The Licensing Act of 1753 (26 Geo. II c.31) did not radically change existing legislation. New licenses could only be granted by persons producing certificates of good character usually signed by parish notables such as the Church Wardens and the constables elected by the Parish Council . Most importantly, however, the 1753 act ordered that full registers of victuallers and their recognizances were to be kept by the Clerk of the Peace at Quarter Sessions. Thus began a more thorough recording of the licensing business.
The Beer Act of 1830, enabled any householder of reputable character to obtain a beer house licence for a tenement or dwelling of rateable value, by merely paying the small sum of two guineas to the excise. This meant that more or less anybody who paid the poor rate could obtain a licence to sell beer without the necessity of having to apply to magistrates. This Act had a tremendous effect on licensed trade, effectively freeing trade in the sale of beer. Within a mere eight years, 46,000 beer houses were opened almost doubling the number of licensed premises. One such new inn or beerhouse was the Ibex in Chaddleworth which was converted from a farm house in 1838 and kept by Thomas MESSENGER [1308].
Although some old commercial Hotels existed on stage coach routes the vast majority of pubs were very simple cottages. Perhaps there would be a barrel or two of home brew flavoured with the berries from the chequers tree in the parlour of the licensee. There would be few if any chairs, men would stand and talk while making their one pint a night allowance last as long as possible. Frederick Thomas McMULLIN told us that a gallon of beer cost 8d (1d a pint) when he was a young man about 1910 at a time when a labourer earned around 10 shilling a week. These Cottage Inns would hardly have supported a family and the censuses show that most publicans had another trade indeed they usually list the pub as the second occupation if at all.
These cottage pubs were known by the symbols or signs placed in front of the premises to alert people to the presence of the refreshment! The symbols used often reflected the publican's trade so an Agricultural labourer would place a plough outside and eventually the house would be known as The Plough. The Gunsmith’s Arms was run by the sons of the gunsmith Robert HEARD [2594]. The Sawyer’s Arms was conveniently near a sawpit but the landlord John FROUD [1666] was a shoemaker. Another shoemaker Thomas FROUD [1677] was at the well named Cripin. St Crispin is the Patron saint of shoe makers
Anstis FAULKNER [10087] must have come by an anchor as she kept The Anchor. After her death her son in law John WATTS [10049] and eventually her grandson continued at the same pub but then the family moved. The Anchor was renamed The Railway Hotel, as a line had been built close to the Inn. Our family took over another pub in the same town this was a well established pub known as The Dog but shortly after the family moved here it became known as The Dog and Anchor so presumably the Anchor had moved with them. Once Richard YOUNG [4665] left it reverted to its old name “The Dog”
Possibly Samuel THOMPSON [5865] and his wife are keeping a store by a stable for barge horses near the the moorings at Headingstone, Northampton in 1851 adding Beer to their other wares. William ALLEN [6396] and Edward BALE [237] may also have opened their homes as simple Beer Houses. William ALLEN was a tin plate worker, he was probably working on small items in a small unit rather than a factory and subsidising poor pay selling beer. Edward BALE is described as a farmer and ale house keeper when his son was baptised in 1814 and a victualler in 1818 at his daughter’s baptism.but this was well before the 1830 act. The name of these establishment have yet to be found.
Over time some of our pubs like The Dog in Kidlington, have been converted back into family homes. Sadly along with many others some of our old pubs, including The Red Lion, Chipping Norton, have been pulled down during town renovations.
In the words of a song by Johnny Handle and popularised by The Spinners “They’re knockin’ ’em down. The old pubs. Around the town, The old pubs, ...”
Pubs, Beer-
We have found several ancestors in the various licensed trades here we try to identify the premises they kept.
1. Beer House, Alwington, Devonshire 1814-
2. The Twistledon Arms, Broughton, Oxfordshire possible family member 1812-
3. The Twistledon Arms, Broughton, Oxfordshire 1841-
4. The Gate Hangs Well, Wollaston, Staffordshire 1871
5. The Dog Inn,.School Rd., Kidlington, Oxfordshire 1818-
6. The Three Horse Shoes, Banbury Rd., Kidlington, Oxfordshire 1889-
7. The Bell, Cassington, Oxfordshire 1871-
8. The Crown, Burr Street, Harwell, Berkshire 1871-
9. The Six Bells, Kidlington, Oxfordshire Owned 1832-
10. The Six Bells, Kidlington, Oxfordshire 1880-
11. The Six Bells, Kidlington, Oxfordshire 1891-
12. The Bell, Hampton Poyle, Oxfordshire 1851-
13. The Bell, Warwick Lane, Coventry 1841-
14. The Golden Cross, 81 Dale End, Birmingham 1891
15. The Dun Cow, Northmoor, Oxfordshire 1881
16. The Crown, Bury Street, Abingdon, Berkshire 1854-
17. Beer House, Coton End, Hardingstone, Northampton 1851-
18. The Hatchet, Childrey, Berkshire 1911
19. The Leather Bottle, Challow, Berkshire 1902-
20. The Chequers, Charney Bassett, Berkshire 1881-
21. The Crispin, Burr St, Harwell, Berkshire 1881-
22. The Sawyer’s Arms, Blewbury, Berkshire1891
23. The Farrington Inn, Farrington Gurney, Somerset 1871 1881
24. The New Angel Inn, Port Street, Evesham 1891
25. The Three Pigeons, Kirtlington 1861
26. The White Horse, Duns Tew, Oxfordshire 1855
27. The Union, Dolton, Devon 1841-
28. The Gunsmith’s Arms, Beaford, Devon 1851-
29. The Hinksey Inn, New Hinksey, Oxford about 1876-
30. Beer House, High Street Slough, Buckinghamshire 1871
31. The Chequers, Spring Street / Goddards Lane, Chipping Norton,Oxfordshire 1876-
32. The Anchor, Banbury Road, Kidlington 1760-
33. The Derby Arms Hotel, Church Road, Rainford, Lancashire 1891-
34. The Newmarket Inn, Chipping Norton, Oxford
35. The Kings Head, Northam, Devon 1830 &1844-
36. New Ring of Bells, Northam, Devon 1857
37. Kingsley Hotel, Fore St, Northam, Devon 1871-
38. Royal George, Irsha St, Appledore, Devon 1850-
39. Mariner’s Inn, Northam, Devon 1866
40. The Black Horse, Banbury Road, Kidlington 1871
41. The Black Bull Banbury Rd Kidlington 1754-
42. The Derby Arms, Church Rd, Rainford 1888-
43. The Globe, Beaford, Devon 1822-
44. The Britannia, Banbury Road, Kidlington, Oxfordshire
45. The Hand and Shears, Church Hanborough, Oxfordshire
46. The Red Lion, Lower Heyford, Oxfordshire 1841-
47. The White Horse Lower Heyford, Oxfordshire 1851
48. The Red Lion, Yarnton 1871
49. The Ibex Inn, Chaddleworth, Berkshire 1848-
50. The Old Lottery, Paulton, Somerset
Enjoy this pub crawl with our ancestors
was safer to drink than water because the alcohol killed harmful bacteria. The Mug
House at Claines standing in the church yard still bears witness to this practice.
Church drinking houses also provided refreshment for travellers on main thoroughfares.
One such house was The Dog in Kidlington discussed later. The Alehouse Act 1552 (5
and 6 Edw.VI c.25) was the first attempt to co-
Publicans and related occupations.
Public Beer Houses have existed since roman times and were regulated locally by the manorial officers. Several Inns were set up by the Church to provide Church goers with a wholesome drink. Small Beer was a popular drink consumed by both adults and children in the 16th and 17th centuries. It was of low alcohol content, and it