Knapp Inn, New Street, Cheltenham

Martin Edwards has done some research into the long-lost and bygone pubs of Cheltenham. He has compiled a list of licensed premises that were trading in the town in the year 1844. He has identified an unnamed beer house at 42/43 New Street which, he suggests, was later to become the Knapp Inn.

Alfred Price was the owner and occupier of the Knapp Inn in 1891 and he ran the pub as a free house, devoid of any brewery tie. The Knapp Inn was classified as a licensed beer house with an annual rateable value set in 1891 at £15.5s.0d.

The Anglo-Bavarian Brewery of Shepton Mallet in Somerset had bought the pub outright by 1903. The annual rateable value increased by six pounds to £21.5s.0d. In 1898 Anglo-Bavarian Brewery had bought out the business and had acquired the pub estate of Charles Garton & Co of Bristol and had inherited a number of licensed properties in Cheltenham. Perhaps with their extended trade reaching as far as Cheltenham it was decided to secure even more guaranteed outlets for their beers by purchasing free houses such as the Knapp Inn.

On the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub website there is a collection of documents headed “Particulars and conditions of sale for the Knapp Ale and Porter Stores, New Street, Cheltenham, with brew house, stables and land made between Berry and another with Cheltenham Original Brewery Company Ltd. 11 May 1920”

 

Geoff,
 
In respect of the Knapp Inn and Martin Edwards’ unnamed beer house of 1844 at 42/43 New Street.
 
Later Directories with their in-order listings and intervening streets make it clear that the Knapp Inn was at 42 New Street on the western corner with Grove Street. There is a brand new residential build there now, only finished within weeks. Ski Tyres used to be there, so just up from the site of the old Shamrock).
 
In the 1850, 1851 and 1852 Edwards directories listed under “Beer Retailers” there is a J. Blackmore named for 42 New Street, and going back even further, in the 1847 Hunt & Co. Directory and the 1848 Edwards under “Beer Retailers” there is a William Blower listed for New Street (no address number, but this is the only one I think it is likely to be that early, given there are no other New Street listings than the ones for no. 42 the following year and thereafter).
 
Also, in the 1878 Royal Directory Alfred Price is listed for the Knapp Porter Stores at 42 and in the 1915 Looker-On, 1922, 1924 and 1925 Built-Leonard Mr. J. Johnson is listed for the Knapp Inn
 
Alan Jones
 
 

Landlords at the Knapp Inn include:

1844 James Overbury (listed as an unnamed beer house in New Street)

1847 William Blower, Hunt & Co. listed under “Beer Retailers” in New Street plus 1848 Edwards 

1850 & 1851 J. Blackmore, Edwards listed under “Beer Retailers” in New Street – in the 1852 Edwards there is no name, but a beer retailer in New Street is still recorded.

1878 Alfred Price (Royal Directory – Knapp Porter Stores)

1891 Alfred Price

1902 & 1904 A.H. Humphris (Built-Leonard – Knapp Inn) – also 1904 – 1912 Annuaires – also 1913 & 1914 Looker-On

1903 Alfred Henry Humphries

1915 & 1916 Looker-On Mr J. Johnson Looker-On – also 1922, 1924 & 1925 Built-Leonard

1926,1939 Miss Edith Annie Johnson

1926 – 1939 Miss E.A. Johnson (Kelly’s)

1940 – 1943 Miss E.A. Johnson still appears at the address in the Kelly’s directories, but it is just listed as Knapp Cottage.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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