Image : c1938 - Taken by the Norfolk Chronicle. Courtesy of Norfolk Museums (Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse) Copyright © 2024

On Monday 24th January 1870, beerhouse keeper Robert Parsons was charged of having a dog in his premises without having a dog licence. Hearing that the dog did not belong to him, the Bench dismissed the case.

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Trade reported February 1909 as "about 100 barrels per year and about 100 dozen minerals".

Licence of house considered for refusal at Licensing Sessions of Wednesday 23rd June 1909.
At the time the house held a beer-house licence with provision for consumption on the premises.
This was one of 13 local houses under threat of closure and only this house and one other (Lamb Inn, Kings Lynn) objected to the loss of licence.
According to evidence given in support of the house, it was said that the population of Snettisham was 1,360 and that there were 11 licences in the parish. The licences were 4 full licences, 3 `on' beer-house licences, one `off ' beer-house and 3 grocers' licences.
It was argued that there were effectively one house for every 170 people and that the Queen Victoria was redundant. The New Inn was 90 yards away, the Rose & Crown 185 yards distant and the Compass 242 yards away.
The accommodation of the Queen Victoria included a bar about 16 feet square, a kitchen 16 feet by 12 feet and a private room. There was also a yard where good accommodation was provided and there was plenty of room for police supervision of the house. Police Superintendent Lewis considered the Grapes to be a better house, but agreed that both houses served the working classes. The witness confirmed that there was no difficulty in supervising the house and that it was the nearest house to two quarries and the workers refreshed themselves at the Queen Victoria.
The superintendent pointed out that one quarry belonged to the Grammar School and the other.....
Before he could finish the Chairman interrupted to confirm that he owned the second quarry and that the quarries were really `carr stone pits'.
The bench were reminded that the population of Snettisham could swell by a thousand or more people in the summer and had become more popular in the last two years. (Since the Queen's bungalow was built).
Magistrate Whitby did not consider it likely that visitors to the beach were going to visit the Queen Victoria.
In support of the licence Mr North said that the test was to consider the amount of trade conducted at the house. In the previous year 70 dozen bottles plus 130 barrels of beer and 182 dozen bottles of mineral waters. Men from the carr stone pits got their beer from the house and others lodged and ate there. In the Summer so many people stayed at Snettisham that many had to find accommodation in farmhouses and other places outside the village. To prove that the house was frequented by people from outside the area, it was pointed out that 14 casks of cider had been sold in the last year and Norfolk labourers preferred good beer. Tea and coffee were also served at the house.
The Magistrates decided to re-new the licence.

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Mr. Fred Burrell was to sell his Household Furniture, Saturday 5th July 1924 since he was relinquishing the house.

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On Tuesday 9th May 1932 it was agreed between the Norfolk Licensing Committee and Steward & Patteson that the licence of the Plough would be removed to the Queen Victoria which would then become a fully licensed house. The Plough would be closed and the Queen Victoria "reconstructed and made into a really nice and proper Inn."

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