Bristol in the Post-War Period

© ASOM. Many thanks to Alan for the provision of this fine view!

A view of the "Harry Brown", one of the old-time sand boats that used to ply along the Avon to the City Docks to unload their cargo of sand or gravel. One such destination was the Holmes Sand & Gravel Company which had their silos at the Bathurst Basin, next door to the General Hospital, their premises surviving until the early 1980’s, when the area was cleared to make a public open space. This view would have been taken at the entrance to the Cumberland Basin, in the early 1960’s, when many other sand boats also sailed to the City Docks. The "Harry Brown" itself was named after the member of a prominent local family of that time residing in Stoke Bishop. Other boats that I can personally remember are the "Sand Diamond", "Sand Jade" and the "Sand Sapphire". The "Sand" series of boats used to discharge their cargoes somewhere near the Merchants Wharf, next to the Pump House. There were other boats whose names I unfortunately cannot recall.