May Highlights
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this month
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this May
The West’s Greatest Rock Shows
Were you there when a flour bomb exploded on Ringo Starr's drums as The Beatles rocked the Colston Hall? Neither was local rock reviewer and critic Robin Askew!
But his exciting new book The West’s Greatest Rock Shows 1963-1978 is a must-read for the West Country music lover, who has ever enjoyed a gig at The Granary, The Colston Hall, The Corn Exchange, The Pavilion Bath or the Pilton Pop Festival – before it became the global phenomena that is Glastonbury!
This anecdote-rich book whisks you through 15 eventful years of rock with some of the biggest names in music appearing in our region.
Launch event: Waterstones, The Galleries on Thursday May 2, 7pm
Tickets are still available now for the official launch event of The West’s Greatest Rock Shows 1963-1978. Hear from author, Robin Askew, in a Q&A session at Waterstones, The Galleries on Thursday May 2 at 7pm.
Bristol Ideas 1992 –2024
We were delighted to produce a special commemorative book entitled Our Project Was The City to celebrate the history, some of the projects that took place and the impact of the Bristol Ideas, which has played an important part in the cultural life of Bristol since 1992.
Bristol Ideas played a leading role in the renewal of Harbourside and creation of We The Curious, major festivals with Encounters, Festival of Ideas, Festival of Economics and Festival of the Future City and projects such as the annual Great Reading Adventure and Brunel2000.
Bristol Books are proud to have worked with Bristol Ideas as a publishing partner. Copies of Bristol 650 – Essays on the Future of Bristol, which mark the 650th anniversary of Bristol, are still available. The essays from over 30 contributors look at the challenges facing Bristol in the future.
Our Project Was The City is available to read online:
Adge Cutler: The Bard Of Somerset
Fri 17th May, 6:00 pm | Tickets £6 | The Princess Theatre, The Pizey Room
As part of the Burnham Book festival Richard Jones, publisher of Adge King Of The Wurzels (Bristol Books) pays tribute to The Bard Of Somerset.
Strawberry Line Cafe - Fundraiser
Sun 26th May, 10:00 am – 4pm | Yatton Station Café Car Park
Bristol Books will be at the Vintage Transport Rally helping to raise funds towards another great social enterprise, the Strawberry Line Café, which offers employment and training to people with learning disabilities. Come and buy a local book at our stand and we'll make a donation for every book sold. There will also be FREE bus rides available on the day.
April Highlights
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this month
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this April
Remembering Bristol’s greatest gigs
It is time to step back in time and remember the golden age of rock with an exciting new book The West’s Greatest Rock Shows 1963-1978.
You can now pre-order this brand-new book written by local reviewer and critic Robin Askew, so that you can be among the first to read it. We expect to be posting out pre-orders on Monday April 15.
If you ever went to a gig at The Granary or the Colston Hall this is a book for you as it tells lost, forgotten and previously untold eye-opening tales from the gigs you will wish you’d seen.
The West Country might not have a place in rock history to match that of London or Liverpool, but some incredible shows took place here, including the UK’s first outdoor pop riots and key performances by many of the greats.
Launch event: Waterstones, The Galleries on Thursday May 2, 7pm
Tickets are available now for the official launch event of The West’s Greatest Rock Shows 1963-1978. Hear from author, Robin Askew, in a Q&A session at Waterstones, The Galleries on Thursday May 2 at 7pm.
An Easter selection box of Bristol Miscellany
If you bought Manson’s Bristol Miscellany but haven’t yet got volume two then Easter is the perfect time to dip into this box of treats – and it is less fattening than chocolate!
Volume Two of Manson’s Bristol Miscellany includes:
Getting around: roads, ferries, trams, trains, planes and bridges.
Webs of communication: newspapers and telecommunications.
Earth, wind and flood: weather extremes, floods and earthquakes.
Realists and romantics: a new poetic movement, literary and cultural connections.
A roof over your head: almshouses, workhouses, orphanages and social housing.
Buildings of Bristol: bricks and stones, grand houses, town squares, windmills and post war reconstruction.
And so much more…
Another round of Thatchers
Due to demand we are re-printing the fabulous hardback book on the history of Thatcher’s Cider so pop into the Thatcher’s Cider Shop at Myrtle Farm, Sandford to pick up a copy – or order through our website here.
Written by James Russell and superbly illustrated with photographs by Neil Phillips, Thatchers: Then & Now is the official history of Thatcher’s Cider.
There have been Thatchers in northern Somerset since at least 1806 and we know that by 1878 Benjamin Thatcher of Upper Langford was advertising his Prime new cider at 30 shillings per hogshead.
James Russell traces the history of Thatchers cidermaking from those beginnings to the present day. The modern generation of Thatchers have established themselves as leading family cidermakers with a reputation for producing a wide range of ciders of the highest quality and for breaking new ground in the development of orchards while caring for the land that produces the finest cider apples in the world.
March Highlights
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this month
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this March
Get Ready to Rock!
We are working on an exciting new project that will be a must read for the Bristol-based music lover and gig goer with the publication of The West’s Greatest Rock Shows 1963-1978.
Written by local reviewer and critic Robin Askew the book will be launched at a special event in Waterstones Galleries, Bristol, 7pm on Thursday 2nd May.
This anecdote-rich book whisks you through 15 eventful years of rock when the biggest names in the world performed at The Colston Hall, The Granary, the Corn Exchange, The Pavilion, Bath and the Pilton Pop Festival. Bristol Times editor Eugene Byrne, who has had a sneak preview of the publication says it is “A fabulous compilation album of teenage hysteria and rock n’ roll excess.”
We will be letting you know how you can get early copies soon.
Bristol’s bookshops recognised
Three of the independent bookshops that stock titles from Bristol Books are regional finalists for the British Book Awards 2024 Independent Bookshop of the Year.
Bookhaus in Wapping Wharf; Gloucester Road Books on Gloucester Road, Bristol and Max Minerva’s in Henleaze and Portishead are in with a chance of getting the coveted “Nibbie” - the book industry equivalent of an Oscar!
They will hear in March who from the region will go through to the final, which will be a glittering occasion in May.
Independent bookshops are thriving with activities alongside book sales. We congratulate the bookshops on their achievement and encourage everyone to pop in, browse and meet fellow book lovers.
Tyntesfield shop stocks Bristol Books
We are delighted that the fabulous National Trust shop at Tyntesfield, near Bristol is now stocking a selection of Bristol Books.
The extravagant gothic revival house built for local merchant William Gibbs and its extensive grounds is a popular leisure destination for local people and visitors to the region. Its shop has a huge range of souvenirs and gifts and has now added some of our books to its shelves.
Retail Manager Alice Offer said: “It’s so great to have local books in the shop.”
In fact, the books couldn’t be more local as Bristol Books offices in Wraxall border the Tyntesfield Estate!
Matthew Sails into St Mary Redcliffe
A whalebone brought back by John Cabot from his voyage on The Matthew to North America in 1497 can be seen in St Mary Redcliffe Church, along with a stained-glass window depicting Cabot and his sons. There is also a detailed model of the ship.
So, there is no more fitting venue for a talk about The Matthew of Bristol by author and Bristol Books director Clive Burlton.
Clive will be telling the story of the original ship and the creation of the modern Matthew, a faithful representation of the original vessel, which can be seen in Bristol’s Harbour every day, at an event in the church on Thursday April 11. You can book tickets here and our book The Mathew of Bristol will be on sale.
February Highlights
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this month
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this February
Geological Sites of the Bristol Region
The fascinating book Geological Sites of the Bristol Region is now back in stock after a reprint after selling out. It is an introduction to the variety of geology in the local region. Showcasing the information held on geological sites at the Bristol Regional Environmental Records Centre (BREC), the central repository for environmental data for the region. It collects, manages and distributes information on both the wildlife and geology of the Bristol Region.
Walking and Talking
Bristol Books director and author Clive Burlton showcased stories from our sports titles at a meeting of Walkers and Talkers held at Bristol County Ground, home of Gloucestershire CCC - as well as books he has written and produced.
The story of former Bristol City Chairman Harry Dolman; village cricket at Congresbury and footballer Steve Stacey were highlighted in a fantastic morning of discussion.
The meeting also raised £150 for the Bristol Dementia Action Alliance, who benefit from any profits from the sales of A Bucketful of Patience by Tony Hall, which tells his personal story of dealing with a family dementia diagnosis.
Essays on the future of Bristol
The future of Bristol is discussed by more than 30 people involved in shaping the city to date or who have a view on how it should shape-up from now in the hardback Bristol 650. It was produced to mark tyhe 650th anniversary of Bristol becoming an independent county and is a must for people with a passion for the city.
The essays look back on six centuries of history and how that shapes the way we look forward to the future of social care, culture, housing and building a city of aspiration.
Marie Antoinette and the Bristol Maid
Marie Antoinette was one of the great figures of 18th Century history. The similarity of looks between her and a woman who slept in a haystack near Bristol for four years prompted a European conspiracy theory.
The truer story is dramatised in Maid of The Haystack and author Martin J. Powell has a video illustrating the similarity between the two women. Watch the video here.
Inspired walks around Bristol
We have two books that can inspire a walk or cycle around the city and learn something new on the way.
The best-seller, From Brycgstow to Bristol in 45 Bridges, includes a walk or cycle challenge to cross each of Bristol’s bridges. It tells the story of each bridge, why it is there, how it was designed and stories that have swirled around it.
Walking Words is a collection of poems exploring Bristol’s history and dynamic present including work from some of the City’s foremost poets from the Stanza Poetry Group and the Lansdown Poets. This collection digs into the dark past of a Slaving City and the unique layers that make up its ever changing geography and its multicultural citizenship. The book includes access to a walk to visit where each poem was written.
January Highlights
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this month
News, events and new titles from Bristol Books this January
History talks with Clive Burlton
Bristol Books director Clive Burlton marks his 10th year of giving talks to local community groups with a busy January.
In the next week he is appearing at Longwell Green Probus meeting to talk about the Life and Times of Harry Dolman – Clive is co-author of Harry’s biography. He’s at the Corner Club in Clifton Cathedral talking about Bristol Citizens at War and at Bristol Soroptimists on his book on Bristol’s Lost City and his book on The Matthew of Bristol to Probus Club of Mendip.
Open to the general public are Clive’s talk on The Whitchurch Airport Story on January 9 at Totterdown and Knowle Local History Society and January 12 at Sodbury and District History Society on January 12.
Also open is a talk on Bristol’s Lost City to the U3A at Chipping Sodbury on the morning of January 10; Trenches To Trams at Hutton Friendship Group on the afternoon of January 15 and A Picture of Health – the NHS at 70 to Kingston Seymour History Society on the evening of January 10.
Anyone interested in attending a talk can email Clive on Clive@bristolbooks.org.
Browse a local bookshop
Bristol is blessed with some great independent bookshops and also gift shops that sell our books alongside many other titles.
January is a quiet time in the book trade so why not pop in and browse for a good book! We recommend Heron Books, Clifton; Bookhaus, Rope Walk, Bristol; Max Minerva in Henleaze and Portishead; Born In Bristol, St George, Gloucester Road Books, Bishopston, We Make Bristol, Canford Lane and John Wesley's New Room, Broadmead.
There are also excellent factual book sections at M Shed, Bristol Museum and SS Great Britain for the local history lover. Happy browsing!
Fred’s Story
How did a man from Bristol end up singing on Top of The Pops in a satin suit surrounded by scantily clad dancers? The incredible story of Fred Wedlock – Funnyman of Folk by John Hudson is still one of our most endearing tales. It also highlights some amazing stories of the folk boom of the 1960s and the Troubadour Club in Bristol. You can see Fred performing his biggest hit here:
Bristol’s Pauper Children
A BBC Antiques Roadshow Special at Christmas highlighted the discovery of a box of photographs showing British children sent to Canada as part of the British Home Children Scheme. You can learn more about the programme here.
Many Bristol children were sent to Canada and their story is in our book, Bristol’s Pauper Children, written by Shirley Hodgson. Orphaned, destitute and abandoned children were a common sight in Bristol in Victorian times. The lucky ones were fed, clothed, educated and taught skills by church and charitable organisations, workhouses, reformatories and industrial schools.
Shirley Hodgson describes the workings and motives of the organisations formed to care for the poor and vagrant children in the city and opens a window into their ancestors’ past for the estimated 60,000 Canadians descended from Bristol’s Pauper Children.