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Bristol Radical History Festival 2018

Sunday 6th May, 2018

Building on the success of the 2017 Bristol Radical History Festival, M Shed and Bristol Radical History Group are excited to be hosting another event on Sunday May 6th 2018 with more talks, walks, performance and stalls. 2018 marks the anniversaries of two of the most significant historical moments in the 20th Century. The First World War ended in 1918. This centenary sees the Remembering the Real World War One group presenting recent research into the hidden histories of rebellious […]

Hidden Voices: Black and Asian Women and the Suffrage Movements in Britain and America

Part of Bristol Women’s Voice, International Women’s Day Celebrations in Room 1P04, City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR. Note: A crèche with two hour slots is available at the venue. Black and Asian women's involvement in the British Suffrage Movement is largely unknown. Similarly, in America, the story of black women's struggles for the vote was omitted from the triumphalist histories written at the time of enfranchisement in 1920. The talk explores my efforts to uncover these stories so […]

The ‘Goddess’ and the ‘Leader’ in Prehistory?

Part of Bristol Women’s Voice, International Women’s Day Celebrations in Room 1P04, at City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR. Note: A creche with two hour slots is available at the venue. Some writers have claimed that human religion began everywhere with worship of a 'Great Mother Goddess' responsible for fertility of earth and humans. Archaeologists have also looked to find a 'leader' or 'chieftain' in prehistoric communities. But are assumptions about hierarchy in early religion and […]

Lady Blackshirts: Suffragettes who became fascists

Part of Bristol Women's Voice, International Women's Day Celebrations in Room 1P04, City Hall, College Green, Bristol BS1 5TR. Note: A crèche with two hour slots is available at the venue. During the 1930’s a small group of ultra-nationalistic women, joined Oswald Mosley’s British Union of Fascists (BUF). Surprisingly some of these women were former high ranking members of the suffragette movement. This short talk looks at the politics of the time, why women may have been attracted to the BUF […]

Video from Bristol Radical History Festival 2017

By Randell Brantley

These videos are of talks that were presented at the Bristol Radical History Festival 2017. Black lives and white mans war Silu Pascoe. Three British Anarchists in America Sheila Rowbotham. Mutiny in world war 1 Julian Putkowski. John Maclean and The War After The War Jim Slaven. Refusing to fight in World War 1 Lois Bibbings and Cyril Pearce. Bristol Women against world war one June Hannam and Bernadette Hyland.

Film Showing: Spiridonova – Armed Love

In Russia in October 1917 the Bolsheviks could rule only in coalition with LEFT SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES who's charismatic leader MARIA SPIRIDONOVA was the equal of Lenin. Till April 1918 they maintained a fragile alliance but by June an uprising was inevitable and the outcome uncertain. SPIRIDONOVA maps those few months as tension grows and the divide between Leninism and a more libertarian socialism becomes starker........and fixed in history. Spiridonova is awash with assassins, plotters, […]

Miscellaneous 2018

Monday 1st January to Monday 31st December, 2018

Miscellaneous events for 2018. For a full list of Event Series see the Event Series Archive Page.

A Conscientious Concert

The music of Frank Merrick, World War 1 Conscientious Objector

Two performances at 13.15 & 15.30 Venue: Bristol Cathedral, College Green, BS1 5TJ Pianist: Steven Kings Soprano: Heather Ashford No booking required and no admission charge but there will be a collection at each performance. Visitors to the Refusing To Kill exhibition in Bristol Cathedral will have learnt about Frank Merrick and even heard his voice. With the support and involvement of Frank’s family we are now pleased to present a performance of some of his music. Frank Merrick was 31 when […]

Film: Tony Benn’s Defining Moments

Introduced by the programme's producer David Parker

Tony Benn was a great chronicler of his times and in this final chronicle of his life he reflects on the moments that defined his political and personal life experiences. This programme uses interviews recorded over time and an exclusive wide ranging final conversation in his later years together with unique, unseen family and personal film archive to chart the defining moments in his long political life. The programme is introduced by its producer, David Parker.

Socialist History (51)

By Francis King and Matthew Worley (eds)

Journal Review: “Left Intellectuals after 1956” may not sound like the most exciting of titles but the latest edition of Socialist History (no 51) contains a lot of fascinating material, especially for older Bristol Radical History activists. Michael Shatz’s opening sentence sets the tone – “Why did so many intellectuals tolerate the sterile and stifling culture of the Communist Party (CPGB) during the decade following the Second World War?” He provides his own answer in his article on “The […]