Genealogy Chat

Nell you are a treasure, many thanks for this, it gives me some hope of breaking through the brick wall Cheers JA

Hi It's LMA Information Leaflet No. 3 - LICENSED VICTUALLERS RECORDS. I won't quote it all, but here are the bits relevant to you: "Surviving records in the London Metropolitan Archives. B. County Licensing Committee & Compensation authority 1872-1961 These records related to the ancient county of Middlesex up to the end of March 1889 and to the administrative county of Middlesex thereafter. Minutes, confirmation papers, plans, etc all relating to the confirmation of the granting of new licenses and compensation for refusal to renew. Ref. MA/C/L Note: surviivng county of London Licensing Committee records have not yet been sorted and catalogued. These records can be viewed by appointment only. C. Records of Licensing Sessions: Licensing Registers Licensing registers are held among the records of the Courts of Petty Sessions. The lists that follow give further information. This should be used as a guide to the correct list or catalogue of these records. In some cases a final catalogue has not yet been produced. such records are therefore available by appointment only. KENSINGTON DIVISION [not sure if this includes Chelsea] Register of Licenses 1873-1948 PS/KEN Before you consult the records for a particular public house you will need to know the licensig division into which the establishment would have fallen. Keys to the divisions can be found at the beginning of the general guide to licensed victuallers records on the open shelves in the reference room. " The leaflet then says that if the registers don't survive for the period you want, you can try Post Office London Directories, which are on microfilm in the Reference Room; Petty Sessions Minute Books and other quarter sessions materials. Lists for these records are in the Reference Room. nell

JA The London Metropolitan Archives has a factsheet on this - I will try and find it now. nell

Can anyone help JA

Thanks Margaret, I know he ran the pub and the family lived there for a long time. I had hoped that there would be an association or something like that who may have records. Does anyone know of such and association? I seem to remember someone mentioning one when I first joined GC but did not know then that it would be useful Thanks JA

If he was the licensee then there will be records in the county record office. Things like renewals of license. If he was a barman I would think you have no chance. Then, like today, that sort of work would mostly be on a casual basis. Margaret

Can anyone help please. My Smith family track has gone cold, despite good help from Stella on GR. Does anyone know of a list of licensed vits/barmen in London areas. My great granfather Alfred Smith was a barman, Beehive Cadogen Gardens Chelsea I think. By 1901 census the family would have dispersed as his wife died. He might have been around 43ish at 1901. My Grandfather was Edward Arthur Smith c 1890, died Huddersfield 1937. His elder brother Alfred Thomas (Tom married Em second wife) was said to have been a publican at St John's Wood. He was 63 when he died 16 June 1947 , and is buried at East Sheen, Section KC, 346 . Alfred senior's other children were Nance, Daisy, Edie (the youngest who was sent to Yorkshire as a companion to a business man's daughter) and Stanley who died "young". No one in the family knows the name of Alfred senior's wife..... my great grandmother. Regards and thank you JA Grateful for any assistance