This film is part of Free

Bristol, British City

How a thousand years of history have helped the West Country capital to emerge from the blitz as a modern city of art and industry.

Documentary 1951 18 mins

Overview

How a thousand years of history have helped the West Country capital to emerge from the blitz as a modern city of art and industry. Explore mid-century Bristol in this City Council-funded documentary journeying from Clifton to King Street; around Hotwells, the Floating Harbour, and out to the Avonmouth docks, taking stock of the city's 'great men' and monuments.

This film was commissioned to promote Bristol as a destination for industry, culture and development at the Festival of Britain in 1951. Unusually for the time, it was directed by a woman - Mary Francis. Francis had a short career as a director for World Wide Pictures, but this was her last film.