THE Boer War memorial outside the Rose and Crown has been the source of much speculation over the years.

Many believe it is the village’s official war memorial and the 33 men named on it all lost their lives in the South African sun at the turn of the last century.

They are wrong on both counts, for the village’s official war memorial is the lych gate at the cemetery where, sadly, most of the names of the Fallen have been eroded by wind and weather from the soft stone over the years.

And as for the Boer War soldiers named, they all returned safely to the North Tyne – it was once suggested to me by a prominent former councillor that rather than South Africa, they got no further than Southampton!

The inscription makes it clear that the splendid edifice with its statue of a fusilier in full South African kit, complete with rifle, standing on a stone plinth supported by four pillars, was erected to mark the fact that the men – local members of the yeomanry and volunteers – had fought in the war, not that they died there.

It used to stand in the middle of the road between Lloyds Bank and the paper shop, but was moved to the less busy Manchester Square in the early 1960s for road safety reasons.

The reason I have mentioned it is that I have been approached by Dr Tony Power, from Dublin, to see if anyone locally has any information about the man who carved the memorial.

The work has traditionally been ascribed to one J. Milburn, but Dr Power thinks this is a mistake, as he is researching the works of the York sculptor, George Walker Milburn (1844-1941), who sculpted many war memorials throughout the North-East of England, including the Boer War Memorial Cross at Durham Cathedral.

Can anyone shed any light?

THE first cold snap of the winter over the weekend made driving interesting, particularly on Saturday, and it was good to see Northumberland County Council gritters out in good numbers.

However, is it really necessary for the grit loading shovels in the council yard to have their reversing bleepers operating at full volume during the wee small hours?

I know the wagons have to be filled, but people need their beauty sleep too!

IT’S the Bellingham Methodist United Reformed Church’s Christmas fair tomorrow, at 2pm, with the usual popular tombola and festive cake stall, raffle, gifts and bric-a-brac stalls.

It’s a nice warm-up for the Village Late Night Christmas Shopping event on Wednesday, December 2. Members of Hexham Brass Band will lead carol singing in front of the MURC Nativity scene at 6pm, followed by mince pies in the hall.

WITH the Barclay’s Bank cash machine out of commission yet again on Monday morning, it was good to learn during my cashback call at the Co-op that its application for a cash machine at its premises has been formally approved.

I understand the go-ahead has also been given for a cashpoint at the post office too.