30/06/2026
Did you know?...
The Bowes hotel has a history with the Bowes Lyon family, who resided at the local Ridley Hall and were a relation to the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The youngest & seventh child, of the Honourable Francis Bowes Lyon and Lady Anne Lindsay, was Lilian Bowes Lyon born 23rd December 1895 at Ridley Hall. She was a first cousin to the Queen Mother and was a poet and novelist.
She helped nurse injured servicemen at Glamis Castle with her royal cousin, during the first world war before studying in London & Oxford and then eventually moving to the East End of London and supporting the second world war efforts.
Lilian wrote many poems during her lifetime and many reflect her life in Northumberland, including "The White Hare", "Northumbrian Farm" & "Allendale Dog".
She had a very interesting yet privileged life and author & oral historian, Roger Mills, did some research on her history and visited Ridley Hall (her final resting place), before writing a very detailed and interesting article in 2016, entitled "The Queen Mothers Rebel Cousin" where he writes :
"Some would describe her as ‘The Queen of the Slums’ or ‘The Florence Nightingale of the East End.’ Yet today, she is totally forgotten."
If you want to read more about Lilian Bowes Lyon, the article can be found here: https://spitalfieldslife.com/2016/01/27/the-queen-mothers-rebel-cousin/
