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Some Special Interests => Occupation Interests => Topic started by: Yvie Tree on Monday 24 November 25 20:03 GMT (UK)

Title: How to research Licensed Victualler records for 1900s Wales
Post by: Yvie Tree on Monday 24 November 25 20:03 GMT (UK)

Greetings and confused

Hey! I'm trying to understand how to research where licensed victuallers receive their licences if they run pubs in Wales.

I have a relative I'm researching who is named on his aunt's will as being a Licensed Victualler, both when she wrote it in 1940, and when she amended it and later died in 1945.
John Thomas Jones, the LV I'm researching, was from Birmingham and left Birmingham to move to Ye Olde Anchor Inn, Rhos St, Ruthin, Denbighshire some time shortly after the 1939 register was taken, as he is recorded as living with his aunt in Birmingham on the 1939 register. His father's family were all Welsh so the move could have been some form of reconnection with his recently deceased father's history.

This is the linked search I created a while back...
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=853877.0
...but here I'm hoping to understand what records I should be looking for, and where they would be recorded more generally as an occupation.

• Would I be looking for his Licence to be given in Birmingham, or should I be looking for a licence that's given in a Welsh court?
  
• When he left the pub and moved back to Birmingham some time in the 1950s, should I be looking for a license where his licensee name is transferred?

I've figured out that the Anchor Inn was part of the Thomas Salt & Co Ltd pubs but I don't see dates where this was covering.
https://breweryhistory.com/wiki/index.php/List_of_Thomas_Salt_%26_Co_Ltd_pubs

• Would a Licensed Victualler need to apply to Thomas Salt & Co Ltd pubs for the position of innkeeper?

Thanks so much for this help! It's been confusing me for many years  :-[

Title: Re: How to research Licensed Victualler records for 1900s Wales
Post by: martin hooper on Tuesday 25 November 25 11:17 GMT (UK)

I have many LVs in my ancestry. Their licences were always granted by a local magistrates court or the equivalent. There would often be reports from the police regarding suitability of the candidate. Your best bet is to search the local newspapers for information.

Martin

Title: Re: How to research Licensed Victualler records for 1900s Wales
Post by: Yvie Tree on Thursday 27 November 25 13:18 GMT (UK)

Quote from: martin hooper on Tuesday 25 November 25 11:17 GMT (UK)

Your best bet is to search the local newspapers for information.

Thanks for this! I tried the newspapers online but perhaps it just doesn't read them well in the search. I finally managed to get to the archives for the local area and they helped me find his license in their License Register. So fantastic to finally tick that task off 😂

The License Register is a huge book for such little detail recorded.