The Red Lion

Public House. Early C18, altered in C20.
Interior opened into single retail area late C20.
Grade II Listed building.

The Red Lion is first mentioned in local records in the tax list of 1694 Presumably Mr Ramm was the landlord. The records are then silent until 1761 when a silver mug was stolen and when probably the landlord was James Wilson. From then on a full succession of landlords is recorded, including five members of the Dickerson family.

In 1896 the Red Lion was run by George Dickerson. When he died in 1922 his wife, the four feet ten inch and indomitable Emma Jane, became the licensee.

On her 94th birthday in 1954 she was given the title of “The First Lady of the Inns” as the oldest licensee in the country. The image shows her receiving a silver salver by the brewery in recognition of her 83 years of service in the trade, 60 of them at The Red Lion. She retired in 1955 and died in January 1956.

The Red Lion is in the background.

Image from “The Red Lion Inn”, courtesy Swaffham History Group.