The Vine Tree Inn and Refreshment Rooms had dining rooms where ‘hot dinners, daily chops and steaks at the shortest notice’ could be enjoyed with a couple of pints of Godsell & Sons Fine Stroud Ales. The licence of the Vine Tree was refused in 1929. It was subsequently demolished.
William Brown was the owner of the Vine Tree Inn in late Victorian times, but he must have passed away by the time of the assessments for the 1891 licensing records as ownership of the property was held by his representatives. The Vine Tree was licensed as a beer house and had an annual rateable value of £17.0s.0d. In 1891, according to the licensing details, the Vine Tree was free from brewery tie. Twelve years later the Vine Tree was still owned by the representatives of William Brown but the lease on the property had been taken by Godsell & Sons of the Salmon’s Spring Brewery near Stroud. The yearly rateable value remained the same at seventeen pounds.
Hi Geoff,
In the 1850 Edwards Directory a “Beer Retailer” named R. Hathaway is recorded with a 94 Albion Street address. Later in the 1872-3 Royal Directory John Coleman is listed as running the Albion Ale & Porter Store at 93 Albion Street. This appears again in the 1876 Royal Directory, but then with William Brown as landlord, once again at 93 Albion Street. The 1878 Royal Directory also lists the Albion Ale & Porter Stores at 93 Albion Street, land lord Moses Gay. However, in the 1880-1 Post Office Directory, the Albion Ale & Porter Store is no longer listed, but the Vine Tree at 94 Albion Street is – Mrs. Hooper landlady.
Intriguingly, Albion Ale and a short word I can’t read is marked on the 1855-7 Old Town Survey map immediately adjoining the back of the building at the junction of Winchcomb Street and Albion Street on the south side of Albion Street (just beyond where the street art Siamese cat mural is now. Also, in the 1848 Edwards Directory listed under “Ale and Porter Merchants and Agents” (rather than under “Beer Retailers”) there is a W. H. Brind listed with Albion Street as an address. In the 1847 Hunt & Co. Directory under “Ale and Porter Merchants and Agents” there is a listing for “Wm. Hy. [William Henry] Brind, agent, Hewlett’s road.” I think Brind must have moved from what is now Hewlett Road to Albion Street in 1847/8 and opened an Ale & Porter Store there at 93, which lasted through until at least 1878, but closed either just before or when the Vine Tree opened up next door at 94 Albion Street in 1879 or 1880. The Vine Tree is then listed in directories through until 1929, sometimes listed as being at 93-94 Albion Street and in 1913 as 92-94.
T. Biddle who was listed as a “Beer Retailer” at 23 Winchcomb Street in 1850 (on the corner with Albion Street north side) was recorded as a poulterer at 92 Albion Street in 1851, then moved round to 21 1/2 Pittville Street, where 21 later became the Clarendon Ale & Porter Store / Clarendon Inn.
Landlords of the Albion Ale & Porter Store and Vine Tree
1848 W.H. Brind Albion Street – no number but listed specifically under “Ale & Porter Merchants and Agents” in Edwards Directory having previously been listed in Hewlett’s Road in 1847 Hunt & Co.
1850 R. Hathaway listed under “Beer Retailers” at 94 Albion Street in Edwards Directory (in the 1852 Edwards there is a Hathaway listed under “Ale & Porter Merchants and Agents” at 26 Pittville Street – which would be close to or at the junction with the High Street on the east side)
1855-7 Though I could not find further directory listings until 1872-3, an Albion Ale store is marked on the 1855-7 Old Town Survey map
1872-3 John Coleman Albion Ale & Porter Store now listed at 93 Albion Street rather than 94 (under Albion Street) in the Royal Directory – from now on all listings under Albion Street
1976 William Brown Albion Porter Stores 93 Albion Street Royal Directory
1878 Moses Gay Albion Ale & Porter Stores 93 Albion Street Royal Directory
1880-1 Mrs. Hooper Vine Tree 94 Albion Street Post Office Directory
1883-4 J. G. Pilley Vine Tree Inn Post Office Directory listed between 93 Elizabeth Payne greengrocer and John Absalom grocer which has no number but is the property before “Winchcomb street intervenes”
1891-2 S. [Samuel] Gwillim Vine Tree Inn 94 Albion Street Post Office Directory – also 1900 & 1901 Annuaires and 1902 & 1903 Built-Leonard (in 1901 Annuaire 93-94 Albion Street)
1903 & 1904 S. Gwillim Vine Tree Inn 94 Albion Street Built-Leonard (S. Gwillim is also listed for 93 but without pub name)
1905 – 1909 S. Gwillim is listed for 92, 93 & 94 Albion Street – no pub name Annuaires
1910 Mrs. Fawkes is listed for 92, 93 & 94 Albion Street – no pub name Annuaire – also 1911 Built-Leonard as M.A. Fawkes 94 Vine Tree Inn and 93 Refreshments (I presume eating house)
1912 Mr. T.W. Spiers is listed for 92, 93, 94 Albion Street – no pub name Annuaire – also 1913 Looker-On
1914 – 1915 Mr. D. Man is listed for 92, 93, 94 Albion Street – no pub name Looker-On
1916 Mr. G. W. Child is listed for 92, 93, 94 Albion Street – no pub name Looker-On – also 1922, 1924 & 1925 G. Child Vine Tree Inn 94 and 93 Refreshments Built-Leonard
1926 – 1930 Mrs. Amelia Child Vine Tree Inn 93 & 94 Albion Street Kelly’s – also 1931 & 1932 Mrs. Child Vine Tree Inn 94 Albion Street Built-Leonard (93 is listed as G.W. Child, hairdresser)
In the 1933 Built-Leonard after 93 Albion Street G.W. Child, hairdresser is listed Vine Tree House – Mrs. Child, so I assume the Vine Tree closed in 1932.
Cheers,
Alan Jones
Landlords at the Vine Tree Inn include:
1883 J.G. Pilley
1891,1903 Samuel Gwilliam
1920 George William Child