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People’s History

Bristol History Podcast

Bristol History Podcast: The Mystery of Princess Caraboo

On Thursday 3 April 1817, in the village of Almondsbury just outside of Bristol, a strangely dressed young woman began attracting the attention of local...

Tom Brothwell

People's History

The Convict Architect and Cotham Conman

Colin Thomas

People's History

The problematic past of the Merchant Venturers

Priyanka Raval
Mark Steeds and Priyanka Raval

Bristol History Podcast

Bristol History Podcast: The Pneumatic Institute in Hotwells

At the end of the eighteenth century, ‘pneumatic’ (gas) chemistry was at the forefront of scientific knowledge. In 1799 the remarkable physician Thomas Beddoes opened...

Tom Brothwell

People's History

Bristol History Podcast: Centuries of slavery and the city, and how enslaved people helped abolish the trade

Tom Brothwell

Bristol History Podcast

Bristol History Podcast: The Bristol Bus Boycott

Tom Brothwell

Bristol History Podcast

Bristol History Podcast: Witches and Witchcraft in the West Country

This week I met with Mike Slater, West-Country Occult Historian, to discuss the history of witchcraft in the West Country. We spoke about the continuance...

Tom Brothwell

Bristol History Podcast

Bristol History Podcast: Graffiti and Street Art in Bristol

Nowadays Bristol is internationally known as a centre of graffiti and street art culture. I met with John Nation – pioneer and promoter of graffiti...

Tom Brothwell

Edition 21

The tale of Bristol’s fascist-sympathising, disability rights-promoting first woman MP

Retracing a mission to uncover the elusive and conflicted past of Bristol’s largely forgotten, fascist-sympathising, disability rights-promoting first woman MP

Madge Dresser

People's History

Time flies by when you’re smashing teeth on concrete: Dean Lane Skatepark through the ages

Archive photos from a recent film about Bedminster's beloved skatepark, as the filmmaker reflects on why it still means so much to local people today.

Daniel Higginson

People's History

The tragic story of Hannah Wiltshire and a Bedminster Workhouse resonates today

An untimely death led to a campaign for justice by the local community.

Rosemary Caldicott

Bristol History Podcast

Bristol History Podcast: Bristol University and its Historians

This week I met with Dr. John Reeks to discuss Bristol University and its historians. The university was founded in 1909 and dominates much of...

Tom Brothwell

People's History

Unlocking the cells: Bristol's history of prison reform

From rioting in 19th century to fighting for prisoner rights in the 1970s, Bristol has a long history of attempted prison reform.

Colin Thomas

People's History

From poverty to luxury: hidden history behind the Blackberry Hill housing development

Residents of the luxury Blackberry Hill housing developments now under construction on Manor Road in Fishponds will be adding a chapter to a colourful and...

Mike Jempson

People's History

Not so long ago in Bristol you could be hanged for love

As the summer Pride season starts, it is worth remembering that British society was not always tolerant of homosexuality.

Steve Mills

City

Women who built Bristol: ‘We were challenging all the time’

A look at some of the great women who helped shape this city.

Laura Williams

People's History

The Bristol Reform Riots

October 1831 saw a blaze of anger and thirst for change in the city Over three days in October 1831, Bristol saw arguably the most important riot in British history.

Steve Mills

People's History

One hundred years on, Bristol remembers those who refused to kill

Descendants of World War 1 conscientious objectors reclaim their history as a source of pride

Alec Saelens

Features

David Olusoga: Not the "angry black guy on television"

The Bristol-based celebrity historian talks about why he challenges the white-washing of British history… and the “pretty weird” relationship the city has with Edward Colston.

Koel Mukherjee

People's History

Bringing the fight against apartheid to Bristol

Remembering Ron Press, the white South African dissident who became a leading light in Bristol activism.

Colin Thomas

City

The community razed to the ground for a road that was never built

In the 1960s the council demolished most of Totterdown, in a planning disaster still remembered by Bristolians today.

Koel Mukherjee

People's History

From cockfighting arena to protected green space

A history of a small hill in St Werburgh’s

Harry McPhillimy

City

A people’s history of St Pauls

St Pauls is a famous neighbourhood. But newcomers to Bristol are most likely to have heard of it for one of two reasons.

Michele Curtis

People's History

It’s not all strikes and marches: Bristol’s struggle for fun, leisure and knowledge

Our city has a history of politically involved communities who love to walk, sing, and dance. All with a sharp sense of social justice, mind...

Colin Thomas

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