The Albion Hotel is still remembered 40 years after its demise

Back when Galt was just developing along the Grand River and new industries were springing up regularly, the Dixon Mill, Scroggins Shoe, Canada Bread, Turnbull Coal Oil and the Dobbie Lady Galt Textile Mill to name a few, workers sought out a place to socialize and relax.  

On the north corner of Water and Queen Street stood the five storey Scott Shoe factory later becoming Ray Electric Limited and the Water Street Bowl.

And sitting directly across from the Turnbull Mill was the Albion Hotel built back in 1851.

It first became known as the Farmers Inn and in 1885 it was taken over by the co-founder of Preston's Rock Brewery Peter Bernhardt. He sold his Export Ale as being stronger than a Pilsner Lager.

Dickson Park, located just across the bridge, was known nationwide for its famous annual Galt Horse Show and Agricultural Fair.

The park featured a new indoor arena stables and a huge grandstand to watch the entertainment.

Back then there were many ball clubs in town. Games like the famous 1924 semi finals game between the Galt Terriers and St. Thomas offered some top-notch baseball, often filling the park to capacity with fans.

In 1904, Canada’s first Olympic soccer match was won by the Galt Football Club in St. Louis where they defeated two American teams by a combined score of 11-0.

For most local sports fans, before and after an event, the Albion Hotel was a destination.

It was also the closest hotel to the train station to get a cold beer and a bite to eat. 

During the war years when all the mills and foundries were working at full capacity and most of the workers were new arrivals coming from all over the globe to start a new life, they'd have their first beer at the Albion.  

The Galt Collegiate Institute students came for the pitchers of draft and the Albion, known to some as “the office,” became the place to socialize and grab an ice-cold ale with your workmates. 

The Albion Hotel was one of the first to have a "ladies and escorts room" so the men could do what they do out of sight and the ladies could have their own personal space and restroom. Men were only allowed in if invited.

I remember hearing about the group of ladies that would come from the shoe factories to fill the beverage room on those hot muggy summer days and whooping it up louder than the men’s side.

We all remember the Rascal Lounge and Sep the owner, and Dick or Jerry, the bartenders, pulling on the taps and serving tray after tray.

On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, the house band The Beothuk would give the hotel its musical wallpaper.

I recall John Boland performing the last call tune Cocaine by Eric Clapton to close out another night at the old Albion Social Club. 

The hotel was known for its friendly hospitality right up until it closed its doors in 1984.  

The Albion was also known for its good home comfort style of food. The bar sold pickled eggs, sausages and pork hocks and you could always get a bite to eat at the bar from the hot dog machine.  

Hot and cold sandwiches, soup, burgers, fried chicken and the nightly dinner was served in a small room for the residents and staff. 

My favourite was the cook's chicken stew topped with Pillsbury biscuits, made simply in a creamy chicken, vegetable gravy and tasting wonderful.  

It was way better than any of those frozen entrees from back in the day when we worked the late shifts. 

I came up with this recipe to get a tasty quick meal and it's simply scrumptious and so easily prepared.  

I poached my own chicken and made some stock while doing it, but you can easily make this with a store-bought, hot, rotisserie chicken and some canned chicken broth.

I added some store-bought biscuits from Pillsbury and served it baked right out my cast iron skillet.

Here is the recipe.

Albion inspired chicken stew and biscuits

4-5 cups of shredded chicken from poached or rotisserie chicken

3-4 cups of chicken broth or poaching liquid (below)

2 Tablespoon butter or margarine

1 Tablespoon veg oil

1/4 cup of all purpose flour (or as needed)

1/2 cup of diced celery

1/2 cup of diced carrots

1 medium onion diced

1/2 cup of frozen peas. (You can also you mixed veg like I did)

1/2 cup of cream, half and half or whole milk

1/2 tsp of dried thyme

salt and black pepper to taste

2-3 cloves of garlic grated

12-15 prepared biscuits like Pillsbury (or homemade

To poach your own chicken, you will need:

4-5 cups of chicken broth or water/bullion equivalent

1 celery stalk coarsely chopped

1 carrot coarsely chopped

1/2 onion coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic coarsely chopped

2 bay leaves

black pepper

Bring all the ingredients to a boil then lower to a gentle simmer for 20-25 minutes. 

Remove chicken to cool and shred, reserving poaching liquid to use later.

In an oven-safe skillet (like a cast iron pan) heat your butter and oil.

Add garlic and allow to fry for 30-45 seconds, then add chopped onions, celery, carrots, salt and dried thyme.

The broth will add salt to the dish so be conservative when you add salt here.

Next add flour. You need equal parts flour to fat here to make a roux. 

Cook roux for 2 minutes and then add chicken broth or poaching liquid to the pan. Stir well until the gravy is smooth. 

Allow gravy to simmer until it thickens. If the gravy looks thin, add a little more flour by mixing flour with a little water in a separate bowl and adding it to the gravy.

Next add milk or cream. Stir well. Add seasoning to taste.

When the gravy is at the right taste and consistency, add the frozen peas or mixed veg, and shredded chicken to the pan. Allow everything to gently simmer for 5 minutes.

When the creamed vegetables and chicken are cooked to your taste, turn off the stove and top with dollops of dough from your favourite biscuit mix. 

Place in the oven and bake until the biscuits are cooked through and browned. 

I suggest you place your skillet on a baking sheet so it is easy to move in and out of the oven and will catch any spills if the gravy decides to bubble in the oven.

Serve hot. Enjoy.

Chef Wayne Conrad Serbu writes monthly for CambridgeToday. The former executive chef also shares recipes and memories from his more than five decades in the hospitality industry on his blog, the kitchenman.