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In January 1827 it was officially recorded, by order of the House of Commons, that Lynn had produced the following number of Barrels of Beer in 1826
PUBLIC BREWERS VICTUALLERS
Strong Table Strong Table
15,564 3,298 2,853 635

The number of Brewers given in 1826 as:-
Brewers Retail Brewers Victuallers (V) Brewing own beer (V)
34 7 700 96




At the Licensing Sessions held September 1849 it was heard that no less than 147 public houses had been re-licensed for the sale of spirits, &c. Three new applications had been refused on the grounds that there was a maximum population of 18,000 in the borough and it equated to approximately one public house to every thirty five males over the age of 21. "This must surely be enough to satisfy public demand."

At the sitting of magistrates, February 1859, the attention was (again) called to the prevalent abuse of the privileges conferred by the public house licence.
A large number of public house licensees were gaining a liquor licence, which enabled them to get the beer licence at a cheaper rate and to keep their houses open longer than beer-shops were allowed to do. However they never took out the liquor licence and so defrauded the revenue and obtained an unfair advantage over the beerhouse keepers. The clerk to the magistrates was to contact the home Secretary to ascertain what powers the magistrates had to check the practice.

It was reported March 1882 that Kings Lynn had 49 brewers, 48 victuallers, 15 in-door beerhouse keepers and 2 out-door beerhouse keeper, all licensed to sell beer. A further 3,053 persons were licensed as brewers, not allowed to sell.

In 1892 the Temperance Movement, in the form of the Kings Lynn Vigilance Committee reported that there was one licensed house for every 100 inhabitants of Kings Lynn, be they man, woman or child.
Furthermore, they claimed that one house in every 22 was licensed.

However by using their own figures this can be disputed.
It was reported that there were 4161 inhabited houses in Kings Lynn at the time and 180 were licensed houses.
This only equates to one house in 23 being licensed - so things were not quite as good as was stated!

In 1903 the magistrates reported that there was a licensed house for every 113 persons as recorded in the 1901 census (20,288 souls)
This included the facility of 12 `Off Licenses'.
  
 
The number of houses recorded in the Licence Registers were :-		  
    Full licences Beerhouses  
  09.1836 100 Not given  
  02.1903 158 9  
  02.1910 134 7  
  08.02.1915 107 6  
  11.02.1918 105
(82  in St. Margaret's and 23 in South Lynn)		 6  
  01.01.1920 98 6  
09.02.1920 95 6
  06.02.1922 75 6  


The Lynn Advertiser of 13th February 1903 reported that in the past 76 weeks since the last licensing session, there had been a decrease in the number of persons proceeded against for being drunk and disorderly. Only 114 (94 convicted) had appeared before the justices in the past 18 months, as against 100 in the previous 12 months.

In previous years :-

Year TOTAL Male Female Resident Stranger Convicted Discharged
1897 205 184 21 81 124 188 17
1898 180 157 23 97 83 170 10
1899 107 92 15 48 59 96 11
1900 100 89 11 45 55 88 12
Aug 1901
to Feb 1902		 113 95 18 50 63 94 19
  In February 1910 it was confirmed that there were 134 full licences, 7 beer-houses and 14 off licences. An average of one house per 131 persons. Since 1904 proceedings had been taken year by year to reduce the number of licensed houses and to that effect 28 licences had been eliminated by compensation. 7 of those licences were to cease upon payment of the agreed compensation. One further licence had been lost on conviction and two further licenses had been voluntarily surrendered, giving a total of 31.
13 music licenses were granted in Kings Lynn. They were for the New Royal Theatre, St. James's Hall, Central Hall, Blackfriars Hall, Albion Hall, the Skating Rink, the Coffee Tavern and six licensed houses.
Those members of the public proceeded against in previous years were :-		  
1903 90 - - 42 48 81 9
1904 76 - - 29 47 69 15
1905 88 - - 38 50 63 25
1906 40 - - 25 15 36 4
1907 89 - - 48 41 78 11
1908 65 - - 36 29 52 13
1909 67 - - 34 33 57 10
In February 1912 the following proceedings were recorded.
By then there were 126 houses with full licences, 7 beerhouses, 14 off-licences making a total of 147, an average of one licence for every 137 persons on the 1911 census.
1910 43 -  - 43 14 29 35
1911 52 - - 52 28 24 45
               
Houses closed in the period 1906 to 1911.
1906 - 6 houses closed by compensation
1907 - 2 houses voluntarily closed, 5 by compensation and 1 by conviction.
1908 - 5 houses closed by compensation
1909 - 1 house closed voluntarily, 5 houses closed by compensation
1910 - 7 houses closed by compensation
1911 - 1 house closed voluntarily, 4 houses closed by compensation (Awaiting payment)
TOTAL 37 HOUSES.

30 New licenses granted by the Magistrates at the late annual licensing sessions as reported 24th September 1836. There were already 70 houses with licenses in existence.

Population Kings Lynn 1821 census = 12,181 (10,575 in Lynn St. Margaret and 1606 in South Lynn All Saints). Sailors NOT included, which may have been 700.

At the Licensing Sessions held 11th March 1912 the Chief Constable confirmed that a music licence was only required in premises where the performers were paid.

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In June 1867, the "objectionable" mode of paying employees of public houses was said to originate in the town from antiquity and should be discouraged.
It was the custom to pay "two shillings and two quarts". The latter only being able to be claimed and drunk at the premises of the employer.

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In January 1932 the Lynn News published the following table.
  YEAR No. of Licenses.  
  1906 163  
  1907 157  
  1908 149  
  1909 144  
  1910 138  
  1911 131  
  1912 126  
  1913 125  
  1914 119  
  1915 115  
  1916 107  
  1917 106  
  1918 105  
  1919 103  
  1920 98  
  1921 95  
  1922 91  
  1923 88  
  1924 85  
  1925 83  
  1926 78  
  1927 78  
  1928 78  
  1929 78  
  1930 78  
  1931 78  
  1932 78  


In a price list issued 10th February 1811, Mr. R. Rowell advised that he had succeeded Mr. Crisp and would be supplying a similar range of London Porter, Fine Ales and Superior British Wine.
Prices, for Ready Money Only:-
    s d
Fine London Porter per doz. 5 0
Brown Stout   6 0
Double Brown Stout   7 0
Home Brewed Cambridge Ale   5 6
Home Brewed Lincoln Ale   6 6
Home Brewed Nottingham Ale   7 0
Home Brewed Dorchester Ale   7 6
Home Brewed Newark Ale   8 6
Home Brewed Burton Ale   9 6
Home Brewed Ringwood Ale   10 6
Home Brewed Edinburgh Ale   10 6
Home Brewed Welch Ale   12 0
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Newly arrived Wines   £ s d
Raisin and Mountain   1 4 0
Orange   1 6 0
Raspberry   1 6 0
Gooseberry   1 6 0
Red & White Currant   1 6 0
Frontignac   1 6 0
Calcavella   1 6 0
Rich Tent   1 8 0

A single bottle of wine may be had at the Warehouse, but not less than Two Dozen of Ale or Porter.
 

 
  In 1976, Watney Mann had 41 Public Houses in Kings Lynn and its suburbs.
They had been purchased from Bullards and Steward & Patteson on 21st February 1967.		  
 

 
  It was reported Saturday 15th January 1785 that on Monday last, a Blacksmith and a Farrier had a dispute with a Publican. The Smith had prepared a chemical preparation that had failed and the Publican commented upon it in a sneering manner that the Smith claimed had injured his reputation. The Smith insisted that a proper concession be made, or the matter to be settled the following morning in a gentleman-like way. The Publican opted for the latter.
Meeting near the New Walks along with their seconds, a Horse-breaker and a Hair-dresser, the ground was marked out. The event was also attended by a Farrier who attended as a surgeon.
The Smith fired first and missed.  The Publican fired and grazed the Smith's head.
With the seconds interposing, the matter was settled to the mutual satisfaction of both parties, who spent the remainder of the day together in a most cordial manner.


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