Old Bristol Adverts

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

Adverts of the Social - Sporting & Industrial Life of Bristol

Much of the Social, industrial and political history of a town can be gleaned from the local newspaper adverts. They provide a fascinating insight into life at the time. Read about the historic events of the day and compare some of the prices in the adverts - you might just be amused and amazed!

The adverts provide us with a rich primary source for many diverse subjects such as cultural, economic and transport history. Recurrent themes amongst the adverts are property adverts for tenancies of farms, sale of house and tenders to build schools or farm buildings. New businesses announced their commencement in the local press, while established ones promoted new products or services.

Adverts provide a rich flavour of the goods and services open to the inhabitants of a town. Adverts were placed for meetings of creditors to bankrupt businesses and these often took place in a local inn. Newspaper adverts are also rich in information on cultural history: adverts for balls, dancing masters, the meetings of circulating libraries, theatre programmes, race meetings announcements, school courses on offer and more.

Newspapers are a vital source for all aspects of transport history when they provide details of the times of coaches to various destinations, the times and routes of ferries, and the opening, and closing, of long gone railway lines.

71 photos | 647 views

items are from between 20 Nov 2007 & 01 Nov 2009.