1912 Public HousesBell Inn(Market Place)
The earliest landlord known was a John Filby who had the licence in 1789. William Thomas Sore was the landlord from 1911 (taking over from Edward Richard Hall) to 1915 (Walter Samuel High took over). It was closed in around 1923 and in September 1950 demolished to make way for the new Post Office building.
William Thomas SORE, 51, publican, living with wife Eliza (54), daughter Victoria May (16, yarn puller at the Brush and Mat Factory), granddaughter Edith (12, scholar), and boarders Jacob REYNOLDS (64, agricultural labourer) and Alfred WILKINSON (25, agricultural labourer). Address given as The Bell Inn, Market Place, Diss.
The register lists William Thomas SORE as an Occupational Voter (dwelling house), showing residence at the Bell Inn.
William H Sore is shown as living at Bell Public House, Market Place, Diss (note incorrect second initial).
1859 : Birth of William Thomas SORE; Mother’s maiden name King and registered in Cosford District, Suffolk (1859 Q3 Cosford Suffolk Vol 4A Page 405).
(7 April 1861 : No Census record found.)
2 April 1871 : Census - William SORE, 11, living with parents William (39, miller) and Susannah (36) and siblings Sarah (13), Cornelius (9, scholar), Elizabeth (6, scholar), Mary M (4, scholar) and Charles (2). Address given as Gents Lane, Shimpling, Sudbury, Suffolk. (RG10 Piece 1719 Folio 65 Page 12 Schedule 63)
Q4 1876 : The marriage of William Thomas SORE and Eliza BROWN; registered in Sudbury District, Suffolk (1876 Q4 Sudbury Suffolk Vol 4A Page 876).
(3 April 1881 : No Census record found.)
5 April 1891 : Census - William T SORE, 31, mat maker, living with wife Eliza (34) and children Ernest (13, fibre carter), Susanna (12, stay maker), Angelina (10, scholar), Mercy (8, scholar) and Arthur (2). Address given as 18, Church Street, Sudbury, Suffolk. (RG12 Piece 1441 Folio 93 Page 3 Schedule 19)
31 March 1901 : Census - William T SORE, 41, mat maker, living with wife Liza (44), children Ernest W (24, baker), Susy (23, stay maker), Mercy K (19, wool puller), Arthur (13), Charles (10), Victoria (5) and Edith (2), and boarder John BROWN (47, mat maker). Address given as Denmark Green, Diss, Norfolk. (RG13 Piece 1863 Folio 5 Page 1 Schedule 1)
02.04.1911 : The Census shows William (born in Lavenham, Suffolk) and Eliza (born in Glemsford, Suffolk) married for 34 years, 9 children with 7 still living, with 12 rooms in the building.
19 June 1921 : The Census shows William (61, mat maker empoloyed by Aldrich Bros. Ltd.) and Edith (22, brush drawer employed by Aldrich Bros. Ltd.). Address given as 11 Denmark Street, Diss, Norfolk. (RG15 Piece 09783 Schedule 156 RD 230 RS 2 ED 4)
15.02.1929 : The death of William Thomas SORE and Eliza BROWN; registered in Sudbury District, Suffolk (1876 Q4 Sudbury Suffolk Vol 4A Page 876).
.....
SORE. - In loving memory of William Thomas Sore, who died, February 25th, 1929, aged 89 years.God saw the road was getting roughThe hills too hard to climb,He gently closed his weary eyes,And whispered “Peace be thine.”From his loving daughters Edie and Vic.SORE. - In loving memory of our dear mother, Eliza Sore who died April 12th, 1918, aged 62 years.From her loving daughters, Mercy, Edie and Vic.SORE. - In loving memory of my dear husband, William Thomas Sore, who passed away, February 15th, 1929.Your memory is as fresh today,As in the hour you passed away.Also from Grandchildren Verdun and Eileen.
Changing Diss
The Old Bell
THE OLD BELL INN (right), THE DOLPHIN (left).
The face of Diss has changed somewhat during the past few years and some changes in the last two or three years have been the erection of a tar distillery on the Station Road, and a new foundry near the Picture House for the Diss Foundry Ltd. Now another change is about to take place on the Market Place, because the old Bell Inn is about to be demolished, together with the shop adjoining, and the new post office will be erected on the site. Thus will disappear a familiar landmark, which of late years has fallen into decay.
The Bell was in use as an hotel until 1921 and the last tenant was the late Mr. H. T. Chinery.<
From Mr. J. H. Cushing, a reported learned some interesting details concerning the early days of the Bell. Mr. Cushing explained that where the church and Market were close together there was invariably found a large number of hotels in close proximity. These, he said, were not so much for the prupose of drinking, but for the providing of accommodation for the many visitors. The hotels were usually in pairs, the first or better class being for the gentry and their friends, and the second class for their servants.
The Bell, Mr. Cushing believed, was used for the accommodating of servants of the gentry who stayed at the “Dolphion.” He gave instances of the following other pairs of hotels in Diss at that time - “King’s Head” and “The Star,” “Greyhound” and “Two Brewers,” and “The Crown” and “The Beehive.”
He was of the opinion that the Bell was built about the same time as the Dolphin. He produced a painting he had recently executed of the rear of the inn, showing one of the Friday pig sales in progress. These sales took place every week up to about the middle of the last century. At the same time regular donkey sales were held at the Dolphin. Pig sales were also held at the Star and traces of the pens can still be seen there.
Tenants of the “Bell” Inn during its last fifty years were: 1876-1881, Robert Freeman; 1881-1888, James Kerrison; 1889-1893. John Hudell; 1893-1901, John Cattermole; 1902-1905, William Holland; 1906-1907, William Edward Saunders; 1907-1909, Edward Joyce; 1910-1910, Edward Richard Hall; 1910-1915, William Thomas Sore; 1915-1917, Walter Samuel High; 1917-1919, William Gladstone Good; 1919-1921, Jesse Copping; 1921-April, 1923, Henry Thomas Chinery.
Work on the new post office is expected to begin in the very near future and will cost many thousands of pounds.
Page last updated: 13 Feb 2025© Diss Family History Group & Nigel Peacock 2025
Bell Inn