CUSTODIANS of an historic North-East regiment have been delighted by the surprise return of a silver trophy exactly 100 years after it was first presented to a nautical school for young people.

The Durham Light Infantry Cup was presented by Colonel RH Wingfield-Cardiff to the Wellesley Training Institution, Tynemouth, on March 18 1918, as a trophy for the best all-round sports mess of the year.

The trophy emerged again after the successor of the training school was wound up and Wellesley Old Boys Association (Woba) administrators Graham Corkhill and Vic Clarke decided to repatriate it.

Major Chris Lawton, Rifles County Secretary Durham, said: “The trustees of the regiment are delighted to have it back. I had not heard or known of existence until it appeared. It’s an unusual piece because it has three handles on.

“The fact that is returning after 100 years is inspirational. With it having been from DLI originally it would have been a shame for it to go anywhere else.

“I will return the cup to the curator of the DLI collection at Sevenhills, Spennymoor, and we will research its origin.”

Mr Corkhill said: “When school closed down in 2007 the trustees said the Woba could take anything they could find.

“We found several trophies in the mayor’s parlour in Blyth. They had been there for many years. We thought there was no use them just sitting around and so decided to repatriate them to where they had come from.

“The Durham Light Infantry Cup in particular stood out, because it was 100 years ago this month it was first presented.

“So we decided to get hold of DLI and get it back to where it came from. Major Lawton was delighted. It’s just very sad the DLI doesn’t exist any more - only as an association.”

The Wellesley Nautical School was founded in 1868 by a group of philanthropic businessmen on Tyneside under the leadership of James Hall, “to provide shelter for waifs and train young men for service in both Royal and Merchant Navies”.

The first accommodation was on board the Wellesley Training Ship on the Tyne. When it was destroyed by fire in 1914 all boys were brought safely ashore to stay at Tynemouth Plaza, on a temporary basis until 1918.

An appeal was launched and raised £22,000 which allowed the school to take over the World War One submarine base at Blyth where it remained based. Wellesley became an Approved School in 1933, but continued to train boys (some of whom were still there as abandoned children or voluntarily) for sea-going trades in a variety of vessels sailing out of Blyth.

In 1973, following changes in the treatment of young boys incorporated in the Children and Young Persons Act 1969, Wellesley became part of Sunderland City Council’s Social Services Department until it finally shut its doors.

When the Durham Light Infantry Cup was first presented 100 years ago, The Shields Daily News reported how how Col Wingfield-Cardiff “found well everything was organised and how well they were looked after”.

In one class the boys were being instructed in the different rigs of sailing ships, in another learning flag signals, and in another navigation of a fairly advanced stage.

The more practical work of knitting and mending so valuable to lads going into the Army or Navy and of stretcher work, besides many other branches of instruction was also witnessed, the report continued.

“Col Wingfield-Cardiff said should consider themselves extremely lucky in having such a good start in life. They really had a much better chance than boys who were brought up in many homes.

“From what he had seen since he had been in that district, there were many homes in which nobody seemed to look after the children.

“Boys were allowed to run about and do all the mischief they possibly could.

“It was hard to stop one’s self from doing mischief. Unless one made an effort to do right one would have a poor chance in after life. There was nothing in the world as good as discipline, both for young and old, and the discipline they get in that institution he was sure was the cause of the Durham Light Infantry Band having got so many excellent boys from it.”