Books / history
Retracing the steps of Bristol’s industrial past
The picture of Bristol as a diverse hive of manufacturing activity has been repainted – with our city now renowned for street art, music and animation.
But the legacy of Bristolian industrial history lives on in structural form, and buildings still stand where sugar, cigarettes, boots, soap, chocolate and more were once produced and manufactured.
A new book offers readers the opportunity rediscover once murky and humming factories, workshops and warehouses scattered across the city.
is needed now More than ever
Written by Emma and Paul Fisher as what began as a lockdown project, Walks to Works explores and explains the built record of Bristol’s industrial past.
The 150-page guide demarcates five distinct walks that meander through the shadows of the city’s former trade and industry.
All beginning in the city centre at the Cascade Steps, the routes stretch from Hotwells to St Philip’s and are framed by Bristol’s river and canal topography.
Speaking about the aim of Walks to Works, Emma, who used to work for the Arts Council, said: “It is to entertain people to the variety of buildings. Most are familiar with the classical styles, the sort of stuff you see in Clifton, the banks, the ornate, classical columns .
“But when you see these buildings, from the Arnolfini to Portland Square (in St Paul’s) and the Granary on Welsh Back, they are fabulous and different – but people tend not notice them.”
Paul, a former journalist, added: “I hope it will introduce tourists to Bristol and that Bristolians too will get something out of it. They’ll learn about the weird river typography which needs some explaining and is why industry was here in the first place.”
The retired couple took Bristol24/7 on ‘Walk 4’ in the book, the centre to Portland Square, bringing the pages they wrote over the past two years vividly to life on a recent afternoon.
In the early 19th century, Bristol wine trade was spread among more than 30 shippers and merchants. Averys Wine Merchants on Culver Street is last still standing in Bristol and is run by fourth generation proprietor John Avery
Now occupied by the Kinneir Dufort design firm, this mid-19th century building on Host Street was originally built as a sugar works before becoming a costume making warehouse and tailors
King Square in Kingsdown was laid out in 1740 and is one of what used to be four formal city squares built in the north east of Bristol (the others being St James’ Square [where the Bearpit is today], and Brunswick Square and Portland Square in St Paul’s). Later on, a number of the houses on the square on Jamaica Street were taken on by manufacturers to produce shoes, underwear, sugar and more – turning masterpiece houses into workshops
The Dighton Street arcade ten arches was part of a shoe factory on King Square
Stokes Croft China and the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft is a central point of Bristol’s activist scene and sits next to what was once the Skinner Brothers’ factory. 37 to 29 Jamaica Street was built using cast-iron girders and linkages – using no architect and was considered old fashioned in its day. Once home to a carriage business, it is now the base for the artistry of Jamaica Street Studios
Walk 4 ends in Portland Square, the only Grade I listed square in Bristol – making it more notable than Queen Square. It was laid out in 1787 and finished around 50 years later. It used to house multiple shoe factories: according to some records there used to be 11 boot manufacturers operating from the square
Walks to Works is on sale for £10.99 at Arnolfini, M Shed, Bookhaus, Stanfords, SS Great Britain, Waterstones and Stokes Croft China, and via eBay books. Copies can also be ordered by emailing paulfisher95@googlemail.com.
All photos: Betty Woolerton
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