Gardeners Arms

Gardeners Arms, Front Street East. The info with the photo  - The landlord was a character called J.D.J. Metcalfe. A prominent and well respected breeder of Bedlington terriers and he bred them in kennels behind the pub - was from 'Keith's' posting on this site.

I was confused with your comment about someone called JDJ Metcalf being the prominent and well respected breeder of Bedlington Terriers.  As you state in your comment on your photo, the character you are referring to is Ned Metcalf.

Jane D J Metcalf was Ned's wife and it would appear that the licence for the Gardeners Arms was in her name, as can be seen on the pub sign in your great photos of the pub.

(I got this information from the 1939 census.)

Happy times. We spent many an hour with our noses stuck up against Beadle's shop window. They had lots of small toys and trinkets to interest us kid's and we took turns at 'bargsying' items. We also loved the glass advertising signs stuck to many shop windows in those days. They were easily prised off with a pen knife by 'collectors' (er,.... or so I'm told!). 

Nice to see the West Sleekburn miners banner too. 

My dad was Ernie Gurney the butcher next door to The Gardner’s Arms. My Mum and Dad were in business in Bedlington from 1954. My dad went to work as Manager in the meat department in Laws Stores in 1978 until he died suddenly in October 1979. My Mum ran the shop but also had a very successful outside Catering business. She continued to live in the family house until her death in June 1995. I have two brothers and a sister and we were all brought up there. I remember Ned Metcalf and his wife
‘ Ginny’ as he called her very well. They had no children and they were very fond of me. He was a strict old man but he would let me talk to him and his wife but above all, I was always with his dogs. I remember going to The One O’ Clock show with him and meeting Jackie Collins.....well I was told it was her. When something like Pathe News that used to be on at the cinemas  came to make a film about the dogs, Ned said he’d only do it if They Baird’ came. I was filmed with the dogs and walked them up and down the path beside the War Memorial. I remember the film crew gave me lots of money for being a good girl and my elder brother Allan who was there watching  and myself bought ice cream for the family at Bacci’s on the way home. I was also in The Blyth News when one of the dogs had a particularly good litter of pups. 

14 hours ago, Hursty said:

My dad was Ernie Gurney the butcher next door to The Gardner’s Arms. 

It's strange how small things stick in your mind from 60 years ago.I remember your dad used to have the butchers van and delivered around the estates in the late 50's and early 60's. We lived 5, Coquetdale Place (near the Oval shops) and I hated salt on anything so it always seemed a treat when Ernie Gurney turned up and my mam would get me a bag of plain crisps (probably Smiths) with the little blue bag of salt in. 🙂