(Pictured above in the 1950’s – certainly before the Tollemache and Cobbold breweries amalgamated in 1957)
The occupiers of the White Elm were described principally as “Beerhouse Keepers”.
A Beerhouse was a type of drinking establishment created in the United Kingdom by the 1830 Beerhouse Act, legally defined as a place “where beer is sold to be consumed on the premises”. Public houses at the time were issued with licences by local magistrates under the terms of the Retail Brewers Act 1828 and were subject to police inspections at any time of the day or night. The proprietors of Beerhouses on the other hand simply had to buy a licence from the government costing two guineas per annum, equivalent to about £150. Until the Wine and Beerhouse Act 1869 gave local magistrates the authority to renew Beerhouse licences, the two classes of establishment were in direct competition.
The competition was intended to lower the price of beer and weaning the population off more alcoholic drinks – like gin.
With the establishment of the factories of Edward Packard & Co and Joseph Fison in the 1850’s it’s probably no surprise that the White Elm appears to have been established around that time. Possibly built by the employers to serve the small community of workers who lived near the factories, its weatherboard construction bears similarities with some of the original warehouse buildings on the old Packard/Fison site.
The first recorded landlord of the Elm, in the 1861 Census, is Charles Palmer, age 29. Charles was born in Bramford and was described as a “Beerhouse keeper” but the property he lived in was not named. Squeezed in between Paper makers and the Chemical works there can be no doubt that this was the “Elm”. Whether the omission because it was not yet named or just an error by the enumerator we do not know. By 1871 the premises had been taken over by Robert Taylor and family. Robert was born in Coddenham about 1825 but when he married in 1854 his occupation was “Limeburner” – probably at the limeworks near the factories. In the 1861 Census he is a labourer at Fisons.
Robert died on 2 August 1878 in Bramford, but the business was carried on by his wife Emma. Emma was born in Bruisyard despite earlier census information giving a variety of locations – including Bramford! Robert and Emma’s first child was born in Bramford in 1856 so we can assume that Robert took the opportunity to work at the newly established factory soon after they married. Described as an “Inn Keeper” in the census of 1871 the building he lived in was now listed as “Elm Inn”.
From 1881 through to 1911 Emma Taylor is listed as Beerhouse keeper at the premises but had relinquished control to her daughter Florence by the latter census.
Emma died in 1913 and it is assumed that Florence continued to run the Elm until the 1930’s when the Page’s (Arthur and Susannah) took over. Florence died in Eye (probably Hartismere Hospital) in 1946. Her address at the time was in All Saints Road, Ipswich. She left her estate of just over £300 to Harry Barfield, a Canteen Steward.
Harry Barfield was the son of Emma Barfield who ran the Royal Oak in Bramford (also a Beerhouse) in 1911.
The Elm continued to be run by Herbert Giles (from 1943), Arthur Rose (from 1947) and Reg Fox (1956). It finally closed as licensed premises in 1978 but continues in use as part commercial part residentail.
Occupation of The White Elm from census information
1911
Florence Taylor – single, 41, born Bramford (Head) Beer House keeper
Emma Taylor (mother), widow 81 born Bruisyard.
1901
Emma Taylor Beer House keeper (Widow) 77 born Sweffling
Florence Taylor (daughter). Manageress, 31, born Bramford
1891
Emma Taylor Beer House keeper (Widow), 67, born Framlingham
Alice Pryke (daughter) Assistant, 31, born Bramford
William Pryke (son in law) General Labourer, 35, born Bramford
Francis Pryke (grandson), 1, born Bramford
1881
Emma Taylor (Widow) Beer House Keeper, 57, born Bramford
Emma C Taylor (daughter), 23
Ellen Jane (daughter), 22
Alice (daughter), 20
Florence (daughter),11
All the children born in Bramford
[The building was saved from fire at Goddards Tar Works in 1876]
1871
Rob Taylor Innkeeper, 46, born Coddenham
Emma Taylor 46, born Swiffland [Sweffling?]
Emma 14
Ellen 12
Alice 10
Isaac 6
Florence 1
All children born in Bramford
1861
Charles Palmer Beerhouse keeper, 29, born Bramford
Ellen 30 born Barham
Eliza & Ellen daughters
There was no trace of the premises in 1851 or 1841