Narrow Wine Street Summary
This was a continuation of Wine Street, from the junction at the top of Union Street to Castle Mill Street. It was flat and narrowed in the middle, with an irregular pavement line. The buildings on the north side backed on to Fairfax Street, which was at a much lower level.
The eighteenth-century Newgate Prison had stood near the junction of Narrow Wine Street and Castle Mill Street. Several buildings on both sides of the street survived the war and businesses continued to trade into the 1950s, when all were demolished to allow for redevelopment of the area.
Today's Newgate (between The Galleries Shopping Centre and Castle Park) runs approximately along the carriageway of pre-war Narrow Wine Street.
Narrow Wine Street
2 J.M. Miller & Sons, Clothiers
3 Halford Cycle Co., Cycles
3A Gardner & Co., Toolmakers
3B John Wridge & Co.,Wallpaper Manufacturers
5 Sweetlands, Newsagents
6 Mitchell & Sons, Plumbers and Engineers
7 George Hotel, Public House
8-9 Collinson & Co.,Builders' Merchants
10 T.G. Eastman & Co., Wire Workers
11 C.J. Mason & Sons, Printers
12 F. Brown & Sons, Cabinetmakers
13 Mrs A. Sutton, House
14 W.A. Selway, Upholsterers
15-16 S.H. Arthur, Toy Dealers
17 H.& E. Vowles, Refreshment Rooms
18 Madame Pierre, Medical Stores
19 A. Horsley, Tailors
20 Vacant
21 Parnall & Sons, Shopfitter Sundries
22 W.B. Harris Printing Co., Printers
25 Mrs A. Young, Manufacturers' Agent
26 Jordan, Engraver
27 Hornbys Dairies
28 Adams & Co., Tobacconist
30 London Rentals, Radio Rentals
31-32 Currys Ltd, Cycles and Radios
33 E.G. Barnard & Co., Wholesale Tobacconists
34 H.E. Harris, Cycles
35 Vacant
36 Smiths, Musical Instruments
37-38 City Hotel, Public House
image left: Nos 34 (G.E. Crabbe & Co.) and 35 Narrow Wine Street. This picture is dated 1906 and whilst the occupants had changed by 1940 the buildings remained largely unaltered.
1- 2 Ground floor occupied by J.M. Millett & Sons - Clothiers whose address was Union Street. Upper Floor: Sidney Foster & Sons, Accountants - National Amalgamated Furnishing Trades Association - Bristol Mutual Plate Glass Insurance Society Ltd - S. W. Jones, Tailor - C. W. Bowie, Manufacturers Agent.
3 Halford Cycle Co. Ltd. - Cycle Retailers
These premises were used mainly for the sale of cycles, Halford's other shop at 12—13 Castle Street was for the sale of accessories. The building was destroyed in the blitz of 24 November 1940 and the business moved along the road to 15-16 by 1944.
3a Gardner & Co. - Tool Merchants
This company was established in 1805 and were Bristol's oldest tool-makers. The premises were called 'Century Tool Works'. The business also had a works depot in Wellington Road.
3b John Wridge & Co. Ltd. - Wallpaper Merchants
5 H.D. Sweetland. - Newsagents/Stationers
(Proprietor: Miss L.M. Andrews)
6 Mitchell & Sons (Bristol) Ltd. - Engineers
This company was established in 1862. Upper floor: H. Millar, Wliolesale Watch Material Dealer - H. Millar was established around 1929 at these premises and after the blitz moved to 16—20 Upper Maudlin Street. In 1956 they merged with Stone & Jonas, a watchmakers/repairers business based in Old Market Street and in 1969 the new company of Millar Stone & Jonas moved to Templar House, near Temple Meads Station. Millar Stone & Jonas were taken over by James Walker in 1973, but retained the old name as a trading name. They then moved to Broad Plain in 1996 and closed in February 1999, when the then owners, Signet Group, decided a wholesale business was not viable and they had several older local retail outlets in the group (such as H. Samuels, Leslie Davis).
7 George Hotel. - Public House
Landlord: A. Jones
8-9 Collinson & Co. - Builders Merchants
Mr W.H. Orram of this company was also the secretary of the Bristol Association of Building Trades Employers.
10 T.G. Eastman & Co. - Wire Workers
This company was established in 1839 and by the 1930s was involved in the manufacture of wire-working and weaving products (for example garden arches, machine guards, fencing, baskets, sieves). The premises were called the Castle Wire Works. The business moved to Stokes Croft after the November 1940 blitz.
11 C.J. Mason & Sons. - Printers
Masons continued trading at these premises until mid-1950s when the area was redeveloped and the building was demolished.
12 F. Brown & Sons. - Cabinetmakers
There was a shop frontage adjoining No. 11 and double doors allowing access to the yard next to No. 13. This company also had premises at 8 Broad Weir. Brown's continued to trade from these premises into the 1950s, when the building was demolished due to redevelopment of the area.
13 Mrs A. Sutton. - Private House
Occupied by Ray Lewis at the time of its demolition in 1950s.
14 William Alfred Selway. - Upholsterers
Selway occupied these premises into the 1950s until the building was demolished to allow redevelopment.
15-16 Stanley Herbert Arthur. - Toy Dealer
This business was established in 1883. By the 1930s it sold cycle and motor accessories (including Meccano, Hornby trains, Raleigh and Hopper cycles). Immediately after the blitz of November 1940 the premises and business was taken over by Halford's (the latter's premises at 3 Narrow Wine Street having been destroyed) who continued in business here until the mid-1950s, when the area was redeveloped.
17 H. & E. Vowles. - Refreshment Rooms
The business, which also provided bed and breakfast facilities, survived the war and continued to trade until the mid-1950s.
18 Madame Pierre. - Medical Stores
The 1940 equivalent of Ann Summers' shop! The premises survived the war and in 1944 was called St Nicholas Medical Stores, continuing to trade into the 1950s.
19 A. Horsley. - Tailors
This business survived the blitz and was still trading from these premises into the late 1940s.
20 Vacant - destroyed following the November 1940 blitz.
21 Parnall & Sons Ltd. - Shopfitters Sundries Depot
This company was established by Henry Parnall in 1820, trading from a cellar at these premises and making weights and measures and other shop-keeping equipment. By the 1880s it was the biggest shop-fitting company in the country with a warehouse and showroom. They moved to Lodge Causeway in Fishponds in 1923, maintaining these premises as a depot. The building was destroyed by the November 1940 blitz.
22 The W.B. Harris Printing Co. Ltd. - Printers
These premises contained the city of Bristol's 'Coat of Anns' (said to have been in the room of the governor of Newgate Prison, which stood on the site of the junction of Narrow Wine Street and Castle Mill Street), and was destroyed when the premises were blitzed in November 1940. The back of the premises had an entrance in Fairfax Street.
25 Mrs Annie Young. - Manufacturers Agent
Mrs Young continued to trade from these premises after the war and a Mr Loft took over the business until the building was demolished in the 1950s as the area was redeveloped.
26 D.R. Jordan. - Engraver
Jordan continued trading after the war and was the last business to trade in Narrow Wine Street (until about 1958). All buildings were then demolished to allow redevelopment in the area.
27 Hornby's Dairies Ltd. - Dairy Produce Retailer
This company was founded in 1920 and its main premises were at 23—31 Whatley Road, Clifton. This was one often shops in Bristol and there was a working dairy at 39 City Road. This building was demolished following the November 1940 blitz.
image above: Narrow Wine Street, with the George Hotel at No.7 on the left and St Peter's Parish Hall in the distance, (c.1910)
28 Adams & Co. - Wholesale Tobacconists
This building was demolished following the November 1940 blitz.
30 London Rentals Ltd. - Radio Renters
London Rentals continued to trade in this building until the early 1950s when Hobbies Ltd/Fretwork Specialists then occupied the site until its demolition in the 1950s.
31-32 Currys Ltd
(See entry under 13—14 Peter Street)
33 E.G. Barnard & Co. Ltd. - Wholesale Tobacconists
34 H.E. Harris. - Tyres and Cycles
35 Vacant
36 Smiths Music Shop. - Musical Instrument Dealer
37-38 City Hotel. - Public House
Landlord: H. Thimbleby
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