From the weird to the wonderful, here are some fascinating facts about our greatcity of Bristol 1. Bristol is the world’s biggest
5. The first bungee jump took place from
If there’s one true symbol of Bristol it has to be the hot air balloon, and Cameron Balloons in Bedminster makes the most out of anyone in the world.
On 1st April 1979, a member of Oxford University’s Dangerous Sports Club bungee jumped from the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and a new sport was born around the world.
manufacturer of hot air balloons
2. Ribena was invented in Long Ashton
Popular blackcurrant flavoured soft drink Ribena was invented by a University of Bristol scientist in 1933 at the National Fruit and Cider Institute, and quickly gained popularity during the war as an alternative source of vitamin C.
3.
The world’s most famous pirate called the city home
the Suspension Bridge.
6. There used to be a jail opposite the Louisiana.
The Bristol New Gaol used to stand opposite the Louisiana pub, next to the Bathurst Basin at the top of Cumberland Road. This explains why the nearby bridge is called Gaol Ferry Bridge.
The first person to be hanged at Bristol New Gaol was John Horton, an 18 year old miner The legendary pirate Blackbeard (otherwise from Hanham who was accused of murdering known as Edward Teach) originally hailed from his former girlfriend in 1821. His skeleton Bristol. was not laid to rest until some 190 years later, in 2011. He had a hideout in Redcliffe caves and the home of his birth still stands on the There’s a book bound with human harbourside. skin in the M Shed
7.
4. The Young Ones was filmed in Redland
A piece of the aforementioned John Horton TV magic was made in Bristol, when anarchic still remains in a grisly exhibition at the M 1980s comedy series The Young Ones chose Shed museum. Horfield as the setting for their fictional student house. The doctor who testified against him at the trial took possession of his body for ‘medical The old swimming baths on Gloucester Road purposes’, and had his skin tanned and used doubled as a bank in a scene from the final to bind a book, which now sits in a display at episode. the museum.
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