The Kingswood History Society

Professor Brian Vincent from Bristol University gave a captivating talk to the Kingswood History Society on June 6, 2023. He focused on Butlers Tar Works, founded in 1843 by William Butler under Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s request. The factory produced creosote for preserving wooden sleepers on new railroads. Butlers Tar Works, located in Bristol’s polluted Crew’s Hole area, grew into an international business owned by the Butler family until 1980. They owned Bristol’s first car (AE1) and installed the city’s inaugural…

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Saturday, July 2nd 2022 We arrived at Blist Hill Victorian Museum approx. 10.30 am, the weather was dry with no rain just a bit overcast. We had time to look around a part of the museum before a buffet lunch which was in the large room above the museum’s pub . After lunch we continued to explore what Blist Hill had to offer, which was how life was lived during Queen Victoria’s reign. I would like to thank Chauffeur Hire…

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The Kingswood History Society are delighted to announce that after an extended period of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are now back up and running again with a regular programme of events. Please check out our 2021 programme from the drop-down menu above! Dennis Noble (Chairman)

The first two pictures represent the societies 40th Anniversary with the planting of the Silver Birch Tree in Warmley Forest Park, in the year 2005. It shows, the then, Chairman, Brian Haynes and current Vice Chairman, Alan Britton, filling in around the tree, which had previously been planted by the Forestry Experts, together with a small group of members in attendance. The third picture, taken in June 2020, shows the growth of the tree over the 15 years since it…

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Sixteen members travelled to Newport to enjoy a viewing of the medieval ship. We had one of the stewards tell us all about the ship and what work is being carried out to preserve the remains. When you consider that this medieval ship is longer than the SS Great Britain it must have been a giant in its time. After viewing the ship we then went to the Transporter Bridge, about a mile and a half away. The majority of…

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With a full coach, including members and a few friends, we set off from the Kingswood Park, main gate, at 8.00am to spend a day at Hartland Abbey, just a few miles from Clovelly, North Devon,  arriving at 11.10 am. We were transported by Chauffeur Hire of Chipping Sodbury, driven by none other than Ian, the Gaffer, a first class driver. We split the party into two halves, 25 in each group. We were then given a guided tour of…

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We left Kingswood Park at 9.15am to journey to Hestercombe Gardens near Taunton Somerset. It was the first day of the school holidays and the M4 was very busy, so we decided to head for the A38, this was a good decision as it turned out to be quite free running, reaching our destination around 11.35am. There was not a lot to see in the house, but the gardens even though we have had no rain were not in too…

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We left Kingswood Park at 9.00am and after a comfort stop on the motorway, we reached our destination, Bicton Park Gardens at 12.00pm. The gardens, as expected, were laid out beautifully, with a lot of thought going in to the design. We had a train ride booked for after lunch, which allowed us to see the whole layout of the gardens. Situated in the middle of the gardens is an agricultural museum. What a superb museum it is, plenty to…

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Day 1 Mon 16th April 2018 We left Kingswood at 8.0 clock and after a break on the M4 we reached our first stop which was Ightham Moat a medieval moated manor House near Sevenoaks. After a very interesting visit we then continued to our Hotel for the week The Holiday Inn, on the outskirts of Rochester. Day 2 was spent at the Royal Dockyard, Chatham. With so much to see and do, we could have easily spent another day…

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Members of Kingswood History Society boarded their coach at 8.00am for a visit to Bucklers Hard, via Winchester. Bucklers Hard is a unique 18th century village where warships for Lord Nelson’s navy were built. On site were the cottages that the workers lived in, a couple were open for viewing, giving an insight as to how people lived in the seventeen  hundreds, also, for us to look at was a museum which told the story of the warships built there….

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