Bathurst Basin was built as part of the Floating Harbour scheme 1804-9, forming a link between the Cut and the Floating Harbour with a lock gate at each end. The basin was named in honour of Bristol M.P. Charles Bragge who had changed his name to Bathurst in 1804. The Bathurst Hotel was built near the southern lock in 1809 to cater for the sailors and travellers the new Basin was sure to attract, it was built to an unusual design with balconies and railings reminiscent of New Orleans, this was probably the inspiration for its present name the Louisiana. The building has several bricked in casements, a reminder of the ‘window tax’ which was abolished in 1851. The above photograph was taken in the early 1950’s. When the Garrick’s Head on Broad Quay was pulled down in 1978 the landlord took over the Bathurst Hotel and re-named it the Garrick’s. The name was changed again in 1982 to the Smugglers. Just opposite the hotel in Commercial Road are the ruins of the old gaol built in 1820.
Bristol’s Historic Inns. Helena Eason. 1982.
“Now only the gatehouse remains as the gaol itself was the target of the 1831 rioters who burned it to the ground. The governor of that gaol, William Humphries, was actually taking refreshment at the Bathurst Hotel when the mob attacked his gaol and he was forced to stay there and watch the destruction. The gateway of the gaol was the scene of the last public hanging of a woman in Bristol, when in 1849 Sarah Thomas was hanged for murder.”
CENSUS 1841.
Ann Goode 50, inn keeper, born in county
George Goode 45, independent means, not born in county
Martha Goodridge 45, independent means, not born in county
Harriett Goodridge 20, not born in county
William Goodridge 19, land agent, not born in county
Richard Goodridge 14, not born in county
Sarah Ann Goodridge 12, not born in county
Mary Bryant 25, servant, born in county
CENSUS 1851.
Maria Salmon 62, head widow, licensed victualler, Somerset Bath
Charles Salmon 39, son married, accountant Somerset Stratton
Maria Salmon 37, daughter unmarried, house assistant, Somerset Stratton
Catherine Tovey 33, daughter widow, house assistant, Somerset Stratton
Alexander Salmon 30, son unmarried, shipwright, Somerset Stratton
Ellen Salmon 23, daughter unmarried, house assistant, Somerset Ashchurch
George James Tovey 8, grandson, scholar, Bristol
Maria Ellen Tovey 7, grandaughter scholar, Bristol
Grace Horler 16,* house servant (inn) Somerset Kilmersdon
William Henry Colins 18, Tapboy (inn) Bristol
James Nicholls 43, Married, traveller, St Pancras London
Evans Jones 25, unmarried, shopman, Newport Monmouthshire
*if you have an interest in the name of Horler, visit Tony Meighan’s web site here
CENSUS 1861.
John Sanders 37, head married, victualler, Bristol
Ellen Sanders 33, wife married, Somerset Ashwick
John Sanders 7, son, scholar, Bristol
Arthur Sanders 5, son, scholar, Bristol
Ellen Sanders 3, daughter, Bristol
Henry Sanders 1, son, Bristol
Maria Salmon 73, mother in law widow, late hotel keeper, Somerset Bath
Maria Salmon 40, sister in law unmarried, assistant hotel keeper, Somerset Stratton
Emily Small 22, servant unmarried, barmaid, Somerset Shepton Mallet
Fanny Cox 41, servant widow, cook, Somerset Bedminster
Harriet England 20, servant unmarried, Gloucestershire Winterbourne
William Webb 44, visitor unmarried, Bristol
Edwin Peters 17, servant unmarried, Bristol
William Greenwood 35, visitor married, linen draper, Herefordshire M...Church
William Huddler Fone 38, visitor unmarried, fund holder, Clifton
CENSUS 1881.
John Sanders 56, head married, licensed victualler, Bristol
Mary Sanders 48, wife married, St Ives Cornwall
James Hawlyn 28, step son unmarried, mariner, St Ives, Cornwall
Frederick Sanders 18, son unmarried, ironmonger, Bristol
Edith Sanders 14, daughter, Bristol
Ann Sanders 80, mother, Bristol
Kate Cleaves 19, servant unmarried, barmaid, Gravesend, Kent
Ann Isaac 32, servant unmarried, domestic servant, Tenby Pembrokeshire
Septimas Nixon 25, lodger married, accountant, Walbottle Northumberland
“Now only the gatehouse remains as the gaol itself was the target of the 1831 rioters who burned it to the ground. The governor of that gaol, William Humphries, was actually taking refreshment at the Bathurst Hotel when the mob attacked his gaol and he was forced to stay there and watch the destruction. The gateway of the gaol was the scene of the last public hanging of a woman in Bristol, when in 1849 Sarah Thomas was hanged for murder.”
CENSUS 1841.
Ann Goode 50, inn keeper, born in county
George Goode 45, independent means, not born in county
Martha Goodridge 45, independent means, not born in county
Harriett Goodridge 20, not born in county
William Goodridge 19, land agent, not born in county
Richard Goodridge 14, not born in county
Sarah Ann Goodridge 12, not born in county
Mary Bryant 25, servant, born in county
CENSUS 1851.
Maria Salmon 62, head widow, licensed victualler, Somerset Bath
Charles Salmon 39, son married, accountant Somerset Stratton
Maria Salmon 37, daughter unmarried, house assistant, Somerset Stratton
Catherine Tovey 33, daughter widow, house assistant, Somerset Stratton
Alexander Salmon 30, son unmarried, shipwright, Somerset Stratton
Ellen Salmon 23, daughter unmarried, house assistant, Somerset Ashchurch
George James Tovey 8, grandson, scholar, Bristol
Maria Ellen Tovey 7, grandaughter scholar, Bristol
Grace Horler 16,* house servant (inn) Somerset Kilmersdon
William Henry Colins 18, Tapboy (inn) Bristol
James Nicholls 43, Married, traveller, St Pancras London
Evans Jones 25, unmarried, shopman, Newport Monmouthshire
*if you have an interest in the name of Horler, visit Tony Meighan’s web site here
CENSUS 1861.
John Sanders 37, head married, victualler, Bristol
Ellen Sanders 33, wife married, Somerset Ashwick
John Sanders 7, son, scholar, Bristol
Arthur Sanders 5, son, scholar, Bristol
Ellen Sanders 3, daughter, Bristol
Henry Sanders 1, son, Bristol
Maria Salmon 73, mother in law widow, late hotel keeper, Somerset Bath
Maria Salmon 40, sister in law unmarried, assistant hotel keeper, Somerset Stratton
Emily Small 22, servant unmarried, barmaid, Somerset Shepton Mallet
Fanny Cox 41, servant widow, cook, Somerset Bedminster
Harriet England 20, servant unmarried, Gloucestershire Winterbourne
William Webb 44, visitor unmarried, Bristol
Edwin Peters 17, servant unmarried, Bristol
William Greenwood 35, visitor married, linen draper, Herefordshire M...Church
William Huddler Fone 38, visitor unmarried, fund holder, Clifton
CENSUS 1881.
John Sanders 56, head married, licensed victualler, Bristol
Mary Sanders 48, wife married, St Ives Cornwall
James Hawlyn 28, step son unmarried, mariner, St Ives, Cornwall
Frederick Sanders 18, son unmarried, ironmonger, Bristol
Edith Sanders 14, daughter, Bristol
Ann Sanders 80, mother, Bristol
Kate Cleaves 19, servant unmarried, barmaid, Gravesend, Kent
Ann Isaac 32, servant unmarried, domestic servant, Tenby Pembrokeshire
Septimas Nixon 25, lodger married, accountant, Walbottle Northumberland
1820 - 28. William Case
1830 - 34. John Goode
1837 - 41. Mary Goode
1841 - 44. Ann Goode
1846 to 1848. James Salmon
1849 to 1861. Maria Salmon
1861 to 1867. John Sanders
1867 to 1868. Mary Ann Barnett
1869 to 1891. John Sanders
1892 - 99. William Ireland
1901 - 21. George Labdon
1925. Luke Dursley
1928. Emily Dursley
1931. Herbert Purnell
1935. William Adams
1937 - 44. William Baldwin
1950 - 53. John Lanning
1975. D. E. Fry
1830 -
1837 -
1841 -
1846 to 1848. James Salmon
1849 to 1861. Maria Salmon
1861 to 1867. John Sanders
1867 to 1868. Mary Ann Barnett
1869 to 1891. John Sanders
1892 -
1901 -
1925. Luke Dursley
1928. Emily Dursley
1931. Herbert Purnell
1935. William Adams
1937 -
1950 -
1975. D. E. Fry
BATHURST HOTEL Bathurst Terrace
A drawing of the Bathurst Hotel
by C.F.W. Dening (1943)
by C.F.W. Dening (1943)