Board, 35 Smithford Street
| These premises have been known by different names during their history: | FROM | TO | NAME |
| 1829 | 1835 | BATH HOTEL | |
| 1835 | 1867 | DELL'S WINE AND SPIRIT VAULTS | |
| 1861 | 1871 | BEERHOUSE | |
| 1867 | 1882 | BOARD | |
| 1882 | 1886 | OLD BATHS WINE AND SPIRIT VAULTS | |
| 1886 | 1888 | OLD BATHS VAULTS | |
| 1888 | 1951 | OLD BATHS HOTEL | |
Situated at 35 Smithford Street, the Old Baths Hotel, which is known to have existed at least 75 years before this picture was taken.
Established in 1829 as the BATH HOTEL, from 1835 the premises becomes more associated with Wine and Spirit Merchants.
From 1865 to December 1882 it is called the BOARD, but on the 1st of that month Thomas Ball advertised taking over The Board - followed three weeks later by another set of advertisements to let his friends and the public know that the old established premises are to be known as THE OLD BATHS WINE AND SPIRIT VAULTS.Board means 'to board intoxicating liquor'. In some instances the need for a premises to have 'a board', that is a sign board, suggested this name, as they did in fact display a blank board. However, generally the board identified a person selling beer from their home; in other words a beer-house under the 1839 Beerhouse Act, the real origin of the 'public house'. | |||
LICENSEES:1867 Henry Bailey, Maltster, Wine & Spirit merchant (Sep to Dec) 1867 - 1868 Joseph & Henry Suffolk, Wine & Spirit merchants 1871 - 1880 Henry Suffolk 1880 - 1882 Charles Mattocks 1882 Thomas Ball | |||
 Street plan of 1851 | |||