Bristol’s Lost Pubs

King’s Head Stokes Croft

1775. Thomas Cooksley
1792 – 94. William Landsdown
1800 – 06. Edward Smith
1816. Ambrose Wadley
1820 – 48. James Waters
1851. Elizabeth Waters
1853 – 61. Mary Waters
1863 – 1962. Waters & Co.
1887 – 1892. John Turner
1938. George Hasell
1963 to 1967. Gus Keen
1967 to 1990. Pete Keen (son of Gus Keen)

No pub name given between 1820 and 1886, listed as the King’s Arms in 1887 and early 1890s with John Turner recorded as licensee. The King’s Arms again from 1963, recently the Pint & Pie and the Junction. In 1834 James Waters was also the owner of a glue manufactory at Froom bridge, Blackfriars, off Merchant street. In the 1851 census Elizabeth Waters is listed as … manager of gin shop.

Information on the Keen family was kindly provided by Vernon Keen, son of Gus. Vernon also points out that prior to 1963, the pub was known as Waters’ Wine Lodge; which, before, during and after the war and well in to the 1950’s, was in the hands of the Haskins family and following on from its early years as a wine lodge, sold Red and White wine and Sherry which arrived in 64 gallon butts. These were put up on the stillage in the cellars by either my father or brother with great dexterity, an old knack acquired from many years in the Trade. Total weight around 7 hundredweight (cwt)- try that next time you’re in the gym! This continued until my brother’s time and many old City Road residents will remember the October trip with a gallon bucket (or other large container!!) to the off-licence so they could buy wine to soak their fruit for the Christmas cake!! Normally the wine was sold in Flagon bottles with our own label and silvered cork covers or over the bar in “schooners”, now there’s a name from the past! Very potent.

Census 1841.

Elizabeth Waters 40, wine & spirit dealer, born in county
Sarah Waters 46, assistant, born in county
Ann Hennis 21, servant, born in county

Census 1851.

Elizabeth Waters 51, head unmarried, manager of gin shop, Bristol
Sarah Waters 56, sister unmarried, Bristol
Eliza Jolie 40, servant widow, Lisbon

Census 1861.

Emily Chamberlain 31, housekeeper widow, Gloucestershire Slaughter

Census 1871.
These premises are used as spirit vaults, no one sleeps on the premises

Census 1881.
House uninhabited

Census 1891.
Not recorded on census

Census 1901.
Uninhabited in occupation

Census 1911.
Not recorded on census