Bristol’s Lost Pubs

Three Kings Thomas Street

1752. Philip Ford
1764. Joseph Bedbury
1775. ? Benbury
1783 – 85. George Sanders
1792 – 94. John Porter
1806. Edward Roche
1816 – 20. William Charlton
1822. C. Hayes
1823 – 25. John Cook
1826. J. Chapman
1830 – 44. William Crocombe
1848. Mary Crocombe
1851 – 66. John Crew
1867 – 69. John Cross
1871 – 1901. Malcolm Knee
1901. Robert Martin

The 17th century Three Kings Inn was one of many old coaching inns in the vicinity of Redcliff Street; which, up until the 1930’s was the main road through Bristol from the midlands. It once boasted stabling for 100 horses and in later years was the goods receiving warehouse of the Midland Railway, it is pictured here in 1906 a few years before the building was demolished.

Census 1841.

William Crocombe 40, publican, not born in county
Mary Davey 21, servant, not born in county
J. Silvester 21, printer, not born in county
? Sills 40, hawker, not born in the county

Census 1851.

John Crew 32, head married, licensed victualler Honton
Elizabeth Crew 33, wife married, licensed victualler’s wife, Exeter
Alice Crew 7, daughter scholar at home, Bristol
Thomas Crew 5, son scholar at home, Bristol
Elizabeth Crew 2, daughter, Bristol
Henry Crew 2 months, son, Bristol
Elizabeth Crocombe 55, Aunt Widow, Devon
Joseph Jacobs 24, Lodger widower, General Dealer
Benjamin Abraham 26, Lodger unmarried, General Dealer, London
Walter Young 29, lodger unmarried, Potato Dealer, Rowberrow
Edward Young 19, lodger unmarried, Potato Dealer, Somerset Rowberrow
William Young 22, lodger married, Potato Dealer, Somerset Rowberrow
Sarah Young 20, lodger married, wife of William, Cheddar
Jane Stattford 45, servant unmarried, Governess, Bristol
Mary Ann Lovett 21, servant unmarried, Chambermaid, Gloucestershire
Mary Ann Gunning 23, servant unmarried, Cook, Bristol
Charles Vowles 23, servant unmarried, Horseler, Rowberrow Somerset

Census 1861.

John Crew 41, head married, innkeeper, Dyrham Gloucestershire
Elizabeth Crew 44, wife married, Exeter Devon
Alice Maud Crew 17, daughter unmarried, assisting in the business, Bristol
Thomas John Crew 15, son, clerk to an ironmonger, Bristol
Elizabeth Jane Crew 12, daughter scholar, Bristol
John Davey Crew 6, son scholar, Bristol
Elizabeth Cole 40, servant married, Tiverton Devon
Ruth Boyce 27, servant unmarried, house servant, Stoke Gifford Gloucestershire
James Sheppard 60, servant widower, ostler, Chewton Mendip Somerset
William Farr 60, boarder widower, cattle dealer, Ragland Monmouthshire
George Parry 52, boarder married, coach builder, St.Thomas parish Bristol
Thomas Cooper 40, boarder unmarried, horse dealer, Leicestershire
William Sulley 71, boarder unmarried, farm labourer, Dunster Somerset
Edward Brock, 51, boarder unmarried, farm labourer, Winford Somerset
William West 34, boarder married, licensed hawker, Devizes Wiltshire
John Adlam 40, boarder married, licensed hawker, Warminster Wiltshire
Martha Adlam 33, boarder, his wife, Devizes Wiltshire
Thomas Adlam 12, boarder, his son, Frome Somerset
William Adlam 5, boarder, his son, Devizes Somerset

Census 1881.
No. 29 Thomas Street

Malcolm Knee 35, head unmarried, licensed victualler, Bristol
Arthur L Knee 14, son, Brockley Somerset England
Arthur Bailey 18, unmarried, barman (Inn), Hanham Gloucester England
Mary Rainey 44, widow, housekeeper Bridgwater Somerset England
Emily Martin 15, unmarried, domestic servant, Bath Somerset England
Joseph Lower 36, lodger married, general dealer, St Martins Cornwall England

Census 1891.

Malcolm Knee 45, head married, licensed victualler, Bristol
Elizabeth Knee 39, wife married, Chew Stoke Somerset
Malcolm Knee 3, son, Bristol
Elizabeth Knee 10 months, daughter, Bristol
Harriett Rogers 35, servant single, nurse, Wotton under Edge Gloucestershire
Annie Witticombe 28, servant single, general servant, Bristol

Census 1901.

Robert martin 31, head married, publican, Woolwich Kent
Sylvia Martin 8, daughter, Bristol
Irene Martin 6, daughter, Bristol
Martha Martin 66, mother widow, Nailsea Somerset
Arthur Robins 39, servant single, ostler groom, Bristol

Robert Martin was the son in law of the previous licensee, Malcolm Knee. At the time of the census Robert’s wife Alice was staying with her parents in Rockhampton, Gloucestershire.