Bristol’s Lost Pubs

Bute Arms Victoria Street

Commercial Eating House
1853 to 1861. Maria Rawlings
1861 to 1869. Josiah Brown
Maria Rawlings previously ran a coffee house at No. 5 Baldwin street

Victoria Hotel
1870 to 1876. Josiah Brown

Bute Arms
1877 to 1880. Josiah Brown
1881 to 1884. Eliza Hoare
1885. William Reynolds
1886 to 1888. William Darke
1889. John Foreman
1890 to 1891. George Russell
1892 to 1900. Clara Susan Emery
1901 to 1903. Clara Pym
1904 to 1910. Clara Webley
1911 to 1912. Lillian Allen
1913 to 1914. Septimus Young
1915 to 1923. Edith Grainger
1924 to 1925. Thomas Brinsdon
1927 to 1929. Thomas Lewis
1930 to 1936. Edith Vale
1937 to 1939. Herbert Simmonds
1940. Elsie May Simmonds

In 1844 the shop at No. 140 Thomas Street was occupied by Lea & Merrick, glass merchants, by 1853 it had become a commercial eating house, and in 1865 the business was listed as a commercial and family boarding house and refreshment rooms.
From 1870 when work began on the building of Victoria Street it was known as the Victoria Hotel (ale & porter stores). Known as the Bute Arms from 1877, the pub was bombed in the war and in 1961 the site was cleared for the new E, S & A. Robinson building which is still standing on the corner of Redcliff Street.

Census 1861.

Josiah Thomas Brown 29, head married, boarding house keeper & manager of saw mills, Newark Nottinghamshire
Emma Ellen Brown 27, wife married, Frome Somerset
Arthur William Brown 7, son, Bristol
Annie Eleanor Brown 5, daughter, Bristol
Frederick John Brown 4, son, Bristol
Emma Elizabeth Brown 2, daughter, Bristol
Kate Louisa Brown 1, daughter, Bristol
Maria Rawlings 56, mother in law widow, retired eating house keeper, Frome Somerset
William Isaac Rawlings 28, boarder unmarried, stationer’s assistant, Frome Somerset
Flora Meatyard 14, visitor scholar, Hythe Hampshire
John Todd 59, boarder widower, commercial traveller, warllington Hampshire
John Witchelow 60, boarder married, silversmith, London Middlesex
Edward Cook 32, boarder widower, commercial traveller, London Middlesex
Delores Salinor 21, servant unmarried, Rudghill Somerset
Ann Witchelow 64, boarder married, London

Census 1871.

Josiah Brown 39, head married, licensed victualler and foreman at timber merchant, Nottinghamshire Newark
Emma Brown 37, wife married, Somerset Frome
Annie E. Brown 15, daughter scholar, Bristol St.Thomas
Emma E. Brown 12, daughter scholar, Bristol St.Thomas
Kate L. Brown 11, daughter scholar, Bristol St.Thomas
Charles E. Brown 8, son scholar, Bristol St.Thomas
Frederick W. Brown 3, son scholar, Bristol St.Thomas
Ellen M. Brown 2, daughter scholar, Bristol St.Thomas
Sarah Higgins 21, servant unmarried, general domestic servant, Somerset Merriott
Mary J. Wakefield 19, servant unmarried, nursemaid and domestic servant, Middlesex London
William White 46, boarder married, scarf and shawl manufacturer, Norfolk Norwich

Census 1881.

Eliza Hoare 36, head widow, victualler, Bristol
Winifred Hoare 16, daughter unmarried, victuallers assistant, Bristol
Millicent Hoare 12, daughter scholar, Bristoll
Sarah Locke 26, servant unmarried, domestic servant, Bristol
Auria Hackell 23, visitor unmarried, Bristol

Census 1891.

George H. Russell 44, head married, licensed victualler, Bristol
Emily Russell 45, wife married, Wincanton Somerset
Herbert Russell 15, son, clerk, Bristol
Mabel L. Russell 7, daughter, Oldbury-on-Severn
Alice Dowling 15, servant, general servant, Bristol

Census 1901.

Clara Jane Pym 38, head single, hotel keeper, Devon Honiton
William Clark 48, boarder married, retired timber merchant, Somerset Bristol
Alice Wilson 21, servant single, domestic help, Somerset Axbridge
Maria Eastman 24, servant single, cook domestic, Gloucestershire Bristol
Harry Tuplin 16, servant single, boots, Liverpool Lancashire

Census 1911.

Henry Lionel Percy Allen 30, head married, traveller (drapery) Bristol
Lillian Maria Allen 24, wife married, licensed victualler, Cheltenham
Amy Susan Holford 42, widow, housekeeper, Cheltenham
David Rotherham 16, single, boots, Bristol
Jennie Hatter 22, servant single, Bristol