Speedwell Colliery, East Bristol

Steve Grudgings

EngInd Publishing, 1st edition, 2026

Softcover, 68pp with colour and B&W illustrations throughout on good quality paper, 21 x 21cm.

£12.00 + £2.50 for P&P

ISBN 978-1-911887-00-3

Speedwell Colliery, East Bristol

A Short History and Selected Stories

Speedwell Colliery and the neighbouring Deep Pit were the very last coal mines in urban Bristol, closing finally in 1936 when 300 men were employed there. Mining in the Bristol Coal field is recorded as early as 1282; mine workings were recorded in or near Speedwell by 1672.

This book provides a brief history of Speedwell Colliery and includes a number of interesting newspaper reports from the Victorian period. These include the boiler explosion of 1841 and drownings in 1864. Health and safety prosecution matters featured in 1856. An excellent eye-witness account of an underground visit to the colliery in 1889 is also included. These are accompanied by over 50 pictures and maps covering the period from 1820 to 1960.

The author has spent over 40 years researching local coal mining and has published a number of books and papers over the last few years on this topic.