You are here:
Downend
Downend maps
Historic maps of Downend and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Downend maps
Downend photos
We have no photos of Downend, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Frenchay| Frampton Cotterell| Filton| Bristol| Bitton| Westbury-On-Trym| Yate| Almondsbury| Clifton| Chipping Sodbury| Henbury| Keynsham| Dodington| Olveston| Charlcombe
Downend area books
Displaying 1 of 6 books about Downend and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Downend
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Downend.
Add your memory of Downend
or of a photo of Downend.
Remembering Downend
Yes, I too remember the pig sty slaughter house that was there on the corner. It seems a long time ago. I too went to Downend County and I lived in Burley Grove 1953 to 1968. I was with the church lads' brigade in Downend. We would march through Downend to Christ Church. Downend cricket club was one of the best looking cricket grounds in the country. I live in Davenport in Florida now. I miss home but life here is good.
Pig Sty Peache Road
I'm not sure of the year, but a pig sty used to stand where there are now flats on the left hand side of Peache Road on the corner going towards Downend. I used to hear the pigs squealing when I was quite young and did not like walking past. Does anyone else remember this?
I used to live in Burley Grove from the age of about five and moved away at fifteen to Cornwall. Happy days at both Downend Primary and Stockwell Hill, I also remember disco's at Badminton Road Youth Club.
Avon memories
Frenchay Hospital, Bristol - Built by The American Army
Frenchay Hospital in Bristol was built by the American Army during the Second World War. Frenchay Hospital is a large hospital situated in Frenchay, South Gloucestershire, on the (NE) outskirts of Bristol, England. The hospital, situated in the grounds of a Georgian mansion, Frenchay Park, started life as a TB hospital (Frenchay Park Sanatorium) in 1921, when Bristol Corporation acquired the land. In 1931, five purpose-built buildings were constructed to extend the hospital beyond the original house. Concerns about the possibility of heavy bombing casualties led to the hospital being greatly expanded between 1938 and early 1942. Although Bristol was severely bombed, the new facilities remained unused. When US forces arrived in 1942, the city handed the new hospital facilities over to the Americans, as a sort of reverse Lend-Lease. Further expansion to the facilities occurred in late 1942. Initially, the Americans used the hospital mainly as training facility for their medical staff. After D-Day, however, the hospital was used in earnest, the processing of casualties becoming a very slick... Read more
Characters of Kingswood
As a young child growing up up in Kingswood in the 1960's I would like to see if anyone remembers Dennis the paper seller on the corner of Downend Road? He used to sell the evening post and the Green'un. We lived in Downend Road and my dad used to ask me to walk up the road and get a paper off of Dennis , which I used to do and usually take the dog with me for a walk, he used to shout out a sales cry but we never understood a word of what he was saying!! On a sadder note I remember the poor sad lady who carried a faded photo around with her of a long lost son and went up to people shopping in Kingswood asking if they had seen him, bless her, let's hope they have now been reunited up there. Does anyone remember John and sheila's chip shop in Soundwell Road? Oh! Those scumps and fried pasties! By the way my maiden name was... Read more
The Cordy Family
Does anyone have any memories of the Cordy family who it seems came from Pucklechurch ?
Annual Visit
My parents, Fred & Marjorie La Touche, always took us to visit our great aunt & uncle Curtis,who lived at Cottage of Content in Harris Barton.At one time this was a pub, (perhaps someone has a photo of it ) but then it was a smallholding. Coming from the town of Swindon, it was marvellous to be able to go & pick plums from the orchard & tomatoes from the greenhouses. We used to arrive by train at Coalpit heath & walk from there under the viaduct & across the fields, which were always full of cows. Now there is a housing estate on the field. There were always gypsies camping at the back of the smallholding, down by the brook. They were always very friendly families & never caused any trouble. It was lovely to see them cooking round their fire.
My great uncle's home only had paraffin lamps, which gave a lovely atmosphere, slightly better than the old hole in the ground toilet in the back garden. It... Read more
Early Days in Filton
Although originally from Manchester my parents were living in Filton when I was born in Cheltenham in December 1941. My father, like the majority of men in that area worked at what was then the BAC. He worked at the Rodney Works as a sheet-metal worker and fitter. We lived in Mackie Road and I attended Shields Road School betwen 1946 and 1953 when I went on to Thornbury Grammar School before going to Teacher Training College in 1960.
I vaguely remember the last months of the war but have very clear memories of the parties held on both VE and VJ Day. The first was held at the top of our road in nearby Shellard Road, which at that time was adjacent fields and farm land whilst the latter was held in Station Road which is now a busy dual carriage way. Most of the children at the VJ party were in fancy dress with myself dressed as a gypsy. My skirt was made out of an old... Read more
