The Live and Let Live Beerhouse
Which was well known in the the 1960s as the Alma Stores run by 'Holy Joe'
Peter Hill
The Live and Let Live Beerhouse was built in 1862 by John Eade shortly after Alma Street itself had been laid out.
In 1912 it was sold to George and Grace Flux and it became the Alma Stores. It later became owned by Paul St John Johnstone (know locally as Holy Joe) whose eccentric habits caused its demise and it eventually became restored as a guest house run by Mrs Linda Tritton and known again as the Live and Let Live.
Source: Some material from Peter Kay’s book Wivenhoe Pubs with thanks
Time period
This page was added on 28/03/2015.
Comments about this page
I lived in Alma Street from 1939 to 1951. I remember going in to the shop for sweets and Mr Flux was a quiet and very polite man. When ‘Holy Joe took over (we called him ‘Wonk’ on account of his wonky eye) the shop rapidly declined because of his ranting to customers (they were all evil and would go to hell)
George and Grace Flux were my great grandparents. I believe they ran the general store until about 1944 when they retired and sold the shop. I understand it may have previously been called The Rest and be Thankful and had once been a smugglers’ inn. I hope to submit some further information and photos. If anyone has any other photos, stories or memories of the shop when George and Grace ran it I would love to hear from them.
it was actually restored in the late 1970s by the local builder, Mr Sparrow, as a domestic dwelling and lived in by a family before it was purchased to be used as a guest house.
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