Chris Welham CEO
1793 – Founding Year
The charity was founded in 1793 by a group of ten members of the licensed victualling trade who decided to form a friendly institution called the Society of Licensed Victuallers. They first met in Fleet Street (pictured), London, to discuss their plans for the formation of the charity, which was set up to provide support and education to people working in the licensed trade
On the 8th of Feb of the following year, the group published the first issue of TheMorningAdvertiser , a daily newspaper written to popularise the Society of Licensed Victuallers. While it contained news about pubs, their landlords and breweries, it also featured a thorough horse racing guide that became popular among pub patrons.
The Society opens its first school for licensed trade children in Kennington Green, South London
1803 . Youcouldn’tdrink thewaterin Londonatthe time,sochildren weregivenapint ofsmallbeereach day.
1836
The School is rebuilt on the same site giving more space, indoor toilets and a swimming pool.
Thebuildingstill existstoday
1827
The Licensed Victuallers’ Asylum, a hospital and respite center for publicans, was opened in Peckham, off The Old Kent Road
1833
The National Licensed Victuallers Association was formed.
Smaller regional LVAs and Ladies Auxilliaries began with the aim of protecting the business interests of those running pubs and to act as lobbying bodies.
LVAs and LAs still fundraise for the LTC to this day.
1836
William Smalley, Secretary of the charity applied for and was granted a Royal Charter during the reign of William IV. The reigning monarch became patron of the Licensed Victuallers’ School which continues to this day.
1886
1913
The school formed one of the first scout troops. The schools’ very fine band played at the christening of the daughter of Sir Baden-Powell, the Chief Scout.
Ever pioneering and progressive, the Charity raised the school leaving age to 15, more than 50 years before the state.
1919 The LV Asylum changed its name to LV Benevolent Institution
1921
The school moved to Slough.
Chasing a ‘green and airy environment’ still offering free education for licensed trade children.
Itremainedthere over50yrs
1924
MoneywastightafterWWI. Recordsshowthatthecommittee weredismayedtofindthat£122 worthofwineandspiritswas consumedthatyear,andeven moresurprisedtolearntheywere theonlypeoplewithaccesstothe liquorstore.
1940 WWII.
Licensed Victuallers’
Benevolent Institution
Tenants were evacuated to Denham.
Extra children, distressed by the war were admitted to the school.
Theschoolwasstrafedby a GermanDornierIII planeinbroaddaylight. Thechildrenwatchedit beshotdownbyagun batteryandweretaken byateachertoseethe wreckagethenextday.
1954
For the first time the school opened its doors to pupils from outside the licensed trade community.
Bursaries, scholarships and discounts were still offered to licensed trade children.
The school was granted a Coat of Arms that formed the crest we still use today in the school’s logo.
1958
Denham Garden Village was built, later renamed Licensed Victuallers’ National Homes, opened the first purpose-built sheltered housing village in Denham, Buckinghamshire
This became Edinburgh Estates
1962
Licensed Trade Convalescent Homes was founded.
1987
Sale of Reuters Shares to raise funds to move the school to Ascot
Amistakebythe brokersawthesaleof toomanyshares. Theywerebought backonthenext workingday ….BlackMonday!
1982
Heatherdown prep school acquired, once again seeking a ‘light and airy situation’.
1989
Clevedon House Boys School in Ilkley was purchased. It was later closed in 2005
1997
SLV & LTCH merge and women allowed to become Trustees for the first time.
1989
Ascot: Building work was completed and students moved in.
2000
The LTC sold the title to the longestablished media company William Reed and still holds a 25% share to this day.
Although no longer available in paper format, TheMorning Advertisercontinues to be read by more than 100,000 people in the UK licensed sector every month via its website.
2001
Anchor Trust took ownership of Denham Garden Village for a major redevelopment and enlargement.
The LTC works in partnership with Anchor Hanover today retaining priority referral for licensed trade people.
2004 Presentation College in Reading was acquired. It was closed in 2007.
2004 LVNH and SLV merged to become the Licensed Trade Charity
2009
The Charity was given the opportunity to take over the site of a priory in Sayers Common, Hassocks, near Brighton.
LVS Hassocks opened in 2009, the first of our two schools for autistic children.
In 2014 the same offer came for a priory in Begbroke, Oxford, and we opened our second school for children on the autistic spectrum
…LVS Oxford
2020/2021
LTC supports almost 120,000 people and gives over £2m in grants and services giving vital emotional, financial and practical support during the global COVID pandemic.
Pivoting the Time To Open Up campaign to reflect a country that was closed and in lockdown to Time To Talk.
