News / prsc
Stokes Croft’s rich history to be revealed in ambitious new project
Ever wondered where all the rave posters tacked to the bins in Stokes Croft go? Or tried to remember that interesting bit of graffiti you saw on the side of a shop window once?
It appears you’re not the only one.
A group of volunteers at People’s Republic of Stokes Croft have now taken it upon themselves to archive and digitise years’ worth of material on the history of Stokes Croft.
is needed now More than ever
Bristol24/7 met with two volunteers, Robbie and Elena to discuss the archive and get an insight into some of the treasures within.
A pamphlet documenting evidence of graffiti in the Bearpit – Photo: Mia Vines Booth
The archive is located in the awkward rooms that make up the PRSC building, with shelves of papers, posters, photographs, artwork and other memorabilia stacked up against the walls, surrounding Elena, who sits in the middle of one of the small room with a laptop and scanner, patiently making her way through a small stack to her left.
“I wish it was a bit more grand”, Robbie says quickly as I enter, aware that their archive isn’t quite as organised as the British library’s. “Our idea of an archive is something which is much more bound up with the pomp and circumstance of the state.”
But therein lies the beauty of this project. It’s ready and waiting to be explored by everyone and anyone.
The archive itself contains a wealth of fascinating material, relating to the history of Stokes Croft and the political struggles and campaigns that have emerged out of the area during the last decade.
Covering the highs and lows of Stokes Croft’s sometimes volatile but never boring history, there is everything from rave posters and political memorabilia to intimate handwritten notes and memorial posters for the area’s homeless community.
‘Let’s all buy The Cube’ – Photo: PRSC
A memorial flyer for Pete Anson – Photo: PRSC
Discussing the importance of the project, Robbie said: “The archives give life to the space. Although architecturally we have the space of Stokes Croft and sometimes what a lot of the archive does is colour it and give us a means to understand the way that space was actually lived.
“Even just scribblings on some of the back of the flyers is really interesting – who wrote that, who came into contact with this and where were they placed?” says Elena.
The archive that exists has been an ongoing project since its inception, and Robbie is keen to emphasise the variety within the archive: “The handwritten notes, the events, the posters, the notes for the community meeting, these are material objects that pass through our lives but leave a trace.
‘No Tesco Tea Party’ poster – Photo: PRSC
“Often we just throw these documents away once their use or value has disappeared. But people here have been compiling them.
“Because people don’t want to see these elements lost, they feel there is a relevance to these materialities and they don’t want to see them pass away.”
“It’s incredibly organic the way it’s developed,” Elena says in agreement.
“You can see all the handwritten notes and people’s memories”
‘The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting’ – Photo PRSC
The team have only just scratched the surface, and are asking for help from the public to complete the mammoth job of delving into stacks of archives.
Anyone can join in their weekly drop-in sessions to help curate and digitise the material.
You don’t need any academic credentials or archival experience, just an interest in the history of Stokes Croft and a shared desire to make this accessible to the public.
The group is also hoping to hold a public exhibition at the end of September.
The Wednesday drop-in sessions take place at the People’s Republic of Stokes Croft every Wednesday, between 12pm and 5pm.
Main photo: Mia Vines Booth
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