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OLD BELL MARHAM Index
VILLAGE STREET CLACKCLOSE HUNDRED FULL LICENCE CLOSED October 1996
CLACKCLOSE LICENCE REGISTERS September 1794 & PS 7/4/1 & PS 7/4/2 (1917 - 1949)
SWAFFHAM BREWERY Offered for sale by auction 1847 - Still in Swaffham Brewery possession to at least 1858?
SETCH BREWERY    
BULLARDS Purchased by Bullards, by February 1928, from the representatives of the late H. V. Bathurst of Marham House.
WATNEY MANN   
.    
Licensees :
-  
JERE (Jeremiah?) DYE
(Blue Bell)		 1794
-  
JAMES GATHERCOLE
Age 54 in 1841		 1836 - 1847
RALPH HEATH
age 30 in 1851		 *1851 - 1856
ROBERT STIBBON 1858 - 1865
HENRY LAMBERT 1868 - 1877
WILLIAM BUTTER 1879 - 1888
JACOB BROWN
Age 52 in 1911		 1890 to 1924
GEORGE OSBORNE 13.10.1924
ALBERT ERNEST STARLING 01.02.1932
THOMAS EDWARD GORE 10.07.1933
BENJAMIN FRED BIRD 03.01.1944
ROBERT OLIVER
see below		 07.02.1944
JOYCE & RICHARD BARRETT 22.07.1946
 RON  ASHLEY-COX from  09.1965
VAL & JOHN HARDY 11.12.1975 - 12.1976+
KIER & DAWN HARDY
(Son & daughter of Val & John)		 c1980 - c1982
JIM & LINDA BOWLEY by 12.1984 - c1986
BOB & BERYL ....... here 12.1987
????? & SHARNE
(ex B&B owners from Ilfracombe)		 c1989
PAT HOLLAND here 05.1991
STUART HIDES &
JASON SPARKS		 16.09.1994
KEITH PORTER to closure


  At 10:00 am on Thursday 18th July 1946, Mr. Robert Oliver, his wife and three children, were evicted from the Bell. Messrs Bullard & Sons Ltd, had been granted an order of possession on 6th June at the Lynn County Court.
Mr. Oliver was also a Labour member of the Fincham division of the County Council. 		 

The `Old Bell ' - 1987
The 3rd `Old' Bell 1987

BLUE BELL 1794


Lot No. 26 in sale by auction, held 8th & 9th September 1847. Described as including:-
Large yard, 4 newly erected Stables, Coach House, & other requisite Outbuildings, & One acre of excellent pasture land.

(A dwelling house, formerly the OLD BELL, was for sale by auction 7th July 1858 - then occupied by Christmas Parlett and late the property of Arthur Morse, Swaffham Brewery.
This tells us that the house above was at least the third building to carry the name, the Old Bell.)


Rebuilt in late 1950's

No change recommended at the First Joint Committee Meeting of Bullards and Steward & Patteson 29th May 1962.
Sales reported as 384 barrels.


Closed October 1996
Permission to demolish and use site for housing granted by September 2004.
Housing built on site by August 2010
Pub sign still standing by roadside.

 
 

I was born and lived in the Old Bell (not the one pictured). It was originally known as 'Bell Inn', but when the 'New Bell' was constructed (the picture shown above) the original building was then known as 'The Old Bell'. Confusing, but not to us that lived there.
My parents (Richard and Joyce Barrett) were Landlords until September 1965.
My father Richard was also the Landlord of the Ship Defiance at Downham Market prior to taking over the Bell.

My Uncle Charles Ward was the Landlord of King's Arms Shouldham and my Grandfather Arthur Ward was Landlord of the 'Bridge Inn' Three Holes (nr Outwell).

Ron Ashley Cox was the Landlord after my Dad, and he had also been the Landlord of the Shouldham King's Arms. John Hardy took over from Ron Ashley Cox.

I remember the building of the new Bell and when they dug the ground for that pub, they kept finding old horses and dogs bones.
That was because of the original use of the property - a Blacksmiths.
I also planted coins in the wall in the residential part together with a note of the date and my name.

  
  Image thanks to Jane Edwards
The 2nd BELL		 Regards

Jane Edwards (nee Barrett)
10.11.2004






Many thanks for the
photos and info.		 Image thanks to Jane Edwards
Images provided by Jane Edwards