ISSUE 15 FEBRUARY 2014

The Coat of Arms of the

City of Newcastle upon Tyne
ISSUE 15
FEBRUA
RY 201
4

Front Cover photograph: Town Moor.

Photograph taken by Kevin Batey
Swearing in photographs taken by Freemen of Newcastle upon
Tyne Official Photographer, Steve Brock Photography:
www.stevebrock.co.uk Tel: 0191 2863430
Foreword
Without any shadow of doubt 2013 was a
year of distinct challenges, all of which were
addressed with the overriding objective –
sustaining the Town Moors as a unique and
much cherished environment in such a great
City.
Our fundamental principles of consistent and
transparent good governance in all that we
do, via a pro-active and highly committed
Executive – the Stewards Committee and
fortified by the commitment and wisdom of
Guild in session as the governing body.
In the context of policy and operational
working, it would be remiss to not make
a special mention of the Councillors and
Officers of Newcastle City Council who do
facilitate joint commitments across many of
the issues of common purpose for residents
and visitors alike.
2014 beckons and the agenda of optimal
environmental management will continue
as we endeavour to sustain with esteem the
inheritance and responsibility of a duty of
care vested in all Freemen.
Sir Leonard Fenwick CBE
Chairman
Contents
Editorial 4
Seven Brothers 5
Christmas Guild 5
Shipwrights Company Trip 6
Michaelmas Guild 7
Moor Bank Botanic Gardens 8
Freemen invest six figure sum to
improve Town Moor Hoppings site 10
Stewards Committee 11
Superintendents Report 12
Hoppings 13
Special Swearing in Sessions 16
Town Moor 17
Summer Spectacular 20
The Newcastle Fair 21
Diary Dates 22
Notice Board 23
Magazine Editor:
Jim Johnson
Tanners Company, Stewards Committee
Ian Miller
Shipwrights Company, Stewards Committee
The Newcastle upon Tyne Freemen
Magazine, Moor Bank Lodge, Claremont
Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4NL
E-mail magazine@freemenofnewcastle.org
FreemenMagazine 03
 Editorial
The summer is always a very busy
time for the Freemen of Newcastle
and as you will see 2013 has been
an exceptionally busy period which
contributed to this publication being
late.
As we continue to step up with our
environmental responsibilities with
regard to improvements to the
moors and all this entails. We are
working with Newcastle City Council
with a common purpose to deliver
improvements for our City including
a variety of first class events for
the residents of Newcastle, on the
moors and in the City Centre.
04 FreemenMagazine
During the Newcastle Fair and in
conjunction with the City Council
during the weekends of the fair we
placed a small fairground ride in
Northumberland Street and one in
Grainger Street to promote the event.
We hope our publication goes some
way in keeping readers informed
and gives an insight to the work of
the Stewards Committee from our
agricultural responsibilities to the
administration of the Freemen of
Newcastle, one area in which we
rely on input from Stewards and
Freemen alike is in keeping us up to
date by informing of any change in
circumstances of your members or
family.
Seven Brothers
William Sexton Blake posted this
photograph on the Freemen of
Newcastle facebook site, the
photograph is of his grandfather and six
siblings at their swearing in ceremony.

He noted that there would have been

eight but one brother changed his mind
at the last moment. Now, are 7 sworn in
at once a record?

Christmas Guild
20th January 2014
Christmas Open Guild was presided over by Councillor Margaret Wood, Lord Mayor.
Following formalities the Lord Mayor swore in 13 new Freemen.

FreemenMagazine 05
 Shipwrights Company Trip
After a pleasant summer, our
return river trip from South Shields
to Newcastle was held on a very
winding September 1st and, blowing
down river, it was a very chilly wind
indeed.
There were about 150 on the boat,
above and below decks at first, but
as time passed those above deck
gradually crept below deck where
there was standing room only down
there for them.
06 FreemenMagazine
Our group of 25 seemed to be
secreted in every corner of the boat
and two were only seen as they
disembarked! The commentary
by John Grundy was excellent and
clearly heard over the sound of the
engines – and the sound of the wind
to those hardy enough to remain on
deck in the icy blast.
All agreed that despite the weather
it had been a most interesting and
enjoyable outing.
Michaelmas Guild
7th October
Michaelmas Close Guild is the first of the
three annual close guilds which bring
together the Stewards of the various
Guilds, and when the Stewards elect
twelve from their number to make up the
Stewards Committee.
Serving members of the committee
were standing for re-election with
the exception of Michael Grey who
had relocated to Gloucestershire and
decided to stand down from committee
after many years of service. There was
one additional application from Nick
Atkinson of the Ropemakers Company
which meant there did not need to be an
election with the following being elected.
F.H. Alder, Butchers. H. Alder, Butchers.
P. Anderson, Bricklayers. C. Atkinson,
Ropemakers. N. Atkinson, Ropemakers.
A.R. Bainbridge, Goldsmiths. Sir L.R.
Fenwick, Shipwrights. W.G.Frizzle,
Goldsmiths. K. Hall, Colliers. J. Johnson,
Tanners. I. Miller, Shipwrights. H.D.
Wilson, Ropemakers.
From the elected
Stewards the
following
positions were
proposed
and unanimously accepted
Sir Leonard Fenwick, Chairman. David
Wilson, Vice Chairman.
R.M. Grey was re-elected as Honorary
Treasurer.
Open Guild commenced at 12 o’clock,
Councillor Margaret Wood, Lord Mayor,
took her seat in the first of the three
guilds she will preside over. The City
Mace Bearer was unable to attend so
for the first time the position of Mace
Bearer was filled by a Freeman with Alan
Bainbridge of the Goldsmiths Company
donning the uniform he carried the Mace
and announced the declaration at the
start of proceedings. Demonstrating we
are always ready to ensure tradition is
upheld.
Following formalities the Lord Mayor
swore in 15 new Freemen.
FreemenMagazine 07
 Moor Bank Botanic Gardens
Following a great deal of publicity
surrounding the Moor Bank Botanic
Gardens, we have produced a briefing note:
University Garden, Claremont Road
Briefing note 02/09/2013
The Freemen of Newcastle have protected
the green environment of the City for
centuries, providing the public with the
open spaces of the Town Moors for air and
exercise as well as enhancing the City vista.
The University Garden site at Claremont
Road is part of the Town Moors.
Newcastle University have made the
decision to terminate their lease for this
site as it no longer meets their academic or
research needs. This is a University decision
which the Freemen as landlords have to
accept.
The site has for 90 years been a private
academic facility with very restricted access
to the public.
The site has an ageing infrastructure,
including old metal greenhouses and
a heating system which is at the end of
its useful life, it is neither efficient nor
environmental (on its last legs). To make
the site viable in its current form on a
long term basis would require significant
capital and ongoing revenue expenditure.
08 FreemenMagazine
Such potential investment would perhaps
be better made on establishing and
maintaining gardens on a site which was
more appropriate for the public in terms
of access and availability (e.g. Leazes Park,
Exhibition Park).
Backlog maintenance of the site is a
substantial challenge.
Disability Discrimination Act compliance
– health & safety requirements to ensure
public/volunteer access is fit for purpose –
would need substantial capital investment.
There are access issues to the site; it
has no independent access, resulting in
consequent health and safety, security and
logistical issues.
A primary responsibility of the Freemen
of the City is the protection of the Town
Moors, including protection against
building, tarmacing, concreting etc. on the
green surfaces. Potential development of
the overall site infrastructure as part of a
commercial enterprise will involve ‘blocking
out Town Moor land’ e.g. new entrance
road, car park etc. This is not acceptable.
The Freemen will take stock of
organisational options when the site is
handed back and we have full access then
act accordingly.
The business plans put forward by the
volunteers were aspirational, they did not
have substance – due diligence assessment
is that they are not viable. We have to be
realistic in respect of potential lease holders
of Town Moor sites; it is in no-one’s interests
to grant leases unless they are demonstrably
viable in the long term.
The stated high financial value of rare
‘botanical specimens’ on site has not been
quantified or substantiated.
better directed towards development in a
more appropriate location such as one of
the great City Parks (e.g. Leazes, Exhibition,
Heaton, Jesmond Dene Parks). The efforts
of the ‘Friends of Moor Bank Gardens’
could be well utilised if integrated with
the organisations of the ‘Friends’ of one
of the local parks, certainly the volunteer
organisation for the Trustees of the
Exhibition Park is in great need of additional
skilled resource. All of the City Parks could
benefit from volunteer ‘gardening’ support.

If there are rare plant species and those Please be assured that in line with our green
of special scientific interest on site they credentials we will deal sensitively with the
should be under the care and control of site and plants; we have a long track record
established organisations with proven long of making green spaces available to the
term organisational capability, recognised public.
expertise and sound long term financial
viability. The University have given assurance On 1st December control of the site was
that any plants which are rare or of special returned to the Freemen of the City, we
scientific interest will be relocated to one will be assessing all aspects of the site and
of their ‘state of the art’ facilities where infrastructure once we receive the electrical
they can be protected and looked after safety certificate from the University. An in
appropriately. depth survey will be completed then we will,
in consultation with, the City and partners
When the site is handed back by the consider the best way forward.
University the Freemen will maintain the
garden and deal with infestation – noxious
weeds etc. The external areas can be easily
sustained and we shall arrest the decline
in particular of any infestation taking
root. Investment in the future utilisation
of the Moor Bank ‘estate’ will rest with
ourselves. We do not envisage any further
development of infrastructure, this being
our green credentials taking precedent.
Urgent maintenance will be prioritised.

As for community purpose, we will continue

to work with ‘Greening Wingrove’ and other
relevant community organisations and shall
see how this unfolds.

If there were to be significant investment of

resources (financial and effort) either public
or private, to develop a botanic gardens for
the benefit of the public then this would be

FreemenMagazine 09
 Freemen invest six figure sum to
improve Town Moor Hoppings site
By Mark McCormick
As the holders of the absolute right to the
Newcastle Town Moor herbage, per The
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Town Moor Act 1988, the
Freemen of the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne
have the responsibility to manage and
maintain it primarily for cattle grazing in order
to continuously exercise this legal right.
Under this Act of Parliament, which perpetuated
the (original) Newcastle-upon- Tyne Town
Moor Act 1774, the Freemen’s Stewards
Committee is responsible for their business
affairs, involving the day to day administration
of land, properties, grazing rights,
investments and charities.
The Freemen have therefore always had
responsibility of ensuring that the entire area
of the site occupied by the Hoppings, which
measures over 40 acres, was fully restored to
fitness for grazing on each occasion after the
fair vacated the moor.
One of the new French drainage systems running
across the Town Moor.
The level of work and ultimately the expense
required to accomplish this is very much
dependent on the weather conditions that
prevail during the event and during its 130
history the Hoppings has suffered its fair
share of rain, which soon turns the Town Moor
surface muddy.
10 FreemenMagazine
Last year’s fair was one of the worst ever
affected, suffering the most atrocious weather
in living memory and consequently leaving the
ground in one of its worst ever conditions as
a result. In fact, 2012 saw the wettest June for
100 years.
Additional work and expense was therefore
required to repair the groundin the wake of
the 2012 event and the Freemen have spent
in excess of £100,000 in carrying out this work.
After last June, the seemingly never-ending wet
weather that plagued much of the remainder of
last year and the early part of this year delayed
this work taking place, as well as the formation
of the new grass root structure following the
initial re-instatement and re-seeding.
The high water table level also prevented
effective drainage. Overall over 400 tonnes of
debris have been dug out and thousands of
tonnes of topsoil have been imported. Further
improvements to the infrastructure have also
been carried out.
The service road that encompasses the entire
area of the moor occupied by the Hoppings
has been improved and a new service road has
also been installed. This new road connects
the very south west end of the service road
with the road system adjacent to Exhibition
Park that showpeople and the general public
drove along immediately before exiting the
moor via the Claremont Road gate, at the very
south end, during the Hoppings fair.
This road was used for the first time recently
for the showpeople attending the new
Newcastle Fair to get on and off site with their
vehicles. It will be used as part of the car park
exit route at possible future Hoppings fairs,
should the event hopefully be reinstated.
The on-site drainage system has also been
enhanced as in addition to the refurbishment
of the existing drains, which have been
cleaned and restoned, three new main drains
have been installed as well as two new 12 inch
drains and one new nine inch drain. The latter
three utilise the French drainage system and
are at the bottom of purposely dug 1.7 metres
deep trenches.
The hollow drainpipes are perforated and
the trenches have been refilled with stones
through which the water will filter down and
then enter into the drainpipes through the
holes in them.
The two trenches, or stone trails as they now
appear to be at ground level, containing the
12 inch drains both run across and beyond the
width of the area of the moor occupied by the
Hoppings. One is at the very northern end,
which proved to be the most challenging area
of the entire site restoration programme, and
the other crosses over the Forsyth path.
The existing lateral field drains tap into these,
which then tap into the main drain which runs
alongside the Great North Road. The new
main drains are also at the end of these stone
trails. The recently dug trench containing the
nine inch drain runs alongside and in parallel
Stewards Committee
There are many areas of activity which have
required extra input by Committee during
the summer, land management including
completion of the Elizabethan style fencing
on the Forsyth playing field, land drainage
assessment on Town Moor, Hunters Moor,
and in particular Nuns Moor.
Events management in co-operation with
City Council officers has taken up a great
deal of time both for Committee and our
staff. As reported our summer event at Moor
Bank Lodge was once again a success.
Lease management review to ensure
compliance of existing leases, we are
conscious that old lease renewals have to
be brought up to date to fit with current
legislation also to have a full reinstatement
clause something lacking in leases in the
past which has proven to be an expensive
with the new service road. All the new drains
link into the existing ones and the new pipes
feed into the Great North Road storm drains.
Jim Johnson of the Freemen’s Stewards
Committee told World’s Fair: “The work on
the new and repaired drains was carried
out to benefit the Hoppings site but as
a consequence should help to improve
flooding issues in the nearby Brandling area
of Jesmond”. Chairman of the Stewards
Committee Sir Leonard Fenwick also
commented on the new drainage work saying:
“We’ve returned to proven methods that have
served the test of time”.
The Town Moor is on a gradual incline, with
two hills at the top, and the area the Hoppings
occupied is right at the bottom of this, so any
surface water therefore runs straight down to it.
Reproduced by kind permission of
The World’s Fair Ltd’
omission, especially when a lease is
terminated and the tenant has the right to
neglect their responsibility and walk away
leaving the reinstatement for the Freemen
to fund.
We continue to work very closely with
Newcastle City Council officers and
councillors to achieve what is beneficial for
the City and its residents, the latest project
we are supporting is the grant funded £3m
renovation of Exhibition Park, to assist
we have made part of the Town Moor
Exhibition site available for the plant used
during the work which will be fully reinstated
by the contractor on completion of the
contract. Funding the renewal of the fence
between the Town Moor and Exhibition
Park with the Elizabethan style fence is to be
our financial contribution to the project.
FreemenMagazine 11
 Superintendents
Report
As the end of our grazing season draws to
a close, we can look back on the decision
that we took in the spring to defer the start
of our grazing season as a very good one.
The sun shone to provide us with a better
summer than usual, and a great year for
prolonged grass growth ensuring that most
of our moors could run with high numbers
of cattle almost through to the closing date.
Our graziers have once again reported back
to say they have had another great grazing
season, and their cattle have done very well
on the Town Moors.
The environmental programmes I
discussed in the last edition have now been
completed; the drainage on the Town Moor
has been significantly enhanced along with
a new extension to the service road on the
Festival site. I’m hoping to monitor the
progress of these new drains over the winter
months to see what impact they have on
the environment as a whole.
Forsyth Road playing fields new Elizabethan
fence has now been installed. Our staff
have been busy keeping the grass cut so
the local populous can enjoy the open
recreational space. During the summer
months the grass has needed to be cut on a
weekly basis and underneath the perimeter
fence strimmed at the same time. The
boundary along Highbury has been sprayed
off with Round Up as it was heavily infested
with invasive weeds.
As we now enter our autumn period our
staff will be assisting the graziers with the
removal of their cattle, and shutting down
the water supplies to the water troughs for
the winter.
12 FreemenMagazine
Mr Chris Atkinson will once again be
assisting our staff with the installation of
new troughs on the Town Moor and Castle
Leazes moor, and we are hoping to add a
new trough at Moor Bank Lodge in our back
paddock which we use for sick cattle until
they can be collected and removed. Mr
Atkinson has supplied us with the materials
we need to install a water supply into the
new agricultural building, we are to install
this over the winter period as part of the
winter works programme.
The Stewards Committee have given the
green light for a lot of drainage exploratory
works to be carried out on the main Town
Moor, where we now have issues that if they
are not addressed will impact upon the
condition of our pasture. We are hoping
to start these works as and when the
ground conditions allow over the winter
months. Once we have discovered what is
causing the problems we will be drawing
up schemes to correct these and hopefully
have them all repaired prior to the cattle
returning in the spring.
Kevin Batey
Town Moor Superintendent.
Hoppings
The Town Moor Hoppings or ‘Festival’
site as recorded in the Town Moor Act
1988, underwent a major reinstatement
programme during the late 2012 and
early 2013, including major drainage
works and extending the service road.
As reported in issue 14. Irrespective of
the fact that it was becoming obvious
that the site could not safely sustain
a fair and was cancelled, a decision
overseen by the Northern Section of the
Showmen’s Guild to put the fair ‘out of
order’ and remains in place, a decision
that mystifies as at the time we had 15
months until the 2014 event to address
any issues.
To report a full account of the issues
involving the Northern Section of the
Showmen’s Guild we would fill the whole
of this publication, a snapshot follows.
Over the summer there has been a
campaign by Northern Section of the
Showmen’s Guild officials to disrupt any
fair which was organised by ourselves or
the City Council, including threats and
harassment to the fairground operators
in an attempt to discourage their
attendance to fairs in Newcastle. In one
instance where there were three fairs
arranged to be held at the same time
as the cancelled Hoppings, one at TVTE
Fair Gateshead, organised by individual
Showmen, The Great Toon Fair, Nuns
Moor Newcastle, organised by individual
Showmen, and one at Herrington Park
Washington organised by individual
Showmen including officials of the
Northern Section Committee and a
member of the Northern Syndicate the
previous lessees of the Hoppings. All
separate fairs set up to fill the void in the
showmen’s calendar, yet one fair being
singled out for harassment through the
Northern Section committee including
trumped up charges of interference
against the Nuns Moor Fair in essence
an attempt to benefit the promotion
of their fair at Herrington and in part
due to the fact that the best nationally
acclaimed fairground rides chose Nuns
Moor as the place to be. Because of the
threat of being fined by the Northern
Section committee some operators
pulled out.
A great deal of Showmen throughout
the country have stayed in touch and
offered ongoing support for which we
are very grateful.
The organisation of the Nuns Moor
Fair was also disrupted by having their
promotional banners slashed or stolen,
the set up of attractions was delayed
because the entrance bollards could not
be lowered as super glue was poured
into the locks. Through the support and
help of the City Council the fair was able
to proceed and was said to be a great
success, even the police commenting in
the local paper of their delight that there
were no incidents reported, and for the
first time there was not one complaint by
local residents throughout the event.
Despite the success of the event all
those Showmen attending the Nuns
Moor Fair subsequently had punitive
FreemenMagazine 13
 fines of £10,000 each imposed, this
action being promoted by the Northern
Section Committee. Similar threats
were made to those attending the
Newcastle fair, including at a meeting
of the Northern Section where an
official is quoted as saying ‘anyone who
attends the Newcastle fair should be
shot’, once again some showmen pulled
out through fear of fines and reprisals,
thankfully because we had administered
the fairground part of the Newcastle fair
we were able to liaise so no action was
taken against these tenants.
Due to this breakdown in trust and
confidence in the Northern Section
officials we wrote to The President of
the Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain
to request their intervention, although
sympathetic they were unable to
intervene unless invited by the Northern
Section, consequently we wrote to
the Northern Section to formally
14 FreemenMagazine
request they invite Central Office of the
Showmen’s Guild to take over and open
dialogue with regard to the issue of the
‘Out of Order’, and in the interest of
openness copied the letter to all Section
Chairmen, Central Office, and all Tenants
of the Hoppings.
Up until this time our offer to attend a
pre-meeting of any meetings with the
showmen to enable the facts to be laid
before the members and give them the
opportunity for a Q&A, this was declined
the reason given as non members of the
Showmen’s Guild could not attend their
meetings, then following our letter and
in a strange turn around we received an
invitation from the Northern Section to
attend a meeting to discuss our letter,
we were not even shown the courtesy
of being asked of our availability to
attend yet it was publicised in the trade
newspaper. Our letter clearly laid down
the reasons for our request for Central
office intervention and we remain
resolved in this position.
We are committed to hold a vibrant
sustainable Hoppings and have put
a tremendous amount of effort and
finance in to ensuring the site is in
readiness for 2014 and from comments
received is appreciated by the majority
of Hoppings tenants, unfortunately
members of the Northern Section are
being deceived by the distortion of
the facts by a small minority who are
motivated by personal gain. It is sad
that a small group can tarnish a highly
respected organisation such as the
Showmen’s Guild of Great Britain, which
is why we have requested National
intervention.
A feeling of déjà vu. 1912 was
exceptionally wet and much damage
was caused to the surface of the
Moor during the Festival by a great
collection of roundabouts and other
amusements drawn by heavy traction
engines. As a result, the Committee,
in 1913 consented to the holding of
the Temperance Festival, but refused
their consent for the letting of sites for
roundabouts and amusements. The
Corporation in spite of the opposition
of the Committee let sites for the
roundabouts and amusements for
the Festival. The Freemen sought
an injunction which was served, The
Defendants justified their proposed
action by the authority of the
Corporation under an Agreement, dated
the 4th June, 1913, and made between
the Corporation and the Defendants.
This Defence raised the question of
the right of the Corporation to let sites
on the Town Moor for such purposes
without the consent of the Committee.
On Friday 29th May 1914 the case was
heard In the High Court of Justice.
Chancery Division.
Case:
Walker & Others (Stewards Committee)
-V- Murphy (Showman) and Others
(Corporation). before Mr Justice Neville.
The injunction was upheld and the
authority of the Freemen confirmed.
Consequently the fairground did not
return to the Town Moor for 10 years.
Let’s hope history is not repeated.
FreemenMagazine 15
 Special Swearing in Ceremony
Following her election as the Lord Mayor, Margaret Wood presided over the
swearing in ceremony on June 24 2013. She was accompanied by her husband,
Councillor John Wood, who was Lord Mayor 2009/2010.

16 FreemenMagazine
Town Moor
LOOK at Newcastle Town Moor today and you’ll see a peaceful - some
would say rather too peaceful - green space of over 1,000 acres,
dotted with grazing cattle. Apart from the Hoppings fair or charity
runs, nothing much seems to happen there. But this rare surviving
public space, always jealously protected from encroachment, hasn’t
always been so quiet.
People used to be executed here. They was cool headed enough to address
would be brought along the route of the spectators on the meanings of
what is the modern Gallowgate (hence slang words used by villains at the
the name) to be hanged on the Moor’s time, requesting that this information
southern edge. Up to 20,000 spectators be posthumously printed for the
might attend for what was generally public good. Armies have encamped
considered a grand day out, with food on the Moor, such as General Wade’s
vendors and alehouses doing a roaring Hanoverian forces of 15,000 men and
trade. No fewer than 14 Newcastle 200 guns, during the 1745 Jacobite
women were hanged there in 1649 for Rebellion. It also saw celebratory troop
supposedly being witches, alongside musters, like the grand field day on April
one man accused of being a wizard. The 21, 1801, in honour of Nelson’s victory
authorities, trying to satisfy a wave of over the Danish fleet.
public anti-witch hysteria, had paid a fee
to a notorious Scottish witchfinder for In 1831 the Northern Political Union held
every person he condemned. Suspects a meeting on the Town Moor - always
were pricked with a pin: if they bled they a popular venue for big political rallies
were considered innocent and, if not, and mighty deliberations – attended
guilty. Some sort of trickery, such as a by over 50,000, to support the Great
retractable point, was almost certainly Reform Bill. The contemporary Fraser’s
used. Magazine gave a humorous review
of the day’s speakers. One Radical
Ordinary criminals were also executed leader apparently spoke “with some
on the same spot: for example, Richard considerable reference to himself”,
Brown in 1751 for his daughter’s murder, and a young Quaker attorney, while
and pawnbroker George Stewart in 1764 treated kindly by the tough crowd,
for shooting a keelman. Theft could failed to be taken seriously because
be a capital offence in those days. In of his “lad-like appearance”. Mr B,
1776 Robert Knowles, the North Shields one of the secretaries of the union,
postman, was hanged on the Town Moor was a noted speaker at small private
for having stolen a letter containing two debates but “here, poor fellow, his
£50 Bank of England bills belonging to voice, which is only fit for a room, was
Robert Rankin, a merchant. lost in the immensity of space”. And
Thomas Hepburn, the pitmen’s leader,
On September 2,1786 Henry Jennings, is said to have spoken some sense, but
a convicted horse thief, was put to “more frequently mixed along with it a
death here too. Before he swung, he great deal of gibberish”. The meeting

FreemenMagazine 17
 was hastily brought to a close when
it was noticed that “the people were
giving signs that they were anxious
to be at home”. The Moor’s history
as pastureland goes back to the 12th
century, and the Freemen of the City, its
traditional guardians, have long been
entitled to graze cows there. Thomas
Bewick’s aunt, a Freeman’s widow,
exercised this right enthusiastically.
The famous engraver lived with her in
Pudding Chare as a young apprentice
and later complained that he felt he’d
lived on nothing but milk during that
time.
Some limited mining, at sites like
Spital Tongues colliery, has always
been allowed on the Town Moor,
and the two-mile Victoria Tunnel was
built in 1842 to transport its coal to
the Tyne. On completion of this great
engineering feat, a party was held for
the 200 construction workers at the
Unicorn Inn in the Bigg Market. They
were “regaled with a substantial supper
and strong ale” and entertained by the
Albion Band. In 1867 there was a terrible
accident, killing eight people, on the
18 FreemenMagazine
Moor. A quantity of Nobel’s Blasting
Oil, a nitroglycerine preparation used
in mines, had been found stored in
the cellar of a public house, and it was
decided the volatile substance should
be removed to the Town Moor and
buried in old mining pits. Sheriff John
Mawson and town surveyor Thomas
Bryson accompanied the cart to see the
job done, along with other officials and
several curious bystanders, including
some young boys. At first, things went
well. The corks of the nine canisters
were successfully drawn, the oil emptied
out, and a policeman called Wallace
assigned to cover it with soil. Meanwhile,
the sheriff led the rest of the party over
to a nearby hillock to dispose of three
canisters whose contents had become
crystallised. What went wrong next will
never be known, but suddenly there
was a terrific explosion from this area,
shaking the earth and showering debris
everywhere. An unfortunate cabman,
driving at least a hundred yards away,
was actually blown forward onto his
horses’ backs. Wallace, protected by an
earthen bank, was unhurt.
But several people had been killed
outright, and three very badly injured
survivors - Mawson, Bryson and a young
boy named Samuel Wadley - were
conveyed by cart to hospital. Samuel
died there two hours later, and Mawson
and Bryson the following night.
In happier times the Moor has been
frequently used for sports and pastimes.
Since the 1700s some 29 different
recreations have been recorded there,
including rabbit coursing, baseball and
competitive walking races. In 1848 the
Early Risers’ Club met on the Town Moor
to play sports before eating a hearty
breakfast at a nearby inn, proving that
hitting the gym before work isn’t such a
new idea. The almost forgotten sport of
potshare bowling, a miners’ favourite,
involved men competing to see who
could throw a small bowl the furthest
along a roped-off course. Championship
matches were held on the Moor from
the 1820s onwards, with thousands
flocking to see great players like Robert
Gledson in action. Football was played
on the Town Moor up until 1885 by West
End, one of the two Newcastle teams
then in existence, and a 300-foot roller
skating rink was also built there. The
Newcastle United Workmen’s Golf Club
opened on the Moor in 1892 and still
survives - with a shortened name. Horse
racing was held from 1721 to 1882. Race
week, with its full array of side events,
was an especially popular occasion and
usually carefree, apart from the very
serious Fenian riot which took place
there on June 27,1866. Fenian agitation
was then at its height and a gang of
more than 300 Tyneside Irishmen had
been wandering around all day, spoiling
for a fight. Later, when taunted, they
attacked people almost at random with
shillelaghs and soon a steady stream of
injured victims, including policemen, was
arriving at the infirmary.
Order was only finally restored when
the chief constable himself led a force
of 40 men into the fray, and the Fenians
fled. Arrests were made, and 17 Irishmen
were each sentenced to a year’s hard
labour. The Hoppings is probably the
Moor’s best-known event. Held every
June, traditionally in dreadful weather,
it began as a temperance festival in
1882. In its heyday, before the end of
the 1960s, you could ride on the Steam
Yacht or Chairoplane, visit the boxing
and wrestling booths, see flea circuses,
Wild West displays or the motorbike
Wall of Death. You might challenge
the King of the Guessers to try and
estimate your age to within a year. Or
perhaps be good-naturedly fleeced into
paying a penny to visit an exhibition
run by one of the showmen. Inside, a
‘Holy Friar’ would turn out to be a frying
pan with a hole in it, and the ‘Fall of
Greece’ was a picture of a candle lying
on its side. But there was a disclaimer
at the entrance warning: “Don’t come
in, there’s a catch”. The Town Moor has
seen it all. There as a smallpox hospital
and isolation unit in a secluded spot at
its centre from 1882 to about 1958, the
demolished buildings now marked by a
small plantation of trees.
Other land was used for an airstrip and
troop-training in the First World War,
and a radar station and anti-aircraft
battery in the Second World War. Still
owned by Newcastle City Council, the
Moor now provides a green lung for the
public and a haven for wildlife. It almost
sounds staid... but the unexpected is
never very far away. In 2007, for instance,
a streaker was being chased by police
across the grass there when, for no
apparent reason, he proceeded to turn
round and chase them for a good 15
minutes. On a particularly bracing day.
The Town Moor boring? Never.
FreemenMagazine 19
 Summer Spectacular
3rd August 2013
The now annual event for Freemen and
their families held at Moor Bank Lodge
on the first Saturday in August was again
a resounding success from the gates
opening at 1.30pm through to the close
at 4.30pm.
In addition to the main entertainment
by Heartbeat, led by Doug Tate, House
Carpenters Company, the Hog and lamb
roast, Falconry display, Wood sculpting,
the 101st Regiment Royal Artillery pipe Special thanks go to Jean Bainbridge
band led by Pipe Major Ian Alexander, and Vera Harvey who worked tirelessly to
Tanners Company which were supported serve the refreshments of tea and coffee
this year by two Scottish dancers. Guests along with local beer and the wine which
were also entertained by a display of proved very popular and soon ran low,
Morris dancing by the Monkseaton Ricky Alder, Butchers Company was on
Morrismen. hand to rush to the local supermarket
to replenish stocks, not forgetting Alan
Two cookery demonstrations by Michelin Bainbridge who managed once again to
Star Chef Kenny Atkinson (Ropemakers put on what was described by one guest
Company) were held in the small as a cracking day.
marquee and proved very popular with
all seats quickly taken to see how a We look forward to this year’s event
celebrity chef cooked game. which is planned for the 2nd August
2014.

20 FreemenMagazine
The Newcastle Fair
9th – 18th August 2013
A City Council desire to hold an event
during the school holidays in Exhibition
Park brought together City Council officers
and the Freemen to organise the event.

Park being held on both weekends was

officially opened on Saturday 10th by the
Lord Mayor Margaret Wood who toured
The City regularly organise markets, the markets and then enjoyed all the fun
picnics, sports activities and music events of the fair along with members of her
on the Exhibition Park wanted to expand family.
the event offer by including a fairground
within the event, because of our Every day in addition to the fairground
experience in fairground organisation we rides and attractions 4 bands entertained
were asked to administer the fairground every night on the specialist sound stage
side of the event. making a total of 40 bands over the 10
days the event ran.
Our events team identified the ideal
position for the fair on the Town Moor
old exhibition site adjacent to the park,
many of our readers will remember this
as being the site of the Tyneside Summer
Exhibition, using this area allowed the
events on the park and the fair to merge.

It was particularly pleasing to see so

many people with prams or disabilities
able to access the fairground due to the
pedestrian area being tarmac, making
the event very much a family affair.

The fairground opened daily from Friday

9th August with the events on Exhibition

FreemenMagazine 21
 Diary Dates
CHRISTMAS GUILD
Monday 20th January 2014
Held upstairs in Newcastle Guildhall (on
Quayside, bottom of Dean Street) Close
Court of Guild (for Company Stewards only)
begins at 10.30 am.
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.
EASTER GUILD
Monday 28th April 2014
Held upstairs in Newcastle Guildhall (on
Quayside, bottom of Dean Street) Close
Court of Guild (for Company Stewards only)
begins at 10.30 am.
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.
Annual Guild Days
Christmas Guild - the first Monday after 13th January
Easter Guild - the first Monday after Easter Monday
Michaelmas Guild - the first Monday after Michaelmas Monday
22 FreemenMagazine
THE LORD MAYOR’S PARADE
Sunday 11th May 2014
St. Nicholas’ Cathedral, Newcastle.
Robing in the Cathedral Refectory at 9.30a.m.
for commencement of parade into the
Cathedral at 9.45a.m. with the Lord Mayor of
Newcastle upon Tyne.
All Newcastle Freemen are welcome. Should
you need to borrow a robe there will be a
small quantity available on the day.
To assist on the day, parking will be available
at Moor Bank Lodge and transport at 9:00am
to and from the Cathedral will be provided.
MICHAELMAS GUILD
Monday 6th October 2014
Held upstairs in Newcastle Guildhall (on
Quayside, bottom of Dean Street)
Close Court of Guild (for Company
Stewards only) begins at 10.00 am. At this
particular meeting the Stewards Committee
is democratically elected via ballot for the
ensuing year.
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 being sworn in by
the Lord Mayor.
Following the proceedings a buffet lunch is
served in the Merchant Adventurers Court.
Notice Board
Bereavements

James Carlton Glass

Tanners Company

Derek Hastings
Jack Hiscock
Shipwrights Company

Albert Oxnard 
Coopers Company

John Brian Angus

Skinner and Glovers Company

Vivienne Wilson
Taylors Company

A.S. Brown
Butchers Company

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

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