Manufacturer: Bedford China Company
User: New Hudson Lunch
Date of plate: Circa 1917-1923

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Notes: An article in the Sept. 16, 1918, issue of the Lima Daily News (in Lima, Ohio) announced the upcoming opening on Sept. 19 of the New Hudson Lunch at 234 N. Main St., "one of a chain of restaurants operated in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana."

A full-page story in the March 2, 1927, Lima Daily News announced the "reopening of the New Hudson Lunch," and a Sept. 27, 1940, story in the Lima Daily News announced the grand opening of the "completely remodeled" New Hudson Lunch in Lima and noted that it was founded in 1917 by George and Duke Gavas.

The earliest mention found for the New Hudson Lunch at 628 North Calhoun in Fort Wayne, Ind., was in mid-1918, and no records were found for the chain in Michigan.

According to the Bedford, Ohio, Historical Society, the Bedford China Company was in business until 1923, when the Bailey-Walker China Company began operations at the site.

A more colorful commentary on its history comes from Floyd McKee, author of "The Second Oldest Profession – A Century of American Dinnerware": "The Bedford China Co. was built near Cleveland to make dinnerware and ran into evil days. Barry Bailey, an English potter who had come over to Homer Laughlin in 1914, and Al Walker, an Akron attorney, joined forces in 1923 to reorganize it as the Bailey-Walker China Company to make hotel ware."

The company was included in the 1917 Cleveland City Directory, which means that this plate could have been made between 1917 and 1923.

It is not known if this chain was related to either Hudson Lunch or Hudson Quick Service Lunch. The plate's border of dark green scrolls – or acanthus leaves – is similar to the design used on both of those designs. The logo is completely different from the Hudson Lunch but very similar in style to the Hudson Quick Service Lunch.

This plate has New Hudson Lunch in a script font, and QUICK SERVICE below it in white against the dark green underline formed by the L in Lunch.

For more info:
Hudson Quick Service Lunch, unknown manufacturer
Hudson Lunch by Shenango

Photos contributed by graciemark