200 Years Ago in Norwich : John Fitt Dies at Shoulder of Mutton Pub

Back to my occasional series of posts of news from 200 years ago, as reported by the Norwich Mercury. It’s just a line in the deaths section which says:

“On Christmas Day, Mr John Fitt, the master of the Shoulder of Mutton pub, St. Augustine’s , died in the 66th year of his age”.

I’m always a little intrigued by the location of pubs, but this one seems to be a mystery and it’s not clear to me from maps or on-line research exactly where it was. It was a Morgan’s Brewery pub which closed in 1870, likely on the Botolph Street end of St. Augustine’s Street. The last reference I can find is someone found drunk in Shoulder of Mutton Yard on St. Augustine’s in 1868 and the location of that yard is apparently lost as well. With more time I’m sure I could find it, but for the moment, it’s proving elusive.

John Fitt was buried in St. Augustine’s Church on 30 December 1824, although if there was a gravestone it’s no longer standing. The service record from his funeral notes correctly that he was 62 years old rather than what was reported in the Norwich Mercury, but journalists being wrong is hardly a new thing. John had been baptised on 30 October 1762, the son of William and Sarah Fitt.

BTW, happy new year to everyone, perhaps I might remember to have a look for where this pub was located at some point in 2025.