Alma Reed was born at Arcot Hall cottages in Cramlington, 10 miles up the road from Whitley Bay in Northumberland (now Tyne and Wear). During the war Alma was called up to join the Civil Nursing Reserve and cared for seriously injured servicemen at Hexham Hospital. At the same time, Ron was posted to Whitley Bay with the RAF Regiment. One evening they met at a social event held at St John’s Methodist Church, where they later married in 1946. Having sampled the cold northern winters whilst stationed in Whitley Bay, Ron persuaded Alma to move to warmer southerly climes and they made their home in Watford, surprisingly close to the football team Ron supported!
Over the years, Alma returned to nursing and spent several years caring for patients in the burns unit at Mount Vernon Hospital, during this time the family grew to include grand-children and three great grand-children, each having their own loving memories of Alma.
Annual family holidays were taken in Whitley Bay when Alma would take the chance to catch-up with her sister Jean. The fact that Alma was a “canny lass” is confirmed by the fact that there is no photograph of her in the freezing North Sea – she left Ron to take the children swimming.
There were many family celebrations over the years, including many Christmas parties, which Alma loved. She cooked for us all until she was 70 when she handed on the responsibility to her children.
Alma made everyone laugh one Christmas when playing the “Reminiscence” game. The question was “Tell a story from your past that has something to do with fibbing”. The boy next door’s hamster had escaped. When Alma was going along the alley between their houses, she found a dead hamster and because she thought her cat may have got it, she quietly disposed of it in the dustbin and didn’t tell anyone about it. Not quite a fib, just economical with the truth.
Everyone at her funeral in 2012 held their own loving memories of Alma. She was steadfast kind, loving and patient.
Waters of Tyne
I cannot get tae my love if I would dee
For the waters of Tyne run between him and me
And here I maun stand wi a tear in my ee
All sighin and sobbin, my true love to see
Oh where is the boatman, my bonny hinney
Oh where is the boatman, go bring him to me
For to ferry me over the Tyne to my honey
Or speed him across the rough waters to me
Oh bring me a boatman, I’ll gi all my money
And you for your trouble rewarded shall be
If you’ll carry me over the Tyne to my honey
And I will remember the boatman and thee
I cannot get tae my love if I would dee
For the waters of Tyne run between him and me
And here I maun stand wi a tear in my ee
All sighin and sobbin, my true love to see.
Travels Through Time 