In 1871 the Soup Kitchen opened in Beccles to relieve the poor in Winter. During one three weeks time period 300 families had been relieved three times a week, due to the harsh conditions, the kitchen often opened during December and closed once more after the harsh winter months had finished in March, during it’s first year in operation, around £60 was donated by the council to help with the upkeep of the kitchen. By 1874, the kitchen had relocated from it’s former location to the Fire Station, where it held a lease for 21 years, during the same year there is a first mention of the use of tickets from the ‘Soup Kitchen Committee.’ This relocation seemed to help grow the soup kitchen as just a year later the council reported ‘80 gallons made twice a week – 500 – 600 pints average supplied.’

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This newspaper article, published in 1879 states that Beccles had a debt of £1000 due to a new sewerage scheme and sanitary census. Due to this, cuts were made to the Soup kitchen, which lost out on £120, a considerable sum at the time. During the 1880’s, the soup kitchen distributed tens of thousands of pints of soup during some years (1883-18,000 pints and 20,000 pints in 1888) and continued to distribute vital food to the poor, with one exception in 1887:

'TRADESMEN’S SUPPER. During the evening Mr J Miles told the company that the following day he would give to the poor of the town the soup that had been made that evening, and on Thursday more than 100 pints of soup, accompanied by a gift of bread, were given away, not indiscriminately, but to the deserving poor.'

In 1889 there is the first mention of the Feoffement Charity giving a large donation of £72 to the Soup Kitchen, these donations were both significant and often, with the Feoffees donating around £60 a year during this time period. Other donations towards the Kitchen included the Council’s support during it’s early years, and other wealthy benefactors who helped with the upkeep of the organisation. Leading into the 1900’s the Soup kitchen stayed open, where it did not open between 1902-1904, due to mild winters. It’s final mention is in 1909:

'SOUP KITCHEN should have been closed on Tuesday, but Mr & Mrs WJ Elliott offered to defray all expenses as long as the Mayor judges necessary.'