From the weird to the wonderful

From the weird to the wonderful, here are some fascinating facts about our greatcity of Bristol

1. Bristol is the world’s biggest manufacturer of hot air balloons

5. The first bungee jump took place from the Suspension Bridge.

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.

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 legendary pirate Blackbeard (otherwise known as Edward Teach) originally hailed from Bristol.

He had a hideout in Redcliffe caves and the home of his birth still stands on the harbourside.

4. The Young Ones was filmed in Redland

TV magic was made in Bristol, when anarchic 1980s comedy series The Young Ones chose Horfield as the setting for their fictional student house.

The old swimming baths on Gloucester Road doubled as a bank in a scene from the final episode. 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.

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 from Hanham who was accused of murdering his former girlfriend in 1821. His skeleton was not laid to rest until some 190 years later, in 2011.

7. There’s a book bound with human skin in the M Shed

A piece of the aforementioned John Horton still remains in a grisly exhibition at the M Shed museum.

The doctor who testified against him at the trial took possession of his body for ‘medical purposes’, and had his skin tanned and used to bind a book, which now sits in a display at the museum.

The legendary Peckham estate is, in fact, in the south of Bristol.

A lot of the filming for Only Fools and Horses took place in and around Bristol, and the famous Batman and Robin scene was filmed in Broadmead.

9. The Steam Crane pub was once home to a tiger

In 1827 Mr Martin – the landlord of the Bull on North St (now the brilliant Steam Crane pub) – purchased a live tiger from a ship docked in the harbour to drum up new trade at the pub.

As the interest in the tiger dwindled, Martin paid a man, Joseph Kiddle, to enter the cage with the tiger. You can guess how that ended.

10. Prisoners used to take their last meal in the Highbury Vaults

Now a pub at the top of St Michael’s Hill, The Highbury Vaults was once the last holding place of prisoners who were due to be hanged at the top of the hill. From 1782 right up until the 1980s, Bristol used to produce lead shot for use in muskets.

The unusual piece of 1960s architecture known as the Cheese Lane Shot Tower is now the only lasting reminder of this bizarre fact.

12. Part of New York City was built with the rubble of Bristol

Waterside Plaza in New York City was built upon the rubble of bombed-out Bristol, after being transported thousands of miles.

There’s a plaque to commemorate it next to the fountains on the plaza’s harbourside.