126 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 



but, such as they are, they have been brought down to 

 within a few years of the Union of the crowns and the 

 consequent cessation of Border warfare. It will be noted 

 that I have confined my remarks almost exclusively to the 

 Northumbrian side of the Border; but I venture to hope 

 that some one of our members may take up the subject 

 of Border defence and treat it more exhaustively, perhaps 

 doing: for the Roxburorhshire and Berwickshire borders what 

 my late lamented kinsman, our fellow-member, Cadwallader 

 John Bates, has done for the Northumbrian side. There 

 is also the question of the organized scheme of watches and 

 beacons, so important in Border story, which forms a wide 

 field of study in addition to, and in connection with, that 

 of the holds and castles. 



During the past year we have had to mourn the loss 

 through death of the following members of our Club : — 

 Rev. George W. Sprott, D.D., senior minister of the parish 

 of North Berwick, a man of many gifts and attainments, 

 whose loss to the Church of Scotland is very great; 

 Rev. Robert Small, Caddonfoot, Galashiels ; Mr Charles E. 

 Moore, Alnwick ; Mr Thomas Tate, Bank House, Ackling- 

 ton, one of the oldest members of our Clab, having been 

 elected in 1863; Mr Adam Cockburn, Elmbank, Duns; 

 Rev. Morris Piddocke, vicar of Kirknewton ; Rev. Canon 

 Walker, rector of Whalton, whose genial help and thorough 

 interest in the affairs of the Club will long be missed ; 

 and Mr Andrew Thompson, Glanton, the well-known 

 auctioneer. The Club is also the poorer for the following 

 resignations : — Dr Christison, secretary of the Society of 

 Antiquaries of Scotland ; Mr John Barr, Tweedmouth ; 

 Mr P. Scott Anderson, Lintalee, Jedburgh ; Mr L. W. 

 Adamson, LL.D., of Lindon, Morpeth; and Rev. C. Blackett 

 Carr, Longframlington. 



In thanking the members, as I do very sincerely, for 

 the honour they have conferred upon me in electing me 

 to this chair, I wish in a special manner to record my 

 obligations to our Secretary, Rev. J. J. M. L. Aiken, B.D., 



