by the West Street Heritage Group for Futures Past Ebenezer Methodist Church (now Bedminster Methodist Church) British Road May Fair 28th May 1960 The May Queen was Margaret Palmer and the attendants Hilary Cross and Mary Rossiter. Rev Arthur Hickling was the Minister The May Queen and attendants were driven around the area by Mr. Les Maple in his car after the queen was crowned. Hilary Cross gave the dress she wore to the City of Bristol Museum Social History Collection. I

The Sisters of Charity attached to St. John’s Church  occupied a house on West Street from where they distributed to poor families food which was donated by the regular worshippers of St John’s on “pound days’- you had to bring a pound of food.

by the First ResidentsBS3 Heritage Group for Futures Past Less than a hundred years since its establishment, our community of streets came under its greatest threat. The outbreak of war with Hitler’s Germany in 1939 was only two years old before its impact moved across from the battlefields of Western Europe to the streets of Bristol, in what became known as the Bristol Blitz. Image copyright David Facey Collection, Bristol Archives 41969/1/52 At its height between January

by the St Luke's Heritage Group for Futures Past There were 3 skittle alleys on St Luke’s with fierce rivalry between them. The Princess Royal on the opposite side to the steps was the oldest (1890s) and the largest. For a short while, the Cumberland was both Bristol league champions and cup winners and would have had bragging rights. The Boar’s Head completed the group and current owner of Piglets, Kevin was once himself a ‘sticker-upper’ in his youth.

by the West Street Heritage Group for Futures Past East St end of West St: now demolished “Slade’s Buildings”, by legend our crime spot, situated very near to us but on the opposite side of the road. It was rumoured to contain at least two murderers and no policeman would venture there alone; they always went in pairs or threesomes. Our parents forbade us to enter it and we never did. But its children came regularly and received a good word and a handful of sweets from my mot

by the First ResidentsBS3 Heritage Group for Futures Past Just imagine a knock on your door, with lunch on the go, to be told that one of the UK’s biggest stars of Variety, Radio and TV is at the other end of your street! It happened to Florrie Tame, who lived at no.50, Little Paradise in the early Fifties. On hearing the news, she promptly marched, with family members in tow and frying pan still in hand, to find Max Bygraves, the well known showbiz personality sitting on

by the St Luke's Heritage Group for Futures Past Edwin Bennett - Bribery in Bristol’s Corrupt Election - ‘One in Ten’ ‘Beer flowed like water and votes bought in scores’ Edwin Bennett of 9 St Luke’s Road, a stone mason, and his friend, Aaron Styles, also a mason, were headed for the top of the road where it joined the New Cut. Here they were to meet another friend, Albert Hawkens. All three were going to the polling station to cast a vote in a parliamentary bye-election. This

At the beginning of the 1800’s Bedminster was a small rural town served by the parish church of St. John the Baptist; however, the population soon began to expand. 

This edition of the St Luke’s Gazette is packed with discoveries, local legends, and vivid glimpses into the lives of the people who built St Luke’s as we know it today. Our Futures Past Heritage Project has unearthed remarkable stories from St Luke’s Road and Crescent — tales of bustling pubs, bustling families, steep steps and steeper struggles, and the colourful characters who once called our streets home.

As we’ve discovered, for many centuries, Bedminster’s principal route and retail street had been East Street with its mix of houses, shops, pubs and industrial premises.

The coal pits and brickworks closed, but the tobacco industry and docks were close by.  Nearer to home Robinsons (paper bag production), Colodense (cellophane manufacturers), and Mail Marketing on West Street provided employment for some years, but when their doors also closed many shops went out of business and the public houses struggled to survive.

Rapid industrialization in the second half of the 19th Century had persuaded people to b the first residents of this area. By the early twenties, those from our streets were engaged in ‘traditional’ work associated with the city, as well as a variety of new and emerging industries. Bristol’s nautical and maritime links were a continuing source of work.

by the St Luke's Heritage Group for Futures Past Sweated trades - St Luke’s Road - Women’s Clothiers 1871-1881 Milliners, bootmakers, tailoresses, dress-makers, seamstresses, staymakers, knicker-makers, gloves, coats, shirts, chemises, petticoats. Clothing manufacturing in and around Totterdown was one of the 4 cornerstone trades. St Luke’s Road in particular, abounded with lowpaid ‘sweated’ seamstresses working long hours for a pittance to help make ends meet. The overwhelmi

by the West Street Heritage Group for Futures Past Outside the Malago Pit after the explosion, drawing by Anton Bantock A  previous shaft accident had killed 5 miners on 9 August 1851, and a pit explosion on 31 August 1891 killed 10.  An inquest on the latter tragedy found that the habit of the miners using naked candles instead of gas lamps was the cause.  It didn’t mention that this practice was because the lamps had to be held, whereas candles could be fixed into the miner

One of the most popular entertainment locations for our residents in the 1920s was Bedminster Town Hall on Cannon St.

However, Bristol had the extraordinary Annie Kenney, albeit for 4 years. She was the beating heart of the movement. Sent here to establish the Bristol branch of the WSPU in 1907, as 3 of the 4 local MPs were Liberal and were to be pressurized.

The new residents of Bedminster were pioneers, attracted to the area by the prospect of employment.

By the end of the century, there were eighteen pits operating in the Bedminster and Ashton Vale coalfield. 

1894 domestic sewing rates and hours worked – 1s would be worth £8.00 in today’s money. 15 hours per day for 5 ½ days per week may only bring in as little as £80.00 by current rates.

The largest building to greet the newcomers to this expanding part of Bedminster was St John’s Church. In 1829, as residents arrived in Little Paradise, the Church was clearly visible across a small undeveloped field. Unfortunately, the building was experiencing a rather less than positive period in a lengthy and significant history.