Queens Buildings were a row of houses in Wellington Passage, which ran between the High Street and Albion Street. The royal connection was because it was named after Queen Charlotte who was a patroness of a Female Orphan Society was was there in 1806.
The Gloucestershire Chronicle of 1870 mentions a Wellington Hotel ‘with outbuildings behind at 95 High Street.’
In the 1891 and 1903 licensing books the Wellington Inn is documented as being ‘Tied to Henry Dredge’. In 1891 it is known that Henry Dredge was in occupation at the Beehive in Montpellier and there was a brewery attached to the premises. Presumably the Wellington Inn was, in effect, tied to the Beehive Brewery. The Wellington Inn was a licensed beer house and had an annual rateable value of £21.5.0d., staying at the same level during those twelve years.
CAUTION: There was a pub in Bath Road called the Wellington Ale & Porter Stores. It may be possible that some details relating to the Wellington Inn Queens Buildings should be that of the Wellington Ale & Porter Stores, Bath Road. Hopefully the following information submitted by Alan Jones might clarify this.
Hi Geoff,
As you know, Wellington Passage, which had the Queen’s Buildings along much of its west side ran from just behind the High Street to Albion Street.
Wellington Hotel which later became the
Phoenix Hotel existed at the High Street end. The numbering ran from the High Street end, to Albion Street so no.4 Queen’s Buildings, where the
Wellington Inn was located, was about half way along (see the 1855-7 Old Town Survey map available at Know Your Place –
maps.bristol.gov.uk) Of course, it has all been lost since – to Woolworths, the Beechwood Shopping Centre and now John Lewis. To give you an idea though, 4 Queen’s Buildings on a transparent modern overlay map aligns pretty well with the current 31 Grosvenor Place South in the next street to the east.
Joseph Rone, who was landlord of the Berkeley Arms in 1830, certainly by 1838 had moved round the corner and become landlord of the Wellington Inn. Below are the details of landlords for the Wellington Inn through to the 1872-3 Royal Directory, which was the last time I found it listed. These should help sort out any confusion with other pubs called the Wellington.
1830 Pigot’s – William Dangerfield Wellington Arms Queen’s Building
1838 Annuaire – Joseph Rone, Wellington inn Queen’s Buildings – also 1839 – 1844 Annuaires – J. Rone Wellington inn Wellington passage
1845 & 1846 Annuaires – B. Burrows Wellington inn Wellington passage
1847 Hunt & Co. – Daniel Pinkstone Wellington Inn High Street listed under “Inns & Hotels” – I believe the Wellington Inn was replaced by the Unicorn Hotel – the Wellington is not listed after 1972-3, and the Unicorn Hotel starts to be listed from 1876. Wellington Passage later Unicorn Passage gave access from between 95 & 96 High Street then – now to the west of 117 High Street. On an Ordnance Survey map of the mid-1880s the Unicorn Hotel is just off the High Street (second building behind) whereas the Wellington Inn was quite a way further along.
1848 Edwards F. Hurlstone Wellington inn High Street – also in Annuaire — Hurlstone (no first name or initial) Wellington Inn Wellington passage – also 1849 Annuaire (but in that entry they do list with initial F. Hurlstone
1850 Edwards – Richard Draper Wellington Inn High Street – also 1851 Edwards listed the same and 1851 Annuaire listed as Wellington Inn Wellington passage
1852 Edwards – Henry King Wellington Inn High Street – also 1853 & 1854 Annuaires listed as Henry King Wellington Inn Queen’s Buildings
1855 Annuaire – no landlord name but pub listed as Wellington Inn Queen’s Buildings
1856 – 1868 Annuaires – G. Holder listed as above
1872-3 Royal Directory – Robert Thomas Wellington Inn Queen’s Buildings
At no 5 Quenn’s Buildings – right next door to the Wellington Inn – I did find a single listing for Maskelyne & Alcok’s Porter Stores in the 1844 Harper’s Directory. Maskelyne was the surname of the famous illusionist John Nevil Maskelyne, who was born in 1839. But another John Maskelyne was landlord of the Talbot in Duke Street in 1850.
Cheers,
Alan Jones
Landlords:
1830 William Dangerfield (Wellington Arms, Queens Buildings)
1844 Joseph Rone (Wellington Arms, Queens Buidings)
1856,1870 George Holder (In the Royal Cheltenham Directory 1870-71, listed as the Wellington Inn, Queen’s Buildings.)
1891 Mary Hogg
1902 Frederick Vowles
1903 William John Cofield