Pubs – Deopham History

Contents

There have been three pubs in Deopham, all of them now closed:-

Map of the Deopham Pubs

Blacksmith’s Arms

(Closed 1957)

List of Publicans

The details for this table were collated by Phil Long from census returns and historical directories.

Edward LABBELL	1845
George STONE	1861 – 1875
Jeremiah GEORGE	1879 – 1888
Alfred EAGLING	1890
John READ	1891 – 1892
Mrs. Frances READ	1896
Arthur SEWELL	1900 – 1901
Frederick BARKER	1904
Alfred BARRETT	1912 – 1916
Henry Arthur RUDRUM	1925 – 1933
Harry Walter RUDRUM	1937 – 1939

Further information is available at https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkd/deopham/deopba.htm

Photo supplied by Martin Jeffery

The following photograph shows a similar view of the old Blacksmith’s Arms in April 2024:

Photo: G. Sankey, 4/2024

Half Moon

(Closed 1961)

List of Publicans

The initial details for this table were collated by Phil Long from census returns and historical directories; other sources have been used to extend this data.

Publican	Owner	Years	Brewery
Edmund BADCOCK	Himself	1815 Survey of Deopham
Edward BADCOCK		1836
William KNIGHTS	William Badcock	1841 1843 Tithe analysis
John WINGFIELD		1845 – 1872
Timothy GROOM		1875
George CHENERY		1877 – 1879
Arthur SMITH		1881
John BATESON		1883 – 1892
Arthur GIBSON		1896 – 1916
George F. STURMAN		1922 – 1937
David BAILY		1939 (see 1939 register)
Ernest COLLINS	Brewery	The 1941 Farm Survey recorded Ernest Collins as tenant of the Half Moon Inn; On 27/9/1943 the Parish Council refused an application for an allotment from Mr E. Collins at the Half Moon on the basis that he already had 7 acres.	1941 Farm Survey: Morgans Brewery King Street Norwich
DONALD
John LISTER	Brewery	– 1961	Steward and Patteson of Pockthorpe Brewery in Barrack Street, Norwich

Further information is available at https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkd/deopham/deophm.htm

Information on the history of the Site

There is much more on the history of the site of the Half Moon here.

Victoria Inn

(Closed c.2009)

List of Publicans

This list was initially compiled by Phil Long from census returns and directories. Further details have been added from NorfolkPubs.co.uk.

Richardson BAKER	1861 – 1864
John WARD	1865 – 1868
Mrs. Maria WARD	1869
William GATHERGOOD	1871 – 1903
Thomas TRIVETT	1903 – 1905
Herbert HASTINGS	1905
William LANE	1906 – 1908
Frederick BARKER	1909 – 1912
James SMITH	1916
Charles GREEN	1922
George J. MUNFORD	1925
Edwin W. DIGMAN	1929 – 1937
John HARRINGTON	to 1942
B. K. KING	1960 – 1962
B. F. STANIFORTH (or STANDIFORD)	1963 – 1966
RANDALL	1967
N. McKECHNIE	1968
Closed 7/74 – 8/75
John and Pauline WALKER	1975 – 1978
Nick and Margaret MITCHELL	1979 – 1983
Bob ROURKE	1986 – 1987
Bernard BLAND and Colin GEORGE	1987 – 1998
Jean and John HEESON-GREENE	1998

1903 Sale of the Victoria Inn

Thanks to Phil Long for forwarding the above poster.

Details of the three lots referred to above are listed in the following:-

The above is reproduced by permission of the Wymondham Archive.

The outcome of the auction was that Mr. James Chiddick purchased Lot 1 (the “Inn or Beer-house”):-

The above is reproduced by permission of the Wymondham Archive.

… and Mr Arthur Wigby purchased Lots 2 & 3 (4 pieces of “Excellent Mixed Soil Accommodation Arable Land”) being plots 338 & 339 in Lot 1 and 344 & 345 in Lot 2.
Plot 344 later became The Willows and Belsfield Lodge. Plot 345 was assimilated by The Willows.

The above is reproduced by permission of the Wymondham Archive.

1905 – Dinner for 50

The following report appeared in the Norfolk News for December 2^nd 1905:

On Saturday evening, November 25th, a dinner was held at the Victoria Tavern, Deopham, to which about fifty sat down. A capital repast was provided by Host and Hostess Hastings, and after dinner a smoking concert was held, when songs were ably rendered by Messrs. Kerry, H. Coldham, W. Coldham, Miss H. Hastings, and many others; a violin solo was played by Miss F. Hastings, who also accompanied the songs on the pianoforte. The proceedings concluded by dancing, a vote of thanks being given to the host and hostess.

1941 – Farm Census

There are details of the livestock held by the Inn on the 1941 Farm Census.

Photos of the Victoria Inn

The Victoria Inn 1979 – just before Nick and Margaret Mitchell arrived.

Thanks to Margaret Mitchell for sight of this photo.

The Victoria Inn after the sign-writer had got to work:

Thanks to Margaret Mitchell for sight of this photo.

Victoria Inn matchbox:

Nick and Margaret Mitchell in the Victoria Inn, 1984:

Thanks to Margaret Mitchell for sight of this photo.

Worzel Gummage night at the Vic; Nick Mitchell on the right hand side. Taken around 1983.

Thanks to Margaret Mitchell for sight of this photo.

Children’s play equipment at the Victoria in the early 1980s. Nick and Margaret Mitchell were running a family friendly pub long before that became the norm.

Thanks to Margaret Mitchell for the use of this photo.

Extract from the Good Beer Guide 1994

The following three images of the Victoria Inn were taken in 2005:

Thanks to Phil Long for providing copies of the above photos.

Photo: G Sankey, 8/2022

Photo of The Victoria from the 2023 sales material:

Photo: Sefftons

Photo: G. Sankey, November 2024

Photo: G. Sankey, August 2025

Further information on the Vic is available at https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkd/deopham/deopvi.htm

Date	Change
4/9/25	New data for Half Moon
31/8/25	Half Moon site history moved to separate page
29/8/25	Photo 8/2025
9/3/25	1905 event at Victoria
9/12/24	Photos of Blacksmith’s Arms
10/11/24	Photo of Victoria 11/24
5/3/24	1878 auction of Half Moon
6/10/23	Note on The Willows on Plot 34
1/10/23	Vic Matchbox & 2023 photo
13/9/23	Halfmoon in 1843
4/8/23	Corrected Wrigby to Wigby on purchase of Victoria Inn land (thank you Phil Long)
1/8/23	1903 Victoria Inn sales particulars and outcome
8/9/22	Published