The area of The Dings had compact streets of back-to-back terraced houses, but was considered slums by the 1930s and the area was largely cleared and the residents moved to new estates of council housing in the Bedminster and Knowle West areas of the city.

1796 - William Pool, a deserter from the 122nd Regiment of Foot was found dead at Lawford’s Gate prison where he had been lodged awaiting court martial. Verdict: Visitation of God. (Thus saving the work of a firing squad)

Memories of St Philips Marsh

This Island area of the city of Bristol was once a compact self-contained community with a population of more than 6000 men, women and children. The houses had outside toilets and no bathrooms, but despite obvious drawbacks the community spirit engendered there could not be matched. - The Marsh is unique. It was and still is a completly defined area, unmatched elsewhere in the City and probably in the country.

1782 - 'Tuesday, a sailor who had intended to spend his Christmas with some women of easy virtue outside Lawford’s Gate, but a dispute arising in the evening, the enraged ladies, to get rid of their guest agreed to throw him out of the window, which they immediately put into practice. He was taken up by some humane persons, having received considerable injury in the fall.'

1780 - Catherine Jenkins of St Philip and St Jacob was tried for the murder of her niece, Ann Jenkins, a child not yet three. She was found guilty at the Gloucestershire Assizes and sentenced to death. By the time the newspaper report appeared, she had already been executed.

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Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line
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