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The Royal Hotel   (1 to 9)

2. The Angel : 3. The Royal : 4. Wm. Butcher Mk. I   6. The Tap : 7. Wm. Butcher Mk. II
8. The Arcade : 9. The Move

1. : Fame

Much has been written about this premier hotel,
especially relating to its halcyon days on
Gentlemens' Walk - viz. before it gave way to
the Royal Arcade.
It should therefore suffice for these notes
to be a brief chronological summary.

2. : The Angel

This original pub-name is thought to date from well
before 1648 - a verifiable date, as already indicated.
Also see Riddington Young, who insists upon dating it
to the 15th Century.

The landlord in 1760-63, and also in 1806, was
described as an Innkeeper (i.e. full-timer); which was
fairly unusual, and denotes a rather important house.

Probably the first mention of its being an hotel was
in 1822; but it was listed in the 1783 Directory,
which limited itself to just 44 major coaching inns.
Indeed it was one of only four highlighted in capitals
in that 1783 list.

Young's book, pages 41 and 85, gives ample details of
the notable visitors, and the events which have occurred
- over the centuries - at this famous establishment.

3. : The Royal

A re-building occurred in 1846, by which time
the name had been changed.
A City Architect, J. Stannard, was responsible
for the alterations.

Young suggests the new name had been adopted
six years earlier, celebrating the Royal marriage of
Victoria and Albert.
This is borne out by the 1839 & 1842 Directories,
which differ as to name; and the following notice
in the Norfolk Chronicle dated 18th July 1840 :

The public are respectfully informed that the Angel Inn,
Market Place, Norwich - having been recently disposed
of, is now refurnishing and fitting up with every
convenience for the reception of families and
commercial gentlemen and will in future be known as
the Royal Hotel.

The Royal was probably the last inn from which a
stage-coach operated (to Stalham). Young (page 85)
recounts that the popular nickname for the Royal was
"Buttons".

4. : William Butcher Mk. I

By 1840 Butcher was landlord of the Royal,
who had another enterprise listed in 1842 :
called the Café Royal - also on The Walk.
Butcher was separately listed at this off-licence
outlet, (for wines and spirits) which seems to
have been attached to the main premises.

There is no further mention of this venture, and the
1845 Official List merely shows Butcher at the Hotel.
He released the hotel licence in November 1846,
but not necessarily the ownership at the same time;
as hinted at in the following announcement :-

    William Butcher of Theatre Street advised that,
    having disposed of the business, he would look
    forward to settlement of outstanding accounts
    by 24th December next.
    With thanks for your support, I have great pleasure
    in recommending my Successor, Mr Samuel Howlett,
    for whom I beg to solicit a continuance of your kind
    patronage to the Establishment....
Hence William Junior (para. 7) may well
have had the property bequeathed to him. 		 

5. : Interregnum

Howlett moved from the Royal Hotel in Hull.
He presided for probably under 6 years; with
Jane Howlett in charge by 1852, at the age of 36.

By 1854 James Heseltine held the licence for the
Commercial, Family and Posting House.
He had been replaced by 1864, perhaps by 1861,
and was followed by two other licensees who
served for short periods.

6. : The Tap

From 1858 a Royal Hotel Tap was listed
at the Back of the Inns.
It is possible that this was a bar
for tradesmen or other menial workers.
Thomas H. Gooch held a separate licence, transferred
to E. Provart by 1864 and to Caroline Provart by 1869.

This later venture - although infrequently listed - seems
to have been more succesful than the Cafe Royal; and
to have had separate licensee(s) until 1888 - when
Henry Frederick Butcher was in place.

In 1890 it had the glorified title of
Royal Hotel Vaults, at No. 12 Back of the Inns.

7. : William Butcher Mk. II

At the hotel proper, by 1867 William Butcher
junior was in charge; and from November 1872
Henry Frederick.
Charles Butcher took over the licence in March 1896,
just 5 months before undertaking to move the enterprise
- to make way for the Arcade.

Ownership of the hotel rested with William Butcher's
Executors in 1878; although it is unclear whether
it was the father or son who died at that time.
Henry Frederick Butcher was owner in 1884.
In 1890 his hotel was again listed as
'family and commercial' and a posting-house.

8. : The Arcade

The early-Victorian (1846) facade remains on view
today, but the interior was entirely re-vamped, and
the adjoining alleyway incorporated in the new
Royal Arcade.
King's Map of 1766 shows this alley, which the noted
architect George Skipper exploited in his astonishing
creation of the year 1899.

The associated replacement of another pub, at the
Castle Street end, resulted in the Arcade Stores.

9. : The Move

The new Royal Hotel was built at Bank Plain by
October 1897; which means it was ready before the
Arcade (opened May 1899) finally replaced its predecessor.

An example of good forward-planning,
which we are unlikely to witness these days !
The licence for the old hotel included an undertaking
(given in August 1896) to close by the date of
completion and opening of the new one.

The choice of location for the new building must have
been influenced by experience gained from 1845 at
Foundry Bridge.
Here was built a Royal Hotel Branch, later to become
the Great Eastern Hotel.

The two properties, although at opposite ends of the
road, were both on Prince of Wales Road - especially
constructed in 1862 for the needs of passengers
travelling by rail.
Such passengers formed an ideal market
for mid-19th C. hoteliers.

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