Licence application (full) by Hezekiah Layton refused Friday 4th September 1857, the magistrates refusing to hear any application for new licenses.

Lime Kiln Road 1858 and 1865.

Address as Mill Lane in 1883, 1888 & 1891.

On Monday 3rd January 1859, John Symonds was charged on three counts of selling spirits illegally, each offence liable to a £50 fine. He only held a beerhouse licence and on Sunday 21st November 1858 he had served Mrs. J. Sparrow and police Sergeant Hennings with rum. Mrs. Sparrow was the wife of the keeper of the St. ANDREWS HALL beerhouse in Gorleston. She was accompanied by Hennings since they had been searching for an alleged thief and getting very wet had entered the New Bridge Tavern and asked for rum to ward off the cold. The pair each had a glass of rum in the bar and then went into a smaller room where they had three more glasses each. Hennings paid for most of the liquor.
The officer of Excise proved that room numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the house were licensed to sell beer, a bottle of rum had been found in room 3. The defence argued that the bottle was for medicinal purposes only and was only half a pint. Had the amount found in the house been a gallon of gin, rum or brandy then the charges would be valid, but in this case, the spirit had been provided under special circumstances.
Mr. Symonds was advanced in years and asthmatical, if the magistrates were determined to convict, he would be ruined.
Unfortunately it came out in court that Mrs. Sparrow had returned to the house the following Monday morning and had been served more rum.
The Mayor said the bench were unanimous that the charges were proved and fined the defendant £18 including costs. Enforcement was postponed for one week.

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