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Speedwell
Speedwell maps
Historic maps of Speedwell and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Speedwell maps
Speedwell photos
We have no photos of Speedwell, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Bristol| Frenchay| Filton| Clifton| Westbury-On-Trym| Bitton| Keynsham| Henbury| Frampton Cotterell| Saltford| Almondsbury| Shirehampton| Dundry| Yate| Chipping Sodbury
Speedwell area books
Displaying 1 of 6 books about Speedwell and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Speedwell
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Avon memories
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 ?
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.
Christmas Steps Bristol BS1
Goddamn fish and chips! At the very bottom of the Christmas Steps lies a building thought to date back to the 13th century, which has housed a fish and chip shop for well over 100 years. One of the first ever 'chippies' to open in England, this shop won a Best in Britain award whilst under the management of the inimitable Grace and Robert. After taking over the restaurant in 1964, the couple remained there for the next 28 years. Grace has entertaining stories to tell about American tourists determined to lay their hands on some genuine 'goddamn fish and chips'. She recalls embellishing the truth on some occasions, leading Americans to believe she had a bed upstairs upon which Queen Anne herself had slept (which is not completely accurate!). The tourists' fascination with antiques and memorabilia would often prompt them to make Grace an offer on anything which could be removed from the premises. She also has fond memories of the street parties that have been held on Christmas Steps,... Read more
Privateers And Pirates
The Llandoger Trow - It is rumoured that Daniel DeFoe had met Alexander Selkirk ( shipwrekced sailor who had been rescued by a Bristol ship) in the Llandoger, on whose story he based his book 'Robinson Crusoe'. The Llandoger is also supposed to be the model for The Admiral Benbow pub in Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure book 'Treasure Island'. Blackbeard the pirate, who also came from Bristol, may even have drank at The Llandoger. However none of this can be proven. Although the pub now has 3 cellars there may have been more than this with a network of underground tunnels, the remains of one was found in 1962 when the pub was refurbed but sadly destroyed and steel piling had to be sunk 43ft down into the marsh to hold it up. During that refurbishment, 7 original fireplaces were also uncovered. There are also documents in the pub about a previous landlady who blacked out the 'busty ladies adorning the pubs ceilings' who she felt took the attention of... Read more
