Southgate Brewing   (1 to 8)

1. : Anglers

The earliest record in the Alehouse Recognizances is
for 1763, when the name 'Angler' is in the singular.
It was the Anglers in 1806.
By 1811 it was already being described as
the Old Anglers.

Ben Bransby was a licensee in 1806/11,
but had a significant partner in 1806.
This partner was Henry Smith Riches, who -
by 1830 - was listed as a brewer.

Both men were described as Publicans (i.e. full-timers)
in 1806; which was fairly unusual, and denotes a rather
important house.

2. : Brewers

Evidence for these changes has to wait until 1839,
when a Directory suddenly resurrects the Anglers
name, with Outlaw still in charge.

The brewery itself was probably very near the pub,
hence the name; although there is no suggestion
that Noah Outlaw was involved in brewing.

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3. : Maltsters

The pub was listed as the Three Maltsters in 1839,
and the plain Maltsters in 1845.

As late as 1883, the O.S. Map shows a very large
malthouse in the exact position later occupied by
the Lifting Bridge (see 7. below).

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4. : Cellar House

Having severed his connection with the earlier pub,
he seems to have decided to compete : with a new pub
only a few yards away.
He owned the new pub, probably from the outset.
Presumably, he remained in the brewing business
at this time.

The building itself is recorded as early as 1789.

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5. : Browne

But he was an agent for Barclay & Co.
including Barclay & Perkins famous stout.

However, in this remote part of King Street, it seems a
fair bet that Browne succeeded Riches as the sole/main
local brewer - between (say) 1836 - 1845.

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6. : Riches

The next mention is in the 1851 Census, when
James Cubitt was at the beerhouse; followed by
his widow Mary by 1864.
However, Fred Browne & Son had obtained ownership
of the pub by 1867 and R. Butolph was in charge
when the title "Browne's" was added in 1868.

Fred Browne & Sons are listed in 1883/1890 as
'maltsters, porter and stout merchants'. Presumably they
utilised the malthouse, mentioned in 3. above, until such
time (c. 1920) as it was destroyed for the New Bridge.

Unfortunately, the date at which the ownership
passed to Youngs & Crawshay is uncertain;
although it was tied to them by 1897.

Thomas William Nobbs was licensee from
November 1909 until the pub was demolished.
Ernest Alfred Kewley held the licence from
July 1935, while the new pub was being built.

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7. : New Bridge

• destroying the malthouse;
• causing drastic changes to the Jolly Maltsters;
• eventually triggering the complete
  re-building of the Cellar House.

A photographic record can therefore be found in :
YCY Brewery : Coronation Souvenir 1937, page 7.
A picture on page 99 also gives the view from the river.

The pub had two large cellars by the river's edge;
resembling boathouses.
Prior to the 1960s, they were sometimes used to
house cattle overnight, who were destined for
Norwich Market.
Later they were used as a nightclub, called
The Caves, which closed circa 1982.

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8. : Kingsway

Bob (Rbt. Thornton) Young had worked for
Norwich City F. C. as a trainer in the 1920s
and manager during the war.
Appropriately, he became landlord in October 1945
and was succeeded by his widow in October 1960.

George Nobbs (1973) mentioned all the chess players
attracted to the pub : by its giant inlaid chessboard
on the Lounge floor !.
He has a photo of this on page 126 of -
NOBBS, George : Pubs to Visit (E. Anglia).

Young, writing in 1975, was still able to describe
the re-named pub as prosperous (see page 79).

Eventually, however, it "lost its way" and
- in desperation - changed its name to the
Dragon's Cave, in an echo of the name of the
former nightclub. This was probably in May 2000,
when two new female licensees took over.

By 2002 the whole site had been
acquired for redevelopment.
The pub was demolished in early 2005.

The Jolly Maltsters, on the other hand,
was sacrificed for road-widening in 1984;
although it had remained closed for several years.