Memories of Bitton

historybuff, on August 10, 2007, said:

Unlike today, Bitton used to be an important working area, with coal having been mined for hundreds of years; the brass/paper mill as described, plus the development of the village smithy into a substantial foundry business known as Bush and Wilton, plus the manufacture of furniture by the Caisley company.

It is said that history is all around us and a village walk will enable the reader to find Church Farm, the original manor house built around 1286; the Grange, part of many manors in Gloucestershire transferred as part of a bribe from the Abbot of Westminster to Thomas Seymour, brother of Jane who married Henry VIII and was the mother of Edward VI.

Then there is Meadow Farm, built with money levied to skate on the adjoining flooded common land. Whilst in the High Street is an eighteenth century property once the village Poor House, adjoining the pin factory, where the local paupers would twist fine wire around a rod and, after removing the wire coil, it was, together with many others placed in an iron ladle, put over an open fire until red hot, before being plunged into a bucket of cold water, the pin heads were individually placed into a pin block, then with the use of levers and heavy weights the head was crushed onto the pin shank.

Although today few people give mass-produced pins a second thought, previously, pins were regarded as an item of luxury available only to the wealthy where it became the custom for gentlemen to give the ladies of the household, money specifically for the purpose of purchasing pins, a custom which ultimately led to the expression used by those who are trying to gather a little extra money for themselves as "pin money". To the left is a smaller property once the village constables house with attached lockup. Moving towards Willsbridge and down a narrow lane is Fieldgrove Farm, built for Francis Harrington around 1585.

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historybuff, on December 14, 2007, said:

The Changing Face of Bristol England & its People

Bristol between the years c.1900-2006 is brought to life with striking visual impact in these photograph albums. Buildings, people, fashions, customs, families, children, shops, warehouses, factories, streets now long forgotten or barely remembered, flattened by concrete or bulldozed out of sight are now collated in a readily accessible reference source.

This will be most valuable for social, regional and urban historians, geographers and all those with an interest in the past as seen through photographic evidence.

Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line. This non commercial 'hobby' site, has been evolving and expanding on line since 2001 and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.

www.gertlushonline.co.uk