Lower Castle Street Summary
This street, which ran from the Castle Street/Old Market Street junction down a slope to Broad Weir, was popularly known as Castle Ditch. It was one of only two streets in the area where street numbers were odd on one side and even on the other (Castle Green being the other).
Two tramlines existed at each end of the street, but they became one in the middle, as it was so narrow, so it was necessary for a points boy to be on control with a 'stop/go' sign to direct tram drivers.
All of the buildings on the east side, with the exception of the Rising Sun public house, were destroyed in the blitz of November 1940. They were soon replaced by temporary single-storey shops (many of the tenants formerly in Castle Street), but these were substituted in 1952 by more permanent shops. These have since been demolished and replaced by an office block, multi-storey car park, hotel and cinema — these all remain today, but the cinema building now forms part of the hotel.
On the west side, Nos 31, 33 and 35 survived the blitz and were then all occupied by C.A. Stokes & Co. (at No.34 before the blitz) into the 1950s. These buildings were demolished in the 1960s and this area now forms a wall on the edge of today's Castle Park.
Lower Castle Street still exists today, but has been straightened so it runs as a continuation of Penn Street. The original curved part which joined Broad Weir pre-war remains today, sectioned 'off and used to provide parking facilities for motorcycles — the original cobblestones and markings for the tramlines still present.
2,4,6 - Vacant
8 - W.G. Onion, Oyster Bar
10-14 - L.C. Darlington & Sons, House Furnishers
16 - Hodge, Jacques & Co. Ltd, Engineers Merchant
18 - Bristol Loan Office
20 - R.H. Priscott, Billiards Room
22 - Warrior Arms, Public House
24 - L.C. Darlington & Sons, House Furnishers
26 - Miss V.A. Leaker, Dining Rooms
28 - W.A. Seymour, Lamp and Stove Factors
30 - Bristol Castle Press, Printers
32 - Mrs F. Southcott, House
34 - C.A. Stokes & Co., Wholesale Perfumiers
36 - F. Kear, Tin Plate Worker
38 - Mrs S. Hayball, Sweets and Tobacco
40 - Rising Sun, Public House
3 - Bacchus, Public House
5 - Castle & Ball, Public House
7 - H.S. Swain, Newsagent
9 - H. Churchill, Opticians
11 - F. Northam, Grocers
13-15 - Vacant
17 - Welsh Congregational Chapel
19 - L.C. Darlington & Sons, Upholstery Works
21 - Fulford Bros, Leather Factors
23-25 - J.H. Welsh, Picture Frames
27 - Lunnons, House Furnishers
29 - W.H. Stokes & Son, Bootmakers
31 - Bartlett, Stores
33 - Myers, Tyres
image above: Lower Castle Street, with Broad Weir off to the left in the distance. Darlington's furniture shop with its distinctive clock is on the right. (1937)
Lower Castle Street
1 George Oliver. - (Footwear) Ltd.
(See entry under 45-46 Castle Street)
3 Bacchus. - Public House
Landlord: R. Wright.
5 Castle & Ball. - Public House
Landlord: F.C. Garland.
7 H.S. Swain. - Newsagent.
9 H. Churchill. - Opticians
11 F. Northam & Co. - Grocers
(including the sale of alcoholic-drinks)
13 Vacant
15 Vacant
17 Welsh Congregational Church
Opened on 8 January 1823, the church backed on to the old castle wall. It was very small, the front of the building jutted out beyond adjoining buildings making the street narrow and causing a bottleneck for trams (two tramlines merged into one at this point).
On the night of the blitz on Sunday 24 November 1940, the congregation sheltered in cellars of the old castle beneath the church when a bomb made a direct hit on Darlington's opposite and the church was also destroyed. After the all clear sounded, the congregation got out through a trapdoor in the pavement. As a temporary measure, services continued from the nearby Whitefield Tabernacle in Penn Street.
19 L.C. Darlington & Sons Ltd. - House Furnishers
This was the upholstery workshop for Darlington's, who had two shops in Lower Castle Street at 10-14 and 24.
21 Fulford Bros Ltd. - Leather Factors
This building, and the business, survived the war and traded into the 1960s.
Between Nos 21 and 23 was the entrance to Castle School (separate gates for boys and girls).
23-25 J.H.Welsh. - Picture Frame Manufacturer
This business was established in 1870 and traded from premises at 67 Castle Street prior to moving to Lower Castle Street. Goods sold included pictures, artists' materials, mirrors, wedding stationery and cake decorations. Upper floor:
Employment of Children Office (Bristol Education Committee).
27 Lunnons. - House Furnishers
F.G. Lunnon (probably the son of the owner of the business) was a professional violinist who became a conductor of the English Symphony Orchestra.
29 W.H. Stokes & Son. - Bootmakers
31 Bartlett & Co. - Warehouse
33 Harry Myers. - Tyre Factor
35 Castle Wall Garage. - Automobile Engineers
(Proprietor: L.M. Walsh)
2 Vacant
4 Vacant
6 Vacant
8 Walter George - Onion Oyster Bar
10-14 L.C. Darlington & Sons Ltd. - House Furnishers
This was one of three premises occupied by this company in Lower Castle Street (the others were at Nos 19 and 24).
16 Hodge, Jacques & Co. (Bristol) Ltd. - Engineers/Merchants
18 Bristol Loan Office
(Proprietor: G.W. Olds) Premises had a live-in caretaker, Mrs K.J. Payne.
20 R.H. Priscott. - Billiard Rooms
These rooms had twenty-two tables and were connected with the billiard room in Castle Street.
22 Warriors Arms. - Public House
Landlord: J.F. Bushnell.
24 L.C. Darlington & Sons Ltd. - House Furnishers
Also had premises at 10—14 and 19 Lower Castle Street. This building had a large clock on its outside wall, which had the letters 'L C DARLINGTON' in place of the usual numbers on its face.
26 Miss V.A. Leaker. - Dining Rooms
28 W.A. Seymour. - Lamp & Stove Factors
30 The Bristol Castle Press Ltd - Printers
32 Mrs F. Southcott. - Private House
34 C.A. Stokes & Co. Ltd. - Wholesale Perfumers
These premises were also known as the Eclipsol Laboratories and backed on to premises also used by Stokes at 6 Ellbroad Street. This was one of the trades well remembered because of their smell. Gentlemen would purchase a Brylcream-type hair product at this shop. The premises were destroyed in the blitz and the business reestablished itself across the road at Nos 31-35.
36 F. Kear. - Tinplate Worker
38 Mrs Sarah Hayball. - Sweets/Tobacconist
40 Rising Sun. - Public House
Landlord: J.G. Thomson Brewery: Georges Brewery A drinking establishment had been on this site since 1606 and the building that existed at the time of the blitz was built in 1906. The building was on the corner of Ellbroad Street and there-was a long narrow bar running along the Lower Castle Street side. The premises survived the blitz (the only building on this side of Lower Castle Street to do so) and continued to trade as a pub until 1954. It was later demolished to allow development ot the area.
