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Horfield
Horfield maps
Historic maps of Horfield and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Horfield maps
Horfield photos
We have no photos of Horfield, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Westbury-On-Trym| Filton| Bristol| Henbury| Clifton| Frenchay| Almondsbury| Shirehampton| Pill| Avonmouth| Frampton Cotterell| Severn Beach| Bitton| Keynsham| Dundry| Farleigh| Saltford
Horfield area books
Displaying 1 of 6 books about Horfield and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Horfield
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Horfield.
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Horfield Old Boys
Does any one remember me? My name is Robert Cox. I lived at 47 Sheridan Road right next to the lane that went down to the tip (now built on). I went to Upper Horfield School and I still remember my first day at the school in Miss Heap's class, the music teacher was Mrs Greenslade. I can still recall the smell of freshly picked flowers in their vases at the school in the spring. My next door neighbour on one side was Mrs Smith and on the other side of the lane was Mrs Brown. It was in Mrs Brown's garden that I used to go and pick mint for the Sunday dinner as the bottom of her garden adjoining the tip was full of the stuff. I believe her son visited some times and they had a poodle. I spent most of my time then playing with the Hanhams who lived two doors up, Les and Mike, the parents were called John and Barbara who were good friends with my... Read more
Avon memories
Elmlea in 1976
I used to teach at Elmlea from the mid 1970s to 1984 and have a photo I took from virtually the same viewpoint in 1976 - in colour! A group of about 8 of us -teachers, classroom assistants and secretary from that era (Mr Hills was the Head) still meet twice a year and remember our days working there very fondly.
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
Growing up in Filton
I was born in Plymouth of Welsh parents, there was no work in Newport Wales when my Father got out of the Navy, so, we moved to my Grandparents house in 50 Wallscourt Rd Filton, until our house 13 Canberra Grove Filton became available. My Father along with my Grandfather worked for the BAC, my Dad was a Blacksmith, I remember sometimes on summer nights walking up to meet him from work. I remember my first visit to get my hair cut at the hairdresser's above the corner shop in Filton (sweet & newsagents) I remember running up the road at night in the winter to the off licence with the pretty pink lights to buy my Dad's senior service fags. I remember endless summer days over the railway lines near are house or up the playing fields near my Nan's. I remember running past St Peters grave yard (up the hill) some nights, if I was alone I would be scared stiff. I remember walking... Read more
Grandmother
My grandmother used to live in St Nicholas Road next door to the corner shop opposite St Nicholas House. I have many happy memories of visits from Downend, and walking her dog Smokey. Gran died in 1968 after the police were called to find her unconcious at her home, we never did find out what had happened. She was known locally as Granny Mainstone and used to keep the shop keeper supplied with tea through a connecting door from her hallway I remember. My mother and father were married in St Agnes Church in 1940. My older brother and sister grew up in Martin Street and attended Sefton Park School.
Memories of Bristol Docks
The large vessel in the foreground is a pleasure steamer belonging to Campbells, the 'Empress Queen', and was the first screw steamer owned by the company. The vessel on the opposite bank was a William Sloan steamer, registered at Leith, although her name, partly obscured, was not one of their regulars and may have been on charter whilst either the 'Annan' or 'Findhorn' was in dry dock. They operated from Glasgow on a weekly run from that port to Dublin and Bristol. The company became part of Coast Lines in 1958 and their colours disappeared around 1968. Behind the cranes, which were dismantled around 1980, lie the massive tobacco bonds which were dynamited in the 1980s in what was described at the time as the biggest explosion anywhere in the country since the Second World War.
(Added by the Frith Memory Archivist from a letter supplied by Mr S J Woodley)
Bristol's Leaning Tower of Temple
Pisa has its famous leaning tower - and so does Bristol, with its drunkenly off-vertical tower of Temple Church in Temple Street. The tower isn't on the stupendous scale of its Italian counterpart, it's true. But its prominent position by busy Victoria Street and its proximity to Temple Meads station make it one of the most startling sights to be seen by newly-arrived visitors to Bristol. Poor old Temple Church was badly blitzed during the air raids of the Second World War and the building remains a gutted ruin half a century later. But it wasn't enemy bombs which caused the tower to reel over five foot out of true. That happened after it was rebuilt in 1460. The foundations caused problems which couldn't be solved, the tower began to move but, at last, it settled at today's offbeat angle. There has been a church on this site since 1145 when the mysterious order of Knights Templar erected their chapel here - nearby Temple Meads takes its name from the order.
