Blog - Bristol Radical History Group

United We Stand Coming To Bristol

By Randell Brantley

Townsend Productions are bringing their play United We Stand to Bristol's Bierkeller Theater on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th February 2015. The story follows Ricky Tomlinson and Des Warren from the 1971 builders' strike through to their subsequent convictions. Both humerous and moving the play examines the reasons behind the strike and considers why the Conservative government and building companies wanted revenge on the successful strikers. With a very creative use of only two actors and […]

Rosemary Green Update

By Randell Brantley

So far the data we have managed to get on the website and the data we have that will get up loaded eventually, looks like this: 1855-59 - to be released 1860-69 - released 18-01-15 1870-79 - released 19-01-15 1880-89 - to be released 1890-95 - to be released 1855-95 Overall Summary - to be released There is also a document containing notes on how to best use and interpret the data sheets. The data sheets and the notes can be found here and more details about the Eastville Workhouse project can […]

Inside Out West

By Randell Brantley

Inside Out West will have an item on the Eastville Workhouse unmarked graves project on Monday 19th January at 19:30 on BBC1. The Eastville Workhouse project was launched in 2012 after some members of Bristol Radical History Group (BRHG) were studying an old ordnance survey map of Ashley Down and Eastville (1902). They noticed that the burial ground for the Barton Regis workhouse at 100 Fishponds Rd, Eastville, marked as disused in 1902, made up part of present-day Rosemary Green just round the […]

United We Stand

By Randell Brantley

The South Gloucestershire Division of the NUT is promoting performances of United We Stand ( ), a play about the case of the Shrewsbury 24, in Bristol. In 1972 tens of thousands of building workers won the first national strike in the industry for better pay and conditions. 'Flying pickets left the contractors reeling. The Tory government and the large building companies wanted revenge, and the 'Shrewsbury 24' were put on trial in the following year. 'Townsend Productions' new play, UNITED WE […]

New Bristol Records Office Online Catalogue

By Randell Brantley

Bristol Records office have launched their new online catalogue. Bristol Record Office holds almost two million documents which record the history of the city and the surrounding area from the 12th century to the present day. These include minutes, accounts, letters, diaries, maps, photographs and films created by many types of organisations and people.

Bookfair Dates

By Randell Brantley

The Bristol Anarchist Bookfair will be on April 25th 2015 at The Trinty Centre a fortnight before the General Election. The Bookfair will include – 2 halls filled with stalls from local campaigns & groups to national anarchist distros & publishers; workshops & meetings to discuss & debate the key issues; the Radical History Zone down the road at Hydra Bookshop; activities in Trinity Garden’s outdoor permaculture green space; an outdoor Soap-Box for Ranters; a quality vegan cafe; […]

Finally Got The News

By Randell Brantley

Documentary about the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, a radical black workers' group based in the car factories of Detroit. Through interviews with members, supporters and opponents as well as footage of leafleting and picket lines, the film documents their attempts to build a radical black workers' organisation to take on both management and the union and fight to improve conditions for all workers, black and white. Libcom.org

Available to pre-order: Strikers, Hobblers, Conchies & Reds

By Randell Brantley

You can now pre-order Strikers, Hobblers, Conchies & Reds - A Radical History of Bristol, 1880-1939 from Breviary Stuff Publications for £16 inc. postage, normal price £18.50. The book is out on 10th December 2014. You can even pay with bitcoin!!! 375pp paperback • 156x234mm with 101 b/w images. Click here to buy.

Strikers, Hobblers, Conchies & Reds: A Radical History of Bristol, 1880-1939

By Randell Brantley

Coming soon from Breviary Stuff Publications: In the 1970s and 80s a revival of interest emerged in researching Bristol’s vigorous radical past, reflected in the publications of the Bristol branch of the Historical Association and Bristol Broadsides. This revival has continued, echoed in the more recent historical studies that have advanced the work of filling in Bristol’s remarkable past — especially the involvement of the Bristol women’s movement in the nineteenth century in anti-slavery […]

Steve Hunt in Frome

By Randell Brantley

Steve Hunt, author of Street Farm and Anarchism in Bristol and the West Country, will be giving a talk in Frome on Sunday 16th November. Upstairs at the Swan, 16 King St. Free entry.