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.
BRISTOL THEN & NOW - WINE STREET - 1920s - 2004
YOU’D be forgiven for not recognising this old Bristol Street scene, taken sometime in the 1920s. But look closer and you will spot some clues,to the left of the picture, on the Broad Street corner, can be seen the well-known premises of the ‘pioneers of the smoking world”, Salmon and Gluckstein, who at one time had 150 premises scattered throughout the UK.
In 1955 the ‘largest tobacconists in the world” — as they proclaimed themselves — became part of Bewlay’s. The distinctive curved white building is still there, nestled next to Christ Church with its chiming Quarter Jacks, but these days it houses an employment bureau. Centre of the photo is the wonderful, half-timbered Dutch House, as it was popularly called. It is difficult to explain to younger generations who have only ever seen photos of it, just what this building meant to older Bristolians.
Despite the many stories attached to it, it had no connection with Holland but stood at the corner of High Street and Wine Street from 1676 until 1940 when it was gutted in the first war-time blitz and then controversially demolished. The Corporation, it was rumoured, had wanted to get rid of it for road-widening for some 30 years. In its time it had been a merchants house, a bank and a shop as well as having residential use.
The site is currently occupied by the empty Bank of England building which, together with the insurance building next door — which stood on the site of the city’s first telephone exchange — is soon be re-developed.
BRISTOL THEN AND NOW - UNION STREET - 1926 - 2001
THEN - Looking down Union Street towards Broadmead - Fry's chocolate factory was situated in this street until the company moved to Keynsham in the 1920s - Other occupants when this photograph was taken were Kemp Brothers jewellers - Smart Brothers house furnishers.
NOW - The Galleries shopping complex is now on the right side of upper Union Street - The Fry's factory and offices were demolished in the late 1930s to make way for the Odeon Cinema.
THEN AND NOW - QUEENS ROAD - CLIFTON - 1900 - 2001
THEN - Looking towards Whiteladies Road the terrace of shops on right of picture with the arches was named Royal Promenade - Many buildings in this picture were lost in the blitz.
NOW - Maggs furnishing store was badly damaged during the war it wasn't until 1954 that work began on a £250,000 - rebuilding programme - The store closed down in January 2000 to the regret of many people.
BRISTOL THEN AND NOW - PRINCES WHARF - 1952 - 2001
THEN - The transit sheds and cranes of Princes Wharf seen here in 1952 replaced the Corporation Granary destroyed by a bombing raid in 1941 - The new sheds named M and L were designed to the latest specification and had vast floor space to hold cargo - Seven new cranes were added lifting from 2 to 10 tons.
NOW - The Transit Sheds still remained in use right through the decline of shipping in Bristol's City Docks - By the mid-1970s the port was no more but the sheds have been put to good use - Bristol Industrial Museum is now housed here in-fact the whole area is the most intact general cargo wharves in the country.
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