“Health and Home are Powerful Magnets”. An Exile returns to Berwick.

Mike Fraser BA MSc MPhil

Mike lives in Berwick upon Tweed in the very north of England and writes and lectures on Northumberland political history, including studies of Sir William Beveridge and Sir Charles Trevelyan. He now turns his attention to a native of Berwick and his writings.

John Mackay Wilson (1804-1835) was the writer of Tales of the Borders and Editor of the Berwick Advertiser 1832-1835. At this turbulent stage in British history Wilson wrote his popular Tales, transformed the Advertiser and wrote controversial editorials on Grey, Peel, Wellington, the Great Reform Act, religion, trade unions, the Poor Law and the role of Freemen. This is the voice of a man of humble origins expressing his view of Britain at the birth of the modern age. Quoting extensively from Wilson's prose and poetry Mike, in the first extended examination of Wilson's life and work, discusses what his writings tell us about Berwick and Britain during this significant period.

Praise for Mike's *Sir William Beveridge: the Man, the Report and the Berwick Division – *"I think it is terrific" - Steve Richards, Political Commentator

"This study should be in the House of Commons Library" – Sir Alan Beith (former MP for Berwick and now Lord Beith)

"I very much enjoyed your piece which taught me a lot about Lord Beveridge's Northumberland career and later life" - Professor Jose Harris (Beveridge's only Biographer)