Bristol’s Lost Pubs
Bear & Rugged Staff Little Peter Street
1755 Edward Scott
1764 Evan Abram
1792. Ann Mattam
1794. John Mattam
1800 – 06. Charles Hoskins
1816. Elizabeth Rosser
1820 – 22. George Parker
1823. John Herepath
1824. Elizabeth Herepath
1825. William Bennett
1826 to 1831. James Sheffield
1832. Mrs. Sheffield
1833. Jane Sheffield
1834 to 1835. Thomas Sanders
1836. William Watkins
1837. Michael Wycherley
1838 to 1840. Henry Merry
1841 to 1842. George Hunter
1843 to 1846. Thomas Ricketts
1847 to 1854. Thomas Sowden
1855 to 1860. James Carver
1861 to 1867. Edwin Porter
1868 to 1869. James Hare
1870 to 1873. James Carver
1874. Eliza Adams
1875 to 1885. James Cleaves
1886 to 1887. William Palmer
1888 to 1890. Adelaide Palmer
1891 to 1895. Adelaide O’Leary
1896 to 1900. Adelaide Hancock
1901 to 1907. William Carter
1908 – 21. George Peters
1923 – 31. George Wakefield
1931 – 40. Howard Henry Herniman
1944. Gilbert Browning
1947. Stanley Barnet
1950 – 56. Stanley Bennett
The name over the door in this photograph is A. Hancock which dates it to the late 1890s. The building next door is the Cat & Wheel which was re-built around 1900. The Cat & Wheel and the Bear & Rugged Staff were pulled down in 1969 for a museum complex that was never built. Today the pubs would stand in Castle Park opposite the Newgate entrance to the Galleries car park.
Between 1875 and 1885 Wright’s Directory records James Cleaves as publican but the 1881 census shows his wife Elizabeth as the licensee. The tenancy of Howard Herniman commenced on the 20th May 1931, the rent was £60 per annum and the landlord was The Bristol Brewery Georges & Co. Limited.
Census 1841.
George Frederick Hunter 40, publican, not born in county
Elizabeth Hunter 30, born in county
William Henry Hunter 7, born in county
Charles Edward Hunter 3, born in county
John Anthony Hunter 1, born in county
Census 1851.
Thomas Sowden 37, head married, licensed victualler, Somerset Taunton
Frances Sowden 36, wife married, Bristol
Elizabeth Sowden Niece 13, Barmaid, Bristol
Mary Ann Barnett 18, Servant unmarried, Somerset Bridgewater
Census 1861.
No.11 Castle Mill Street (just around the corner from the Bear & Rugged Staff)
Edwin Porter 36, head, publican, Bristol
Ann Porter 36, wife, publican, Bristol
Maria Porter 16, Bristol
Census 1871.
James Carver 60, head widower, licensed victualler, Somerset Laverton
Eliza Adams 35, daughter married, Somerset Laverton
Harry James Adams 6, scholar, Somerset Bristol
Frederick R. 4, scholar, Somerset Bristol
Census 1881.
James Cleaves 55, head married, boiler maker, St. Philips Bristol
Elizabeth Cleaves 45, wife married, licensed victualler, Laverton, Somerset
Henry James Adams 16, , Son Of Wife, unmarried, pupil teacher, Temple Bristol
Francis Richard Adams 14, Son Of Wife, scholar, Redcliff Bristol
Lucy Jeroming 21, domestic servant unmarried, Bristol
Edward Cleaves 28, Son Of Head, widower, boiler maker, Deptford, Kent
Census 1891.
Michael O’Leary 25, head maried, licensed victualler, Bristol
Adelaide O’Leary 27, wife married, Bristol
William A. Palmer 4, step son, Bristol
Arthur M. O’Leary 3 months, son, Bristol
Christina G. Newton 14, servant single, general domestic servant, Newcastle on Tyne
Census 1901.
William Carter 32, head married, blacksmith and publican, Bristol
Annette L. Carter 32, wife married, Bristol
Herbert Carter 12, son, Bristol
Leah A. Carter 10, daughter, Bristol
Percy H. Carter 8, son, Bristol
Wilfred R. Carter 4 months, son, Bristol
Annie Carter 19, domestic servant, Bristol
Census 1911.
George Peters 31, head married, licensed victualler, Bedminster Bristol
Alice Peters 32, wife married, assisting in business, Bedminster Bristol
Stanley Peters 5, son, Bedminster Bristol
Sidney Peters 3, son, St.Peter’s Bristol
Elsie Fox 16, servant single, general domestic servant, St.Andrew’s (Montpelier) Bristol