LOOKING BACK AT HISTORY

Photograph taken 1864 © Reproduced by permission of Historic England Archive ref: bb89/03974 When you mention Brunel , you instantly think of his famous Clifton Suspension Bridge located across the River Avon in Bristol . However, Brunel almost didn't create famous masterpiece. A Battle of Bridges In 1829 a wine merchant named William Vick was given funds to build a bridge across the River Avon. To choose a design, the Society of Merchant Venturers held a competition. The winner would also be rewarded with 100 guineas. 23 year old Brunel entered the competition along with 21 other entrants. The competition advertisement stated:  "ANY persons willing to submit DESIGNS for the ERECTION of an IRON SUSPENSION BRIDGE at CLIFTON DOWN over the RIVER AVON, to the consideration of the Committee appointed to arrange proceedings for carrying the measure into execution, are requested to forward the same, accompanied by an Estimate of the probable expense address “‘T...

© Amy-Lee Haynes Today is 176 years since the launch of Isambard Kingdom Brunel's SS Great Britain . Brunel was an innovator and one of the best engineers of the 19th century. His work includes, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the Great Western Railway, the Great Western and Great Eastern. However, today we are going to focus on the SS Great Britain. The ship has been referred to as one of the most important historic ships in the world so here's 10 awesome facts. © Amy-Lee Haynes 1. She Was the First. The SS Great Britain was the first propeller driven passenger ship to be made out of iron. People were very sceptical about this as ships were traditionally made from wood and many presumed that the ship would sink as iron is a heavy material. Brunel also decided against using conventional paddles and gave the ship a screw propeller instead as it was more efficient. 2. She Couldn't Fit Through the Locks! In 1844, the year after the ship's launch, the SS Great B...

We all know that Bristol has got a lot of history. From Brunel's bridges and ships to Concorde and the aerospace industry, we all know that the city is jam packed with historical significance. But there are a few things you probably don't know about the city. Here are 4 new interesting facts that you didn't know about Bristol's history. © Bristol Culture 1. First Ever Chocolate Bar. Did you know chocolate was originally consumed as a drink? This was until 1847 when Joseph Fry & Sons started to use excess cocoa butter to produce a paste that could be moulded into something you can eat and bam you've got your first chocolate bar. Fry's Cream stick was the first industrialised and mass produced chocolate bar that was actually affordable in 1853. In 1873, they went on to create the UK's first chocolate Easter Egg. 2. Stalin's Daughter Lived There. Svetlana Alliluyeva the daughter of Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin, left the Soviet Union in ...