R. CARELESS - ANGEL HOTEL

Thomas Stroud was at the Angel from at least November 1754 until his death in October 1763, he was buried at Chippenham St.Andrew on 24th October that year. His widow Elizabeth ran the Angel after his death.

William & Ann Stroud—From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 16 May 1765 page 4: "THE ANGEL INN Chippenham, formerly kept by Mr. Thomas Stroud, and since his Decease by his Widow, is now fitted up, and OPEN'D, William and Ann Stroud, (Late Ann Brookman, from the White Lyon, Bath) Where the Nobility and Gentry, travelling the Bath and Bristol Road, and all other Persons, may depend the most civil Usage, best Accommodations, and genteelest Treatment, by Their most obedient, and most humble Servants, William and Ann Stroud. Neat Chaises, able Horses, and careful Drivers."

Joseph Haycock—From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 9 November 1769 page 1: "ANGEL INN, CHIPPENHAM. JOSEPH HAYCOCK, late Waiter at the White-Hart, Bath, begs Leave to acquaint his Friends and the Public in general, That he has taken and entered upon the above Inn. and assures them, that it shall be his utmoft Care and Ambition to merit their Favours; he having furnished the House entirely new, and laid in a fresh Stock of Neat Old Wines, &c. Good Post- Chaises, a Post-Coach, and able Horses."

Joseph married Ann Haydon on 1 October 1769 at Bath Abbey by license.

Joseph Haycock was buried at Chippenham St. Andrew on 3 November 1775. His wife Ann then continued to run the Angel for another five years.

James Hanson—From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 10 February 1780 page 2: "ANGEL INN, CHIPPENHAM. JAMES HANSON (late servant to the Right Hon. Lord Viscount Courtenay) humbly begs leave to acquaint the Nobility and public in general, that he has taken and entered upon the above Inn, and has laid in an assortment of the best Wines and liquors of every kind; can make up upwards of twenty goods beds; is provided with as good horses, post-coaches, chaises, &c. as any upon the road; and most humbly solicits their kind encouragement, which it will be his constant endeavour to merit. Mrs. Haycock returns her sincereft thanks to the nobility, and public in general, for the favours she has experienced, and earnestly intreats a continuance of them to the said James Hanson."

James Hanson married Ann Sarrel in Chippenham on 15 December 1779. He died at the Angel in 1784 and his effects were sold at the Angel the week beginning Monday 4 October that year including all the furniture, beds and bed-linen.

John Younge—From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 3 July 1788 page 1: "ANGEL INN, Chippenham, Wilts. JOHN YOUNGE, late Butler to Barnard Dickenson, esq., Monk's-House, near Chippenham,— encouraged by many respectable friends, takes the liberty to acquaint the Nobility, Gentry, and the Publick in general, that he has taken the whole of the above Inn, and fitted it up in a genteel and comfortable manner, with good bred) and every requisite accommodation worthy of publick favour, where, by keeping a consant supply of good horses and carriages, and an unremitting attention to the accommodation of his customers, he will endeavour to merit their countenance, and obviate the complaint he is sorry to find exists of the treatment generally experienced by those who have frequented that house of late. N.B. The roads are good, and much nearer than thro' Devizes."

John Lawes (1) (or Laws)—From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 22 September 1791 page 1: "ANGEL INN, CHIPPENHAM, WILTS. JOHN LAWES begs leave to inform the Nobility, Gentry, his friends, and the publick in general, that he has taken and entered on the above INN, which has lately been neatly fitted up; and that he has provided a good stock of choice Wines and other Liquors, and every other article for their accommodation; and assures them, that no attention, shall be wanting to render their reception at his house agreeable, and humbly solicits their patronage and support. (t^ Neat Post-Chaises, with good Horses, and careful Drivers."

Margaret Lawes—John Lawes (or Laws) died in February 1808 leaving the Angel to his widow Margaret. From the Salisbury and Winchester Journal - Monday 14 March 1808 page 1: "ANGEL INN, CHIPPENHAM. MARGARET LAWES begs leave to acquaint her friends and the public, that she intends carrying on the business of the above Inn; and takes this opportunity of expressing her gratitude for the distinguished favours received by her late husband and herself, humbly soliciting a continuance of them, which she will ever make her utmost care and attention to merit. - Neat Post-Chaises and able Horses."

From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 4 August 1825 page 1: "ANGEL INN, CHIPPENHAM. MRS. MARGARET LAWS begs to return her sincere and grateful thanks to her Friends and the Public for the kind patronage and support she has experienced in the above House for forty years, eighteen years of which she has been a Widow. She now reluctantly begs leave to inform them, that, in consequence of her Son-in-law, Mr. COOPER, of the Castle Inn, Marlborough, having had a difference of opinion with some Coach Proprietors on the London Road, (a circumstance in which she was not in any way concerned, and of which she was entirely innocent), the York House and White Hart Inns, in Bath, have withdrawn their line of Posting from her House, where it has been established, with the former, since it first commenced as a Posting House, and with the latter for nearly fifty years.
Under these circumstances, and feeling that, during a long life, she has exerted herself to the utmost of her power to give satisfaction in her business, she throws herself upon a generous Public for their future support and protection, at the same time assuring them, that unremitting care and attention shall at all times be paid by her and her children to ensure them every possible comfort and accommodation at her louse, and the line of Road she will post in future."

Margaret Lawes' daughter Margaret died at the Angel on 27 May  1828, and she herself died very shortly afterwards and was buried 3 June aged 64. From the Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 5 June 1828 age 3: "On the 27th ult. died, at Chippenham, aged 36, Margaret, eldest daughter the late Mr. John Lawes, of the Angel Inn and Tavern, in that town; and on the Friday following, her mother, aged 63 years, much respected and regretted by all who knew her, and who had conducted the above establishment for the last 38 years!"

William Lawes—From the Salisbury and Winchester Journal - Monday 23 June 1828: "ANGEL INN, TAVERN, & POSTING-HOUSE, CHIPPENHAM. The above Business will be conducted as usual, by WILLIAM LAWES, Son of the late Mrs. Lawes, with the Assistance of his Sister, where they hope to be favoured with the kind patronage and support of the Nobility, Gentry, and Friends of then late Parent; whose attention to business it will their constant study and endeavour to imitate." William ran the Inn for a short while with sister (either Ann or Mary) but Joseph was soon back in charge.

Joseph & Catherine Lawes—Joseph Lawes was born in Chippenham in 1795, baptised at St. Andrew, Chippenham on 25 June 1795, son of John & Margaret Lawes. Joseph Lawes married Catherine Cooper at her home village of Preshute, Wilts. on 15 May 1820.Joseph had moved into the Angel shortly before his marriage to Catherine.

From  Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette - Thursday 2 October 1828 page 1: "Angel Inn, Tavern, and Hotel, CHIPPENHAM, WILTS. JOSEPH LAWES, impressed with feelings of gratitude to the Nobility, Gentry, and neighbouring families of Chippenham, for the very great patronage and support so many years conferred on his late Mother, now most respectfully begs to inform them, that he has taken and entered upon the above Establishment, hoping to be favoured with a continuance their support; at the same time assuring them, that unremitting care and attention shall at all times be paid to contribute every possible means, to the comfort and accommodation of his guests. The Posting Department will be conducted in the best manner possible, with Horses, Coaches, Chariots, &c. Black Carriages &c. &c. for Funerals. The new Company's Londen Day Coach leaves the above Inn every morning at nine o'clock, and the Triumph Night Coach every evening at half-past four. Sept. 3d. 1828."

John Lawes (2) was the last of the Lawes family to run the Angel. He was born in Kington St. Michael, Wilts. in 1821, baptised there on 11 March that year, son of then yeoman farmer Joseph Lawes of Kington St. Michael and wife Catherine Cooper.

When Margaret Lawes died, son Joseph and wife Catherine took over the running of the Angel. Joseph died at the beginning of 1843 Catherine ran the Angel until 1851. She died on 4 July 1854 aged 60.

From the London Gazette - 20 June 1851 page 1622: "WHEREAS a Petition for adjudication of Bankruptcy against Catherine Lawes, of Chippenham, in thecounty of Wilts, Innkeeper, was, on the 2nd day of May 1851, filed in Her .Majesty's Court of Bankruptcy for the Bristol District, this is to give notice, that by an order, bearing date the 17th day of June 1851, made by Henry John Stephen, Serjeant at Law, the Commissioner acting in the matter of the said Petition, such Petition is dismissed and the adjudication made thereunder annulled."

Catherine was saved from bankruptcy by entering into a partnership with her son John as Catherine Lawes & Son.

From the Devizes and Wiltshire Gazette - Thursday 3 August 1854 page 2: "CATHERINE LAWES, DECEASED. ALL Persons having any claim against the late firm of CATHERINE LAWES & SON, are requested forthwith to send in the same; and all Persons indebted to the said firm are requested to pay the amount of their respective debts to Mr. John Lawes, Angel Inn, Chippenham. Aug. 3, 1854."

The Bristol Times and Mirror - Friday 14 July 1865 page 3 recounts the Election Riots in Chippenham that happened at that time. "...As the evening advanced things began to wear a more threatening aspect. Crowds men and boys, composed chiefly the lower orders, gathered in various parts the town and proclaimed their sympathy with the defeated candidate. At about nine o’clock a large crowd attacked the Great Western Hotel, and smashed nearly all the windows. From thence they visited several streets the neighbourhood, and hurled large stones at the windows of all that were known to be Conservative houses. One the ringleaders was apprehended and conveyed to the police station, where the mob followed him, and after smashing several windows with stones, demanded his release, and with a view to conciliate the irritated mob, the man’s name was taken and he was set at liberty. Almost simultaneously with this outbreak, occurred two others. The first took place in the Market place, in which several hundreds took part. They attacked the Angel Hotel, kept by Mr. Lawes, but that gentleman, assisted by some of his waiters, adopted rather injudicious method of keeping them at bay. From an upper room window they threw a large number of ginger beer bottles, &c., at them, but this only exasperated them the more, and when Mr. Lawes had discharged his whole stock of bottles at them, they renewed the attack, and did not cease until every pane of glass (numbering 250) in front of the building was destroyed. The window panes were broken and some slight damage was done to the furniture in the rooms..." (My emphasis), one wonders which manufacturer's ginger beer bottles they were. The most likely company is Richard Fry at that early date unless he bought his minerals out of town.

John Lawes married Martha Carter, daughter of William Carter, innkeeper of the Ailesbury Arms, Marlborough, on 12 April 1853 at St. Peter's Church, Marlborough.

On Thursday 5 May 1870 the license for the Angel was transferred from John Lawes to Richard Careless. John Lawes moved to the George Hotel nearby from c.1875-1877. On the 7 Feb. 1878 the George was transferred to David Griffiths.

On 4 Nov. 1886 the license of The Railway Refreshment Rooms, Chippenham, was transferred from John Lawes to Miss Pike.

Half Gallon Stone Jar
Impressed: R. CARELESS / ANGEL HOTEL / CHIPPENHAM No Potters Mark