Bristol is a city known for its love and abundance of independent stores and high streets, supposedly boasting the longest independent high street in Europe, Gloucester Road.
More recent shopping quarters, such as Wapping Wharf have also been cemented as city-favourite shopping destinations as an emphasis is placed on local, high street shopping following the Covid pandemic.
But Bristol has changed immeasurably as a city over the years, with Park Street the latest street set to undergo an overhaul.
BristolWorld has put together a collection of postcard images from Know Your Area which allows us to peer into the past at 10 of the city’s high streets. Some areas may be unrecognisable while others will have shops still trading today, perhaps under a different name.
Here are the 10 high streets we have chosen (credit: BCC/Vaughan Postcards):
5. Two Mile Hill, year unknown
Two pubs can be seen here on Two Mile Hill Road, year unknown. The Prince Albert pub, based in number 130, is found on the right with the Rose and Crown opposite in number 111. | BCC/Vaughan postcards
6. Staple Hill, c1900s.
Staple Hill High Street in the early 1900s. F. Moss chemists can be seen on the right, the building is now used as a DIY store. | BCC/Vaughan postcards
7. Clifton Village, 1920
Many Clifton businesses can be seen in this image including Ernest Crichton’s music warehouse at number 38, James F Hammond & Co’s Royal Library and bookseller at no. 36, Robert Frost Luckly’s bakery at no.32 and more. | BCC/Vaughan postcards
8. Totterdown, c1910
Taken from Wells Road, here we can see the YMCA building which was built 10 years prior, in 1900. The building still remains today and is used as a cafe and gym. | BCC/Vaughan postcards