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The White Swan Hotel was situated in Freeland Place, at the then tramway terminus on the corner of Robertson Road and Fishponds Road, Upper Eastville, Bristol. It served the railway station at Stapleton Road and was a tied house of the Bristol United Breweries, it was also headquarters of the Duke of Beaufort Lodge of the R.A.O.B. The building still stands and is currently "Piccadilly". Prior to 1890 the hotel had the honour of realising the largest price paid by a local brewer for a beerhouse (£3200). In 1891 a black retriever dog with a white spot on his breast resided at the pub, named Rover, He was lost that April and a reward was offered. The double wine and spirit license was applied for by Harrison Leggott at the Lawford's Gate licensing session on 26 Sept. 1892, in an attempted exchange of license with the Lamb Inn, Crew's Hole. The application was opposed by Mr. Hunt at the Black Swan, the license was declined. The magistrates joked that the Hotel seemed to be moving from Eastville to St. George at an ever increasing rate due to a boundary issue. Mr. Gower re-applied on 23 August 1897 for a wine and spirit license, and again, despite local support, the license was refused by the magistrates, with opposition again from Mr. Hunt. A provisional license was granted in September 1898 and confirmed on 5 October.
Licensees were:
Francis Tiley 1866-1878, mason & beer retailer, died 7 Dec. 1878 at
the White Swan.
Martha Ann Tiley née Hibbs (widow) 1878-1885. Married Charles Hibbs, 5
Sept. 1885 at St. Paul's.
Charles Hibbs 1885-1890.
Harrison Leggott 1892-1895, formerly of Odd-fellows Hall and billiards,
Castle Green. After the Swan, moved to the Red Lion, Clarence Road where
he died 17 April 1902 aged 51.
William Woodbury 1895-1896
William Henry Gower 1897-1901
Mrs. Mary Agnes Gower née Sims 1901-1903
William Mark Hasell 1904-1933 (formerly of the Portcullis, Fishponds, died
at the White Swan on 25 August 1933).
Florence Maria Hasell née Robbins
(widow)1933-1953 (died 28 June 1953).
Basil Marsh 1956 (according to Bristol Lost Pubs website).
Frank Robins Hasell 1968-1970 (son of W. M. & F. M. Hasell, born at
the Swan on 26 July1909, died 1970, was manager of the hotel from at least
1939).
William Henry Gower, known as Harry, was born in Hay Lane, Leominster, Herefordshire, on 1 April 1857, son of a farmer, Henry Gower and his wife Eliza. Prior to coming to Bristol, in the 1881 census, he was a Butcher's Slaughterman in St. Thomas, Birmingham. By 1884 he may have had a butcher's shop in Abbey Street, Kidwelly. He married Mary Agnes Sims in Nantwich, Cheshire in the third quarter of 1884 and by 1891 he was a butcher at 68 Stapleton Road, Bristol. William H. and Mary A. had children Henry Joseph Burnell Gower, b. 4 Dec. 1887, and Beatrice Adelaide Gower in spring 1889 (registered in Birmingham). Beatrice married in Bristol in 1911.
Harry Gower died on 17 August 1901, his family posted "In Memorium" in the back of the Western Daily Press - Wednesday 17 August 1904, and again in 1908: "Never forgotten by his family. A light is from out household gone, a voice we loved is stilled, a place is vacant in our home which never can be filled." His son Henry Joseph died in 1952.
| 1 Gallon Stoneware Flagon |  |
| Impressed:
100 / W H GOWER / WHITE SWAN HOTEL / EASTVILLE / BRISTOL Potter: Price / Bristol, straight sided 2 tone Bristol glaze. |