Artograffi #148
Who was James Calvert Spence?
Our school is named after him and now there’s a blue plaque on the house where he was born. But what do we know about James Calvert Spence?
James Calvert Spence (circled) had three sisters and four brothers. His father was an architect and built the house on Queen Street (opposite Tesco,) where they lived until James was six. Thank you to Jane Elphick, James’ grand-daughter for sending us this family photo
Before the NHS was a thing, James grew up and became one of the first specialist children’s doctors, leading him on to also being one of the first doctors in England to promote children’s medical care.
His research, fueled by his concern for children’s health, discovered there was a link between poverty and poor health/early death in children. He correctly believed it was important for children to have good nutrition.
His family were Quakers, and James was a conscientious objector (meaning he wouldn’t fight) but served in WW1 as a doctor, where he was awarded two medals for bravery.
He advised the government setting up the NHS in 1948 and was Knighted two years later.
His friends called him Jim and apparently he had ‘twinkly’ blue eyes. People often described him as ‘whimsical’ (nowadays we might call him playful, carefree or erratic which is quite surprising for a doctor). And just like us all, he liked to go on holiday in the Lake District he also liked mountain climbing. He married and had 5 children: Elizabeth, John, Elenore, Barbara, and Cathleen. He died in 1954.
What we don’t know (although we did try to find out):
If he or his siblings went to school in Amble (there were several schools nearby, including an infant school on Cross St)
If his parents or older siblings used Mr McInnes’reading room in Amble (see article below).
Issy says “I feel he was a fun, caring person, well loved by people around him.”
By Grace, Eden and Issy
Concert Tickets Rant: Part 2
In my last article I was talking about prices of concert tickets, mentioning Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Since then, my opinions have not changed. During the finals for the UEFA European Championship, the ticket prices went from 95 euros, which is around £80, to 1000 euros (around £844). Like I said, is this charging too much for something you could see for free on TV where you won’t have the possibility of getting a bad seat and not being able to see the game well?
Speaking of overpriced concerts… Oasis. Don’t get me wrong – their songs are good and it’s nice (not just for the fans) that they are reuniting, but it can’t be very fun just waiting in front of your computer screen for HOURS to have the CHANCE to get a ticket that you thought would cost £148 but went for £355 as you got to the end of the queue… Let’s hope the tickets for the concert I might go to soon aren’t that expensive…
By Grace
Finding out about the library
When we went inside the library it was welcoming and had a cozy kind of feeling. We met Jo and Hilda the librarians, who were very friendly.
Eden and Issy at Amble library
Did you know?
That when you are eight or over you can go to the library yourself.
To get a library card you go to www.mylibrary.co.uk or if you prefer, you can go to the library with a parent to fill a form for your card.
Amble library is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and on Saturday mornings.
You can borrow twenty books at one time which is a lot.
Also people do not just come in for books they can come to use the computer to print tickets and also there is a room you can hire for meetings. Some people come to play board games and others meet for art.
There are books for babies, and for young children there are picture books for them. There are books for teenagers. The library is great for all ages!
Make sure to go and visit the library because now there are two competitions going. One is a poetry competition for over 18s, and the other is make a birthday card for under 12s.
By Eden
Additional work by Issy
HISTORY OF AMBLE LIBRARY
Did you know?
That it’s 100 years since public libraries opened in Northumberland. But there have been places to read books in Amble for longer than that.
First reading rooms: Premier shop and Cross Street
In Amble in the 1880s there was a reading room at Mr McInnes’s shop on the corner of Queen Street and Cross Street, where Premier is now.
When that closed, another one opened in the Co-op buildings on Queen Street during a miners strike in 1887, and then after that, another one opened in a photography studio on Cross Street.
Mr Winters’ library: possibly Coquet Tea Rooms
In the late 1930s there was a library on Queen Street, possibly where Coquet Tea Rooms is now. It was owned by Mr Winters and people paid 2 old pence* a week to borrow books from there.
First public library in Amble: upstairs in this building on Dilston Terrace
The first public library in Amble was opened on the 5th of October 1936. It was upstairs in the Amble Urban District Council Offices which is next door to where the Youth Project is now.
But it was difficult for old people and children to use the stairs, so on 3 November 1962 the library moved to a building on Queen Street where the car park is next to Hithe café.
Our library on Middleton street
The building we use now on Middleton Street became the library in June 1976.
By Issy
Additional work by Eden + Grace
Ed: Thank you to people on the Amble In Old Photographs Facebook page
