The Changing Face of Bristol & its People

Two photographs depicting the same view, one taken a period of time after the other, give us an instantaneous impression of ' then ' and 'now '. Some comparisons show old views that are instantly recognisable, where the natural passage of time and technology has made only slight changes. Other views illustrate major change and it can be difficult to comprehend that an area has altered so much. Unless you have lived through a change and can remember what was there before, there is often no reason to question what building was replaced or how the area functioned in the past.

CLIFTON PROMENADE THEN & NOW - NOV 1954 - NOV 2004

A couple stroll along Clifton's Promenade in the autumn sunshine of 50 years ago. A timeless Downs scene you would think. But a closer look reveals many changes to the landscape. You’ll notice that the magnificent 150-year-old elms which used to grace the walk, which stretches from the top of Bridge Valley Road towards Clifton Village, have gone - a victim of the Dutch Elm disease which ravished the country more than 30 years ago.

It was estimated that within our area up to one million trees were lost to the virus, which had its origins in imported. diseased timber. Spread by beetles, it was believed to have originated in Asia. the Dutch tag coming from the fact that it was first identified in the Netherlands.

Council workmen strove hard to save the trees on the Promenade by boring holes around their bases and injecting the roots with a special fungicide At £15 a tree (equivalent to about £250 today) it was expensive and proved an ineffective way of stopping the tiny virus-carrying beetle from laying its eggs under the bark In the end, the only thing that could be done was to fell and burn the dying trees and pray that the disease would not spread to the surrounding ones.

When workmen started felling these diseased elms on the Downs in 1972. they discovered lead shot buried deep within their trunks. Two different types of shot were found and the Downs Ranger was of the opinion that the trees must have been used by the military for target practice some New trees of different species have been planted and are healthy and growing well.

No doubt in time the walk will be graced by tine, mature specimens but the beauty of an English landscape dominated by wonderful old elms is already nothing but a picture-book memory.

BRISTOL THEN AND NOW - CITY CENTRE - 1914 - 2001

THEN - The Tramways Centre looking towards St Augustine's Parade and Colston Street - The river Frome used to extend right up through the Centre with tall ships sailing up to the quays - Road traffic had to cross the water via a drawbridge near Clare Street by the 1890s traffic had increased and the bridge was seen as a hindrance so it was decided to close a section to shipping and cover over the Centre completely - The resulting area was an ideal location for the new trams to terminate and so became known as Tramways Centre.

NOW - Now the trams have gone the area is now known to most as simply the Centre - It has received various treatments over the years the latest development being the Millennium Promenade - The sail-like structure created by local architects Ferguson Mann is designed to display promotional banners and goes some way to recreating the mass of sails that would have once thronged the area.

BRISTOL THEN AND NOW - COLSTON AVENUE - 1938 - 2001

THEN - Looking towards the colonnaded front of St Mary on the Quay on left of picture - The tower behind it with the distinctive clock is that of Northcliffe House first built as newspaper offices in 1929 - The vehicles parked on the right by the public toilets are Bristol taxis some were coloured red and some cream Bristol children marked the difference by referring to them as either Tomato Soup or Celery Soup.

NOW - The Colston Centre now dominates this view its tower dwarfs St Mary on the Quay and Northcliffe House.

BRISTOL THEN AND NOW - CITY CENTRE - 1916 - 2001

THEN - Looking towards Colston Street from the Tramways Centre - Building on right of picture is Farrows 'The People's Bank' a common sight in Bristol up until the 1920s when they were gradually amalgamated into a handful of large banking establishments - The building left of picture is the offices of Bristol Tramways & Carriage Company.

NOW - Major changes have occurred in today's scene the former Farrows Bank is now the Colston Centre built in 1973 - Bristol Tramways office closed down in the 1970s the building still remains and the famous tramway clock.

BRISTOL THEN AND NOW - THE CENTRE - 1915 - 2001

THEN - Looking towards the entrances of Clare Street and Baldwin Street the building left of picture fronting Colston Avenue was built in 1902 as the offices of the Sun, Fire & Life Insurance Company - The Baldwin Street entrance was still a relatively recent addition to the scene it used to emerge in Clare Street but was extended in 1881 to provide a more direct route from Bristol Bridge to the city centre and Clifton.

NOW - A modern building replaces the Sun offices but lacked the style of its predecessor.

BRISTOL THEN & NOW - CHRISTMAS STEPS - 1888 - 2004

IT would be nice to think that Bristol’s historic Christmas Steps, tucked away behind a newish office block just off Lewin's Mead, were named after our winter festival or even the mythical bringer of presents but. sadly; that isn’t so.

It has been suggested that the steps. and Christmas Street. may have been named after a Bristol merchant called Christmas. He was a friend of Jonathan Blackwell. the wealthy vintner and ex- sheriff who paid for its 'pitching and steppering” in the 17th century. In his will, Blackwell referred to him as 'my gossip Richard Christmas'.

A stone plaque set into the wall above the alms-gatherers niches at the top of the steps bears the legend 'Steppered Done and Finished September 1669'. In medieval times this was a steep. muddy and narrow lane called Queene Street and it led from the Frome river bridge up towards St Michaels Hill and the road to Wales. By the 14th century it was called Knifesmith Street because of the number of cutlers who inhabited the area and its even been suggested that Christmas is a corruption of Knifesmith.

That doesn't seem very likely to me. I'll plump for the Richard Christmas explanation. A hundred years ago, when the busy then picture was taken, 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 housed a shellfish dealer), and The Gaiety run by Mary Woodbury. There was also a sweet shop, a tobacconist, a second-hand book seller, a printers, a baker a grocer, a fried fish shop. two watchmakers and a hairdresser. Quite a little self-contained community.

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