Alcohol Licenses (1913-17): beerhouses.

Post date: Mar 25, 2014 8:14:34 PM

During 1913 and 1917 some 75 Beerhouses (not licensed to sell wine and spirits) were licensed in the Malling District. These included 4 in Wateringbury: the Queen's Head, Phoenix, Harrow and Wheatsheaf in Wateringbury. Of the 75 beerhouses 20 were owned by the Wateringbury breweries, 12 (16%) by F. Leney and 8 (11%) by Jude Hanbury.

Within Wateringbury there were 3 other licensed premises, 2 at the breweries and 1 at a shop. There were also 3 licensed alehouses.

During the period only 2 of the 20 Wateringbury owned beerhouses did not renew their licenses, both in 1917 - "The Wheatsheaf" in Wateringbury and the "Red House" in Yalding.

For the licensing of alehouses (licensed to sell wine and spirits) see Alcohol Licenses (1913-17):Alehouses.

The licensing of Beerhouses returned to the control of local magistrates in 1869 after a period when they had been licensed by the Excise centrally. The national legislation of 1869 also mandated that properties granted new licenses were to have a higher annual value; the publican no longer had to automatically attend for a renewal unless required to do so; objections had to be in writing and evidence given on oath. (Paul Jennings The Local pp 166-167). After the introduction of this legislation the number of beer only licenses reduced through the period to 1901.

Nationally at the beginning of the 18th century roughly two thirds of publicans brewed their own beer (Paul Jennings The Local pp 97-103)The growth of brewery control had taken place first in London along with the development of the so-called tie, whereby a publican agreed to take the product of a particular firm. By end of 18th century proprtion of publicans brewing their own beer had fallen to under a half. In 1850 mild ale brewers Mann, Grossman and Paulin supplying 500 pubs from their Albion brewery. Growth of a national beer market with brewers from Burton accounting for almost 8% of England's total beer sales by late 1860s. Tie was replaced by ownership. By 1913 the Brewers Society estimated 95% of pubs were tied. Publicn went from being independant to being a tenant of manager.