THIRD ANNUAL REPORT.

The membership of the Society now stands at 101. Twenty have been elected during the year, two have resigned and two died.

The Meetings have been well-attended and several interesting Papers read, some of which will be of permanent value when printed in "The Antiquities of Sunderland.”

Your Council, however, think it right to point out that good and interesting as the Papers have been, they were contributed by only a very few of the Members. The Council would urge all Members to take part in this primary work by contributing Notes and Papers on matters of local interest.

There have been eight General Meetings during the Session, and the following is a list of the Papers read:

"The Sunderland Ferry," Rev. J. T. Middlemiss.

"Extracts from the Monkwearmouth Parish Registers," Mr. H. M. Wood, B.A.

"Life of St. Godric, the Hermit of Finchale," Mr. James Patterson.

66

Some Notes on early Railway Travelling in the North,"
Rev. R. A. Waters, D.C.L.

"The Copperas Works of Deptford," Mr. Grainger Heslop.
"Notes on
a visit to Dalden Tower and Dalton-le-Dale
Church," Mr. R. Anderson Aird.

"Extracts from Whitburn Parish Registers," Mr. James

Patterson.

"Family of Goodchild, of Pallion Hall: Relatives, Ancestors, and Descendants," Mr. H. R. Leighton.

"A Note on Rowland Wetherald," Mr. B. R. Hill.

An address was given by Rev. D. S. Boutflower, M.A., on "The Life and work of the Venerable Bede."

During the Session three Out-door Meetings have been held, namely:

Ushaw College on July 5th.

Brancepeth Castle and Church on August 3rd.

St. Benet's Monastery on November 8th.

These Meetings were only moderately attended by the Members, but were much appreciated. Thanks are due to Monsignor Corbishley, Viscount Boyne, and the Very Rev. Father Stebbing for their good offices on these occasions.

A start has been made with the printing of the Papers of the Society. On the suggestion of the President, the title, "The Antiquities of Sunderland and Vicinity," was chosen; Volume I (being Papers read during the first Session), was issued in September, and Volume 2 for 1901, is now in the Press. The issue has undoubtedly been the means of securing many new members.

A number of valuable presents have been received, a list of which is given below:

Mr. G. W. Bain.-Map of Durham, circa 1800. Illustrations of Durham County, extracted from Allom's Views.

Mr. C. L. Cummings.-Warrant for swearing at Bedlington, dated March 5th, 1741-2. Plan of the mouth of the Wear, &c., 1737.

Mr. Grainger Heslop (per Mr. Thos. Ray).—Manuscript description of Deptford Copperas Works. Photograph of Mr. John Inman.

Mr. R. Hodgson.-Photograph of St. Andrew's Church, Daltonle-Dale, and description.

Mr. J. G. Kirtley, J. P., Mayor of Sunderland.-Four Proclamations by King Edward VII.

For this description see p. 125.

Mr. John Moore, Beckenham.- Four Drawings by J. Ewbank. Todd's "Life of Jack Crawford." 1889. Pedigrees, extinct Baronetcies in Durham and Northumberland. Grange Tracts. Henderson's "Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties and Borders," 1879. Brockie's "Legends and Superstitions of the County of Durham," 1886. Taylor Potts' "History of Sunderland," 1892. Collingwood's "Dr. Cowan and the Grange School," 1897. Speed's Map of Durham, 1610.

Mr. E. W. B. Nicholson, M.A.-Three Photographs of the Nicholson family.

Mr. James Patterson.-Address of King Edward VII. to the Princes and People of India, Feb. 4th, 1901. Sunderland Coronation Souvenir, 1902.

Rev. T. Randell, D.D.-Order from the Council, Whitehall, amending the Litany, Nov. 13th, 1901.

Mr. Thomas Ray.-View of Sunderland Pier, 1822, framed.

Mr. F. S. Scales.-View of Deptford Paper Mills, 1834.

Mr. Harold Scurfield, M.D.-Annual Reports of the Health, &c., of Sunderland, 1896-1901.

Mr. Christopher Thompson.-Two Photographic Reproductions: To the workmen employed in the Bishopwearmouth Iron Works, 1830. Ald. Wm. Thompson's Election Address, 1834.

Miss Reay has kindly given permission to reproduce the Photograph of the Bishopwearmouth Bowling Club Medal exhibited at the March Meeting.

Your Council begs to tender cordial thanks to the Readers of the Papers; to the Exhibitors and Donors of antiquarian relics; to the local press for their reports of the meetings; and to all who have in any way promoted the interests of the Society.

JAMES PATTERSON, Chairman of Council.
B. R. HILL, Hon. Sec.

THE COPPERAS WORKS AT DEPTFORD,

SUNDERLAND.*

BY GRAINGER HESLOP.

These works were established about the year 1772, by Messrs. Taylor & Inman. The pyrites then used were collected from Lyme, in Dorsetshire, of which a great quantity was laid down at an expense of 30/- per ton.

After Mr. Taylor's death, or withdrawal, the operations were conducted by Mr. Inman, who built Deptford Hall and lived there; he died somewhere about 1780, unmarried. The next proprietor was Mr. John Biss, a friend of the late Mr. Inman.

Mr. Biss inherited the works, the Diamond Hall Farm, the Havanna Field and the River Side Quays, including that lately in possession of Mr. Woods. Mr. Biss died in 1787, and was succeeded by his son Mr. Robert Biss, who conducted the works until 1804, when he took into partnership Mr. Bernard Ogden, who soon after manufactured Glaubers and Epsom Salts in addition to Copperas. This continued until about 1820, when Mr. Ogden purchased the manufactory, being the whole of the waterside field, together with the Quay belonging to that portion of the estate, and in 1826, Pyroligneous retorts were fixed, and the manufacture of Acetate of Soda commenced.

In 1838, Mr. Ogden retired, and was succeeded by Dr. Ogden, his third son; Mr. Ogden died on the 13th April, 1850, at the age of 81. Dr. Ogden extended the manufacture of Acetate of Soda and Acetic Acid, until the works became probably the largest of the kind in existence, and retired in 1869, when his younger brother, Mr. John Maude Ogden, succeeded him, and carried on the works up to the time of his decease in 1892. His Executors continued the business until they sold the estate to Messrs. William Doxford & Sons, in 1896, and in 1902, the latter razed the old Hall to the ground for the extension of their works.

*This is referred to on p. 122.