People’s History

A history of Bristol’s healthcare for the working classes

It's a myth that there was little or no access to free medical care before the establishment of the NHS in 1948 – but progress was slow, unequal and sometimes grisly.

Bristol History Podcast: Bristol and the 1918 ‘Spanish’ Flu Pandemic

Arriving at the end of the First World War, the 1918 ‘Spanish’ Flu was one of the deadliest pandemics in human history, killing between 40...

40 years ago, the far right in Bristol was faced down with music, pickets and ballots

With far-right ideas on the rise again, Colin Thomas draws on first-hand accounts and archive material to tell a story from a generation ago.

Bristol History Podcast: Everyday Life in the Early Modern West Country

how much do we know about what life was like for the ordinary men and women living under Henry VIII's rule?

Bristol History Podcast: Natural History of the West Country

This week I met with Joe McSorley of the Avon Wildlife Trust to discuss the natural history of the West Country – from the earliest...

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...

Bristol History Podcast: Bristol’s Overseas Trade

Bristol was born as a trading hub. We look at the history of the city's overseas trade, from its foundation to present day.

Bristol History Podcast // ‘Out of the Comfort Zone: From Bristol to Massive Attack.’

This week I met with author and journalist Melissa Chemam to discuss her book 'Out of the Comfort Zone: From Bristol to Massive Attack.'

Bristol History Podcast // Benjamin Dickson in Conversation

Author on his graphic novel about a family struggling to come to terms with life following the end of the Second World War.

Bristol History Podcast // Bristol Rugby Club

Bristol Bears' historian Mark Hoskins talks Bristol Rugby - the club's origins in the late-Victorian era, its community role during the World Wars and the professional age.

Opinion: ‘Black Excellence’ shouldn’t hinge on white ideas of success

Achievements should be celebrated, but we should create our own metrics of success.

Bristol History Podcast // Bristol’s Public Memory of Slavery

This week I met with Dr. Jessica Moody of Bristol University to discuss the ways in which Bristol has publicly addressed its involvement in the...