Coldingham Sands Beach Huts

On this page I have been collecting together various snippets I have found about the Coldingham Sands beach huts. See also the story of the golf hut which became a beach hut.

SALE OF HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE AT WARDEN HOUSE, COLDINGHAM, on WEDNESDAY 20th MAY, 1910

The Berwick Advertiser – Friday 13 May 1910

The whole household furniture belonging to Mr J. Jordan, comprising… [A list of items follows here]. Also Bathing Box, which can be seen at Coldingham Bay. SALE to Begin at 12.30 Afternoon.

Warden House is opposite the entrance to Manse Road and is now called Melville House.

Bathing Boxes

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 20 September 1921

Mr J. T. S. Doughty, solicitor, Ayton, appeared on behalf of Miss Milne Home’s curators appeal against a valuation £16 – 8s put by the assessors on the sites of bathing boxes at Coldingham Sands, being Miss Milne Home’s share of the rents received.
The Assessor stated that the item referred to certain number of bathing boxes erected at Coldingham Sands. Half the rent went to Miss Milne Home, and half to the farmer. He held this should appear on the valuation roll. After hearing Mr Doughty, the Chairman said the appeal was dismissed. Mr Doughty said he might appeal, and asked for a case to be stated.
The Chairman — A case will be stated if you wish.
Doughty — Your Honours know what happened before when you decided a case against me.
The question of certain deductions was then raised, and eventually the valuation was fixed at £12.
Mr J. T. S. Doughty also appeared in an appeal by Miss Chisholm, Coldingham, against a valuation of £1 each on 19 bathing boxes. It was contended that these should not appear in the roll, or if assessed at all, should be valued at 7s 6d per annum. The Assessor from a case in the Court of Session from 1919 maintained that these were assessable subjects. Mr Doughty held they were not, and caused some amusement by remarking in a characteristic manner that “he would not like the Court to be found wrong twice in one day”. Although at the moment things went against him, and the Court fixed a valuation upon each of these huts, fresh light was cast upon the matter by Mr Millar who appeared in an appeal by Mr A. Laidlaw. Wellfield, Duns, in a similar case. Mr Millar adduced a case decided by the Court of Session so recently as June of this year between Glasgow City Assessor and the Clyde Shipping Co., who had erected certain temporary buildings at the quayside for the furtherance of their work. The Assessor proposed to enter these in the Valuation Roll. The case was taken to appeal and decided against the Assessor on somewhat technical grounds. Such entries had to be made under the Act of 1895 applying to tenants’ erections, and Lord Salveson in deciding against the Assessor, did so on the ground that the land upon which these buildings were erected were not in the tenancy of the Clyde Shipping Coy, but on the contrary was included in the property of the Clyde Navigation Trustees, to whom the harbour and quays belonged. The conditions here were essentially the same, the proprietor and tenant of the ground being already on the roll and another entry could not be made in respect of the structures in question.
The Assessor expressed his opinion that the decision was applicable to the present case, and that the proposed inclusion of these huts in the valuation roll could not be pressed.
Mr Forrest: This is rather awkward. We expect to be guided by Mr Calvert.
The Assessor explained that this was a very recent decision. He had only newly received the full report of it, and had just read it now.
The Chairman: The Assessor did not know of the existence of the case quoted by Mr Millar. Now it has been brought his attention he is of the opinion he cannot maintain his claim. This appeal is sustained, and of course our decision applies to all these cases, and the entries referring to them will be deleted.

Summer Huts Ransacked

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail – Wednesday 22 February 1922

Thirty-one summer huts at Coldingham (Berwickshire) beach, owners of which include Newcastle and Edinburgh residents, have been broken into and ransacked.

Sequel to Coldingham Bathing Huts Burglary

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 16 May 1922

At a Criminal Court, at Duns, on Saturday, before Hon Sheriff-Substitute John Ford, James Coull and John Forrest, two young lads said to belong to Dundee, were brought in custody charged with having between 15th and 19th Feb, 1922, at Coldingham Sands (1) broken into bathing box or hut belonging to James D. Lawrie, draper, and stolen therefrom a mattress, 2 pillows, a pillow bolster, 2 pairs blankets, 2 bed covers, a cushion, a pack of playing cards, and one or more tins of preserved meat, (2) broken into a bathing box or hut belonging Alexander Tait, Inspector of Poor, Coldingham, and did maliciously break and destroy a quantity of crockery, and (3) break into other 31 bathing boxes or huts the owners thereof being to the complainer unknown, and steal from one or more of them two canvas bags, a pair of eye-glasses, a book, and a quantity of stationery. Both pleaded guilty to all the charges, and Forrest admitted a previous conviction for theft in England in Jan 1921. The Procurator Fiscal Depute stated that at Coldingham there were a great many bathing boxes which were not in use during the winter months. During the early afternoon of Feb 16th, the two accused were seen in St Abbs begging. They stated that they belonged to Dundee, had walked from there to Middlesbro’ in search of work, and were on their way home. Later the same afternoon they were seen sitting on the sea banks near Coldingham Sands by two local youths. One the accused had at that time a pack of cards in his possession, and one produced some papers which he said were his army discharge papers. He was at the time wearing a pair of rubber Wellington boots. These boots and an old waterproof coat had been thrown away by a man named Cormack. About 7 pm both were seen making their way from Coldingham village back to the Sands again, and about 10.15 pm a considerable amount of noise was heard coming from the Sands, evidently caused by accused breaking into the boxes. During the forenoon of the 17th they were again seen in Coldingham district, proceeding towards the Sands. At night a light was observed coming from one of the boxes. Most of the bathing boxes were secured with good locks, and in some cases considerable force would be required to force them. Not content with breaking into one, they had continued their work of destruction till they had broken into over 30 huts. The amount of petty mischief done could hardly be detailed, especially as some of the owners of the huts could not be traced. They removed articles from one hut to another. They did not put the crockery to proper use, but wantonly destroyed it. The bed clothing they removed from Mr Lawrie’s hut to another, but those articles had to be destroyed having been polluted with vermin. Accused were again seen on the morning of the 18th near the Sands. They left by way of Lumsdaine, each carrying a bundle. The waterproof coat, a white canvas bag containing the eyeglasses, a book, and the stationery, were thrown away by accused and found near Petticowick. The old pair of Wellingtons were found in one of the bathing huts. The damage done was considerable, and he asked for a fitting sentence. On being asked if they had anything to say for themselves, Coull said were starving at the time. Accused were sentenced to 6 weeks’ imprisonment.

For Sale

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 12 June 1923

FOR SALE — 2 BATHING BOXES on Coldingham Sands, fitted with folding table and seat. Size 7 ft by 6 ft. — Mrs D. Wilson, Murrayfield, St Abbs.

Country Quarters To Let

The Scotsman – Wednesday 29 May 1935, repeated in July

Ayton, 2 sitting, 4 bedrooms, kitchen &c., bath (h & c), garage, hut at Coldingham (3½ miles). August. Address H50. Scotsman.

For Sale

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 23 May 1939

FOR SALE, BATHING HUT at Coldingham Beach, new condition. — Box J.40 News, Berwick.

Berwickshire, The Anchorage, St Abbs, Coldingham

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 15 July 1947

This House, long conducted as a Boarding Establishment, is FOR SALE PRIVATELY, with actual possession at Martinmas, 1947. Porch Lounge, 2 Public, 7 Bedrooms, Modern Bathroom, ample Kitchen Premises, Rayburn Cooker, immerser, Washing and Coal Houses, Larder, Summer House, Hut at Beach. Low annual value. Ground Burdens, £1 13s 3d. For cards to view and other particulars apply to—JOHN STEUART and GILLIES, Writers, 204 West George Street, Glasgow, C.2.

For Sale

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 25 May 1948

FOR SALE, Bathing Hut, Coldingham Beach.—Box, B.3, News, Duns.

Wanted

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 22 January 1952

WANTED, Beach Hut, Coldingham Sands. Davidson. Horsley, Reston.

For Sale

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 06 May 1952

FOR SALE, Hut on Beach at Coldingham Sands; excellent condition. Can be seen by arrangement Box, C.14. News, Duns.

For Sale

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 10 May 1955

FOR SALE, Small Bathing Box on Coldingham Beach. Box, L.6, “News,” Berwick.

For Sale

Berwickshire News and General Advertiser – Tuesday 06 September 1955

FOR SALE, Beach Hut, No. 125, Coldingham Sands. Offers to —Schoolhouse, Burnmouth.