Pill Pilots
Subject Index: Radical Bristol
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Pirates to Proletarians
The Experience of the Pilots and Watermen of Crockerne Pill in the Nineteenth Century
From the earliest days of recorded history river pilots have navigated ships through the dangerous waters of the Bristol Channel and up the river Avon, with its twisting bends, shifting sand banks and strong currents. In the early nineteenth century, Bristol was granted rights to compulsory pilotage over the whole of the Channel. The Society of Merchant Venturers managed and regulated licenced pilots on behalf of Bristol Corporation. However, pilots were self-employed and operated in competition […]
Black Friday And The Dockers’ Strikes Of 1892-3
The Bristol Strike Wave of 1889-1890
Socialists, New Unionists and New Women - Part 2: Days of Doubt
Following on from part one, this pamphlet traces the period of industrial unrest in Bristol between January and August 1890. The lockout of boot and shoe workers that began in December 1889, and continued for the first few weeks of January 1890, provided the opportunity for combining the forces of skilled organised workers with the unskilled and unorganised, in the drive to improve working conditions. It also encouraged forms of social unionism, with links to the wider community. Employers […]
The Bristol Strike Wave of 1889-1890
Socialists, New Unionists and New Women - Part 1: Days of Hope
During 1889-1890, a strike wave swept across Britain hitting many major towns and cities. Bristol was not immune. The scale and intensity of industrial unrest in the city reached a level never experienced before. The city’s labour historian Samuel Bryher depicted Bristol at this time as ‘a seething centre of revolt’. This experience set in train a qualitative change in the organisation of workers; and salutary lessons emerged for consideration for those politically active in the newly formed […]
Ben Tillett
Old Market
The Bristol Strike Wave of 1889-90
Great Western Cotton Works, Barton Hill
Radical History Walk Map
The audio files from the walk are (all mp3 files, right click to save): 1. Introduction (3.20mins, 2.4MB) 2. James Nayler, Religious Radical Part 1 (7:20mins, 5.5MB) 3. James Nayler, Religious Radical Part 2 (5:53mins, 3.4MB) 4. Dorothy Hazard, Religious Radical (4:27mins, 3.1MB) 5. Castle Park (9:45mins, 6.9MB) 6. St. Wulfstan & The Bristol Bridge Riot (11.23mins, 8.0MB) 7. The Seven Stars Pub & Thomas Clarkson (6:12mins, 4.4MB) 8. Thomas Canning's House (1:41mins, 1.2MB) 9. Hole In The […]