WOODBURN is one of the great lost mansions of Darlington. It was built in the 1860s overlooking the valley of the Tees. Now houses in Coniscliffe Road stand on its site, but many of them have features of its exquisite stonework built into them.

I've had quite a bit of response to my recent articles on Woodburn, and when I was looking through old Echos recently for a train crash, I came upon the following report (which, in its original incarnation, was one long paragraph). It was published on August 11, 1880, and although it descends into a lot of churchifying, the beginning is fascinating as it offers a glimpse at the way of life at Woodburn.

The Darlington MP who owned Woodburn was Theodore Fry. His wife was Sophia Pease, grand-daughter of Edward "Father of the Railways" Pease.

I cannot imagine a modern MP having either the fields or the money to erect marquees and pay for for the partaking of tea by 700 Sunday school teachers, no matter that "the party was in every way enjoyable":

SUNDAY SCHOOL GARDEN PARTY AT DARLINGTON

Woodburn, the seat of the Member for Dalrington, was yesterday evening the scene of a pleasant garden party, upwards of 700 Sunday school teachers having accepted an invitation kindly extended to the teachers of all denominations by Mr Fry on the occasion of the Centenary gathering in the Central Hall the previous week.
 

On their arrival between six and seven oclock, the guests partook of tea provided in tents erected in a field adjoining the grounds, the entertainment partaking of an al fresco character. There were 570 Nonconformist and 128 Established Church teachers present, and the choir and band in attendance brought up the number of persons on the ground to 738.


After tea, the party adjourned to the lawn and grounds, the beautiful prospect from the former and the romantic features of the latter being in the course of the next two hours fully realised and enjoyed.
Croquet, lawn tennis and other games were also in vogue, and at intervals the Sons of Temperance Band and a select choir under the conductorship of Mr James rendered pleasing selections of music.


Shortly after eight oclock, the party having assembled in a body on the lawn to sing select hymns in unison, Mr Fry, who, along with Mrs Fry and family, agreeably mingled amongst the company throughout the evening, took occasion to express the exceedingly great pleasure it had been to Mrs Fry and himself to welcome the Sunday school teachers of Darlington to spend an evening with them at Woodburn. Being deeply sensible of the value of the work those around him were doing amongst the young of the town, it had occured to Mrs Fry and himself to afford them an opportunity of meeting together under agreeable auspices, with a view to the promotion of still greater unioty and harmony, and imbuing them with fresh courage for the task which they had undertaken.


He considered that it augured well for the town of Darlington that it could muster such a gathering as he saw before him, and he trusted that it would act as an incentive to them to redouble their energy in the great work in which they were engaged.


Mr Fry was most cordially received, and his observations were warmly endorsed. Brief addresses on the vast importance of Sunday school work and the deep-reaching influence of Sunday school teachers were then given by the Rev CG Davis, Church clergyman, and the Rev S Whitehead, Wesleyan minister. Mr Davis remarked the gathering was fully catholic in its design and execution, and he considered that if they had more catholic occasions of the kind, it would be all the better for them  a sentiment which met with approving cheers.


Mr Whitehead maintained that Mr Fry was doing noble work in the highest and best sense for his town and country in lending his aid and influence to the grand movement in which those around him were engaged; and this opinion also received most cordial endorsement.


Mr John Horsley, the vice-president of the Nonconformist Sunday School Union, then proposed, Mr John Williamson seconded, and Mr Mountford, the veteran Church Schunday School teacher, supported a vote of thanks to Mr and Mrs Fry for their hospitality.


Mr Mountford spoke with deep feeling concerning the pleasure which the novel gathering had afforded him, and in thanking Mr Fry, as a Churchman, for having provided the occasion, he observed that it was a very satisfactory thing to think that they had one broad platform on which they could meet.


The proposal of thanks was couched in the most cordial and feeling language, and the vote was carried amid very hearty cheers for Mr and Mrs Fry, as well as for Mr and Mrs Hodgkin, who had kindly assisted to make the gathering a success.


Mr Fry suitable responded, and the party concluded with the singing of a hymn and the pronouncing of a benediction.


The weather was fine throughout, and the party was in every way enjoyable."