Berwick 900 Seaside & Maritime Story

This video looks at some of the visual elements in the Spittal Seaside Festival and the exhibition in Tweedmouth Watchtower (introduced by Annie Robinson) where Margaret Kenny and volunteers work on creating a rag wall-hanging to celebrate Berwick 900. 

You'll see nice views of Berwick's landscape and architecture, Spittal promenade, Captain Jim (James) Evans talking about his cooper ancestors, colourful kites on Spittal beach, a teddy bears' picnic with an assortment of knitted woollen food.

Berwick-upon-Tweed's Fishing Story

Berwick-upon-Tweed's Our Fishing Story video begins with a view of the fishing boat, Reaper, entering Berwick harbour carrying Lauren Dixon, the outgoing 2014-15 Salmon Queen from Eyemouth to Berwick quayside.

As well as nice views of the quayside and the harbour, there's views of the nice food stalls on the quayside taking part in the Mouth of the Tweed food festival celebrating food that is harvested, grown or produced in the Berwick-upon-Tweed area.

On the quayside, that group of red tops and red caps is Prior Park First School there to entertain the crowds. The camera shifts to the Tweedmouth Watchtower and the Silver Shiels and Salmon Darlings exhibition with history displays about fishing and craftswork and paintings related to fishing: fishes, nets, a huge collage of fishes in the waves. Next comes Spittal Promenade with glimpses of Tidal's contemporary dance depicting the sea and River Tweed, then the Tweedmouth Feast carnival parade through the streets of Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittal. There's commentary by Berwick's Mayor, Hazel Bettison, too.

Several views of people avidly reading the displays in Berwick's Maritime Connections Exhibition at Berwick Guildhall on 18 July, where volunteers were collecting family stories mainly about salmon fishing around Berwick and herring fishing inhabitants in the Greenses area of Berwick. More views of the town are followed by a pipe band leading the procession to the crowning of the new Tweedmouth Salmon Queen, Shannon Blackhall.

The video closes with the departure of Reaper.

Berwick's Fishing, Seaside and Maritime Story Exhibition - 30 July to 16 August

Following on from Berwick's Maritime Connections Exhibition at Berwick Guildhall, there's another exhibition at the Watchtower, West End, Tweedmouth from 30 July to 16 Aug, open from 11am to 4pm each day, bringing together community, history and the arts and crafts, with something for all ages and interests.

Bring Us Your Family Stories about Berwick's Fishing Families, Fri 17 to Sun 19 July in Berwick Guildhall

As you’ll have already seen, with an exhibition in the Watchtower, Tweedmouth, and other events, this coming month is all about the area’s fishing and maritime history. 

Also from 11am to 4pm each day from Friday, 17 July to Sunday, 19 July, we’re mounting an exhibition in the Guildhall on Berwick's maritime connections (of course, it’s admission free).

This includes Berwick's connections with salmon and herring fishing, ships and shipbuilding; whaling and about Berwick captains. Year 4 of Holy Trinity School, Berwick, have done some artwork based on families and fishing in the Greenses which will be on display, too. 

As part of the weekend, we would like to gather information on the Greenses fishing community, the people who lived there and stories about their lives. 

We are particularly interested in these names: Burgon; Manuel; Borthwick; Jamieson; Crombie; Young and Hattle but we’re also looking for any other names in that area connected with fishing. 

We have a Burgon family tree to which we have added some information but if anyone else can help us add more, come along and help us, particularly where they link in with the other fishing families in that area. 

We’re still interested in hearing your family stories whether they’re connected with fishing or the sea or not. If you have any interesting information about characters from your family’s past in Berwick or would like to get involved in the project, come along and see us this coming weekend or contact Peter Munro on berwickfamilies@gmail.com or Linda Bankier on berwickarchives@woodhorn.org.uk .

Tell Us Your Fishy Stories at Spittal

Another chance to join Newcastle University's project engaging residents of the Berwick area in a process of recording their untold stories and multi-sensory knowledge of salmon fishing on the Tweed (past, present and future) through a series of 'pop-up' events including Poetry Booth™ use for several days at the Town Hall and Watchtower Gallery in July/August. 

•Do you have fishing family connections or stories that you would like to share?
•Do you feel inspired when you see pictures of net and coble fishing? If so, how?
•What is it about the fishing heritage and river landscape that you cherish most?
•What are the qualities that distinguish Berwick salmon?

A selection of stories and artefacts representing ‘lost fishing futures’ will be included in a souvenir publication.

They would like you to share your experience with their community-based project at their second event on
Wednesday 17th June, 6pm to 8pm, Spittal Residents Association Jubilee Social & Community Centre Highcliffe, Spittal, TD15 2JL. Map.

If that's not convenient, please phone Helen Jarvis on 0191 208 6959 or email her at helen.jarvis@ncl.ac.uk

Tell Them Your Salmon Fishing Story

A new project by Newcastle University has recently started to engage residents of Berwick in a process of recording their untold stories and multi-sensory knowledge of salmon fishing on the Tweed (past, present and future) through a series of 'pop-up' events including Poetry Booth™ use for several days at the Town Hall and Watchtower Gallery in July/August.  

•Do you have fishing family connections or stories that you would like to share?
•Do you feel inspired when you see pictures of net and coble fishing? If so, how?
•What is it about the fishing heritage and river landscape that you cherish most?
•What are the qualities that distinguish Berwick salmon?

A selection of stories and artefacts representing ‘lost fishing futures’ will be included in a souvenir publication.

They would like you to share your experience with their community-based project at their first event on
Wednesday 10 June, 6 –8pm at The Pilot Pub Function Room,
31 Low Green, Berwick upon Tweed, TD15 1LZ.

If that's not convenient, please phone Helen Jarvis on 0191 208 6959 or email her at helen.jarvis@ncl.ac.uk