By a Conveyance of the 13th June, 1864, John Youngs, brewer, of the city of Norwich conveyed The Waterman's Arms to Thomas Smithdale of Norwich, city engineer and iron founder. This conveyance is with the consent of the Reverend John Toll Burt of Seething and Sir William Foster of Norwich. On the 8th May 1854, Youngs mortgaged The Waterman's Arms to Clement William Unthank for £16,335 plus interest. In another Indenture of 26th October, 1860, it appears that this mortgage debt was transferred to Burt & Foster.

Smithdale paid £800 for The Waterman's Arms - the original mortgage debt was for £16,335 plus interest. I am unclear as to whether this original sum was still outstanding at the time the pub was conveyed to Smithdale. In any event, Burt and Foster consented to the sale at £800. It may be the case that Youngs mortgaged other property at a similar time.

In a later deed of 1876, Thomas Smithdale mortgaged the property to Elijah Crosier Bailey. The mortgage deed in this regard mentions that Smithdale had since [the 13 June 1864] pulled down the messuage or public house and had erected certain other buildings ....

<Thanks to Heather Etteridge and the Norfolk Family History Society, Sept 2026>