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Norwich Merchants

Morrison

Head Office : Gaol Hill 1 - 4
2.  Gaol Hill   4.  Leasehold HQ

1. : General

At St. Ann's Lane (King Street) in 1839 were listed
Morrison & Co.  In the same year, in another Trades
Directory, were listed Morrison & Gittings
- at the same address.

As for Gittings (who is not further mentioned
in this connection) we may presume that, by 1845,
he had become the proprietor of the Maid's Head hotel.

By 1840 the Magistrates' List has :
Peter Archibald Morrison at Gaol Hill.
Also by 1845 we have P. A. Morrison & Co. listed there.
Here again, we assume a transfer from King Street post-1839.

 

2. : Gaol Hill

The premises in Gaol Hill were the pub premises of the
Labour in Vain, which had existed since at least 1737.
The inn-sign depicted two washer-women trying to
scrub a black man white !

At this site Morrison's were quoted as:-

  • Importers of wine & brandy
  • Agents to Reid & Co., London
  • Agents to Sir E. Lacon and Sons, Yarmouth
By 1867 Elizabeth Morrison had succeeded (the late?)
Peter Archibald as licensee. In October of the same year
William Boughen became licensee, and the pub's owner
by 1872. 		 

3. : Tied Pubs

Obviously, the Labour in Vain had become tied to its
1840 owners, who also spread their wings to a few
other pubs - although they were not brewers, as such.

The 1845 Official List shows the following
additional pubs owned by Peter Archibald Morrison :-

4. : Leasehold HQ

The freehold of the Gaol Hill premises was held
throughout by the City Council, so the term 'owner'
means (at best) short-term leaseholders.
Nevertheless Morrison & Co. (wines and spirits
merchants) were listed, by the Magistrates, as being
the persons to whom the pub was "tied".

The post-Morrison list is as follows :

  • William Boughen : licensee from 1.10.1867;
            and owner by 1872
  • Different licensees from 3.4.1877
            (change of pubname to Guildhall Stores)
  • William Larke Cooke (both) : from 18.6.1878
  • Different licensees from 25.10.1882
  • Henry Perfect, N. Walsham (owner only) :
            from 1887
  • Frederick Mills (both) : from 9.8.1892
  • (Ellen Mills licensee from 28.12.1897
            to 9.8.1898 only)
  • Mrs. Edith Margaret Adelaide Pinn (both) :
            from 9.8.1898
  • (Edward Pinn licensee from 18.6.1901
            to 23.10.1902 only)
  • John and Mary Dawson (licensees) :
            from 23.10.1902
  • Florence Dawson (licensee) : from 9.2.1926
Mrs F. Dawson & Son are given in Kelly's 1933
directory, as merchants(?). The pub closed
the next year under the Compensation Act.

In effect, the pub was always
essentially free of brewery tie.

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