The Grey Arms

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A "Blyth Correspondent" had quite a bit to say in the Morpeth Herald of 3 May 1902 about the Grey Arms which he called "The Lord's Pub"

"On Saturday I had my first opportunity of visiting the hotel erected by the Grey Trust at Broomhill. The place is a model house. Upstairs I found a lot of people being catered for in the way of food, and both catering and prices were gratifying to the visitors. Evidently the Trust believes in the ways of the Glasgow Bailies, for they do not allow girls to serve behind the bars where drink is sold, but their work is confined to the dining and tea rooms. I asked one of the girls if they regarded it as a hardship, and she gave a very emphatic negative, declaring that the tap room or bar was no place for a girl. The arrangements for the comfort of visitors is excellent. Outside workmen were busily engaged in making a bowling green, which doubtless will prove an attraction. The drinking bars below were full, and the poet may prate of the "moaning of the bar," but the noise, smoke, and general din in which a section of miners love to vary their monotonous life was as great as it ever was at the Portland Hotel, Ashington, or the Grand Hotel, Hirst, in their palmiest days. In my tour through the noisy part of the building I cam across Sir Christopher Furness, alone. He too, was evidently on a tour of inspection. In his very plain attire the worthy gentleman passed about practically unnoticed amongst the hubbub and ceaseless noise. In some of the rooms were to be found the more thoughtful section of the miners, where, in one case, under the guidance of a chairman, they sipped their ale and discussed current topics. One gentleman was very enthusiastica as to a proposal of his to raise the contributions of the Permanent Relief Fund by 2d per fortnight, so as to give 1/- a week more to the superannuated miners. Another discussion was the advantages to be got from a bridge at Stakeford, and part of another discussion I heard hinged upon the question whether North Seaton men had not made Ashington what it is! and there were some North Seaton men prepared to prove it, I do believe, at least to their own satisfaction.
During the course of conversation with some of the miners who were enjoying the leisure, I was very pleased to hear on every side satisfaction expressed in regard to the conditions of work at Broomhill. A large number of miners from Bebside, Delaval, Choppington, Blyth, Cowpen, Cramlington and Ashington, have found the Broomhill locality to their liking, the thick seams, are spoken of by the miners with much favour, as compared with the thin seams at other collieries, and in view to the developments contemplated in that district, there may be a very considerable migration of miners from the southern collieries northward. The pits always work well, the resources of the pits are practically inexhaustible, and apart from the salubrity of the countryside, its situation close to the sea, and the prospect of large numbers of comfortable cottages being built, there is always a peculiar attraction to miners in new and developing concerns, where good money is generally obtained for willing workmen."

This date of this article coincided with the opening of the Aged Miners Homes at East Chevington by Sir Christopher Furness, which presumably explains the large gathering at the Trust.