What is the We Are Bristol History Commission, background members and reports.
The We Are Bristol History Commission is an independent group who will:
- help Bristol better understand its history and how it became the city it is today
- work with citizens and community groups to make sure that everyone in the city can share their views on Bristol's history
- build an improved, shared understanding of Bristol's story for future generations
This process will be facilitated by the commission asking questions of the city to start a conversation.
The first question the commission is asking is what have we remembered?'
Background and scope of the commission
The commission was set up in September 2020 by Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, after the pulling down of the statue of Edward Colston in the summer.
While the commission's focus will initially consider the future of the statue as its first theme, in later questions the commission will consider:
- history of slavery
- growth of education
- struggles of workers for pay and working conditions
- Chartists and Suffragettes campaigning for emancipation
- the key roles of wars
- protests
- harbour and the docks
- manufacturing and industry
- research and innovation
- transport
- slum clearances
- housing
- modern gentrification
- migration and faith
History Commission reports
- pdf The Colston Statue: What Next? full report (5.52 MB)
- pdf The Colston Statue: What Next? Shorter report with Bridging Histories (2.31 MB)
If you need either report in an alternative format, email history@bristol.gov.uk
Thank you to University of Bristol and UWE Bristol for contributing funding towards this report.
Current members of the We Are Bristol History Commission
The commission is made up of a wide range of professional historians and academics. These are from different specialist areas including philosophy, trade unions, arts and culture, and law.
The members are:
- Dr Tim Cole: Professor of Social History, University of Bristol (Chair)
- Dr Madge Dresser: Honorary Professor of History, University of Bristol
- Dr Shawn Sobers: Professor of Cultural Interdisciplinary Practice, University of the West of England
- Dr Joanna Burch-Brown: Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Bristol
- Estella Tincknell: Associate Professor in Film and Culture, University of the West of England
- Dr Edson Burton: Writer and Historian
- Nigel Costley: Regional Secretary, Trades Union Congress
- Professor Steve Poole Professor of History and Heritage, University of the West of England
pdf View the full biography of members (694 KB) .
Contact the commission
Email: history@bristol.gov.uk
Meeting minutes and agendas
- pdf Meeting Minutes: November 2023 (129 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: March 2023 (126 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: January 2023 (177 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: November 2022 (161 KB)
- pdf Meting minutes: September 2022 (154 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: June 2022 (140 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: May 2022 (142 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: March 2022 (160 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: December 2021 (140 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: November 2021 (133 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: October 2021 (150 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: September 2021 (139 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: August 2021 (152 KB)
- pdf Meeting minutes: July 2021 (141 KB)
Email history@bristol.gov.uk to request previous meeting minutes.
Terms of reference
pdf We Are Bristol History Commission terms of reference (117 KB) .
We Are Bristol History Commission future website
A separate website for the We Are Bristol History Commission is being developed. The commission's information will be hosted here until the new website is ready.