BIAS was founded in 1967 to coordinate research into the industrial, manufacturing and commercial heritage of the Bath and Bristol area, and its conservation and preservation.

Publications

• Yearly Research Journal – our archive where you will find older issues available online. Please note that these are for personal use only. If you wish to include extracts in a publication, please ask first. Thank you.
• BIAS Histories
• Bulletin  produced every three months. See an article from the latest edition … for more info, join BIAS!
• Local Gazetteer. Free to members (cost £3 to post); non-members £10 + £3 post and packing. More detail.

Events and Conferences, News

BIAS Events contains full details of our fascinating Spring 2024 programme. Our indoor meetings in 2024 are at the Keynsham Masonic Hall, which provides level disabled access and has free car parking. And they are now on Saturday mornings (which we hope will enable more members to attend). More details on the Events page.

• Croft Engineering 2018 - Did you go on a BIAS visit to Croft Engineering in 2018? Did you take a video of wheels being machined? If so, the operator would like to see the… Read More »Croft Engineering 2018
• Crews Hole Bath House on Troopers Hill - HELP NEEDED!! The Bath House in Crews Hole was built in the mid 1700s by William King and associated with his Glassworks, as such it is one of the few… Read More »Crews Hole Bath House on Troopers Hill
• MV Balmoral – A Unique Opportunity - A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE —AND IT’S FREE Do you remember the magnificent and much-loved Bristol pleasure steamer MV Balmoral cruising down the Bristol Channel? Perhaps you were one of the thousands… Read More »MV Balmoral – A Unique Opportunity
• Butler’s Tar Works at Crews Hole - Photos from the 1890s that have not been published before as far as we are aware. Details and images of the photographs can be seen on the Troopers Hill website… Read More »Butler’s Tar Works at Crews Hole
• Bedminster Smelting Works Uncovered - Read this on Bristol Live Excavation reveals history of Bristol’s most secret industrial site – Bristol Live (bristolpost.co.uk)

News of members

• Death of Mike Chapman 2022 December - We are sorry to record the recent death of Mike Chapman, long time BIAS member, BIAS Journal editor, lecturer, landscape interpretation expert, graphic artist, researcher and inspirational local historian. He… Read More »Death of Mike Chapman 2022 December
• Death of Jean Grudgings January 2023 - We are sad to record the death of long serving BIAS member Jean Grudgings on January 1st, aged 94. She was well known in the Thornbury area, as in her… Read More »Death of Jean Grudgings January 2023
• Margaret J Taylor née Fletcher BEM, BSc, died 1 October 2020 - Heritage Champion for Bristol Maggie Shapland was, to use that well used phrase, a ‘force of nature’,   who even in the last few days of her life and despite being very… Read More »Margaret J Taylor née Fletcher BEM, BSc, died 1 October 2020
• Professor Angus Buchanan died 17 June 2020 - BIAS Titan BIAS members and all those with an active interest in Industrial Archaeology (IA) wherever it is pursued will be saddened to learn of the passing of Professor R.… Read More »Professor Angus Buchanan died 17 June 2020
• Dr Brenda Buchanan died 14 April 2020 - Angus and Brenda with Julia Elton at a BIAS trip to Clevedon CourtAngus on the left, and Brenda next to him. Julia on the right Angus and Brenda were founder… Read More »Dr Brenda Buchanan died 14 April 2020

Planning

• Redcliffe Tunnel - More detailsAugust 2019: One of Charles Richardson’s admirable achievements as chief engineer for Brunel on a number of railway lines was the construction of the costly and technical harbourside railway,… Read More »Redcliffe Tunnel
• Kingsweston Footbridge - March 2019: 19/01368/LA | Proposed removal and reinstatement of Kingsweston Footbridge, (replaced with increased headroom). | Footway Bridge Over Kings Weston Road Bristol.Expiry Date 10 May? Grade II listed John… Read More »Kingsweston Footbridge
• Harbourside Plans (Cumberland Basin aka Western Harbour) - Everyone should be aware of is that this is a very early stage in the thinking around developing in the area. It is estimated that the whole process of planning… Read More »Harbourside Plans (Cumberland Basin aka Western Harbour)
• Brooks Dye Works - 17/06049/M Approval of Reserved Matters sought for appearance, layout, scale and landscaping following the grant of Outline planning permission ref 17/03213/X and 15/06475 relating to the redevelopment of former commercial… Read More »Brooks Dye Works
• Counterslip Tramways Generator Building - to get new lease of life. It originally housed the generator of the very first tram system. The original 1890s arched-front entrance on Counterslip is currently sealed off and will… Read More »Counterslip Tramways Generator Building

Photo gallery

• Bristol Floods January 2014 - Water, water everywhere! (taken by Norman Date) Nearly up to the Ashton Bridge deck
• Strachan and Henshaw Equipment - In 1879 – Robert Strachan and George Henshaw formed their partnership in Victoria Street, Bristol, to make the first ever automatic paper bag-making machine. They gained widespread recognition for their… Read More »Strachan and Henshaw Equipment
• Stothert and Pitt Cranes in Guernsey - A weeks holiday at Easter in Guernsey gave the opportunity to photograph the dock cranes at St Peter Port. Guernsey is heavily dependent on imports and these are received at… Read More »Stothert and Pitt Cranes in Guernsey
• MV Balmoral Return to Bristol June 2014 - Bristol’s last big commercially registered ship returns home after receiving her 5 year Maritime Coastal Inspection certificate at Sharpness.
• Bedminster Industrial Mural 2013 - March 2013. Site of Red Cow, 113 West Street Bedminster Bristol BS3 3PD. Nice industrial mural. Tragedy about the demolition of this historic pub, but it is a lovely mural.… Read More »Bedminster Industrial Mural 2013

Projects

• Vale of Berkeley Railway - In the summer of 2013 a small group, all with significant experience of heritage railway preservation, became aware of the potential to create a heritage railway along the existing Sharpness… Read More »Vale of Berkeley Railway
• Brandy Bottom Colliery - The whole group of buildings form a rare example of the surface layout of a 19th century colliery, minus the removable fittings. All the main buildings now on site can… Read More »Brandy Bottom Colliery
• Clifton Suspension Bridge - Jan 2016: The new Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitor Centre is just over one year old. The Visitor Centre relies on a team of fantastic volunteers to welcome visitors, lead guided… Read More »Clifton Suspension Bridge
• Combe Down Stone Mines Updated 2023 Nov - A large sum of money for the in-filling of the Combe Down stone mine is being granted, although its actual disbursement is subject to all the usual hurdles scattered along… Read More »Combe Down Stone Mines Updated 2023 Nov
• Museum of Bath at Work - The Museum of Bath at Work is concerned with the commercial development of Bath and its immediate surroundings since Roman times and has operated since 1978. With only one member… Read More »Museum of Bath at Work