Enjoy a glimpse of history through old images of Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland, England, UK.
Berwick-upon-Tweed was caught on camera many times over the past century, preserving a record of the historic Northumberland town and its inhabitants. Positioned uniquely on the border, this town changed hands between England and Scotland 13 times between 1147 and 1482, eventually becoming the most fortified town in Europe. From its medieval status as the "Alexandria of the North" to its role in the industrial age, these films capture a town with a dual heritage and a "lion-hearted" spirit.
Berwick’s Time Machine
The Time Travel Artist James Fox uses illustrations and old photos of Berwick to take us back in time. Watch as the high street of 2018 changes and morphs into scenes from decades and even centuries ago. You can see how the town evolved within the confines of its famous Elizabethan Walls—the only intact bastion-style fortifications in Britain.
Berwick-Upon-Tweed: A Journey Through Time (2018 to 1799): The Time Travel Artist on YouTube
Lifeboat Centenary Celebration (1925)
In 1825 saw the start of the Berwick lifeboat service. It was such a valued resource that the town turned out in force to celebrate its centenary in 1925. In these lovely clear images, we see large numbers of local men, women, and children. A group of more serious children stand in fancy dress, many looking like they’d rather be elsewhere. The procession includes a model of the Cenotaph mounted on a lorry—a sudden reminder that this is just seven years after the end of World War I.
Lifeboat Centenary (1925): British Pathé
Opening the Royal Tweed Bridge (1928)
In 1928, the Royal Tweed Bridge was officially opened by the Prince of Wales. There’s a special platform with seating for local residents who had watched the Royal Border Bridge (the iconic 28-arch viaduct designed by Robert Stephenson) be opened by Queen Victoria in 1850! It’s a shame the camera doesn’t stay on them longer, but several faces are nice and clear.
ROYAL: Prince of Wales opens Royal Tweed bridge in 1928 (1928): Reuters Connect
Berwick Bowling Club (1928)
The Bowls Tournament was strictly a male-only affair in 1928. There are nice exterior images of the Bowling Club, and the final shot shows a cafe above a cinema playing Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill, Jr.
Bowls Tournament At Berwick Bowling Club (1928): British Pathé
40,000 Pigeons in Berwick-upon-Tweed (1939)
World War II was about to begin, but 40,000 pigeons were brought by rail to the station at Berwick. Alongside the tracks, men open a long line of baskets as steam rises from a train. By 1960, the number of birds taking part had dropped to 15,000, but it remained a massive local event.
Pigeon Race At Berwick-Upon-Tweed (1939): British Pathé
Train Crash at Goswick 1947 - 28 Dead
A nearby chapel was turned into a makeshift morgue following the railway disaster at Goswick in 1947. The express from Edinburgh to King's Cross jumped the points, resulting in 28 deaths. It was a tragic moment in the history of a town that has served as a vital rail link between London and Edinburgh for over 170 years.
Train crash wreckage examined near Berwick (1947): Reuters Connect
Flooding in Berwick-upon-Tweed (1948)
In August 1948, torrential downpours hit Northern England and Southern Scotland. Five railway bridges were washed away, leaving tracks suspended in mid-air. The Cumledge Blanket Mills collapsed, and in Eyemouth, boats were washed up into the streets. Villagers were left cleaning their mud-covered possessions with river water.
Berwick - Floods Sweep North, Wrecked Homes (1948): British Pathé
Queen Elizabeth Visits Berwick-upon-Tweed (1956)
We see Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip walking into Berwick Town Hall—a building famous for housing a jail on its top floor until 1849. At the old Berwick Bridge (built 1611–1624), the Queen is presented with a 12lb salmon by James Reed of the Berwick Salmon Fisheries.
The Queen's Tour - Scotland (1956): British Pathé
Steam Trains of Berwick
These images of steam trains contain nice shots of the town and the Royal Border Bridge from many decades ago. The railway has long been the lifeblood of Berwick, connecting the town's unique "Berwick Burr" accent to travelers from across the UK.
Glory Days of Steam at Berwick: 52D Video's
Racing Pigeons at Berwick-upon-Tweed (1960)
Here we see 15,000 birds arriving for a race with a top prize of £700. Though the footage is centered on the railway station, it captures the scale of activity in a town that was once Britain's first purpose-built garrison for the Army in 1721.
Pigeon Derby (1960): British Pathé
Weir's Way (1980s)
Tom Weir takes a walk along the Elizabethan Walls and through the town on a market day in the 1980s. This footage includes an interview in the old gaol with Jack Weatherburn and views of salmon fishermen. It offers a wonderful glimpse into the daily life of a town that, while legendary for being "at war with Russia" for 110 years, remained a peaceful and bustling border community.
Weir's Way: Berwick upon Tweed: Gasmeter's Way
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