BS: Calling all Brits

Subject: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 01:44 PM

Somewhere in Northumberland there is a restaurant that is an exact replica of the dining room in RMS Titanic. Anyone know about this? I'd like to see the place.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Megan L
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 01:59 PM

Kendal the only one i can remember with conections in Northumberland is the White Swan in Alnwick but its decor came from the Olympic Titanics sister ship

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:03 PM

Try this for size, Kendall:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Swan_Hotel,_Alnwick

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:07 PM

Forgot to say - I've been there recently and it's rather good!

My mother's father sailed on the HMHS (His Majesty's Hospital Ship) Britannic - the other sister ship to the Titanic. He was born in 1870 and joined the RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) in 1914. The Britannic was destined to be another liner but, at the outbreak of war, made her maiden voyage to Mudros in the Aegean as a hospital ship. She made about 6 journeys between Liverpool and Mudros - and then hit a mine in the Aegean and sank... My grandfather was in North Africa by then.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:09 PM

That's the one! Actually, they were identical.Thanks, Megan.

I've always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic. So, on my way to see how they are doing rebuilding Hadrian's Wall I'd like to pop in for tea and crumpets.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Megan L
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:12 PM

The Olympic sank of Foula I used to have a book about the Currie Brothers and the diving they did on her.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Will Fly
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:16 PM

Alnwick (pronounced ANNICK - and apologies if you knew that already) is a lovely market town. I hope to get there again this year. One of the best bed & breakfast places in England is in Alnwick. It's absolutely superb - fantastic service and great value:

West Acre House

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Brian May
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 02:57 PM

So presumably it's very dark, wet and cold . . . ?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 03:42 PM

Does Kate Twinset (wo)man the door?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 07:53 PM

Thanks for the tip. I'm looking forward to revisiting old Blighty.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 20 Jan 12 - 08:55 PM

I was trying to find Harrowood House in Keith Scotland but no luck.
I did a tour of Scotland back in 1988 and another in 1990. One of the venues was Harrowood House in Keith. I'm sure it's still there, it looked quite sturdy.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 02:49 AM

Then there's this othis one but it may have gone under, recession and all.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 04:32 AM

Hollyrood House?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 04:46 AM

The place in question is indeed the White Swan. There is a local story that one shouldn't ask for ice in drinks there - it tends to make the bar staff panic.

And hereabouts (I'm 18 miles from it) Alnwick rhymes with panic.

Hope you have a good trip.

Paws

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,Allan Conn
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 05:42 AM

I'm just across the border in Kelso but haven't been down to Alnwick for a while. It is lovely - and as well the obvious attraction in Alnwick Castle (the kids used to love going there to pretend they were in Harry Potter) there is a superb book shop too which is well worth a visit. Forget the name of it though!

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: redhorse
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 07:28 AM

Agree with Allan on the second-hand bookshop. It's Barter Books in the old station. It's the sort of shop I could spend days in.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Will Fly
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 07:36 AM

Barter Books is a fantastic place, if a little pricey. I was there on a pouring wet day, wandered in, grabbed a coffee and biscuit and sat by a roaring fire, having a read.

And if you go to the grounds of Alnwick Castle, have a bite to eat in the Tree House Restaurant in the gardens - it's a real tree house.

And - piper or not - the Bagpipe Museum in Morpeth is a great place as well.

Then off you go to Bamborough Castle... is there no end to it?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 12:48 PM

Nope, it was Harrowood House. Where I did one of my performances.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 04:43 PM

Not Harewood House? Not far from Keighley in Yorkshire?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 21 Jan 12 - 07:29 PM

No, it is definitely in Keith Scotland. I recall there is a distillery nearby.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 04:48 AM

Who the hell is Keith Scotland? And how does he manage to fit a distillery inside him?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 05:23 AM

He trained in Ireland?

John

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: theleveller
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 06:05 AM

"Barter Books is a fantastic place, if a little pricey"

Brilliant place. Last time I was in (about a year ago) they had a fantastic original edition of Heywood Sumner's The Besom Maker & Other Country Songs. Unfortunately, a bit out of my price range at £75. Anyone been n the amazing hardware shop in the centre of Alnwick - it's like going back in time?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Will Fly
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 08:12 AM

All this talk of Alnwick reminds me that I've got a bottle of Alnwick Rum in my drinks cupboard. A little tot this evening - followed by another - sounds like a good idea.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: goatfell
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 10:10 AM

My late father had a cousin that survied the titanic

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 12:57 PM

Was it MR. Ismay who dressed as a woman to get a seat in the life boat?
How does a man live that down?

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: Megan L
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 01:13 PM

No kendall Bruce Ismay escaped on a collapsible lifeboat with another man after there were no more women or children near at hand to board. Every lifeboat needed a few men since they were oar powered. Bruce Ismay was reviled after the event and a personal vendetta targetted him by Randolph Hirst.

The one I have always wondered about was his partner J P Morgan who was supposed to be on board the ship but for some reason called of at the last moment.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 22 Jan 12 - 02:28 PM

Maybe he couldn't afford the ticket? :-)

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: kendall
Date: 23 Jan 12 - 08:25 AM

The Tourist office tells me there is no such place. Must have folded. I remember there was a Morris Minor in the back yard, abandoned.

Subject: RE: BS: Calling all Brits
From: GUEST,Dazbo at work
Date: 23 Jan 12 - 08:47 AM

I stayed in the White Swan in Alnwick about 11 years ago (a dirty weekend with a woman half my age :-) just honest boasting!!) A lovely place and the dining room looks fantastic.

Can I also add my praise for Barter Books. Any book lover worth their salt would want to spend days in there.