Bristol’s Lost Pubs

Merchants’ Arms Prince Street

On the corner with King Street, this photograph was taken in the 1890s when Mary Ann Fowkes was landlady. Up until the middle of the nineteenth century this pub was known as The Hole In The Wall, it was removed in September 1936 for the building of the diagonal roadway through Queen Square. The pub’s name was a compliment to the Merchant Venturers’ Hall, which was just across the road.

Hole In The Wall
1755 Thomas Hedge
1762 John Wiliams
1775. Rowland Plant
1792. John Potter
1794. Matthewsalem Bowen
1800. John Brooking
1806. John Hall
1816 – 20. Mary Gedrich
1822 – 23. John Frew
1826 – 34. Robert Smart
1837 – 40. T. W. Elliott
1841 – 44. Charles Stewart
1845 to 1847. Walter Carter
1848 – 49. Charles Stewart
1850. Robert Parnell
1851. Joseph Purnell
1853. John Ayre
1853 – 55. E. Mead

Merchants’ Arms
1857 – 83. Edward Price
1885 – 86. Sarah Ann Price
1887 – 89. John Harris
1891. Lewis Lewis
1892 – 1911. Mary Ann Fowkes
1913. Robert Woolf
1917. Edward Smethurst
1921. Benjamin Cox Smith
1925. Ernest Roskaln
1928 – 31. Edward Leigh

Census 1841.

Charles Stewart 29, licensed victualler, born in county
Eliza Stewart 36, born in county
Ann Roach 25, independent, born in county
Solomon Lyons 48, diamond dealer, not born in county
John Smart 25, sailor, not born in county
Mary Ball 35, servant, not born in county
William Webber 19, servant, born in county

Census 1851.
No.1 Prince Street, uninhabited at the time of the census

Census 1861.

Edward Price 35, husband married, tavern keeper, Ilfracombe
Sarah A. Price 33, wife married, Ilfracombe
Edward Price 7, son, scholar, Bristol
Mary Curle 66, mother in law unmarried, dress maker, Devon
Sophia Fry 17, servant unmarried, servant, Kingswood
George Flatherty 25, lodger unmarried, sailor, Ireland
Thomas Birmingham 22, lodger unmarried, sailor, Ilfracombe
Daniel Wilson 27, lodger unmarried, sailor

Census 1871.

Edward Price 45, head married, licensed victualler, Devon Ilfracombe
Sarah Price 43, wife married, Devon Ilfracombe
Sarah A. Price 21, daughter unmarried, milliner, Bristol
Mary J. C. Price 19, daughter unmarried, draper, Bristol
Edward C. Price 17, son unmarried, warehouseman, Bristol
Mary Curl 76, mother in law widow, Devon
Sarah Mears 59, visitor married, lodging house keeper, Bristol
John C. Cock 42, lodger married, master mariner, Cornwall
Maria J. Cock 39, lodger married, Cornwall
Maria J. Cock 12, daughter scholar, Cornwall
John Owen 38, lodger unmarried, master mariner, Ireland
George Biddeford 25, lodger unmarried, commercial traveller, Wotten under Edge
Edward Smith 38, servant unmarried, man servant, Somerset
Mary Andrews 28, servant inmarried, domestic servant, Bristol

Census 1881.

Edward Price 55, head married, licensed victualler, Ilfracombe Devon
Sarah Ann Price 53, wife married, Ilfracombe, Devon
Sarah A.Shapland 31, daughter married, Master Mariners Wife, Bristol
Minnie L. Shapland 7, grandaughter scholar, Bristol
Mary Ann Pool 28, servant unmarried, domestic servant, Hollywell, Hereford

Census 1891.

Lewis H. Lewis 23, head married, publican, Cardiff
Mary A. Lewis 24, wife married, Gloucester
Charlotte Franklin 17, sister in law single, barmaid, Gloucester

Census 1901.

Mary A. Fowkes 60, head widow, licensed victualler, Middlesex
Henry J. Fowkes 30, son married, manager for above, Somerset Wells
Minnie B. Fowkes 29, daughter in law married, Bristol
Florence M. Fowkes 3, grandaughter, Bristol
Blanche B. Fowkes 11 months, grandaughter, Bristol
Edith A. G. Rood 20, servant single, general domestic servant, Bristol

Census 1911.

Mary Ann Fowkes 70, head widow, licensed victualler, Middlesex Roxeth
Henry John Fowkes 40, son married, bar assistant, Somerset Wells
Minnie Beatrice Fowkes 38, daughter in law married, bar assistant, Bristol
Florence Fowkes 13, grandaughter, schoolgirl, Bristol

The 1911 census reveals that not counting the scullery, landing, lobby, closet, bathroom; nor warehouse, office or shop, the Merchants’ Arms had 17 rooms.