Bristol Green Capital 2015: Sources for Research

Posted on by Lauren MacCarthy.

Bristol Archives holds archive sources related to many environmental and sustainability issues. Selected collections and papers are described here, although this is not a comprehensive list.

More material is listed in our online catalogue. To search thoroughly, try different search terms. Using a wildcard asterisk will find more results – for example, ‘sustainab*’ or ‘transport*’.

Green Capital themes 

Energy (and water)

  • Bristol Gas Company, 1815-1989 (RefNo. 28777): minutes, correspondence, legal records, and property records. Formed in 1853 by the amalgamation of two local gaslight companies – see Pamphlet/HA/67 for a history of the Bristol gas industry.
  • Bristol Waterworks Company, 1845-2000 (RefNo. 40619): minutes, plans, annual reports, share records, employee records, letter books, photographs and press cuttings. The company was founded in 1846 and became Bristol Water in 1991.
  • Bristol Corporation Electrical Committee, 1884-1947 (RefNos. 17843, 17844, 17845, 17846, 17847, 17848 and 17849): minutes, accounts and reports. The committee managed the council’s responsibilities for electricity supply until the nationalised South Western Electricity Board was founded in 1947. See RefNo. M/BCC/ELE for further minutes and Pamphlet/292 for an overview of SWEB’s early years.
  • Records of coal mining: for example, 19th century plans of collieries and coalfields (RefNos. 1893 and 39398) and notes on Bristol mining (RefNo. 43705). 

Food

Bristol City Council allotments leaflet (Ref No. 43310/PM/16)

Bristol City Council allotments leaflet (Ref No. 43310/PM/16)

  • Bristol City Council Allotments Committee, 1908-2005 (RefNos. M/BCC/ALL, M/BCC/OPEN/2/1, M/BCC/PUW, 43310): minutes, correspondence, reports, terriers and publications.
  • Horfield and District Allotments Association, 1910s-2000s (RefNo. 40620): an association formed around the time of the First World War to let land to plotholders. This large collection is currently uncatalogued; please contact Bristol Archives if you wish to consult it.
  • Long Ashton Research Station, 1955-1958 (RefNo. 43216): one volume of press cuttings about the work of the organisation. This agricultural and horticultural centre, set up in 1903, focused on research into fruits and cider making.

Also records of the following food companies:

  • JS Fry & Sons, chocolate manufacturers, 1728-2004 (RefNo. 38538)
  • Elizabeth Shaw (and predecessors), chocolate manufacturers, 1886-2006 (RefNo. 43258)
  • Bendall’s Stores, grocers, 1880-1977 (RefNo. 44267).

Nature

    • Downs Committee, 1861-present (RefNo. M/BCC/DOW): minutes, correspondence, reports, memoranda and related papers. The Downs have been managed by the Downs Committee since the Clifton and Durdham Downs (Bristol) Act was passed in 1861.
    • Bristol Naturalists’ Society, 1862-2012 (RefNo. AR/BNS): the proceedings of the society, published as Nature in Avon.
    • Avon County Beekeepers Association, 1908-2013 (RefNo. 41156): newsletters, magazines, minutes, correspondence, yearbooks and flower show programmes. Formed in 1974; records of earlier Bath and Somerset associations are included.
    • Bristol Gardens Guild, 1920s-1970s (RefNo. 35895): minutes, accounts and other papers. Founded in 1929 by local members of the National Gardens Guild.
    • Nature logs with illustrations, 1928 and 1956 (RefNo. 40825/GG/1/g, 40825/GG/8/d): compiled by local Girl Guides groups.
    • Nature journals of the Frost family, 1937-1963 (RefNo. 42300/IM/J): diaries of the seasons, observations on the natural world and sketches in ink and watercolour.
    • Records of Bristol City Council’s Parks and Gardens Department, 1940s-1990s (RefNo. 43366): correspondence, memoranda, reports, minutes and leaflets.
    • Bristol City Council Open Spaces and Amenities Committee, 1973-1986 (RefNo. M/BCC/OPEN, 35510/Com/39): minutes, reports and newsletter.
    • The Vaughan postcard collection, late 19th to early 20th century (RefNo. 43207): contains numerous images of Bristol’s parks and green spaces.

Resources

  • Bristol Civic Society and its predecessors, 1944-2010 (RefNo. 33199): minutes, reports, leaflets and publications. In operation since 1905, this voluntary organisation exists to improve Bristol’s built environment and promote the city’s heritage. Please note: additional papers received in 2014 are not yet catalogued (RefNo. 45356, 1970s-2000s).
  • Clifton and Hotwells Improvement Society, 1967-2001 (RefNo. 41469): minutes, correspondence, newsletters and scrapbooks. Formed in 1968, the society aims to improve amenities, preserve local features and maintain quality of life in the area.
  • Bristol Visual and Environmental Group, 1970-2013 (RefNo. 45307): minutes of the group, plus correspondence with other groups, planning departments, MPs and the city council. Founded by Dorothy Brown in 1971 to protect the disappearing character of Bristol at a time when over 400 listed buildings were under threat.
  • The Life Style Movement, 1974-present (RefNo. 42220): minutes, development plans, correspondence, accounts, pamphlets, newsletters, publicity and press cuttings. The group was founded in 1972 by Rev Horace Dammers, to promote social justice, sustainability and environmental protection.
  • Records collected as part of the Bristol Green Roots Project, 1977-2010 (RefNo. 44743): publicity material, newsletters, press cuttings, reports, guidance documents and research papers relating to local groups, including Friends of the Earth, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and Avon Wildlife Trust.
  • Centre for Organisations Relating to the Environment, 1986-1995 (RefNo. 40476/CORE): minutes, diaries, leaflets, newsletters and conference material. The centre was founded to improve cooperation within the building industry; a subsidiary Green Forum was an early initiative in sustainable design and energy conservation.
  • Ashley Vale Action Group, 2000s (RefNo. 44570): Digital photographs showing the Ashley Vale community project of self-build homes from planning to completion.
  • The Castle Park campaign, 2006-2008 (RefNo. 44030): press cuttings, photographs, correspondence and a sample of questionnaires. The campaign, led by Andrew Miles and Barbara Drummond, opposed development on part of Castle Park.  

Transport 

Members of Bristol South Cycling Club (Ref No. 44390/IM/PH/1/1/2)

Members of Bristol South Cycling Club (Ref No. 44390/IM/PH/1/1/2)

    • Bristol Omnibus Company records, 1870-1986 (RefNo. 39735): includes minutes, correspondence, accounts, photos and marketing material. Founded in by George White as the Bristol Tramways Company, the firm ran a horse tram service and later operated electric trams, motor trams and then buses.
    • George White papers, 1870s-1950s (RefNo. 35810): personal papers, business papers, correspondence and press cuttings. Sir George White (1854-1916) was a major figure in the development of transport in the UK.
    • Cycling clubs:
      • Bristol South Cycling Club, 1897-1995 (RefNo. 44390): minutes, membership registers, accounts, news cuttings, photographs and newsletters.
      • Bristol District Association of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, 1912-1960 (RefNo. 31415): minute books.

Other Bristol City Council committees

Further committees covering environmental and sustainability concerns include:

  • National Rivers Authority (Wessex Region) and predecessors, 1971-2005 (RefNo. 44840)
  • Inner City and Environmental Improvement Working Group, 1980-1983 (RefNo. M/BCC/ICEI)
  • Environmental Programme Area Group, 1986-1992 (RefNo. M/BCC/EVAG)
  • Knowle Environmental Committee, 1986-1992 (RefNo. M/BCC/KNO)
  • Green Initiatives Panel, 1990-1997 (RefNo. M/BCC/GREI)
  • Health and Environmental Services Committee, 1991-1999 (RefNo. M/BCC/HES)
  • Environment, Transport and Leisure Committee, 2000-2005 (RefNo. M/BCC/ETL) (See also RefNo. 35510/Com/20)
  • Sustainable Development Committee, 1998-2000 (RefNo. M/BCC/SUS)
  • Sustainable Development and Urban Regeneration Executive, 2000-2001 (RefNo. M/BCC/HES/8)
  • Sustainable Development and Social Justice Committee, 2001-2007 (RefNo. M/BCC/SDSJ)
  • Sustainable Development and Transport Scrutiny Commission, 2008-2011 (RefNo. M/BCC/SDT)

Main image: The Downs, photographed by Fred Little (RefNo. 43207/9/35/17)

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