Company the armorial bearings of the
UPON TYNE ANNUAL City circled by the inscription
Joseph Proctor “Freemen of the City of
CHURCH PARADE Plumbers Company Newcastle upon Tyne”.
Held in the Cathedral Church of St.
Orders to Kevin Batey Town
Nicholas. Mark Stephenson
Moor Superintendent at Moor
Robing in the Cathedral Refectory Gordon Stephenson Bank Lodge, Payment with order
at 9.30a.m. for commencement of Elizabeth Stephenson by cheque payable to Freemen of
parade into the Cathedral at 9.45a.m. Barber Surgeons Company Newcastle upon Tyne’ the address
with the Lord Mayor of Newcastle may be found at the rear of the
upon Tyne. Kenneth Elliot Marshall magazine.
All Newcastle Freemen are welcome.
Cordwainers Company
Ties - £27.00
Pin Badge - £3.00
Should you need to borrow a robe Mary Oliver
Stick Pin Badge - £4.00
there will be a small quantity available Skinners & Glovers
Charm - £6.00
on the day. Company
Necklace - £7.00
To assist on the day, parking will be Pat Coatsworth
available at Moor Bank Lodge and Upholsterers Company
transport at 9:00am to and from the
Cathedral will be provided. David Stephenson
Butchers Company

James Hall
George Morris
Joiners Company
Annual Guild Days Thomas Miller
Nora Wilson
Christmas Guild - the first Monday after 13th January Taylors Company
Easter Guild - the first Monday after Easter Monday
John French Annan
Michaelmas Guild - the first Monday after Michaelmas Monday Tanners Company

22 FreemenMagazine FreemenMagazine 23
 Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne
Superintendent and Office
Mr Kevin Batey,
Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4NL
Tel: 0191 2615970
Email: admin@freemenofnewcastle.org
Website: www.freemenofnewcastle.org

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

COPYRIGHT: Freemen of Newcastle upon Tyne.

PUBLISHER: Riney Publishing Limited, Sue Riney-Smith Tel: 01325 304360 Email: sue.riney@btinternet.com