Tucked away in a side street just off Southgate Street the 16th century Cross Keys Inn is known to have been a tied house of the City Brewery in 1894. It was then purchased by either the Stroud Brewery Company or Godsells & Sons for it was a popular ‘Stroud Cotswold Ales’ pub in the 1950’s. The once multi-roomed interior has now been modified to just one large room.
Gloucester Citizen, 12th April 1845:
An inquest was held on Wednesday last, at the Cross Keys Inn, in this city, before Joseph Lovegrove, Esq. coroner, on the body of Henry Cresswell, who had committed suicide on the previous night. The deceased was a brewer and had been observed to be much depressed in spirits. He had suffered a protracted pain and infirmity from inflamed legs, and this is supposed to have impelled the unhappy man to contemplate self-destruction. He was observed to leave the kitchen of the Cross Keys, about twelve at night, and go towards the cellar; and he was shortly afterwards found hanging from a beam quite dead. The jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. The deceased has left a widow and four children.
Information provided by Dr Martyn Beaufort
In October 2001 Stephen Gaston, son of father David and mother Stella, was the joint licensee of the Cross Keys Inn. At just 21 he may have qualified as being the youngest licensee in Gloucestershire.
Landlords at the Cross Keys include:
1830 Thomas Hyett (also employed as a maltster)
1842 James Hyett
1856,1859 William Watkins
1877 William Joseph Bailey
1879 W. Nelmes
1885 John Evans
1893 E.Meredith
1902 William Edward Creese
1906 Ernest Meredith
1919 William Clinch
1927,1936 Alfred Enstone
1939 S.G. Vizard
1957 Percy K. Alder
c1977 -2007 David , Stella and Stephen Gaston
2003 Peter Charles
2007,2008 David and Ruth Bourke-Cross