Colin Campbell was the Scottish Field Marshall who led the Highland Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War and later became commander-in-chief during the Indian Mutiny of 1857/1858. What relevance it has to Gloucester is not clear.
The original pub was a substantial building just a few yards to the east of the replacement Sir Colin Campbell. The ‘Citizen’ newspaper reported in February 1907 that ‘the sanitary arrangements at the pub were very defective indeed and needed to be considerably improved.’ It survived recommendation for closure and was not demolished until 1968.
The new Sir Colin Campbell is of modern design but has little architectural value. The pub was re-constructed by Whitbread. It was reportedly built in two days. The rear of the building backs on to the River Severn and is suspended on stilts. The Sir Colin Campbell was acquired by Arkells Brewery of Swindon in the early 1990’s. It was refurbished in May 1997. A new skittle alley was opened in September 2001.
The pub briefly traded as the Inn on the Docks towards the end of its life as a licensed premises.
This area of Gloucester has changed out of all recognition in recent years. A £38 million Gloucester south-west by-pass has been built immediately to the rear of the building.
The premises is now in use as a children’s nursery.
This page will be updated with additional information.
Owner in 2008: Arkells Brewery, Kingsdown, Swindon
Landlords:
1861 Thomas Price (aged 31 in 1861, born Gloucester. Listed in census as Boat Builder & Innkeeper)
1879 Albina Price
1893 E. De. L. Foxwith (Colin Campbell)
1906 C. Bailey
1912 E DeCourcey Foxwell
1912,1920 G. Welshman
1927 A.F. Johnston
1936 L. Hamblin
1939 Alfred Lionel Hamblin
1957 Mrs L.M. Hamblin
1983 Brendan McGarry
1997 Mary Barnes
1999 Mervyn Hunt
2000,2002 Stephen Thorpe
2003,2004 Paul Hayward and Sharon Frances
2008 Katherine and Jonathon Chater (Jonathon was also Gloucester’s lock-keeper)
