Nostalgic memories of Bristol's local history
Share your own memories of Bristol and read what others have said
For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our web site to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was when the photographs in our archive were taken. From brief one-liners explaining a little bit more about the image depicted, to great, in-depth accounts of a childhood when things were rather different than today (and everything inbetween!). We've had many contributors recognising themselves or loved ones in our photographs.
Why not add your memory today and become part of our Memories Community to help others in the future delve back into their past.
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Displaying Memories 31 - 40 of 82 in total
Bristol's High Street scene of many strirring events in Bristol's history the heart of the city was destroyed and lost forever in 1940.
As a city with docks and industry at its heart, Bristol was a natural target for German bombing during World War Two. The German Luftwaffe were able to trace a course up river from Avonmouth using reflected moonlight. This path brought them right into the ...see more
This 1960s photograph of Bristol's Horsefair in Broadmead shows the two swish large department stores of Lewis's (far right of photo) and and its huge neighbour Jones. (Lewis's now John Lewis no connection and Jones now Debnhams)
Bristol had watched the two giants take shape alongside each other on the Horsefair BS1 . . . the two swish department stores that would put Bristol back on the map ...see more
This 1960s photograph shows Bristol's Fairfax Street in the Broadmead area. The large building on the left shows the former Fairfax House Department Store, later pulled down to build Bristol's Galleries Shopping Mall.
The Co-op's Fairfax House was demolished and replaced by The Galleries car park. When it opened, as the Bristol Co-ops flagship department store, at 11am on Thursday March 29. ...see more
Frys former chocolate factory once stood in the Union Street/Pithay area (later moved production to Somerdale Keynsham). J.S. Fry & Sons Ltd merged their financial interests with Cadbury in 1919. The earliest records of J.S. Fry & Sons go back to 1728, when a Bristol apothecary called Walter Churchman started his business.
Walter Churchman must have been one of the authorities on chocolate ...see more
The old St James Barton area of the city was demolished in the late 1950s to make way for Bond Street and the bus station. The rebuilding of the city started almost as soon as the Second World War had ended. The blitz destroyed many historic buildings and St James Barton was changed forever. It is now a shadow of its former self.
The city continued to expand after the war and much of the ...see more
While Bristol may be better known nowadays for being home to Wallace and Gromit than to a top-class university, its college has gained a reputation as a science leader, particularly in medicine and engineering. Founded in 1909, Bristol is a relatively new university by British standards, but it's among the most competitive. Only one in ten students is accepted.
University College, Bristol, which opened ...see more
There is no getting away from the fact that this is one the most attractive of all roads! in Bristol. In Victorian and Edwardian times, Queen' Road was home to a number of institutions.
Here were the Museum and Reference Library, noted for its collection of natural history and geological exhibits, and a reference library containing over 50,000 volumes. The Art Gallery (1905) also housed a ...see more
Eastville Park is a large park with a small lake, just to the east of the M32. The lake at Eastville Park was instigated as part of a social scheme by Ernest Bevin (a well respected westcountryman) who later became Minister of Labour under Churchill in the coalition government of the Second World War and later Foreign Secretary in the Atlee Government from 1945 until his death.
Eastville Park swimming pool ...see more
This is one part of ancient Bristol that has survived, virtually unchanged apart from the signs but the city beyond is very different.
At one time sailing ships moored at the bottom of these steps before the River Frome was covered over.
There were three pubs on the steps, the White Horse at No 2 run by Ada Palmer, the Rainbow and Dove, run by the Hill family at No 3 (which also ...see more
Construction of the floating harbour: In the 18th century, the docks in Liverpool grew larger and so increased competition with Bristol for the tobacco trade. Coastal trade was also important, with the area called 'Welsh Back' concentrating on trows with cargoes from the slate industry in Wales, stone, timber and coal. The limitations of Bristol's docks were causing problems to business, ...see more
