SIR SAMUEL HOOD - St NICHOLAS WARD

Licensees :
JOHN FISHER	1819
THOMAS BOWLES	1830
JAMES TURNER	1836 - 1839
JOHN GOWEN age 47 in 1851 (John Gowing in 1850 report)	1845 - 1863
Accused Thursday 8th May 1856 of keeping a bawdy house. Charges dropped. See below
Fine of 5s and court fees on Saturday 3rd April 1858 for having persons drinking in the house at illegal hours on Good Friday.
Licence refused 4th September 1863

On Monday 8th May 1852 it was stated that landlord Gowing hired a house in Row 36, the resort of women of ill fame.
Unfortunately for the case brought by Police Sergeant Johnson, he had never seen Gowing at that house, nor had he seen any of the girls in the Sir Samuel Hood.
Although the magistrates believed that the accused had connived to keep such a bawdy house, it was unclear at that time. He was warned to be careful in the future.

It was reported 19th September 1863 that Mr. Brightwen addressed his fellow magistrates at the licensing session saying that by increasing the number of licenses they would increase the number of dens of filth and iniquity, which helped increase the burden of taxation on the town by adding to the gaol and workhouse expenses.
The tenants of these houses had sometimes been before the court but had invariably been let off with a 5s fine, no punishment at all. At the disease ward of the workhouse one could see prostitutes who had transferred from those houses, which were really brothels of the foulest description.
The SIR SAMUEL HOOD was one such house and a magistrate from the neighbourhood of Harleston had advised :—There is a poor girl our parish who has been leading a sad life. She goes occasionally to Yarmouth and remains six weeks at a time, taking no money with her. Her sister told me before her yesterday where she lives when there; it is a house in Charlotte-street, out of the market place, kept by a Mr and Mrs Gower and called the Sir Samuel Hood...Beer and Spirits are sold there so I suppose it is called a public house. Any girls or women may go and live there free of expense” ...such a system..must be attended by fearful results, especially to young country women. Three times had this house been before court, but each time let off by the payment of 5s.
The licence application of John Gower <sic> was refused, but transferred to Mr. Lacon.

See also BRITISH LION, FOUNDRY ARMS, VICTORIA TAVERN and WHITE HORSE.

The licence was transferred to the NORTH END RETREAT at the Annual Licensing Day, Tuesday 15th August 1864. The request for transfer was made by Robert Bullimore, supported by Mr. F.W. Ferrier.