Maltsters Arms, St. James Street, Cheltenham

Cheltenham Original Brewery owned the Malsters Arms in St James Street in 1891. It was a licensed ale house with an annual rateable value set at £17.0s.0d.

The eastern side of St. James Street is now a car park and it is likely that the Maltsters Arms was one of the buildings that were once on the site.

Gloucester Citizen, Tuesday 12th November 1901: Wanted: Pianist, at once – Apply Maltsters Arms, St James Street, Cheltenham.

Gloucester Citizen, Monday 4th May 1903 – To be sold by private treaty. Freehold premises known as the Maltsters Arms situated in St James Street in the parish of Cheltenham. Apply J. Isaacs, Salisbury Arms, Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Examiner, Wednesday 10th June 1903: The Maltsters Arms, St James Street (now void). Comprising, on the ground floor, 2 front sitting rooms, kitchen, and domestic offices. On the upper floors, three bed and dressing rooms, and large store rooms. On the basement floor, two spacious rooms. There is a yard at the side of the house, with foldng doors from front and side doors. Yard at the back of the house.

Landlords at the Maltsters Arms include:

1870 William Whiting

1878,1885 Albert Paget

1891 Albert James Browning

1902 William Wilden

Alan Jones, a fellow pub enthusiast and local historian, submitted the following information about the old pubs in St. James Street:

” 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).

Geoff,

To back up my previous email and also to link to your listing for the Malster’s Arms, here are some listings I found in old directories:

First of all, I am not sure exactly how secure Martin’s data on The Duke of Wellington Inn existing in St. James’ Street in 1844 is. I only say this because in the 1847 Hunt & Co. Directory, Daniel Pinkstone is listed as landlord of the Wellington Inn, High Street (listed under “Inns & Hotels”) while in the same year’s Annuaire the Wellington Inn and Daniel Pinkstone are listed as being in Wellington Passage. This would make it seem much more likely to me that Pinkstone was landlord of the Wellington Inn (later Hotel, just off the High Street in Wellington Passage – which sometimes got listed as part of the Queen’s Buildings) rather than of the Duke of Wellington Inn in St. James’ Street.

That notwithstanding, although you only record Daniel Pinkstone and 1844 for the Duke of Wellington Inn at 30 St. James’ Street, this pub did indeed exist at that address. “The Duke of Wellington Inn, St. James’s Street” [this is how it used to be listed – with the possessive apostrophe and 2 letters s at the end] with W. Matthews was listed in the 1851 – 1858 Annuaires. Also in 1859 with “—–. Leonard” as landlord. Then 1860 – 62 with just “Grinnell” as landlord, and 1863 with “J. Grinnell” However, nothing was recorded in the 1867 Annuaire, so it had probably closed by then.

You then have 30 St. James’ Street listed as the address of the Maltster’s Arms in 1870, with William Whiting as landlord, and this is supported by the listing in the 1872 Royal Directory where “W. Whiting” is recorded as landlord of the Malster’s Arms.

In the 1876 Royal Directory the pub is again listed, but with no landlord’s name…while W. Whiting is listed as a “Malster” at 18 Dunalley Parade” (which is in St. Paul’s running between Hanover Street and Marle Hill Parade, with Malthouse Lane linking it to St. Paul’s Road).

In the 1878 Royal Directory and 1880-1 and 1882-3 Post Office Directories Albert Paget is listed as the landlord of the Malster’s Arms, St. James’ Street.

Your listing then picks up the history through to the early 20th century. However, with the numbering starting back down the western side of the street from no. 29 (after the backs of some houses fronted onto Grosvenor Street, I maintain that both the Duke of Wellington Inn and later the Malster’s Arms at no. 30 would have been on the west side of the street.

Cheers,

Alan Jones

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