Hi

I wonder if you have any information or Photographs of the area covered in your interesting article about Castle Green Bristol before the blitz. (Castle Green or as its known today Castle Park)

I have a birth cert of my great grandmother born in the **** & Bottle inn **** & Bottle lane 23 /Dec 1872
Her father was licensee of this inn Also of the Star same lane this is recorded in the Lost Pubs of Bristol

I am trying to find any photos showing these pubs or buildings in this area

Many thanks for any information you may have

Yours sincerely
John

Mr J.A.Church

Daniel Defoe came to Bristol in 1713 and the regulars at the Llandoger inn King Street Bristol would like you to believe that it was here that he met Selkirk and got the inspiration for his Robinson Crusoe. This is most unlikely for Defoe came to this city to avoid his creditors and stayed at the Star Inn in **** and Bottle Lane, Castle Green/Park only emerging on a Sunday when he could not be arrested for debt.

**** and Bottle, Castle Green

Some landlord(s) as listed in directories, etc:
John Bennett 1752
Timothy Maggs 1824
Hannah Scrace 1836
R Edgeworth 1845 + 52
R Edgeworth 1856
H P Hall 1861 + 67
no name given 1878

Mr Skinner the landlord appeared at the Police Court in May 1839 charged with allowing disorderly persons to assemble. The case was dismissed for lack of evidence.

In November Joseph Dinsley employed as brewer here fell into the copper full of boiling water and was taken to the infirmary seriously burned.

In March 1840 Isaac Hodges was charged at Bristol Police Court with stealing a ring from Mrs Skinner. He was employed by the Skinners as a brewer, possibly as a replacement for Joseph Dinsley. He was committed for trial.

About 5pm 26th May 1863 ,. two bed quilts having been put on the backs of some chairs to dry in the nursery, they caught fire and the chairs and quilts were burned before the fire was noticed byy the son of Mr Hall the landlord. He was playing in the street and saw smoke coming from the wuindow, so told his father. Mr Hall rushed upstairs and 'at great risk' succeeded in extinguishing the flames. He was insured in the Imperial Fire Office.

**** and Bottle Lane

This was a narrow cobbled lane (wide enough for traffic), which connected Castle Green with Castle Street. It was laid out approximately along the site of the wall which divided the Outer and Inner Wards of the old Bristol castle. The **** and Bottle Tavern, after which the lane was named, existed in the area in the eighteenth century.

In 1940, the premises of Llewellins & James occupied most of the west side, together with the Castle Street shop of Masters, Clothiers. Opposite Masters was Stuckeys, Hosiers shop, next to this being the Star public house and then various departments of the Co-op (completed in 1938 following demolition of old houses on the site) to the Castle Green corner. The landlord of the Star was W.G. Arthur,

All the buildings in **** and Bottle Lane were destroyed following the blitz on 24 November 1940. The Co-op building was repaired and a single-storey extension built on the site of the Star public house and Stuckeys. The Co-op's premises were demolished and the site cleared by 1963, when **** and Bottle Lane disappeared.

As yet i can not find a photographic image of the above public houses, but will keep trying. Someone out there is bound to have an old Bristol Victorian picture postcard of this lane, because Victorian/Edwardian Bristol was the most-photographed city outside of London.

Regards Paul Townsend, Bristol, England.

www.gertlushonline.co.uk