The Sydney Arms was built on a site of a coffee house, where Sarah Siddons reputedly found fame through her performances in an improvised theatre. The hotel was numbered 19 Pittville Street in 1939 Kellys directory. The Sydney Arms was set back about ten feet from the properties either side of it. Sharpe & Fisher’s ironmongers shop was next door. The Cheltenham Original Brewery owned hotel was demolished in August 1954 when the entire western side of Pittville Street was reconstructed. A modern pub replaced the Sydney Arms Hotel. This was known as the Sarah Siddons and eventually closed in the early 1980’s. Its last traded as Reflections but was known before that as Brahms and Listz.
The Cheltenham Original Brewery were the owners of the Sydney Arms Hotel in 1891 and 1903. It was a licensed ale house. The annual rateable value was set at £76.10s.0d in 1891 which, for some unknown reason, decreased by eight pounds and ten shillings to £68.0s.0d. in 1903.
Landlords at the Sydney Arms Hotel include:
1830 Samuel Hartell
1844 Wilmot Southcot
1856,1878 Frederick Bretherton
1883,1885 Edwin Shipway
1891 James Trotter
1903,1906 Edward B. Shenton
1919,1939 Mrs Agnes Stephens
