Long John Silver Trust - About The LJS Trust

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The Long John Silver Trust is a registered charity (in England and Wales) and was set up initially to raise funds for a sculpture of Stevenson's immortal scallywag Long John Silver, fictional Bristol pub landlord and pirate of repute, renowned for his duplicity. This was in 2004 after Treasure Island had been chosen as launch book for Britain's first Great Reading Adventure in Bristol in 2003.

To be educational and inclusive, this led on to a proposal for a Treasure Island Trail around Bristol's old dock side, initially with plaques using the artwork of the magnificent Mervyn Peake, but ultimately leading on to a full blown sculpture trail. We believe this will be a unique and fun way to experience a key part of Bristol's maritime and literary past.

Much like Stevenson's original book we aim to be educational and inclusive and with this in mind we have teamed up with local special needs charity PROPS, Bristol Books and Publishers, Bristol Radical History Group, Destination Bristol, Redcliffe Community Forum and the Robert Louis Stevenson Club.

We have a commercial arrangement with Bristol Beer Factory who make the Long John Silver beers for us and also a great relationship with Bristol based sailing ships Matthew (a replica of Cabot's ship that discovered Newfoundland in 1497) and Tangaroa (a two master that
has doubled for the Hispaniola). JungleTalk provide our parrot, Cap'n Flint, when required.

We have three Patrons:- Royston Griffey, Bristol City Councillor and former Lord Mayor of Bristol; Sebastian Peake, son of Mervyn Peake the world renowned illustrator and author; and Nicholas Newton, son of the brilliant actor Robert Newton (who in the Trust's opinion did the finest ever portrayal of Silver in Disney's film of Treasure Island in 1950).

We have several trustees who bring a variety of skills to our organisation, not least our Chairman, Gerry Brooke, who is editor of the Bristol Times supplement of the Evening Post, a very popular local newspaper.
If the plaques prove popular we then intend to go for the full blown sculpture trail. Keep up-to-date with latest ventures and happenings on our Site News Page.

Click here to subscribe to our free Newsletter, "The
Captain's Papers", and join Friends of Long John Silver Trust to get your Discount Vouchers for use in our shop.

After many successful years of cooperation with Wickwar Brewery selling Long John Silver beer, the Long John Silver Trust has now turned to Bristol Beer Factory to produce a new range of “Treasure Island Ales” to market on Bristol’s Harbourside.

The beers were launched on July 10th at the Grain Barge, along with 4 new pirate titles from Silverwood Books and coincided with the start of the tremendous production of Treasure Island from Bristol Old Vic.
Silver’s Gold 5% abv
Renowned for his strength and duplicity, Stevenson had Gloucester poet W.E.Henley’s characteristic’s in mind when he created one of fictions greatest anti-heroes, Long John Silver. Seemingly a harmless landlord of his Bristol pub, the Spy-Glass Inn, the former Sea Cook took many a person in with his good humour and amiable disposition, easily hiding the fact that he was one of the most ruthless pirates around.
Silver’s favourite drinking song was based on one of the exploits of real-life Bristol born pirate Backbeard: - “Fifteen men on a Dead Man’s Chest” runs throughout the classic yarn.
Ben Gunn’s Stout 4.5% abv
Marooned for over three years, Ben Gunn dreamt of cheese, “Toasted mostly”; Stevenson admitted Gunn, pivotal in Treasure Island, was inspired by Robinson Crusoe which has strong Bristol links - Alexander Selkirk, Defoe’s prototype for Crusoe, was rescued in 1708 by Woodes-Rogers’ Bristol privateering expedition from a desert island in the South Pacific after 4 years and 4 months of solitude.
Blind Pew’s Bitter 4.5% abv
After losing his peeper’s in the same engagement that cost Silver his left leg, it’s fair to say that Pew had plenty to be bitter about for the rest of his life. Acknowledged as one of the most frightening characters in literature, it was he who threatened young Jim and delivered the fatal ‘Black Spot’ to Billy Bones, only to be mown down by the Revenue men’s horse’s in his quest for Flint’s Treasure Map soon after.
The concept of a Treasure Map in fiction was first created in the Merchant Venturer’s Almshouse’s in King Street, Bristol and published in 1815.
Warning, drink responsibly: -
These beers could make you either legless, slightly crazy or even blind drunk…