Hollinside/Swalwell/Gibside Camp, near Gateshead

[grandpap]

I wonder if anyone can help me with the following query please?

I am researching a First World War military camp that was located on the Gibside estate, near Gateshead. The estate is now a National Trust property, but at the time was still privately owned by the Strathmore Estates.

The camp seems to have been known variously as Hollinside Camp, Swalwell Camp and Gibside Camp. I have found a number of newspaper articles from 1915 which indicate that various 2^nd line battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers were based at the camp during that time. The articles fall into 2 subject areas – sports competitions and recruiting marches. The names of various commanding officers are also given – Brigade Major Arthur H.M. Weddell, Major Ernest J Hart, Lieut-Col Maurice Moore. I have investigated the first 2 officers and found confirmation that they did have command roles at the camp. Beyond that information and the newspaper articles I am having difficulty finding any more information. Estate records held at Durham County Record Office have yielded only one mention from Oct 1916.

 

I have just sent an enquiry to the Fusiliers Museum, but I wondered if anyone here might have further information too.

 

Thanks

Helen

[ss002d6252]

I'm not too far along the road and I've never heard it mentioned as a camp locally - Felling and Ravensworth, but not Gibside estate. That may be an artifact however of me looking at 50 division (mainly DLI).

 

Manyof the camps ceased use in the winter of 14/15 when 50 division moved a lot of men to accommodation in Bensham and weren't used for much once 50 division went off to France in April 15.

 

Craig

[grandpap]

Thanks, Craig. It certainly seems to have been in use in some form or other until at least October 1916. The newspaper articles run from July-Dec 1915, but there is also an item in the Memorandum Book of the Strathmore's agent on 16th October 1916 referring to a discussion with a couple of officers about fencing round the camp. It seems to have been in the fields to the south of Old Hollinside. The recruiting marches into Newcastle took place in Sept and Oct 15.

 

Helen

[Gunner Hall]

The only thing i can find is a reference to the Women's Land Army being billeted at Gibside itself.  -  https://www.sunnisidelocalhistorysociety.co.uk/bowes.html between 1914 -18.  

 

Gibside, Hollinside and Swallwell together cover a lot of ground. Ravensworth Castle isn't that far away too.  Hamsterly Hall at Rowlands Gill. also has an army connection - http://www.whickhamgolfclub.co.uk/page.aspx?pid=10429  Whickham Golf Club mentions that

 

“It was decided that a new clubhouse should be erected on the original site. Two huts became available from the army camp at Hamsterly Hall and these were purchased. Many members helped with the construction of the new premises and completion was effected in time for the 13th AGM in May 1951.”

 

 

 

 

[grandpap]

Thanks for this. Yes, the WLA were operational at Gibside from 1917. I'm a member of the Research Group there and a colleague has done a lot of investigation into their time there, based around 2 photographs of the women found in the archives.

 

Helen