Horse & Groom, (5) St James’ Street, Cheltenham

Martin Edwards has compiled a list of Cheltenham pubs in 1844. His research has found a reference to the Horse and Groom at 5 St James Street – a beer house with William Dawes in occupancy.

In the 1885 Kellys directory the address of the Horse and Groom is given as 20, Longdon Place, St. James Street. The Horse and Groom was tied to Mitchell & Butlers of Cape Hill, Birmingham. It was believed to have been on the eastern side of the street, which has now been demolished. St. James Street car park now occupies the site.

Mitchell & Co. Ltd. of Birmingham were the owners of the Horse & Groom in 1891 and 1903. Designated as an ale house it had a comparatively low annual rateable value of £16.0s.0d. during those twelve years.

Cheltenham Mercury, Saturday 27th October 1860 – Cheltenham Police Court: James Bubb, of the Horse and Groom, St James’ Street, Cheltenham, was summmoned for wilfully permitting drunkeness in his house; and also for assaulting P.C. French in the execution of his duty.

P.C. French said – on Tuesday morning, the 16th inst., I was on duty in St. James’s Street, at a quarter to 1 o’clock, when I heard a disturbance at the Horse and Groom. As I was standing opposite the house, a young woman went up to the door, and said “my brother’s inside and I want him out.” I said “You knock at the door.” She did so, and Miss Bubb, the defendant’s sister, opened the door. On going inside I saw Mr Bubb and several others in a state of inebriation. There were six men there, and three of them were drunk, besides the landlord. I said “you have got a drunken and disorderly party Mr Bubb, and it is a very late hour.” He said, “I’ll give you drunk and disordely,” and struck me on the breast. His sister screamed out “Oh James,” and fell down in hysterics. I picked her up and asked one of the men to fetch some cold water. One of the men, who was sober, held Mr Bubb back and prevented him striking me again.

Cheltenham Examiner, Wednesday 3rd December 1873 – TO LET: The Horse and Groom Inn, in St James’s Street, Cheltenham. A full-licensed house. Immediate possession to be had. Apply to Stroud Brewery.

Gloucester Citizen, Wednesday 11th April 1883: Cheltenham Races!! Parties attending the above meeting will find every accommodation at the Horse and Groom, St James’ Street, Cheltenham. Lunch provided each day. Well aired beds. Proprietor – James Quintin.

Alan Jones, a fellow pub enthusiast and local historian, sent me the following information.

” I have been having a close look at St. James Street and its pubs, and I think I’ve pretty much got them pegged now.

Martin Edwards says the Horse and Groom was originally listed as at no.5 in 1844. I couldn’t find a listing to verify that. But that would have been on the east side. The numbering started counting from the High St end going down the east side, then back along the west side. No. 5 would probably have been just about where the entrance to the car park in St. James Street is now. By 1870 though – and then onwards – No. 5 was home to the Robin Hood Inn and The Horse and Groom was at no. 20 (which would have put it not far from the end of the car park) – the numbers on that side went up to 28 (including some smallish cottages).

Coming back down the west side the numbers started at 29. The first several buildings were actually built facing Grosvenor Street with large front gardens  and with their backs on St. James Street. The Maltster’s Arms was numbered either 29 or 30 (it changed), and so the first or second building when they started being back to back facing each road. I have looked at the maps and how it lines up with things, and suggest this would have put the Malster’s Arms about where the St James Carpet shop is now (immediately south of the Bangkok Thai restaurant).

The Robin Hood Inn you know closed late 1920s

The Horse and Groom I found a listing for as late as 1952 (Kellys directory), so wouldn’t be surprised if it finally went to make way for the car park.”

Regards,

Alan Jones

Hi Geoff,

 
Following on from my previous email, I have found in the 1847 Hunt & Co. Directory and also the 1848 and 1850 Edwards Directories listings (under “Beer Retailers”) for a John Groom (no pub name given). Could it be that the Horse & Groom when at no. 5 was a play on his surname?
 
This “Beer Retailer” wasn’t listed in the 1851 or 1852 Edwards Directories, so I would guess 1850-1 might have been when the original Horse & Groom closed; this would have left the way open for the Robin Hood to take over the premises sometime by 1870, when it is recorded as this with William Perrott as landlord. By 1870 the new Horse & Groom at no. 20 was also trading with Samuel Grinnell as landlord – perhaps named as such in memory of or as tribute to the original…although, in the 1876 Royal Directory, William Bushell was listed at 20 St. James’ Square as a blacksmith, so maybe the name had more to do with the fact that it was opened at or near a smithy! (It was renumbered from 20 to 55 either at the end of the 19th or very beginning of the 20th century (just to add to the confusion!), recorded as being at the new no. in the 1902 Kelly’s Directory, when Emily Draper was landlady. From looking at old maps with more modern transparent overlays, I would say that no. 20 / 55 would have been on St. James’ Street just about in line with the back of the school on the other side of the car park.
 
Regards
 
Alan Jones

Landlords at the Horse & Groom include:

1844 William Dawes

1860 James Bubb

1870 Samuel Grinnell

1878 James Lugg

1883 John Nurden  (January – ‘transfer of the licence of the Horse and Groom from John Nurden to James Quintin’)

1883 James Quintin

1883 John Nurden

1885 Charles Knight

1891 Joseph Jenkins.

1902,1926 Mrs Emily Draper

1927 Albert Joseph Porter

1930 Frank Constable

Cheltenham Chronicle, Saturday 30th August 1930 – DEATHS: On August 27th at 56 St James Street, Cheltenham. Frank Constable, late of the Horse and Groom, St James’ Street, Cheltenham, aged 61. Funeral Cheltenham Cemetery, Monday 12 o’clock.

1939 Ewart F. Tyler

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