Alma Inn

[Richard Allan]

My great grandfather owned the Alma Inn and some cottages in Glebe Row. I have a copy of the valuation for probate dated 1935. The property was finally sold by the family in 1947. I was interested to see a picture of the Alma Inn on your site and thought these two scans may be of interest local historians, they give a detailed description of the properties 

[Richard Allan]

On the night of September 2nd 1942 a bomb fell on Glebe Row in Bedlington damaging one of the cottages. In 1861 Mary Ewart (b 1837) lived in 11 Glebe row and married Robert Wilkinson. There are Ewarts in our family tree but I have not found a link so probably coincidence.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Thanks @Richard Allan - I'm no historian, but I do help with a Facebook group site of Bedlington and there are often questions asked about the Glebe Road properties - this info will come in handy

I'm not saying there is any new info that you might find but have you used the 'Search' facility on this site to find any postings on the Glebe Row & Road?

When you say ".....  I was interested to see a picture of the Alma Inn on your site........" does that mean you found the picture?

Edited November 8, 2017 by Eggy1948

[Richard Allan]

A Google image search for "alma inn bedlington" brought me to one of the composite pictures of drinking establishments that you put up on the website. It is rather small but I now have some idea of what it looked like.

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

10 hours ago, Richard Allan said:

A Google image search for "alma inn bedlington" brought me to one of the composite pictures of drinking establishments that you put up on the website. It is rather small but I now have some idea of what it looked like.

 

@Richard Allan - I can't remember where I found that small image of the Alma Inn. However long after I had completed my drinking establishments project, when I purchased the book - BEDLINGTONSHIRE (The Archive Photographs Series) by the local historian Evan Martin, I found a larger image, of the same photo in the book. The text associated with the photo is the only piece in the book on the Alma Inn and in this photo you can make out the words FOOD OFFICE but I think anyone would have struggled to identify that name if it hadn't been pointed out :- 

Edited November 9, 2017 by Eggy1948

[Richard Allan]

Thank you, a much clearer image and interesting update about its subsequent use. William Allan wine and spirit merchants were at 4 Prudhoe Place Newcastle now long gone and built over. 

[Canny lass]

was the Alma still open (as a food office) in the early fifties? I have vague recollections of going there with my older sister to get National dried milk - in a blue and white tin, cod-liver oil, a foul tasting orange juice concentrate and a wonderful malt 'extract' sold in earthenware jars. I think it was called 'Virol'. 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

1 hour ago, Canny lass said:

was the Alma still open (as a food office) in the early fifties? I have vague recollections of going there with my older sister to get National dried milk - in a blue and white tin, cod-liver oil, a foul tasting orange juice concentrate and a wonderful malt 'extract' sold in earthenware jars. I think it was called 'Virol'. 

Only ever seen comments, by Facebook members, that would suggest the Food office was used in the earl 50's whilst the food rationing was still in operation during 1953 -54.

I can't recall been given Virol, just rose hip syrup and I think that was only after my sister was born in 1955.

This is a comment by one of the members on Bedlington remembered :- 

Lawrence Pattison The Alma Inn was on Glebe Rd. it was about opposite Taits ice cream shop [now car parts ]. The Alma became the Food Office during WW2 I remember going there with my Mam to collect new ration books. Shows my age but I was young then.

BBC ON THIS DAY. 4th July 1954: Housewives celebrate end of rationing. Fourteen years of food rationing in Britain ended at midnight when restrictions on the sale and purchase of meat and bacon were lifted.

my father -in-law's last ration book :- 

 

Edited November 11, 2017 by Eggy1948

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

Missed this image, Virol supersedes Cod-Liver Oil, off my previous comment - 

[Vic Patterson]

2 hours ago, Canny lass said:

a foul tasting orange juice concentrate and a wonderful malt 'extract'

Loved them both.

The orange juice bottle was very "square" my dad taught me the wonders of a spirit level using one of those! Ah! the things that you remember that mom and dad passed on. 

Sorry for the drift from the Alma Inn. (I couldn't resist before I forgot!)

[Canny lass]

I wasn't imagining my visits then! I would have been 5 or 6 years old at that time. That's certainly the 'Virol' jar I remember but looking at those photos I now think it was maybe a manufacturer's name rather than the name of the product. I can't imagine bone marrow tasting like sticky toffee - not even in my wildest dreams! They must have made several different products.

[paul mann]

Don't remember the Alma. Can remember me mam walking is up to the Co-op at the Top End when the National Health nurse came and doled out cod liver oil and orange syrup. Had to line up with the other kids and get a spoonful. Naturally they gave us the cod liver oil last.