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Archiver > ENG-SOMERSET > 2005-09 > 1125837774


From: "Geoff and Frances Jarvis" <>
Subject: RE: [ENG-SOM] Topography of Bristol - Bedminster area
Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 22:42:54 +1000
In-Reply-To: <00c201c5af4c$3ae52c00$0b01a8c0@com.au>


Allan

I can answer part of your question.

The 1844 map of Bristol shows no bridges before Cumberland Basin as you say.
One option is that they could have crossed the river at the Ferry, which is
very close to the mouth of Cumberland Basin. It must be approximately where
the swing bridge is now. It would therefore have taken them into Hotwells.
Quite a long way to carry any significant quantity of milk.

However an alternative is that they followed Coronation Road and crossed the
river at Harford's Bridge. This led to Bristol Bridge via Redcliff Hill and
Redcliff St. and would have brought them into the Broadmead area. The 1861
census of Bristol shows this area to be heavily populated and full of
boarding houses and multi-family tenements.

As for the topography - it is over 35 years since I lived there. I remember
it being reasonably flat through this route. The road from Wraxall was
winding but flat through Long Ashton and along the River. Just the odd rise.
Maybe someone else can assist with this.

Regards
Geoff Jarvis
FreeCEN Somerset 1861 Coordinator.

Follow our progress at
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~newbury/som.htm


-----Original Message-----
From: Allan [mailto:]
Sent: Friday, 2 September 2005 9:24 AM
To:
Subject: [ENG-SOM] Topography of Bristol - Bedminster area


I have never been to Bristol or Somerset but I have several ancestors who
came from that area. In particular, my great, great grandfather (John
NEWTON) and his son - my great grandfather Robert NEWTON - were farming at
Long Ashton and Wraxall between 1820 and 1853, by which later date they had
migrated to Australia. Both John and Robert sold produce, such as milk, in
Bristol.

Anyway, what I am trying to understand is the topography of the area around
Bedminster and the Avon River near Hotwells. I have a couple of maps from
the 1800's showing the roads at that time linking Wraxall, Long Ashton and
Bristol. It seems to me that the obvious route for John and Robert to take
in the 1830's and 1840's would have been along Ashton Road to the vicinity
of what is now called Coronation Road in Bedminster.

What I don't know is where they would have crossed the Avon in those days
(the Clifton Suspension Bridge was decades away from being built) and
whether their path would have made the old port area and Hotwells visible to
them. Might they have crossed the Avon by a bridge near The Grove or would
they have needed to continue along the Avon and cross on "Bristol Bridge"
near Baldwin Street?

What could have been their "lasting impression" of Bristol each day as they
went through the Bedminster area?


I would be glad for any information that you can provide.



Allan Jamieson

Burnie, Tasmania



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