Meaning
A person licensed to sell beer and cider from their premises but not spirits.
Description
The Beerhouse Act of 1830 allowed any ratepayer to obtain a licence to sell beer from their home or premises on payment of two guineas, without the need for a full publican's licence. This led to a rapid expansion in the number of drinking establishments, particularly in working-class urban areas. Beerhouse keepers could sell beer and cider but not wine or spirits, which remained the preserve of fully licensed victuallers. The trade was often run from the front room of a terraced house. Many beerhouse keepers were women, particularly widows. The licensing laws were tightened again later in the century.
Also Known As
Beer Retailer, Beerseller, Alehouse Keeper
Commonly Found In
- Census Returns
- Trade Directories
- Licensed Victuallers Records
- Poor Law Records
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