On the corner of Henry Street and William Street. Little bit of history follows:
Introduction
This is taken from a booklet that was commissioned by the ex landlord, Vernon Somers (but known by all the locals as Mad Ernie) to commemorate the fact that on 23rd July 1993 he had been the landlord of the Shakespeare for 13 years. He had already planned a party for that day, as he was sure that he was the longest serving proprietor of the pub since it was built in the 1970’s. Unfortunately research has shown that poor Ernie was premature on his celebrity party. It is now known that a Mrs Deborah Morgan took over the licence from Herbert Duggan on the 9th April 1923 and held it until the 30th May 1938. Therefore Deborah’s tenancy lasted 5,530 days, old Ernie still had 782 days before he could boast that he was the longest serving tenant of the Shakespeare.
The booklet was been printed so that customers may read a little about the history of the Shakespeare, which over the years has become famous for its hospitality and good 1960’s music.
We will start with Mr G M Thomas in the year 1870 and end with Mad Ernie who is looking forward to his grand party in 1995.
So get a drink from the bar, take a seat, and you can read about the history of the pub in Totterdown that is keeping up the old tradition of being "A True Local Pub"
Ernie’s tenancy lasted until July 2003 when he retired due to ill health, not only did he become the longest tenant of the Shakespeare, his 23 year stint made him the longest serving tenant of a individual pub in the History of Bristol. He can still be found terrorizing the streets of Totterdown on his motability scooter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOTE: Ern unfortunately died in 2011.
The Early Years
The first landlord, that can be found, is a G M Thomas. He is listed in a Bristol Trade Directory of 1871, which was compiled the previous year. The Directory lists the Shakespeare as being at number 1 Osbourne Terrace. Mr. Thomas is surprisingly listed as a greengrocer from the Shakespeare. What is known is that his occupancy did not last long, as the census carried out on the 2nd April 1871 shows that the Mitchell family were in residence. The document lists the household as follows :-
Thomas G Mitchell age 45 ships carpenter and Licensed Victualler
Lucy Mitchell age 43 Wife
John H Mitchell age 19 Son General Labourer
Charles Mitchell age 10 Son Scholar
Mary Spear age 86 Wife’s Mother
Also listed in the same property is a Mrs and Mrs Newton.
By 1881 the Mitchells and the Newtons had moved on and the Hopers had taken over, they are listed
in the census of that year as :-
Benjamin Hooper age 56 Painter
Alice Hooper age 38 Wife
The Ashmead map shows the Shakespeare opposite the King William Public House (now the Glasnost Restaurant) Back then (1870’s) the King William (or the King Bill as it was better known) was a public house as it held a full drinking licence, but the Shakespeare only held a beer and cider licence.
We have read that in 1881 the occupants of the Shakespeare were Benjamin and Alice Hooper, but by 1891 they had moved to 15 Henry Street. Alice was still living there until at least 1902, according to a Bristol Directory of that year.
The census for 1891 was taken on the night of the 5th April, and lists street by street all persons that slept that night in each house.
At 1 Henry Street (the Shakespeare) we find new tenants, Arthur and Sarah Whitehouse. They had living with them two siblings Nora and Arthur. Arthur (senior) was a brush maker, aged 25. Under the column "where born" Arthur answered "Query, NK – Not Known". His wife Sarah knew her place of birth, which was Bristol, Gloucester. She is described as being a servant in a "Beer House". It is not recommended that you refer to the present day landlady by the same title.
It is not known how much Arthur and Sarah were charging for a pint of beer back in 1891, but an old trade directory compiled in the same year states that Charles Garton & Co., of Lawrence Hill Bristol were selling :-
Bitter Ale 1 Shilling per Gallon
Golden Ale 1 Shilling & 2d per Gallon
Pale Ale 1 Shilling & 6d per Gallon
Arthur and Sarah’s customers would probably have lived locally, some possibly from Henry Street; according to Wright’s Directory the inhabitants of the street were as follows :-
Wrights Directory 1890 – Occupants of Henry Street, Totterdown
1. A. Whitehouse, Shakespeare Hotel, b.r.
2 Charles Barnes – Greengrocer
3 James H. Haine
4 George Stradling
5 Lewis Field
6 George Yendol
7 Sidney Hazel, plumber
9 George Bowden
10 Harry Wallis
11 James Newton
12 William Henry Rowe
13 John Harding, grocer and joiner
14 William Sansom
15 Benjamin Hooper
16 William Rowsell
17 Robert Orchard
18 Mrs Connelly
19 Edwin Tagfoot
20 Richard Nash
21 James Helps
22 Tom Foot
23 John Richards
24 Henry Gibbs, general shop
As you can see back in 1890 the Shakespeare was referred to as a Hotel.
Benjamin Hooper, of number 15 may well have been a customer as he was the old landlord of the Shakespeare back in 1881.
Five buildings are recorded that do not have street numbers. Research has shown that these buildings can be identified as follows :-
Industrial Co-operative Supplies Ltd now Cabot Tyres
Alen Knight now 1 Windsor Street
New Found Out still New Found Out
Coal and Oil Dealer now Edwards TV
Boot and Shoe Maker now 76 William Street
Edwards TV was in the past, 1 Windsor Place as can be seen above the doorway of the shop.
John Chorley’s tenancy was coming to a close when on February 19th 1912 plans were deposited to alter the Shakespeare. The plans can now be inspected at the Bristol Records Office, under the reference Volume 60 Folio 69.
It is probable that two trades were carried out back in 1912, as the plans show stables and a cart shed at the rear of the building. The alterations carried out in 1912 were :-
The staircase was altered so that the side door could give entrance to the ‘Bottle and Jug’
The Servery gave access to the Bar, Smoke Room and Bagatelle room
An outbuilding was constructed for use as a Gents toilet
A new doorway was put in, giving access from Henry Street
Landlords and Landladies from 1904 to 1940’s
Document number 29387/167 in the Bristol Record Office, lists the licensees of the Shakespeare from 1904 to 1940 as follows :-
8th Feb 1904 to 1st Jul 1909 Sarah Duggan
1st Jul 1909 to 4th Mar 1912 John Chorley
4th Mar 1912 to 7th Apr Samuel Reed
7th Apr 1913 to 6th Apr 1914 Henry Charles
6th Apr 1914 to 5th Oct 1922 William House
5th Oct 1914 to 6th Jul 1922 Alfred Duggan
6th Jul 1922 to 9th Apr 1923 Herbert Duggan
9th Apr 1923 to 30th May 1938 Deborah Morgan
30th May 1938 to 2nd Apr 1940 Austin Hooper
House Closed 2nd April 1940
It is a little surprising that three persons with the uncommon surname Duggan are listed.
The records are to some extent confusing as under the listings for the King William’s licensees, it states ‘House Closed 2nd April 1940’, and the licence transferred to the Shakespeare, which according to the same record, itself closed on the same date. If the house did in fact close, it was opened again 1942, still under the management of Austin Hooper.
It would be interesting to know if Austin Hooper was related to Benjamin and Alice Hooper that ran the pub back in 1881.
From Post war to the 1980’s
As the records finish for the list of licensees in the Bristol Records Office on April 2nd 1940, all postwar information is based on the electoral roll, Trade Directories or information from the locals of Totterdown.
It should be noted that the Electoral Rolls are compiled in the October prior to the year that is printed on the spine of the book, therefore the date quoted is always the date that the roll was compiled.
The Electoral Roll of 1945 tells us that in that year Austin Hooper was still in charge of the pub, it also tells us all the persons over the age of 21 that lived at 1 Henry Street. So, listed with Austin is his wife Daisy, Doreen Newman and Henry Roberts.
By 1947 the Hooper’s reign had ended, the landlord and landlady were now Doris and George Sparring.
In 1950 a Trade Directory lists Frederick Beavis as the landlord. But two years later in 1952, the Electoral Roll does not list Frederick but it does show his wife Gertrude Beavis and a Bridget O’Meare, in residence.
By 1955 Henry and Florence Lapham would have been your hosts at the Shakespeare. Some of the locals can still recall the evening that Henry went outside to get some coal for the fire; he never returned, he was found dead in his own back yard. His wife Florence, kept the licence for a number of years after her husband’s death.
In 1971 the house was under the management of Herbert and Winifred Hodge. Some of the locals can still remember their blind son Byron. For some reason Byron preferred to drink in the ‘men only bar’ at the Oxford Hotel in Oxford Street, he rarely drank in his parents pub.
In 1971 some of Herbert and Win’s customers would have come from Henry Street, a listing of them is given below :-
Henry Street, Totterdown
1Shakespeare P.H. 15Lewis Arthur, HY
2E. M. Nicholas, Shopkeeper 16Frederick Raymond, Cook
3Wilfred William Stone Junior 17George Jennings, HY
5Arbury Fras. Thom. Jas 18Turnbull Jn
6Wisby Edwd 19Ball Thos. Edw.
7Redmayne Terence D 20Wiggins Harry
8Qureshi Selah-ud-din 21aRandall Mrs
9Robert Fredk 21Hawkins Miss Ethel
10Fishlock Leslue G. J. 22Ivy Yvonne
11Ghulam Mohd 23Stringer I
12Borg Miohl 24Razman M
13Pollard Ivor 25Kellaway G.P. & Humphries Motor Garage
14Taylor Fredk
For most of the 1970’s the Shakespeare was dominated by the Markhams. Alan and Constance Markham ran the pub from 1971 until 1976, with a little help from their daughter Gillian.
By 1977 Michael and Linda Jowell had moved in. But their tenancy did not last long as by 1978 the Ashfords had taken over. Bryan and Jennifer Ashford ran the pub until the present landlord took over on July 23rd 1980.
Detective Work
The Shakespeare has changed over the years, but with a little detective work you can still see much its past history.
The shape of the old bars and rooms can still be traced to this day. Just look up and you can still see the supports that have been put in when old walls were removed.
In the small garden you can still make out the shape of the old coal-house that poor Henry Lapham died in.
The area that now houses the pool table was. As we have read, the stables. This room had, in the past, no window overlooking William Street. From the outside you can see that the present day window is different to all the others.
If after reading about the past landlords and landladies of the establishment, you think you can see the ghost of one of them sat in the corner, it could be that you have had one too many: and it may well be time to hit the road.
We have nearly come to the end of the history of the Shakespeare, but as they say. Today is tomorrow’s history. So on then next page we will read about the present tenants.
The Present Day
On the evening of February 9th 1961, a party was held in the Shakespeare, to commemorate the engagement of Vernon Somers and Joan Dowse; was this also an engagement party of the couple with the Shakespeare, as they are now married not only to each other but to the pub as well.
During research for this booklet, the Electoral Roll for 1965 was consulted. The document shows that in that year Florence Lapham was the only person living in the Shakespeare who was eligible to vote. But just two pages further on, was the listing for 148 Oxford Street. This property backs on to the pub. It lists William, Violet, Geoffrey and Joan Dowse. Did Joan Dowse, back in 1965, ever in her wildest dreams, think that one day she would become the landlady of the Public House at the bottom of her garden.
First published July 1993
PMC Partnership
76, Hill Street
Totterdown
Bristol
BS3 4TR
Tel (0272) 710609
Copyright held by Dave Price
Thanks are given to The Bristol Records Office for all their help. Also to Brain Drew, Frank Smith, Joan and Vernon Somers, Tony Naylor, Isobel Cooper, Andrew Main and JAQUELINE.
Due to ill health Ernie was forced to retire from the trade.
Hilary Mildren (ne Ellis), an employee of Ernie’s took over the pub. She was married to Vince Mildren a talented local musician, they separated with Hilary remaining landlady of the pub. Established as an architect she sold the Shakespeare to pursue other business ventures.
On Sept 5th 2003 the tenancy was transferred to Warwick Newton. Hilary Mildren had left details of previous employees who might help out if he encountered any difficulties. On the Saturday of the Warwick’s first weekend a staff member phoned to say they could not make it to work. Warwick called Emma who was on Hilary’s list of helpful people. Emma came to work at the pub that evening. She later commented that she thought Warwick would did not have a clue and probably would not last five minutes. Emma lived at 22 Cambridge Street which is 17 paces from the door of the Shakespeare’s flat.
It has often been reported that between September and December 2003 Warwick was seen making the 17 steps either to or from 22 Cambridge Street on a very regular basis. Eventually the trek became too much and he persuaded the gorgeous Miss Anstee to move into the Shakespeare .
Christmas day 2004 on humble knee Warwick asks Emma to marry him, she agrees, the date is set for September 1St 2005
1st September 2005 Warwick and Emma are married in the New Forest and now run the Shakespeare as Mr. and Mrs. Newton.
November 2011 the Shakespeare closes it’s doors as we await a new era…hopefully
