Prime roast beef and plum pudding for Workhouse inmates

Christmas Day at Darlington wore the aspect of an unusual quiet. Almost every place of business in the town was closed, and master and man alike enjoyed the luxury of a real holiday.

Notwithstanding the genial state of the weather, the streets were almost deserted, but this, we infer, only showed the more how attractive was the influence of the family circle. Whilst, however, the affluent as well as the struggling poor were alike bidding a cheerful welcome to the festive board, and greeting them with a “Merry Christmas” the inmates of the Workhouse were not forgotten. By the kindness of the Board of Guardians, about seventy were plentifully regaled with a dinner of prime roast beef and rich plum pudding. This substantial treat was generously supplemented by a supply of little luxuries that contributed not a little to the enjoyment of the festival. Messrs Potts and Swinburne took care that all the smokers should have an ample supply of tobacco. Mr John Hodgson levied from friends and acquaintances funds enough for the purchase of nuts and oranges for the juveniles, to each of whom Mr William Garthwaite gave happiness by the present of a penny. The Licensed Victuallers’ Association sent a liberal supply of ale, and so young and old “they did all eat and were filled,” and then tunefully praised the giver of all good things, who, as on this day, gave His best gift to mankind. John Beaumont Pease, Esq., chairman of the Board of Guardians, and a number of ladies and gentlemen were present during the dinner.

The cleanly and healthy appearance of the inmates was the subject of general remark, and, of course, involved a well merited commendation of the governor and matron, Mr and Mrs Deaves.

From this newspaper 100 years ago. –

Middlesbrough’s war upon rats has led to heavy slaughter. At the Sanitary Committee meeting on Tuesday, the Sanitary Inspector (Mr George Anderson) told the committee that £100 had been spent upon “Raten,” a virus which spreads disease and death amongst the rats, and there had been an appreciable diminution in the numbers of these rodents. Various warehouses and offices have been successfully treated, but there still remain many infested districts, and as the committee have already overspent their estimates for the current year it was decided to ask householders to carry on the crusade at their own expense until the estimates for the ensuing year came under review in March next.

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Some fears were expressed that a virus which spreads disease amongst rats would also be dangerous to the health of human beings, but the Medical Officer assured the committee that the virus was harmless both to human beings and also to all animals except rats. Nor did the latter die in their holes, as was the case when ordinary poison is used. The rats, he said, were affected with a craving for air and water. They became slow in their movements, and the other rats attacked and devoured them, with the result that they too, contracted the disease.

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From this newspaper 50 years ago. –

The proposed new Teesside University was described as a “crazy scheme” by Coun J Whelan at a meeting of Darlington Town Council’s General Purposes Committee on Monday. Coun Whelan was commenting on a report by Coun J W Skinner on a recent meeting of the special sub-committee.

Coun Skinner said that four sites had been considered for the new university, at Guisborough, Stokesley, Saltburn and Billingham.

Coun Whelan said that noone knew how much the scheme would cost the rate payers of Darlington. He thought that responsibility for universities should rest with the Government.

The figure of £30,000 had been mentioned in connection with the university but “this could be more and it could be less.” When the question where is the money to come from? was asked, it would be obvious to the people of Darlington that it would come from them. Said Coun Whelan: “The idea that Darlington should lay claim to the Teesside University was absurd at the start.”

He thought it was wrong that excellent farming land in the area should be sacrificed to “work of this kind,” and it seemed to him that the whole scheme was “quite ridiculous.”