Bristol has always been ethnically diverse but this aspect of its history has never before been systematically traced over such a long period. Research in Bristol will chart 1001 years of the presence and experience of ethnic minorities in the city. How were they received, how did they survive and how did they affect the city’s sense of its own identity?
The Bristol EPE project then, aims to include an investigation of the cultural and social life of ethnic minorities in the city as well as an analysis of the political reactions their presence has generated. It features, where possible, the perspectives gleaned from the personal accounts and perspectives of established residents, the immigrants themselves and their Bristol-born descendants, to complement those provided by official government documents and academic studies.
On this site, you can explore in more detail some of the evidence, including:
Family trees and other genealogical material
Personal papers such as diaries, account books and letters
Local government, police and court records
Religious and community group records
School log books and medical records
Printed sources such as newspapers, trade directories, playbills, political campaign literature, and posters
National datasets such as the census, taxation, naturalisation and custom records
