No 14 Bedford Street

This rustic premises on the corner of Bedford Street and Westwell Street had been standing for a hundred years or maybe even two or more, when it was finally demolished to make way for the new YMCA in 1887. With a variety of earlier commercial uses, No.14, and the building adjacent to it (the Black Horse), both ended their days as beerhouses. At that time this would have been an area of great activity as the early 1870s had witnessed the massive demolition then construction project that yielded the Municipal Buildings and Guildhall complex (note the Guildhall buildings -still standing today – in the background), a development that was soon after followed by the building of the then new Post Office overlooking Guildhall Square – plenty of thirsty workmen around then. However come 1887 it was the turn of this old corner of the town to be reconstructed and although it was a new, five-storey YMCA that was created here, anyone who remembers pre-war Plymouth will probably be more familiar with the building as the Midland Bank, which is what it became in 1920 when the YMCA moved up to Old Town Street.

Licensees

1873 - James Martin
1882 - JS Sampson