Most historical online directories begin in 1839, and the census starts in 1841. There are other records before this time, but they are more difficult to find, or access. One source of records are the Alehouse Recognizances which are the petty Sessions court records listed over a period of time. They are accurate, truthful and usually no one knows where to find them. Most Record Offices have some of these. The Essex Record Office has lots of these records.
I have been building an Pub History site for at least the past twenty years. Originally it was the Essex site built by Ian Hunter before his demise. I took this site on, with friends, and built it into what it is today, many thousands of random pages of useful data of all counties, and London and York etc.
I currently visit the Essex Record Office in Chelmsford about once a week in the warmer months. The site is amazing. It also has the blue badge parking I need.
I have been working through the years of 1769 to 1828 Alehouse Recognizances, and they are building, and I keep purchasing new pencils and pads of paper. Many of the records are now on my pubwiki site in Essex Pubs.
I am also concentrating on the pubs in York through the years. After building the London pub history site, this is quite an easy task, but I am up against some serious contenders, like hugh Murray, a guy who has probably already done all of this research, and published in the book I am unable to find anywhere.
This is a listing of those areas covered, roughly. Where it suggests there are no records, this is sometimes because the names of the signs are not listed, just the licensees, which I tend to not list.
Essex Recognizances
1769
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
No Becontree
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
No Dunmow
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring Hundred
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred
No Witham
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
1770
No Barstable
No Becontree
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
No Clavering
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
No Dunmow
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
? Maldon Hundred
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred
Lexden Hundred
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred
No Witham
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
1772
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
No Becontree
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred -G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
No Dunmow
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Tendring – Ardleigh
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
1774
No Barstable
No Becontree
No Chafford
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
No Dunmow
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Harlow Hundred
No Rochford
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
No Witham
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
1775
Chafford Hundred – Avely
1776
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking – first lot of detail
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
No Dunmow
Maldon
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Witham Hundred
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
1784
No Barstable
Becontree Hundred – Barking
No Chafford
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Maldon
No Dunmow
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
1785
Chafford Hundred – Avely
1792
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Maldon Town
Dunmow Hundred
Freshwell Hundred
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Bocking (South only)
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
1800
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
No Becontree
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Maldon Town
Hinckford Hundred – Bocking (South only)
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
No Winstree
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
1801
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Maldon
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Dunmow Hundred
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Bocking (South only)
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
1804
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Maldon Town
Dunmow Hundred
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Bocking (South only)
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
1805
No Barstable
Becontree Hundred – Barking
1806
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
No Clavering
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Maldon Town
Dunmow Hundred
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Bocking (South only)
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
No Rochford
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
No Uttlesford
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
1810
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Maldon Town
Dunmow Hundred
No Freshwell
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
1816
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Dunmow Hundred
Freshwell Hundred – Ashdon
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Bocking (South only)
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree Hundred – Fingringhoe
Witham Hundred – Bradwell
1825
Barstable Hundred – N Benfleet
Becontree Hundred – Barking
Chafford Hundred – Avely
Chelmsford Hundred – G Baddow
Clavering Hundred – Berden
Dengie Hundred – Bradwell
Dunmow Hundred
Harlow Hundred
Hinckford Hundred – Ballingdon
Lexden Hundred – Bergholt
Lexden Hundred – Aldham
Ongar Hundred – Chigwell
Rochford Hundred – Leigh
Tendring – Ardleigh
Thurstable Hundred – Goldhanger
Uttlesford Hundred – Arkesden
Waltham Hundred – Chingford
Winstree
Waltham – not complete from here