Barb Drummond

barbdrummond@hotmail.com

0117 9539388/07792543490

My books will be on sale at the Southville Xmas Fair 11-4 at the Southville Centre.

I will be selling books at the Made In Bristol Fair 11-4

Bristol may be a great trading city, and skilled in those arts that will at last end in the destruction of this and every other great trading and luxurious nation, but the virtues of gratitude, decency and generosity I think their historian will be much difficulted to point out."

- Bishop Phillip Yongue, Bishop of Bristol 1758-61

I am a local historian in Bristol England who writes, photographs,  gives talks  and leads walks in the city.  My interests cover art and architecture, family and social history.  I have researched and written 14 books in over years. They include:

The Lost Village of Dumbleton by Jeronomy Fortescue-Ponsett. Ms Fortescue-Ponsett was a pioneering anthropologist/explorer in the 1930s, but her work has long been out of print. This is her forgotten final work, in which she followed the footsteps of Raleigh into the wilds of an England that has long since vanished - if it ever existed.

 

 

Bombs and Burgesses A History of Castle Park - From its origins as a military base, and the early settlement, to rebellion by locals, to a base for Non Conformist chapels and industries, to a major social and shopping centre, before it was bombed, and now faces an uncertain future. See review by Dr Steve Poole in Spring 2009 'The Regional Historian'.

 

Bristol Gyratory Quirky Circuit Walk - an extended walk around the inner city covering sites of history, art and architecture. A fun day out for families and groups.

Losing El Dorado - Scots in Latin America - little known details of the Scots colonising the New World

 

 

 

Victoria Park The Peoples' Park - Why this popular park was built, and how it has changed over time. Published as a fundraiser for Victoria Park Action Group

 

 

From Cat to  Cathedral - Bristol's Religious Heritage - a pictorial tour of many religious sites in Bristol, from well known landmarks to near forgotten ruins, covering a range of denominations.

 

 

 

Eyebrows on Fire - Bristol and Abolition - Bristol is known for its role in the 18th century slave trade, but this book puts the trade into context of the time and highlights a number of unusual abolitionists. It also discusses the Royal Navy role, the state of prisons, and campaigns for children's and women's rights.

 

 

The Bristol Slavery and Abolition Trail - A walk round the inner city incorporating sites linked to slavery, abolition, the Romantic Movement, Exploration, and slave trade in East Africa and North African Pirates.

 

 

 

Death and the Bridge - The Georgian Rebuilding of Bristol Bridge. The bridge was never falling down but the roadway was too narrow, so calls were made for its rebuilding. James Bridges started the design, but was harrassed into flight by locals.  This book is about early civil engineering, clockmaking, local politics, social history and the rivalry between Bristol and Bath.

 

 

Walking History - 13 Fascinating Walks in Central Bristol. These walks range round the centre of old Bristol, south into Bedminster, along the New Cut, Hotwells, and up to Clifton and The Downs. They cover history, art, architecture, and some unusual local personalities. They can be done alone, or many can be joined up. Road tested on the local Ramblers group. 

 

 

The New Eden - An Introduction to Arnos Vale Cemetery. This is the first book ever written on Arnos Vale. It provides an introduction to Victorian Cemeteries, the health and social need for them, their design and construction, then highlights some of the famous buried at Arnos Vale.

 

For further details see separate pages.

I have been involved in the Clifton, Southbank and Totterdown Arts Trails and have done research for the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.  The results of this research plus additions can be found at www.freewebs.com/abolitionsites .

I have appeared on BBC local radio and BBC Radio 6 . I've taught a day school at the Folk House on Bristol's Georgian buildings in 2005.  In October 2006 I gave a talk 'Escape from the City' at Clifton Library.  I was involved in the one day museum on the Totterdown Arts Trail, Southville Centre Fair and the Create Centre Xmas fair.  I have also participated in the The Pierian Centre, St Paul's  'Slavery Power and Freedom' weekend to celebrate the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade on 24/25 March 2007 and various other fairs and markets. I led a walk round Castle Park for Plan 9 as part of their Summer of Dissent series  in Juy 2009 

My article on Bristol born abolitionist and the world's first female doctor, Elizabeth Blackwell can be found at www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/index.htm and is being archived by the British Museum.

I appeared on my tv - HTV series 'Up on the Downs - Four Seasons on Bristol Downs' in which I explained some history of the area whilst battling against gale force winds and hypothermia.  My slot was on winter. My book 'Bristol Gyratory' was featured in September 2008 on Radio Bristol.

I am now publishing Gyratory books on other towns and cities. See www.barbdrummondbooks.webs.com

Information on buldings in Georgian Bristol see Ffi: barbdrummond@hotmail.com 

or 0117 9539388/ 07792 543490