Bristol’s Lost Pubs

Court Sampson Thomas Street

1863 to 1868. John Cross
1869 to 1889. James Nicholls
1890 to 1891. Thomas Sheppard
1891. Abel Robert Freke
1892 to 1893. George Russell
1894. William Tomkins
1995. John Bennett
1896 to 1998. Joseph Marsh
1899 to 1903. Charles Spratt
1904. Sarah Spratt
1905 to 1907. Walter Gregory
1908 to 1913. Robert Hay Wallace

In Mathews’ Directory John Cross & James Nicholls are both listed as Grocer / Beer Retailer. The 1861 census has John Cross trading at this address as a haulier. The 1901 census lists Charles Spratt as a brewer’s drayman and his wife Sarah as innkeeper.

Thought to have been built in 1669 the Court Sampson was demolished in 1914. Like many of the properties on Thomas Street and Redcliff Street the Court Sampson a smart town house when built, had a long thin area behind its narrow front, this originally was the garden, when the building was demolished this area contained a cottage, shed, workshop and two warehouses.

Census 1871.

James Nicholls 34, head married, beer house keeper, Doyton Gloucestershire
Mary A. Nicholls 28, wife married, Bristol St.Thomas
George Anns 34, boarder unmarried, soda water maker, London
Robert Fry 23, boarder unmarried, Harness maker, Banwell Somerset
Elizabeth Norman 14, servant, general domestic servant, Somerset Chew Magna

Census 1881.

James Nichols 43, head married, publican, Doynton Gloucestershire
Mary Ann Nichols 39, wife married, Bristol St.Thomas
Sarah Jones 30, servant widow, Newton Lancashire
John Rees 21, boarder unmarried, collier, Blaina Monmouth

Census 1891.

Abel Robert Freke 32, head married, publican, Weston-Super-Mare
Rosa A. Freke 30, wife married, Minehead
Florence C. Smith 22, sister in law single, barmaid, Minehead

Census 1901.

Charles Spratt 48, head married, brewer’s drayman, Tolland Somerset
Sarah Spratt 47, wife married, innkeeper, Crowford Somerset
Charles Spratt jnr 19, son single, commercial clerk, Bristol
Frank Sloman 23, nephew single, mason’s labourer, Milverton Somerset
Annie Sloman 20, niece single, Milverton Somerset

Census 1911.

Robert Hay Wallace 60, head married, beer retailer, Airdrie Lanarkshire
Eliza Ellen Wallace 59, wife married, Newton Abbott Devon
Agnes Bishop 28, daughter married, bar assistant, Newton Abbott Devon
Gertrude Metheral Wallace 24, daughter single, bar assistant and house worker, Newton Abbott Devon
Richard John Bishop 24, son in law married, cashier book keeper, Newport Monmouthshire
Thomas Reynold 25, boarder single, steel worker, St.Mark’s Southport
Agnes Metheral Bishop 7 months, grand-child St.Thomas Bristol
Violet Elizabeth Vogt 16, servant single, general help, S.Philip’s Bristol