In collaboration with radical historians from south of the river, Bristol Radical History Group (BRHG) are putting on a series of events over the autumn of 2022 looking at the hidden histories of their neighbourhoods.
The first set of events is the Bedminster-Southville history festival in September and early October which features events on the history of tobacco and the experiences of those who worked in the Wills and Churchmans factories as well as talks and films on mining, squatting the White City after WWII, resistance to World War One and the Bedminster workhouse.
In November and December we move further south to uncover the late-nineteenth century socialist and green influences on the garden suburbs of Filwood, the conflict that produced the Hartcliffe Estate, the secret history of swimming pools, as well as the mass and militant resistance to fascism in the 1930s and how parent power saved Gay Elms and Whitehouse primary schools in Withywood and Hartcliffe from closure.
But this is not just about us blabbing on….as we have discovered over the last 16 years, we carry stories through our families about these historical events whether the experiences of moving onto the brand new council estates, working in the tobacco factories or kicking the Blackshirts out. So if you have stories, artifacts, letters or dairies please bring them to the talks as they are the stuff history is made of in Bristol.
All the events are free as our libraries and community centre are offering their spaces for free. BRHG is not funded by political parties, universities, business or local government. We rely on our members giving their labour for free and sales of our publications to break even.
Venues
Filwood Library: Filwood Broadway, Bristol BS4 1JN
Hartcliffe Community Centre: Hareclive Rd, Bristol BS13 0JW
Bishopsworth Library: Bishopsworth Rd, Bristol BS13 7LN
Bedminster Library: 4 Bedminster Parade, Bedminster, Bristol BS3 4AQ
Tobacco Factory: Raleigh Rd, Bristol, BS3 1TF
Southville Centre: Beauley Rd, Southville, Bristol BS3 1QG
Programme
The following programme of events will be updated regularly – check back soon!