Thomas Alderson was the first ever recipient of the George Cross medal
From left, Bridlington Town Mayor Cllr Heslop-Mullens; Jerome Remblance, the owner of the building, in Prince Street, Bridlington, and historian Richard M. Jones, with the plaque to Thomas Alderson GC(Image: Ian Ellis)
A plaque has been unveiled in honour of Bridlington hero Thomas Alderson. The plaque commemorates him being the first ever recipient of the George Cross medal for acts of bravery in the face of danger.
A ceremony was held that involved the Bridlington Town Mayor Cllr Heslop-Mullens and Jerome Remblance, the owner of the building where the plaque has been installed. Author and historian Richard M. Jones said: “The history behind the plaque started in the summer of 1940 when Thomas Hopper Alderson, an ARP warden in the town, led teams that helped rescue survivors of collapsed buildings during the intense bombing raids on the town, starting with a semi-detached house, a building on Manor Street and thirdly the collapse of part of the Woolworths store and Foley’s Café.
“The bravery of Alderson and his team was unprecedented and this did not go unnoticed, for soon after, it was announced that he would be awarded this prestigious medal. Ever the humble man, he always wore it on behalf of his team, stating that there was no way he could have ever rescued all the people that they managed to get out if he had worked alone.”
Mr Jones said the plaque was first made in 1995. “Unfortunately, there was a lot of talk about health and safety preventing the plaque from being placed at the site of the Foley’s Café bombing, with the plaque ending up inside Marks & Spencer where few people could see it.
“When the Royal British Legion opened Alderson House on South Marine Drive the plaque was moved there until that too closed and the plaque spent the next few years in the back room of Bridlington Central Library, looked after by the library staff.” Mr Jones said: “In 2026, after speaking to the owner of the building that now stands at the site of the bombing raid, I was given permission to have the plaque fitted to the wall so that after 31 years the tribute to Alderson and his team is at the rightful place where it should have been all those decades before.”
Mr Jones gave a small speech at the unveiling, in Prince Street, carried out by the Mayor and Mr Remblance, telling those who came to the ceremony about the history of what happened in August 1940 and the significance of the need to honour Alderson and his men, as well as remembering those who died in the cellar that night. “I would like to give a huge thank you to the staff at Bridlington library, the Mayor and Jerome for making today possible,” Mr Jones said at the ceremony.
The plaque unveiling formed part of Mr Jones’ Wartime Bridlington project, where a number of significant events in Bridlington are written about and commemorated to help remember the war years and the people involved. Previously this has included plaque unveilings to No.5 Commando; the Yorkshire Belle sinking; four George Medal holders and now Thomas Alderson GC.
Anyone who may have further information on Bridlington during the war years is asked to please contact Richard M. Jones via email at shipwreckdata@yahoo.co.uk or via his Facebook page facebook.com/shipwreck.data
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