The White Hart was at the far west of the High Street on the southern side. It was part of the Dobell’s Warehouse complex which was extensively damaged in an air raid (together with Stoneville Street) in 1941. The White Hart never reopened after the bombing. The nearby Bakers Arms also suffered damage from the air attack.
In January 1995 I received a letter from Patrick Dobell, who was the only survivor of the ‘old regime of Dobell’s’. He wrote: “The White Hart was a victim of Hitler’s blitz on Cheltenham. There is quite a story attached to this but basically the land mine which caused the tragic casualties in Stoneville Street also demolished most of the warehouse and offices and totally obliterated the part used as a public house under the name of the White Hart. In wartime it was impossible to acquire materials – or indeed a building licence – to restore it and my father, then running the business, had a terrible time getting permission for a temporary re-roofing job on what was left. Fortunately though the top two storeys were gone forever, the wine cellars – the largest and finest between Bristol and London – were unscathed and remained in use to the end.”
Dobells had three other pubs in Cheltenham, the Britannia Inn, St Albans Vaults, and the Restoration Inn.
Records of the Petty Sessional Court that were published in 1891 show that The White Hart was owned by Clarence Mason Dobell & Cyrus Faulkner Dobell (free from brewery tie). The White Hart was a licensed ale house with an annual rateable value of £102.0s.0d. Twelve years later in 1903 the White Hart, according to the licensing records, was owned by the representatives of William Stone Lane. Clarence Mason Dobell & Cyrus Faulkner Dobell were now leaseholders. The rateable value per annum had increased by eight pounds and ten shillings to £110.10s.0d.
Landlords:
1830 Richard Blakeway
1891,1903 Clarence Mason Dobell & Cyrus Faulkner Dobell