tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28324489064999499972024-02-22T15:39:28.860+00:00Aurea MediocritasThe thoughts of a lapsed environmentalist returning to the fold.TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-45972759194844529502013-04-08T20:59:00.002+01:002013-04-08T21:01:16.403+01:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">THE CASE FOR ROMAN
AND EARLY SAXON BEDMINSTER AND THE ROMAN ROAD FROM THE MENDIPS TO BEDMINSTER.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When people are asked about the history of Bedminster, it is
likely that for many the image is of an industrial working-class suburb
dominated by two large employers in the shape of WD & HO Wills (tobacco)
and E S A Robinson (paper bags) who moved into the area in the 1880s. They
might also be aware of the Bedminster coalmining industry dating back to the 17<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
century.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, Bedminster can trace its history back much further
than this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has long been suspected
that East Street and West Street had origins from at least the Roman
period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roman coins found when the
foundations for the Bedminster Hippodrome were dug in East Street in 1911
indicated that this might indeed be the case and the more recent discovery of a
Romano-British settlement during excavations at the Mail Marketing Building in West
Street confirm that indeed there was some form of settlement in the Bedminster area
during the Roman period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bedminster was also a site of major importance during the early
Anglo-Saxon period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its very name indicates
that it was the site of a minster church or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">monasterium
</i>whilst Bedminster is recorded in the Somerset Domesday as one of a very
select group of just twelve royal <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">vills</i>
or estates that are believed to be amongst the most ancient in the county.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To try and establish what sort of settlement might have
existed at Bedminster, we need to step back and look at the context of
Bedminster in the wider area and its place in the Roman occupation and
exploitation of Britain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So this series of articles will look at how Bedminster
fitted into the Roman and early Saxon landscape, it’s probable role in the
transportation of lead and silver extracted from the mines on the Mendip Hills,
its position in the Roman transport network and how that linked to the Chew
Valley and the Mendips, it’s role in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Wessex as an
ancient royal manor, the likelihood of it being a centre for early Christian
worship, and how it and other neighbouring territories in the Chew Valley and
on the Mendips might provide clues to how the Saxons implemented their takeover
of the Romano-British lands to the south of the Bristol Avon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part one looks at the natural resources that Britain was
famous for throughout the classical world – precious metals, and, in particular
the Lead and Silver mined on the Mendips.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-lead-and-silver-mines-of-mendips.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-lead-and-silver-mines-of-mendips.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part two looks at the Roman road from the Mendips down into
the Chew Valley, and the proposed Roman Road linking the Chew Park villa estate
with Bedminster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-stratford-laneroman-road-back-in.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-stratford-laneroman-road-back-in.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part three finishes by looking at Bedminster itself, its
possible role in Roman Britain, and its importance in the Early Saxon
administration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bedminster-roman-andsaxon-it-has-long.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bedminster-roman-andsaxon-it-has-long.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-71998082820421766782013-04-08T20:55:00.000+01:002013-04-08T21:01:35.251+01:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bedminster; Roman and
Saxon</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has long been suggested that Bedminster had ancient
origins but until the discovery of archaeological finds for a Romano-British
settlement at the Mail Marketing building in West Street, evidence had been
hard to find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is not until you look at the context of Bedminster as
part of a Roman transport network set up to support the valuable lead and
silver mines on the Mendips that you realise how a Roman settlement at
Bedminster fitted into the Roman economy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Likewise, it is not until you look at the context of the
Anglo-Saxon takeover of the Somerset area and the assessment for tax of
cultivated land by hidation that you begin to understand how important a place
Bedminster was in the early Anglo-Saxon period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To the south of Dundry it is possible to identify two “estates”
each centred on Roman roads, one estate was on the northern slopes of the
Mendips at Ubley-Harptree, the other in the valley of River Chew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Roman road network was used to transport
goods, and in particular lead ingots (such as those found in 1865 in the river
Frome on the other side of the river Avon from Bedminster), from the Mendips to
the wider Roman world. This same road network continued to Bedminster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The two north Somerset estates, each with links back into
the pre-Roman Iron Age, one possibly controlled from a major mining settlement,
the other managed from a Roman villa site, appear to have continued into the
Anglo-Saxon period where their cultivated land was assessed as a rounded up
block of hides (35 hides in the case of the Ubley-Harptree Estate, 30 in the
case of the core Chew Estate) for the purpose of tax collection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the case of a putative Bedminster Estate, the boundaries
of a similar type of estate to those south of Dundry are relatively easy to
identify, and continued, in one form or another, to be used well into the 19<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
century and can still be traced in modern boundaries today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The southern boundary abutted onto the Chew Estate and ran
along the bottom of the northern slopes of Dundry Hill. To the west, the
boundary was directed by the “Highridge” of land from Dundry down towards
Colliter’s Brook and then along this brook and Longmoor Brook to the River Avon
just before that river entered the Avon Gorge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The northern boundary was the river Avon itself as it flowed
through its then largely undrained marshes and swamps.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The eastern boundary left the river near about 200m east of
the modern Totterdown Bridge before following the slope of Arno’s Vale round to
the valley of the Brislington Brook and then skirted to the west of the Iron
Age settlement at Filwood Park before running across Croix Top to the
Pigeonhouse Stream. It then followed the Pigeonhouse stream back to Dundry
Hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Included within this territory were the Domesday manors at
Bishopsworth and Knowle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time of
Domesday, these had been separated from the manor of Bedminster (but not the
Hundred) and had been subjected to hidation (see below).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Running south to north through the middle of this territory
were two features, the naturally created Malago and the entirely man-made Roman
road identified by Tratman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Both of these features are critical to understanding Roman
Bedminster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As mentioned before, Edgar Tratman had first been alerted to
the possibility of as yet undiscovered Roman roads in the Bristol and North
Somerset area by a combination of the destruction of a villa site at Bedminster
Down and the undoubted straightness of the road that ran through Bishopsworth
towards Bristol.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The likely course of the Roman road is deviated from in
several places along the present Bishopsworth Road/Queens Road alignment,
although in some cases the original alignment can be identified in verges and
hedgerows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before the road begins its descent from Bedminster Down it
passes within 200m of the site where a probable Roman villa was
discovered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As well as offering
excellent access to the road system, the villa site would have also offered its
occupants a wonderful view across Ashton Vale and other estate lands to the
west of the Malago towards the Avon Gorge and the heights of Clifton beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The course of the Roman road itself as it ran down the slope
towards West Street has now been lost, at least partly due the construction of
the Bristol to Exeter railway line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However the suggestive name of Chessel Street (the field name “Chessel”
is often associated with Roman archaeological deposits and appears to be
derived from the tesserae used to create Roman mosaics) appears to indicate
that we are on or near the right alignment as we follow West Street itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Passing the recently discovered Romano-British settlement on
the Mail Marketing site to our right, we reach the point where West Street
deviates to the left and then right again as it continues on as East Street. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On Ashmead’s 1828 town plan of Bristol, East Street appears
to continue to Bright Bow Bridge after which the thoroughfare becomes
Bedminster Parade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bright Bow Bridge was constructed in the medieval period to
carry the road over the Malago. However, given that Brigstowe already had a
bridge across the Avon by the late Saxon period, it would be expected that a
bridge across the Malago at this point would have been in place to provide
access to Bristol Bridge by the time it was built.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whether or not the Roman road continued as East Street
across the Malago is of secondary importance as to the main purpose behind a
settlement at Bedminster. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The main purpose of Bedminster may have been to act as a
terminus of the Roman road network where the transportation would switch from
land-based to waterborne transport. In short, Bedminster was likely to have
been a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trajectus</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trajectus</i> could
simply provide a ferry crossing of the river Avon to provide access to the road
network to the north. However, depending on the facilities available at
Bedminster, there may also have been a link to the well attested Roman sea-port
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abona</i> at Sea Mills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unfortunately we do not know for certain the capacity of the
Malago for providing waterborne transport at Bedminster. In the mid-12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
century, the Abbots of St Augustine (now Bristol Cathedral) were granted the
right to build a mill at the point where the Malago joined the Avon – this would
have been in addition to the Mill that already existed on the Malago and was
recorded in Domesday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mill
constructed for St Augustine’s Abbey obviously closed the Malago to any river
traffic and we have no documentary evidence for how the river was used before
this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1219, the Hospital of St Katharine was established on
land west of East Street close to the course of the Malago and this is the most
probable site for any Roman jetty or quayside facilitating the loading of barges
for transport across or along the Avon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It would certainly have been within the capability of the
Romans to modify the lower reaches of the Malago to accommodate a ferry
crossing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that the lower reaches
of the Trym, a river of similar stature to the Malago, were used to provide
harbourage facilities for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abona</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The alternative would have been for the East Street Roman
Road to continue over the Malago to the higher land at Redcliffe with direct
access to the Avon itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whether the barges were loaded on the Malago at Bedminster
itself or on the Avon at Redcliffe, it may well be that the Lead Ingots found
in the river Frome in 1865 were there not as a result of a road accident during
transportation along the Bath to Sea Mills Roman Road but as a result of a
river accident involving a barge from Bedminster transporting lead up the Frome
to some destination unknown.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">THE ANCIENT AND ROYAL
MANOR OF BEIMINSTRE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The king holds
Beiminstre, 'Betministra'[Bedminster]. King Edward held it. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It never paid geld, nor is it known how
many hides are there</b>. There is land for 26 ploughs. In demesne there are 3
ploughs and 3 serfs, and (there are) 25 villeins and 22 bordars with 10
ploughs. 'There are 1 riding-horse and 9 beasts and 22 swine and 115 sheep.'
There is a mill paying 5 shillings, and 34 acres of meadow. Wood(land) 2
leagues in length and1 league in breadth. It pays 21 pounds and 2½ pence at 20
pence to the ounce.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The priest (presbiter)
of this manor holds land for 1 plough, and it is worth 20 shillings. Of this
manor 'Geoffrey' the Bishop of Coutances holds 112 acres of meadow and
wood(land).”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From: 'Text of the Somerset Domesday: Part 1', A History of
the County of Somerset: Volume 1 (1906).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the time of Domesday in 1086, the Roman villa at Bedminster
Down and the economic system it was part of had long disappeared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless, there are still hints from the
Domesday book that Bedminster had once been one of the most important
settlements in Somerset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For a start Bedminster was, like Chew to its south, listed
as a Hundred in its own right in the Geld Inquest associated with the Domesday
Survey, although linked to the Hundred of Hartcliffe in the survey itself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Hundred of Bedminster in the Geld Inquest
includes Bedminster, Bishopsworth, Knowle and Abbots Leigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike the other Bedminster Hundred manors, Abbots
Leigh was listed as part of Portbury Hundred rather than as part of Hartcliffe
with Bedminster Hundred in the Domesday Survey itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even more interesting was that Bedminster was one of a very
select group of Royal manors or “ancient demesnes” in Somerset that “never paid
geld, nor is it known how many hides are there”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The process of assessing the various land units in terms of
hides for each landholding or estate was a process that began soon after the
Anglo-Saxons of Wessex penetrated the great wood (Selwood to the Anglo-Saxons,
Coed Mawr to the Ancient Cornish) that once separated Somerset from Wiltshire
in the middle of the seventh century and took control of most of Somerset east
of the river Parrett. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Already, in the seventh century, charters were being issued
in Somerset referring to land in terms of number of hides (or cassatti or mansi
or some similar Latin terminology). Therefore any landholding that had never
been hidated must have been identified from a very early date for exemption
from hidation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only reason why an estate might not be assessed in terms
of hides is if the estate already rendered a service to the new ruler that was
considered so valuable that there was no need to levy a tax via hidation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before the creation of the hundredal system in Anglo-Saxon
England, the early Kings of Wessex regularly visited their most important Royal
centres or ancient demesnes where dues and services were rendered and justice
done. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Instead of paying tax, the small group of ancient demesnes
that included Bedminster were responsible for providing banquets to feed the
King and his entourage which may also include overnight accommodation as the
King travelled around the shire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Later, with the introduction of the hundredal system and the
appointment of Royal officials to act on behalf of the King, these food rents were
usually commuted to a monetary value. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Somerset, several of these ancient demesnes had their
food-rents combined to provide “one night’s fee” and in most cases the ancient
demesnes so grouped are geographically adjacent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thus, of the ancient demesnes closest to Bedminster, Cheddar
is paired with Somerton to provide one night’s fee, and Frome is combined with
Bruton in the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile,
further south, Williton, Carhampton and Callington are combined as are North
Petherton, South Petherton and Curry Rivel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Only Bedminster and Milborne Port, two ancient demesnes that
are geographically distant from each other are left separate despite the
combined monetary value of their food-rent being equivalent to one night’s fee.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There may be a relatively simple explanation for this.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bedminster is within one day’s travel on horseback to either
Frome or Bruton. In turn both are within one day’s travel to either Cheddar or
Somerton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Williton, Cannington and Carhampton
are next, and are similarly within one day’s travel of Cheddar or Somerton
although Carhampton is on the limits of what could be travelled in one day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, both the Pethertons and Curry Rivel are
within a day’s travel of Williton and Cannington although Carhampton to South
Petherton is close to the limit of a day’s travel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally South Petherton and Curry Rivel although
possibly not North Petherton can reach the final ancient demesnes at Milborne
Port within one day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What perhaps distinguishes Bedminster and Milborne Port from
the other ancient demesnes is that each can be easily accessed from other parts
of Wessex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Milborne Port lies close to
Dorset, whilst Bedminster would have been reachable from Wiltshire via the
River Avon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Perhaps what we have here is a remnant<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of when Bedminster was either the first or
last port of call for early Anglo-Saxon Kings as they completed their circuit
of ancient demesnes dispensing justice and receiving the dues and services from
the peoples over which they ruled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Domesday, Bedminster only accounted for one quarter of a
night’s fee, whereas Milborne Port provided three-quarters of a night’s fee.
Perhaps what we see here is the very earliest example of Bed and Breakfast
versus Full Board?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In short, Bedminster may have been the entry point for the
earliest West Saxon kings to enter their newly acquired lands as they toured
their exclusive “ancient demesnes” to confirm their royal authority over what
would later become Somerset.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">EARLY CHRISTIANITY AT
BEDMINSTER?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"</span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bedminster Church,
dedicated to St John Baptist, is very ancient; on the north-west abutment of
the tower is a stone with a date 1003 upon it; so that it must have been built
in the reign of King Ethelred. It is a vicarage, is mother Church to Redcliff and
St Thomas in Bristol and Abbots-Leigh; the parish is of large extent and gives
name to a hundred. …. This Church has the appearance of great antiquity, and
stands in a very pleasant and rural Church-yard.”</span></em><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One other indicator of the antiquity of Bedminster is
implied within its name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minster
churches or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">monasteria</i> were religious
communities that catered for a wide area. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a great surge in the creation of
minster churches by the Anglo-Saxons in the late 7<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century to
mid-8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century. We certainly know that an Anglo-Saxon church
existed in Bedminster by 1003.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, it was already accepted that when St Augustine met
the British (i.e Welsh) Bishops in 603 AD, an event that may have taken place
on College Green in Bristol, the Welsh west of the Severn were already largely
Christian and had been for some time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Presumably if the unconquered Welsh west of the Severn had
already been Christian in 603 AD, then it seems probable that the unconquered
Welsh (soon to be Cornish) west of Selwood and south of the Bristol Avon were
also Christian as well and remained so when they were conquered by the
Anglo-Saxons of Wessex half a century or so later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If Bedminster had indeed been a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">traiectus</i> during the Roman era then it would have been a suitable
site for an early Christian religious shrine that could be used by the faithful
– both those who lived in the settlement itself and also those who travelled
through the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">traiectus</i> whilst they
waited, perhaps overnight, for the next ferry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is supported by the suggestion by local historian Anton
Bantock that Bedminster’s name includes a reference to “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beydd” </i>the ancient British or Welsh word for baptism. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There may even be a nearby religious significance to the
site that predated Christianity and the Romans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently wrote about the possible correlation between the
many sites known as Mutton Tump (including Brandon Hill in central Bristol,
Maes Knoll on Dundry Hill, and The Netham in Barton Hill) and the possibility
of the name being a derivation from the term “Nemeton” signifying the sacred
groves of pre-Christian religious belief.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is with this in mind that I note that, with the
churchyard of the now demolished St John’s Church possibly marking the site of
the earliest Minster church, and next to it the river Malago which may have
been the site of early Christian baptisms, we find on the directly opposite
bank of the Malago the hill now usually referred to as Windmill Hill, but whose
southern end is clearly marked on the 1880’s County Series map as Mutton Hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-21676679610111176132013-04-08T20:53:00.000+01:002013-04-09T10:00:43.815+01:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Stratford Lane
Roman Road</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back in 1906, a Roman origin for the 3-4 mile long Stratford
Lane which ran down the northern slopes of the Mendips to the River Chew was
postulated by Haverfield due to the road’s “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">straightness,
its coincidence with the parish boundary between Compton Martin and West
Harptree and by the name Stratford Bridge</i>”. He also felt that the road
continued south westwards on to the Mendip plateau until it met the
Charterhouse to Old Sarum Roman Road thus linking to the ancient lead and
silver mines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Possibly influenced by the discovery of the lead ingots in
central Bristol and the presumed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trajectus</i>
at Bitton, Ordnance Survey maps of Roman Britain produced in the 1920’s showed
the Stratford Lane Roman Road continuing north east via Pensford to Keynsham
(the presumed southern terminus of the Bitton <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trajectus</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">However, an early 1950’s examination of the Stratford Lane
Roman Road by Rahtz and Greenfield cast doubt on the proposed road link to
Keynsham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their findings were that the
road was well attested between the Charterhouse-Old Sarum road and the River
Chew at Stratford Mill, and that there was a continuation (although less
substantial) passing close to the Chew Park Roman villa (now under Chew Valley
Lake) beyond Hollow Brook and on to the Roman site at Gold’s Cross, however
they found no evidence for any further extension of the Roman Road beyond
Gold’s Cross. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rahtz and Greenfield also suggested that the Stratford Lane
Roman Road served a dual purpose. One was to carry produce from the valley
farms up to the Mendips<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for the use of
the miners and, in the opposite direction, to carry lead the short distance to
the River Chew for transportation downstream to the Avon at Keynsham and then
on to Bath or to Sea Mills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With no evidence of the Stratford Lane Roman Road continuing
beyond Gold’s Cross, is the suggestion that barges were loaded at or near
Stratford Mill near where the road reached the Chew tenable?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a 1992 article for the University of Bristol
Spelaeological Society on the Stratford Lane Roman Road, R G J Williams highlighted</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> the considerable drop of the Chew – in the 16km from Stratford Bridge to
the Avon at Keynsham the Chew drops 43m. This can be compared to the Avon which
in the 22km between Keynsham and Sea Mills (Abona) only drops 9m.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Williams considers that as a result of this relatively steep
drop in height, the discharge rate of the water would have made the Chew very
shallow and without manmade structures to maintain a suitable depth of water it
would be unsuitable for transporting barges laden down with lead and/or silver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To date no evidence for such Roman era structures have been
found. This, combined with the large variance in the flow of water (from 3
million gallons per day in Summer up to 250 million gallons per day after heavy
rain) as well as the tortuous course of the river itself (it has been suggested
that the name Chew means “winding water”) leads Williams to suggest that the
Chew was not used to transport lead ingots from the Mendips to the river Avon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thus lead ingots from the Roman mines near Charterhouse were
transported by road down the northern slopes of the Mendips into the Chew
Valley but the river was did not provide a viable means of transportation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">With no signs of the Stratford Lane Roman Road continuing on
from the Chew onto Keynsham beyond Gold’s Cross, and with the river itself not
suitable for carrying lead laden barges from the Stratford Lane Roman Road down
to the Avon, we now need to look for alternative transport routes from the Chew
Valley to the River Avon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Chew Park Villa
Estate and Tratman’s Roman Road.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1963 Edgar Tratman proposed the theory that there must
have been transport links between Roman settlements and the main Roman road system
via a network of minor roads in the Bristol and North Somerset areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In 1926 Tratman had recorded the final destruction of “a
major Roman building, probably a villa” on Bedminster Down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the same time the “remarkable
straightness” of the road that led from Bedminster through Bishopsworth to the
top of Dundry Hill was remarked upon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Using this as his starting point, Tratman went on to
identify a Roman road leading from Dundry Hill to Chew Hill, then across the
River Chew to Bishop Sutton, Hinton Blewitt and Farrington Gurney before
joining up with the strategically important Fosse Way Roman Road near Radstock.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After leaving Hinton Blewitt, the proposed Roman road enters
the Chew Magna area and runs past White Cross at the eastern end of Burledge
Hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Burledge Iron Age Fort lies at the
western edge of the hill and excavations have shown evidence of occupation and
iron smelting up to the first century BC.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has been suggested that Burledge formed the focus for
Iron Age communities along the River Chew in this area during the late Iron Age
such as that at Herriot’s Bridge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Iron Age occupation phases at Burledge were also found
at the Chew Park Villa site where occupation continued into the Roman period
with a rectangular building replacing Iron Age circular houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both sites also show signs of planned
drainage systems bringing more land under cultivation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Between Bishop Sutton and the River Chew, Tratman’s proposed
Roman road passes over Hollow Brook and near this point it forms a junction
with the Stratford Lane Roman Road which runs past the Chew Park Villa
site.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There also appears to be a short
extension north to the Gold’s Cross Roman settlement site which may include a
smaller villa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From Hollow Brook, the projected Roman road ran along the
west side of Knowle Hill where there was a Roman settlement and then along
Pitt’s Lane where signs of another Roman settlement were found by Rahtz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">After crossing the ford on the River Chew at the end of
Pitt’s Lane, the road appears to have continued up Battle Lane onto Chew Hill
and then on up to Dundry Hill with its Roman quarries providing oolitic
freestone for building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As well as the junction with the Stratford lane Roman Road,
Tratman has also identified possible routes linking up with the Roman temple
site at Pagan’s Hill, and also with the important Roman site at Gatcombe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the same way that there was a Ubley-Harptree estate
running from the Mendips down to the river Chew and centred on a Roman road,
the Chew Magna area appears to be similar estate to the east of the river Chew
and also centred on a Roman road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This projected estate may well have been managed from the
Chew Park Roman Villa site with a subsidiary role for the smaller villa at
Gold’s Cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is evidence of
lead-smelting at the Chew Park site and also at Herriot’s Bridge near Burledge
Fort along with evidence of de-silvering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As well as smelting of lead, and quarrying of building
stone, the Chew Estate also appears to have seen pewter-ware production,
leather-working, corn production, soft fruit cultivation, cattle grazing and
horse breaking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some of the activities on the “Chew Estate” may have been in
support of the mineworking operations on the Mendips, and thus continuing the
farming tradition from the Iron Age of lowland cultivation of corn and other
foodstuffs that needed to be transported to uplands which were restricted to
sheep and cattle grazing with no cultivated land to grow crops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Following the collapse of the Roman economic system, it is
likely that the Chew Estate’s value as a key element in the transport network
declined as the post-Roman economy moved into an era which required greater
self-sufficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The leadworking
industry for example appears to have seen a considerable decline and the villa
at Chew Park was abandoned in the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> century as the Roman economic
system and the trade and landowning structures associated with it collapsed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nevertheless, the Chew Estate appears to have remained
important, and under the Anglo-Saxons, it formed the core of the Chew Hundred,
one of the major subdivisions of the Anglo-Saxon system of local government. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This Hundredal status was recorded in Domesday where the settlement
of Chiwe (later called Chew Episcopi or Bishop Chew to reflect its ownership by
the Bishops of Wells, before adopting its present name of Chew Magna) was quite
clearly the centre of an important administrative area in Anglo-Saxon times
with a number of subsidiary settlements named in relation to it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In Domesday, Chiwe itself was assessed at 30 hides of land,
whilst the larger hundred which also included Chew Stoke, Norton Malreward,
Timsbury and Clutton was more than double this amount. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We thus have another ancient estate, with probable links
back not only to the Roman era but also into the Iron Age. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the Ubley-Harptree estate, Chew was also
centred on a probable Roman road providing the means for the transportation of
vitally important lead ingots from the Mendips into the wider Roman period
economy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lead ingots duly inscribed with the mark of the appropriate
emperor, have been transported from the lead mines above the Ubley-Harptree
estate along the Stratford Lane Roman Road and over the river into the Chew
Estate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have now made their way
north along Tratman’s Roman Road where they have now reached the top of the
great hill or “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mai-dun”</i> which the
Anglo-Saxons knew as Dundry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the road passes its highest point and begins its descent,
the men driving the wagon with its load of lead ingots may well take the
opportunity to give their draught animals water from the nearby well to refresh
them after the climb up from the Chew valley floor almost 500 feet below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the oxen drink, the drivers might look north into the
valley below in anticipation of the last leg of the journey to come - across
the Roman villa estate that we know today as Bedminster. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part Three - Roman and Saxon Bedminster can be found here;</span><br />
<a href="http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bedminster-roman-andsaxon-it-has-long.html">http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bedminster-roman-andsaxon-it-has-long.html</a></div>
TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-31177019849294329032013-04-08T20:51:00.000+01:002013-04-08T21:04:35.104+01:00The Lead and Silver Mines of the Mendips<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the major drivers for the Roman conquest of Britain
was to gain access to its famed natural resources of metal ores including iron,
tin, copper and, of particular relevance to our area, lead and silver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Throughout the late Iron Age, a steady supply of lead and
silver mined on the Mendips had been exported to the continent via trading centres
such as that at Hengistbury Head near Christchurch on the Dorset/Hampshire
border. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The mined lead and silver would almost certainly have been
transported along river routes such as the Bristol Avon and the Somerset Frome and
then via a short land portage to either the Wiltshire Avon or Wylye to then be carried
downstream by river again to Hengistbury Head for shipment across the channel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When the Romans expanded their conquest of Britain into what
is now modern day Somerset they quickly established direct control of the lead
and silver mines on the Mendips both for the lead itself (in ever greater
demand to line the aqueducts and water pipes of Rome and other Imperial cities)
and also for its high silver content (increasingly needed to exchange for silks
and other goods from the Orient).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Imperial mines on the Mendips exported the lead in ingots,
and a number of these ingots have been found on the continent, at Hengistbury
Head, on the Mendips themselves, and even in London such as the three pictured
below found in a Roman warehouse building on the banks of the River Thames
during excavations in 1995.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0er7z_soULO2xwmdABowwfD3YZN1Zm6UedlfzILaVyLtFG_xeKTPyEUYwU2K0Mq9XDyE3w3AG6rQcKdq51ysppTj3jeHETbd5pBjKy08TIZkXgS-36SQyzo5wZTLQkHCYWqNALcPC8BY/s1600/London+Lead+Ingots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0er7z_soULO2xwmdABowwfD3YZN1Zm6UedlfzILaVyLtFG_xeKTPyEUYwU2K0Mq9XDyE3w3AG6rQcKdq51ysppTj3jeHETbd5pBjKy08TIZkXgS-36SQyzo5wZTLQkHCYWqNALcPC8BY/s400/London+Lead+Ingots.jpg" width="330" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The three ingots shown above are about 2 Roman feet in
length (60cm) and weigh just over 80kg. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ingots have markings on the top which say IMP VESPASIAN
AVG or IMP VESPASIANI AVG which indicates they were produced under the
authority of the EMPEROR VESPASIAN AUGUSTUS who ruled from AD69-79.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On their side, the ingots are further marked
BRIT EX ARG VEB which means they are British lead, from which the silver
content has been extracted, produced by the imperial mines at Veb… or Ueb… (U
and V are interchangeable on Roman inscriptions as you can see from the AVG for
Augustus in the previous inscription).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rivet and Smith have suggested that the full name of Veb…
(or Ueb…) might be something like Vebriacum (or Uebriacum).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ingots were created by casting molten lead into moulds
which would also produce the inscriptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is possible to match the moulds used to create at least two of the ingots
above with the very same moulds used to create ingots that have been found at
the lead-silver mines at Charterhouse-on-Mendip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Immediately to the north of Charterhouse is the parish of
Ubley which still contains the remains of the Ubley Wood, presumably left in
place <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>after the Anglo-Saxons planted a
farming settlement in a clearing (“leagh”)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>of the large wood near the Roman mines at Ueb[riacum].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over time, Ueb[riacum]-leagh became Ubley.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But what have Roman lead ingots from the Mendips found in
London and Anglo-Saxons naming their farming settlements after Roman mining
operations got to do with a Roman settlement at Bedminster?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well part of the answer lies in the following extract from
the Victoria County History for Somerset noting a Victorian discovery in
Bristol;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Two
pigs of lead found in 1865 in Bristol, in making excavations on the old bank of
the river Frome, in Wade Street. One measuring on its inscribed face, 19 by 2¾
inches and weighing 76 lb., is in the British Museum. The other, weighing 89
lb., was at first in the collection of Mr. Edkins and is now in the Bristol
Museum. Both pigs are imperfect in the first half of the name Antoninus, and
probably came from the same mould.”</span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></o:p></b> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">From: 'Romano-British Somerset: Part 3, Other
Locations', A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 1 (1906), pp. 289-356.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicS-OKIjvpKtKrzkVAdrS372KqjsanT9M60k6TakotqzETW7vGwcfIOAkdzAAEuSigIDfXBlIs3OXQ-zG3iXS4UnDESQkmtpn5pyAkeQVr9ut_qAfY8D1-rytEiMcWn_AwtilLlPSVDfs/s1600/Frome+Lead+Ingots.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicS-OKIjvpKtKrzkVAdrS372KqjsanT9M60k6TakotqzETW7vGwcfIOAkdzAAEuSigIDfXBlIs3OXQ-zG3iXS4UnDESQkmtpn5pyAkeQVr9ut_qAfY8D1-rytEiMcWn_AwtilLlPSVDfs/s320/Frome+Lead+Ingots.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A drawing of one of the lead ingots found in the Bristol
Frome is shown above. The inscription says;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
IMP CAES A (nto) NINI. AVG<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>PII P P <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Which refers to 'Emperor Caesar Antoninus Augustus Pius,
father of his country' who reigned AD139–161.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In 1873, another lead ingot with the inscription IMP CAES ANTONINI AVG
PII P P was found near Charterhouse-on-Mendip.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
If we seek to answer the question of how two lead ingots
from the Roman lead-silver mines on the Mendips managed to find their way into
central Bristol, that might help us to understand the transport network that
existed in 2<sup>nd</sup> century Roman Britain and what role Bedminster may
have played in it. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Roman Road from
Bath to Sea Mills and the Traiectus at Bitton<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
We know that the Romans built a road connecting Bath with
the Roman sea-port at Sea Mills. Our understanding of the exact course of this
Roman road is, however, limited. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Part of the road has been excavated on the Downs whilst an
Anglo-Saxon charter for Stoke Bishop dated AD984 refers to the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ealdan hearpathe</i> (old military road)
which appears to be a reference to the Roman road as it leaves the Roman port
at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abona</i> (Sea Mills). <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Meanwhile to the east of Bristol, it is believed that the
road roughly followed the line of the modern A431 between Bitton and St George.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bitton is usually assumed to be the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trajectus</i> or “crossing” referred to in
the Antonine Itinerary, a document originally created in the 3<sup>rd</sup>
century AD (although the earliest surviving copy was produced in the 13<sup>th</sup>
century).<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<u>Extract from the Antonine
intinerary with English translation<o:p></o:p></u></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Item alio itinere ab Isca Calleva<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm
ciii sic<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
(An alternate route from Caerleon to Silchester 103,000
paces thus)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Venta Silurum (Caerwent)-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm viiii (9,000 paces or 9 Roman
miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Abone<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(Sea Mills)-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm xiiii (14 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Traiectus (Bitton?)-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm
viiii (9 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Aquis Solis (Bath)-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm
vi (6 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Verlucione (Sandy Lane, Wilts)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm
xv (15 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Cunetione (Mildenhall, Wilts)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm
xx (20 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Spinis (Speen, Berks)<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm
xv (15 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Calleva<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(Silchester)-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>-<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>mpm xv (15 Roman miles)<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
William Coxe, the churchman and historian, wrote in 1801 of
the road continuing from Bitton to St George <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and on to Durdham Down by way of south of
Redland Down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is usually assumed that
the road runs close to the line of Elm Lane-Lower Redland Road-Redland Road.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The finding of the lead ingots in the river Frome near Wade
Street led to the belief that the Roman road from Bath crossed the Frome at, or
near, the modern Wade Street bridge via a now lost Roman bridge, although no
archaeological evidence of a Roman bridge has been found to date.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
However, if the lead ingots were being transported by road
along the Bath to Sea Mills road when some unknown accident caused them to be
tipped over the bridge into the river below, this still doesn’t answer the
question of how the lead ingots were transported from the Mendips and across
the Avon to be on the Bath to Sea Mills Roman road in the first place.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The obvious assumption is that the lead ingots had reached
the Bath to Sea Mills road having being transported across the Avon via the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trajectus</i> at Bitton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Obviously this also assumes that the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trajectus</i> at Bitton does not simply refer to a crossing of the
River Boyd, a minor tributary of the Avon, but instead refers to a crossing of
the Avon itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trajectus</i> can also mean a ferry crossing
not just a bridge, this does not constitute a major problem. The natural place
for a terminus on the southern side of the Avon would be at Keynsham, where the
river Chew joins the Avon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Indeed there is evidence of Roman settlement in the Keynsham
era with villa complexes at Somerford and Durley Hill – the latter being one of
the most impressive in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was also once a ford across the Avon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
This however is only part of the journey for the lead
ingots. There is still some distance to be travelled between the lead mines on
the Mendips and a projected <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Trajectus</i>
at Keynsham – almost 14 Roman miles in fact.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Let’s start at the beginning of the journey – the lead mines
themselves.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ueb-leagh</i> and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Herepathe</i>(Military
Road)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>on the Mendips.</b><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The possibility of a Roman road running from the lead-silver
mines on the Mendips down its northern slope into the Chew Valley was first
recognised back in 1906;<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A fragment of Roman
road—not, I think, hitherto noticed—can be traced on the north side of Mendip.
It is only three or four miles long, and runs north-east and south-west,
dividing the parishes of West Harptree and Compton Martin. It is attested by
its straightness, its coincidence with parish boundaries, and the name
Stratford Bridge. It was, I imagine, connected in some way with the Mendip lead
mines.”</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<o:p></o:p><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
From: 'Romano-British Somerset: Part 3, Other Locations', A
History of the County of Somerset: Volume 1 (1906), pp. 289-356. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The road follows a straight boundary between the later
parishes of Compton Martin and West Harptree. In fact, Compton Martin and West
Harptree themselves appear to be part of a much larger early estate that may
well have its origins in the Roman settlement of the area.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
It is worth remembering that the Anglo-Saxons don’t appear
to have taken control of what would later become Somerset until, at the
earliest, the middle of the 7<sup>th</sup> century. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever may have happened in terms of
population replacement in the east of Britain, it certainly appears that the
Anglo-Saxon conquest of the Somerset area may have much more akin to the later
Norman Conquest.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
In other words, from the point of view of the majority of
the population, new elites speaking a foreign language (Old English) largely
replaced existing elites speaking the same language (Old Cornish).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Romano-British estate owners had evolved into Post-Roman
lords only to be replaced by Anglo-Saxon lords in the 7<sup>th</sup> century
just as Norman lords would, in turn replace the Anglo-Saxons in the 11th.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
As with the Norman Conquest, many of the existing land units
may have been retained – meanwhile the bulk of the population continued as
before, eking out a subsistence living as best as they could. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Leach, writing in 1982, suggests that some Somerset parishes
represent estates reordered under an emerging “villa” system towards the end of
the first century AD, and that there is also considerable evidence of
continuity into the medieval period.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Meanwhile the conquest of new territories offered those at
the very top (William the Conqueror in the 11<sup>th</sup> century, the Saxon
kings of Wessex in the 7<sup>th</sup> century), an opportunity to assess or reassess
land values and thus the taxes that should be paid by the new landholders. <o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
In the Anglo-Saxon period this involved assessing the arable
land on each estate in terms of hides (sometimes Latinised as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">mansi</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cassati </i>in land charters) which in turn determined the amount of
tax to be paid.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
When it came to the hidation of landholdings in north
Somerset, there appears to have been a large “estate” stretching from the
mineworking area on the top of the Mendips northwards and down the slope into
the valley of the River Chew. It’s western end appears to be the same Ueb-leagh
(Ubley) mentioned previously, with the rest of the estate stretching east along
the Roman road, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ad Axium</i>, that
ran along the crest of the Mendips from Charterhouse east towards the Salisbury
area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
As mentioned earlier, the Roman road at Sea Mills was
referred to in an Anglo-Saxon charter as the old “h<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">earepathe” </i>or old military road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A similar such reference may comprise the root of the placename
Harptree, given that East Harptree forms the eastern end of this proposed
estate and that both it and West Harptree abut the Roman road or “hearepathe”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The estate, which may have been a pre-existing Romano-British
creation designed to serve the mining operations nearby, had been sub-divided
by the time of Domesday into several separate holdings each neatly divided into
units of five hides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
These holdings comprise the modern settlements of Ubley,
Compton Martin, Moreton plus two five hide units in each of West Harptree and
East Harptree, altogether creating a 35 hide block of land.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
Frances Neale has pointed out that the subsequent four
parishes of Ubley, Compton Martin, West Harptree and East Harptree form a
classic block of “strip” layout familiar in the Saxon period. Neale also notes
that four of the five parish boundaries down the hillside utilise stream
gullies on the lower slope.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
The fifth parish boundary, the central one of the group,
follows the Stratford Lane Roman Road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This will be the topic of the next article.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
To read about the Stratford Lane Roman Road click here;<br />
<a href="http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-stratford-laneroman-road-back-in.html">http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/the-stratford-laneroman-road-back-in.html</a>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-67644274366555746932012-07-25T22:51:00.000+01:002012-07-25T23:00:45.119+01:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzqwvFsMk0OagfmhOod7EGDzrEj48LfrH3SW9eoB_XNbEeYQmok0iTq-l7Rw9TzYdSWK5dqgnaf5hjaIDXalrr35bxGpOhJk9VmAFHzho8LLA4ipCoudt8KGTOaFbDHbMRlUEF2sRmo4/s1600/Bristol247v2logoB.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVzqwvFsMk0OagfmhOod7EGDzrEj48LfrH3SW9eoB_XNbEeYQmok0iTq-l7Rw9TzYdSWK5dqgnaf5hjaIDXalrr35bxGpOhJk9VmAFHzho8LLA4ipCoudt8KGTOaFbDHbMRlUEF2sRmo4/s640/Bristol247v2logoB.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Today (25th July 2012), on the Bristol 24-7 website, I have an <a href="http://www.bristol247.com/2012/07/25/why-should-we-pay-price-for-democracy-in-bristol-55573/">article</a> published regarding Bristol City Council's plans to charge some as yet indeterminate amount but estimated at somewhere around £2,000 (but potentially higher) to candidates for the right to be included in the Election Address Booklet that the Council is, by law, required to send out to every voter in the city.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This proposal by Bristol
City Council to charge Mayoral candidates 3 or 4 times as much as was charged
by Liverpool, Salford or Leicester to be included in the Booklet
demonstrates what happens when we reduce discussions about the democratic
process to one essentially based on costs to the taxpayer rather than benefits
to the voter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">There is a democratic
tradition in this country, going back well over a century, of funding at least
one free delivery of a campaign leaflet for candidates in a General Election. This
was and remains an attempt to both create a more informed electorate, and to
alleviate some of the negative effects of funding disparities between
candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The system used in the
General Election process is flexible, allowing a candidate to have almost total
control over the printing and production of their campaign leaflet (so they can
choose between, say an A4 full colour leaflet at, maybe, 2p per leaflet or
perhaps an A5 black and white leaflet at 0.5p per leaflet) but also allows them
to choose whether to have a leaflet delivered to every voter in the
constituency (say 85,000) or, alternatively, to every household (40-50,000). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">As a result, a candidate
can spend £1,700 on an A4 leaflet to every voter, or £200 on an A5 to every
household thus offering a wider range of cost options to a candidate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">However, even the cheaper
option might be beyond the reach of some candidates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In which case you can still
hand-deliver to a smaller, possibly more focused group of households and still have
some hope of competing with your better funded rivals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Nevertheless, as far as the
receiving household is concerned your campaign leaflet landing on the doormat
has as much potential impact as the one delivered by freepost. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Compare this to the
Election Booklet for the Mayoral election. The Returning Officer decides on the
costs and whether to use full colour or not, A4 size or A5, even if you choose
to use black and white there will be no financial benefit in doing so because,
in Bristol, your costs are simply based on the amount of space you have. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Further, if you cannot
afford to be included in the Election Booklet you are at a further disadvantage
because even if you do deliver your own campaign leaflet there is now a subtle
but important distinction between your election address and those from other
candidates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The Election Booklet, by
its very nature, is the “official” book of election addresses – any election
address outside of this context is likely to be seen as somehow less official because
it is not in the official election booklet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The concept of equality of
candidate's election addresses when they hit the doormat of any single
household has been compromised and the candidates have been divided into "official"
candidates and "fringe" candidates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">On the other hand, there
are also benefits to the Election Booklet system, and these benefits are
largely in terms of costs to the taxpayer. It is only the production and
printing costs that the candidate is expected to contribute to, not the
delivery costs -these are entirely borne by the taxpayer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Delivery to every voter in
Bristol costs about £88k, delivery to every household about £43k. Thus, if all
the election addresses are in a single booklet delivered once to every voter
then the cost to the taxpayer will be £88k. On the other hand, if the freepost
system was used this delivery cost will increase considerably. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In assessing the options
for the Police and Crime Commissioner elections, the government calculated that
delivery costs using the Freepost system as opposed to the single booklet used
in Mayoral elections would be three times as high (£35m vs £12m) - applying
that ratio to the Bristol Mayor elections implies a delivery cost under Freepost
of £257k, all of which would have to be paid by the Bristol taxpayer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In other words, the use of
a single booklet is a cost saving exercise for the taxpayer, and it is with
this in mind that the cities of Liverpool, Salford, Leicester, London and so on
decided that they would ask for only a relatively nominal contribution from
candidates towards the cost of producing and printing the booklet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This constitutes a passing
on to the candidates of a small proportion of the much larger cost savings to
the taxpayer of this method of delivering an election address to every voter,
and recognises the importance of ensuring that this cost-saving method is able
to fulfill its role of informing the electorate about ALL of the candidates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It is Bristol, and Bristol
alone, that has decided to interpret the legislation in such a way as to try to
recoup all of the production and printing costs applicable to each candidate
and by doing so potentially undermine a process that offers benefits to both
voter and taxpayer alike.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-31183823476884705922012-07-09T09:56:00.001+01:002012-07-09T09:56:30.988+01:00Bristol's most and least deprived neighbourhoodsThe 32 Bristol neighbourhoods* that, according to national statistics, are amongst the 10% of most deprived neighbourhoods in the entire country;<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 212px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 4790; mso-width-source: userset; width: 98pt;" width="131"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 2962; mso-width-source: userset; width: 61pt;" width="81"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Hareclive</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=21" title="View Whitchurch Park Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whitchurch Park</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Easton
Road</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=10" title="View Lawrence Hill Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lawrence Hill</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Southmead
Central</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=20" title="View Southmead Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Southmead</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ilminster
Avenue West</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=18" title="View Filwood Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Filwood</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fulford
Road South</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=21" title="View Whitchurch Park Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whitchurch Park</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Filwood
Broadway</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=18" title="View Filwood Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Filwood</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Throgmorton
Road</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=18" title="View Filwood Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Filwood</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Inns
Court</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=18" title="View Filwood Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Filwood</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fulford
Road North</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=13" title="View Hartcliffe Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hartcliffe</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Old
Market and the Dings</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=10" title="View Lawrence Hill Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lawrence Hill</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stapleton
Road</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=10" title="View Lawrence Hill Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lawrence Hill</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Whitchurch
Lane</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=13" title="View Hartcliffe Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hartcliffe</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Crow Lane</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=33" title="View Henbury Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Henbury</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">St Pauls</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=1" title="View Ashley Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ashley</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Leinster
Avenue</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=18" title="View Filwood Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Filwood</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Barton
Hill Road</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=10" title="View Lawrence Hill Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lawrence Hill</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bishport
Avenue East</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=21" title="View Whitchurch Park Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whitchurch Park</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Filton
Avenue North</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=19" title="View Lockleaze Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lockleaze</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lawrence
Weston South</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=6" title="View Kingsweston Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingsweston</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Four
Acres</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=14" title="View Bishopsworth Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bishopsworth</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">St Agnes</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=1" title="View Ashley Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ashley</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fair
Furlong</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=13" title="View Hartcliffe Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hartcliffe</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bishport
Avenue West</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=13" title="View Hartcliffe Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hartcliffe</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lawrence
Weston Parade</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=6" title="View Kingsweston Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingsweston</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">St
Philips</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=10" title="View Lawrence Hill Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lawrence Hill</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Bedminster</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=23" title="View Southville Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Southville</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">St James
Barton</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=2" title="View Cabot Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cabot</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Gill
Avenue</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=5" title="View Frome Vale Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Frome Vale</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Lockleaze
South</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=19" title="View Lockleaze Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lockleaze</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">St Judes</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=10" title="View Lawrence Hill Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lawrence Hill</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Trymside</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=20" title="View Southmead Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Southmead</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Ilminster
Avenue East</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=15" title="View Knowle Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Knowle</span></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And the 10 Bristol neighbourhoods that are ranked amongst the least deprived in the entire country;<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 212px;">
<colgroup><col style="mso-width-alt: 4790; mso-width-source: userset; width: 98pt;" width="131"></col>
<col style="mso-width-alt: 2962; mso-width-source: userset; width: 61pt;" width="81"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Golden
Hill</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=11" title="View Henleaze Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Henleaze</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">University
Halls</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=3" title="View Stoke Bishop Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stoke Bishop</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Canford
Park</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=30" title="View Westbury-on-Trym Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Westbury-on-Trym</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">West
Broadway</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=11" title="View Henleaze Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Henleaze</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Canford
Lane</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=30" title="View Westbury-on-Trym Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Westbury-on-Trym</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Stoke
Bishop North</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=3" title="View Stoke Bishop Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stoke Bishop</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Rockleaze</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=3" title="View Stoke Bishop Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stoke Bishop</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Elmlea</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=30" title="View Westbury-on-Trym Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Westbury-on-Trym</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Henbury
Hill</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=30" title="View Westbury-on-Trym Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Westbury-on-Trym</span></a></td>
</tr>
<tr height="20" style="height: 15pt; mso-height-source: userset;">
<td class="xl66" height="20" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: black black rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; height: 15pt; width: 98pt;" width="131"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Henleaze
North</span></td>
<td class="xl65" style="background-color: #f0f0f0; border-color: blue blue rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: none none solid; border-width: 0px 0px 1pt; width: 61pt;" width="81"><a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/WardFinder/?XSL=warddetail&WardId=11" title="View Henleaze Ward details"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Henleaze</span></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
* neighbourhood here is defined in terms of Lower Level Super Output Areas (LLSOA). An explanation and a list of the Bristol LLSOAs can be found on the Bristol City Council website here <a href="https://www.bristol.gov.uk/wardfinder?XSL=lsoa">https://www.bristol.gov.uk/wardfinder?XSL=lsoa</a> A map of LLSOAs by ward can be accessed by clicking on the name of a ward on the Bristol City Council website. <br />
<br />
Sourece for data; Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2010 <a href="http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/research/indicesdeprivation/">http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/research/indicesdeprivation/</a>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-27292339251332629382012-06-21T21:42:00.000+01:002012-06-22T08:37:35.541+01:00Brandon Hill – the hill formerly known as Mutton Tump<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YftWgLn3dQGtqHGfCZxrrYgDa5of_0rC0Kq9wOGxr4jMuuOzKHVqhy5vrFktQoU72fjMVaCI_rC5Zf5DsZunQDuNyrQBPBp9hIJ-hXlagK6rjb7vDwzdSm43KokcqMa3LmMLXlZvQ5s/s1600/Brandon+Hill.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8YftWgLn3dQGtqHGfCZxrrYgDa5of_0rC0Kq9wOGxr4jMuuOzKHVqhy5vrFktQoU72fjMVaCI_rC5Zf5DsZunQDuNyrQBPBp9hIJ-hXlagK6rjb7vDwzdSm43KokcqMa3LmMLXlZvQ5s/s320/Brandon+Hill.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<em>Evidence
of Bristol's pre-Christian and Welsh speaking past?</em></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reading
the news, via Bristol 24-7, that there are plans to conduct an
archaeological study of College Green, prompted me once again to
revisit the hodge podge of notes I have collected over the years
regarding the history of the site and its surrounding area. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
College Green site itself is obviously historic with St Augustine's
Abbey, now Bristol Cathedral, having been founded there in the
1140's, followed in the 1220's by the building of the Hospital of St
Mark's (better known as Gaunt's Hospital), on the opposite side of
the Green. There are several reasons for supposing that its
religious significance might go back much earlier, and this will be
returned to on this site at a later date.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However,
it is not the hillock or mound now known as College Green I want to
talk about in this article. It is its much higher neighbour Brandon
Hill, separated from College Green by what was once a gulley running
roughly along the line of Frogmore Street.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brandon
Hill has considerable historical significance of its own. In 1174 the
summit of Brandon Hill was given to St James' Priory. As a result, a chapel
dedicated to St Brendan the navigator, the patron saint of seafarers
and mariners, was established. William Worcestre in his detailed description of Bristol in 1480 called it “<i>the church of the hermitage upon the
very high hill of St Brandon</i>”.
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It
appears therefore that today's more commonly known name of Brandon
Hill may be derived from the establishment of the 12<sup>th</sup>
century chapel. Local tradition has an alternative name for the hill,
which, for reasons explored below, probably pre-dates the chapel's
construction: this name is Mutton Tump.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
usual explanation for the name of Mutton Tump is that it simply
refers to the fact that sheep used to graze on the hill.
“Sheep Hill” would seem to be a more obvious name, nevertheless the use of the word "mutton" to refer to the animal itself rather than just
its meat can be traced back to the early 14<sup>th</sup> century.
It is still used in this way in New Zealand today.
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However,
what we may have with Mutton Tump is a situation where
an element of a name which was taken from a lost language, having
lost its meaning, mutates into
something that seems meaningful in the current language.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An
example is the village name of Churchill in Somerset where the first
element "Church" actually comes from the Celtic <i>crug</i> meaning “hill”. Anglo-Saxon speakers not knowing the meaning mutated it into the similar sounding "church" and then </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">added their own word for “hill” to create Churchill. </span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously the change from Celtic "crug" into English "church" coulld only happen if there was actually a church on the hill to prompt the change.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">If something similar has happened with "Mutton Tump", we need to try and work out what the original was.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brandon
Hill is not the only “Mutton Tump” in the Bristol area. At one
end of Dundry Hill is the iron age fort known as Maes Knoll. At one end of the fort is a massive mound which, in my
childhood, older people referred to as “Mutton Tump”. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third
“Mutton Tump” in the Bristol area is the
Netham recreation ground in Barton Hill. This low hill is on the
border of the two Domesday manors of Barton (belonging to the King)
and Blackswarth, which later became a possession of the Abbey of St
Augustine. It is just to the south of the old Roman road from Bath to the
sea port at Sea Mills.
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Outside
of Bristol, the Mutton Tumps I can find are all in Wales. Cwmparc in
the Rhondda, Pontycymer in Bridgend, Blaina in Monmouthshire,
Senghenydd in Caerphilly, another in Pontypridd, and so on. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given
the number of Mutton Tumps in Wales, and the fact that two of the three Mutton
Tumps in Bristol are close to pre-Anglo-Saxon constructions (an Iron
Age fort and a Roman road), prompts the question whether there might be a
Romano-British/Welsh element to the name.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Tump”
initially seemed to me to be an obviously English word, and a check
of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) explained its meaning as;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1,
A hillock, mound, a mole-hill, or ant-hill; a barrow, tumulus</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2,
A clump of trees or shrubs; a clump of grass, esp. one forming a dry
spot in a bog or fen.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
OED went on to say that the word was not found in English before the
end of the 16</span><sup><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: small;">
century. It also said that it was a local word, chiefly found in western
England and the west midlands. It also
decribed the word's origin as obscure.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
</div>
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">However,
the OED then went on to mention that there was an
equivalent Welsh “twmp”, and also a related Welsh word “twmpath” - "a clump or tuft of rough grass, a barrow or tumulus".</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">OED also states that "twmpath" is found in the Mabinogion – the collection of
stories taken from medieval Welsh manuscripts and drawing on
pre-Christian mythology</span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-GB"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></i></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
texts of the Mabinogion are, of course, considerably older than the
16<sup>th</sup> century, dating back as they do to the 11<sup>th</sup> and 12<sup>th</sup>
centuries. Although the OED suggests that the Welsh “twmp” may
have come from the English “tump”, this looks like a
Romano-British/Welsh word travelling in the opposite direction –
that rare thing, an Anglo-Saxon word borrowing from the Romano-British.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Twmpath”
also means much more than just a clump of grass, a barrow or tumulus.
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twmpath is the Welsh equivalent <span style="font-size: small;">of
the Irish </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>ceili
</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">and
is associated in particular with the celebrations of “Calan Haf or “Calan Mai” (May
Day) when the village green (“twmpath chwarae”) was opened at the
beginning of Beltane, the season of warmth and growth.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Through
the summer months in some Welsh villages, the people would gather on
the </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i>twmpath
chwarae,</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">
(literally, tump for playing), the village green, in the evenings to
dance and play various sports. The green was usually situated on the
top of a hill and a mound was made where the fiddler or harpist sat.
Sometimes branches of oak decorated the mound and the people would
dance in a circle around it.”</span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.applewarrior.com/celticwell/ejournal/beltane/wales.htm">http://www.applewarrior.com/celticwell/ejournal/beltane/wales.htm</a></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">So the impression
given is that “tump” is likely derived from the Welsh “twmp”
and is used of a mound (perhaps a barrow or tumulus of ancestral
significance to the community) on top of a hill. It is perhaps associated
with a clump of trees, and is the location of summer dances and
celebrations, associated with British or “Celtic” pre-Christian
religious rituals. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A clump of trees
associated with Celtic pre-Christian religious rituals in this way
might also be described as a sacred grove, known as a Nemeton. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">"A
nemeton was a sacred space of ancient Celtic religion. Nemeta appear
to have been primarily situated in natural areas, and, as they often
utilised trees, they are often interpreted as sacred
groves" </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="citation book">Koch, John T. (2006). <i>Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The word is related to the Nemetes tribe living alongside the R</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">hine and their goddess Nemetona. However w</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">e
can bring the goddess Nemetona much closer to home thanks to a Roman
altar stone found in Bath which has the following inscription;</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="western" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">PEREGRINVS SECVNDI
FIL CIVIS TREVER LOCETIO MARTI ET NEMETONA VLSM</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">(Peregrinus, son of
Secundus, a citizen of the Treveri, to Loucetius Mars and Nemetona
willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Peregrine's tribe,
the Treveri, with their centre at Augusta Treverorum (modern day
Trier in Germany), were the neighbouring tribe to the Nemetes. Tribal
territories were often in a state of flux but the Nemetes lived
alongside the Rhine with the Treveri to their immediate west. As
neighbours, it might be expected that they would share and exchange
cultural beliefs such as that of the goddess Nemetona.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">However, in the
third century AD, these and other tribes living in the Rhineland were
about to experience a major disruption.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In the third
century, the Roman Empire experienced a severe crisis, as large numbers of
“barbarians” crossed the Rhine. Villa owners in the lands
belonging to the Treveri suffered particular devastation. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The effect of the
onslaught appears to have so weakened the confidence of many of the
Treveri and their neighbours that large numbers, especially the
wealthy elite, emmigrated looking for land and opportunities
elsewhere that seemed to offer a more secure future.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Meanwhile Roman Britain had been left relatively unscathed, but the Bristol area</span><span style="font-size: small;">, in comparison to some other parts of Roman
Britain, especially the territory around Cirencester in the Cotswolds, seemed to be lagging behind in terms of the number and quality of
its villas and other signs of Roman cultural development. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It has been
suggested that part of the reason for this lag was that the Bristol
area with its considerable mineral resources such as lead and iron
ore and its military port and roads had been placed under direct
imperial and military rule. As a result, unlike the Cirencester area
in particular, there was limited opportunity for conspicuous displays
of wealth and culture by private estate owners</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">However, in the last quarter of the 3rd century and
into the 4</span></span></span></span><sup><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">th</span></span></span></span></sup><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
century, there appears to have been significant new developments in
villa architecture, mosaics, and other infrastructure. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">This has been linked to what might be called a period of
“privatisation” probably related to a large scale migration of
relatively wealthy refugees from the devastated Roman territories
along the Rhine and the need for the empire to sell off imperial assets to raise funds to fight the "barbarians" at the gates of the Roman Empire. </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A number of villas in the Bristol area built during this boom period have features linked to a Rhineland influence including Kings Weston,
Somerdale near Keynsham, Brislington and Chew Park.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It is to be expected
that these incomers would also bring their own religious practices
along with them, including the practice of establishing sacred groves
for the purposes of religious rituals, as well as their name for
these sacred groves; Nemeton. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This brings us back
to Mutton Tump. If Tump is indeed simply an Anglicisation of the
Welsh “twmp”, what about the first element; Mutton? </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Is it too much to
suggest that it derives from Nemeton, its original meaning
forgotten as English replaced Welsh. With Christianity becoming the dominant religion,
pagan practices and sites were increasingly airbrushed out of history. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This was as instructed by Pope
Gregory in his 7<sup>th</sup> century letter to Abbot Melitus before the Abbot
joined St Augustine in his mission to convert the pagan English; </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"<em>Tell Augustine
that he should by no means destroy the temples of the gods but rather
the idols within those temples. Let him, after he has purified them
with holy water, place altars and relics of the saints in them. For,
if those temples are well built, they should be converted from the
worship of demons to the service of the true God. Thus, seeing that
their places of worship are not destroyed, the people will banish
error from their hearts and come to places familiar and dear to them
in acknowledgement and worship of the true God. </em>”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/mellitus.html">http://www.britannia.com/history/docs/mellitus.html</a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="western" lang="en" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.5cm;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">In such a situation
it is perhaps easy to imagine how “neh-MEH-tun” could initially
lose its first syllable, and then, later still, in the same way that
Celtic “crug” turned into English “church”, the remaining
“MEH-tun” could mutate into “MUHT-tun”. Thus Nemeton Twmp becomes Mutton Tump. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Unfortunately,
clumps of trees tend not to leave much of an archaeological presence,
and, in any case</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">, any trace is likely to have been destroyed, if not by the creation of St
Brendan's chapel in the 12<sup>th</sup> century, then certainly by the
building of the 17<sup>th</sup> century civil war defences on the same
site. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">By the time Cabot Tower was built in 1897, it is unlikely that
there will have been anything left to find, even if something had
been there to find in the first place.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Therefore it seems
that we may never know if Brandon Hill really was a Nemeton –
unless of course, it is by inference from a discovery made at one of
the other Mutton Tumps.</span>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-26196718973796113382012-03-30T19:14:00.000+01:002012-03-30T19:14:28.414+01:00Bedminster Town Team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/S4csUSDs5j4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-20949738085807495322011-12-04T22:34:00.003+00:002011-12-05T09:29:47.722+00:00Back To The Future?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ayErmxN9BZdiNQF90Hthvajyvql5Hr3nXi1HUdQ-tf8kGOyaz5jVsVzOCtEH1U1jj5C7ciRkF6Amd56Ezje_BuFl9WTbGK4g_HVpOEnL3GYmjBjFLnXUE4Y0_UjiWHp1rKF2PykpYFQ/s1600/Dow+Jones+2011.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ayErmxN9BZdiNQF90Hthvajyvql5Hr3nXi1HUdQ-tf8kGOyaz5jVsVzOCtEH1U1jj5C7ciRkF6Amd56Ezje_BuFl9WTbGK4g_HVpOEnL3GYmjBjFLnXUE4Y0_UjiWHp1rKF2PykpYFQ/s400/Dow+Jones+2011.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on chart for larger image)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Looking back over the last 52 weeks, and using the Dow Jones index of the New York Stock Exchange as a guide, it is possible to track in broad strokes the effects of the Sovereign Debt Crisis on that crucial stock market. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The chart above (which indexes the Dow Jones based on the week of 19th September 2011 as 100) starts in November 2010 just as the 85 billion Euro bailout of Ireland was agreed accompanied by the toughest budget in the Irish Republic's history. This action itself followed on from an E110bn Greek bailout in May 2010 also accompanied by austerity measures. Following the rescue of the Irish banking system we saw the Dow Jones steadily climb until mid-February 2011 to the first of three market peaks, each of which turned out to be shortlived.</div><br />
A further bout of market pessimism, despite the EU agreeing to the setting up of the E500bn European Stability Mechanism to replace the temporary European Financial Stability Framework in 2013, sees the market decline again in March.<br />
<br />
A second peak in the Dow Jones is reached in late April, but once again Eurozone worries, with the Portuguese government admitting it cannot deal with its finances without EU help (resulting in a E78bn bailout in May) sees the market drop and economists also begin to talk about Greece being forced to leave the Eurozone.<br />
<br />
However, the market begins to recover for a third time as new austerity measures are imposed upon the Greeks, despite huge levels of civil unrest, accompanied by the EU agreeing a second E109bn bailout. The market reaches a third peak in July.<br />
<br />
But the respite is short-lived as August brings further doubts about the ability of the Greeks to remain in the Eurozone, and, again, opinion begins to be voiced as to whether it would be better if Greece defaulted, as concerns about contagion in the sovereign debt market lead to yields increasing on Spanish and Italian bonds. <br />
<br />
An announcement by the European Central Bank that it will buy government bonds does not prevent a severe drop in the Dow Jones which is followed by a period of doubt and uncertainty with the market seeing alternating triple-digit falls and rallies.<br />
<br />
Eventually, in October, a certain degree of bullishness settles into the market that the worst of the crisis is over, as an E130bn bail-out of Greece combined with a partial voluntary default on some private sector debt is agreed. This is accompanied by the appointment of an unelected technocrat to power in the cradle of democracy. A similar technocratic appointment in Italy, seen as the next domino in the bail-out stakes, accompanied by yet more austerity, sees the Dow Jones climb by some 14% before dropping back a little over the last week or so. <br />
<br />
After a year that has saw three separate peaks, with the last followed by a major decline into a period of intense market volatility, there are those who suggest that the recent rally in the Dow Jones will be sustained - that the worse is over.<br />
<br />
This scenario sees the Eurozone area experiencing a relatively moderate recession, and the UK and US a few years of moderate growth, but that the BRICs and other emerging nations will soon pull the World Economy back to the levels of growth experienced pre-crisis.<br />
<br />
That might be a little optimistic.<br />
<br />
Because we may have been here before.<br />
<br />
Below is the same chart as above but I have now added a second set of data. This too is for the Dow Jones Index but this time covering the 52 week period up to the week of 28 April 2008 (with the week commencing 19th February 2008 set at 100).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkAJLq_JTvGcoQQoP6UkDBlcsuSrrC-u7KH__k-fac9w00o9k7sfQjEiiT5lXajhg8d4AhxboG9weqPS0lKRKKERdAEgbjzqcg-VhFdTiw1UBWSQV9NnD8ZW4MC2lyF9ojRlMeD2mYDo/s1600/Groundhog+day.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbkAJLq_JTvGcoQQoP6UkDBlcsuSrrC-u7KH__k-fac9w00o9k7sfQjEiiT5lXajhg8d4AhxboG9weqPS0lKRKKERdAEgbjzqcg-VhFdTiw1UBWSQV9NnD8ZW4MC2lyF9ojRlMeD2mYDo/s400/Groundhog+day.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
This time the chart begins in April 2007 by which time concerns about the subprime mortgage lending market in the United States were beginning to have major effects. By June, Bear Stearns announced the failure of two of its hedge funds and soon after the Dow Jones reached it's first peak in before declining. The hedge funds' collapse was seen as an intensification of the subprime crisis rather than something deeper, however in August the European Central Bank stepped in to offer liquidity to banks.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The Dow Jones then began to creep up again, reaching a new, second peak, and its highest ever recorded level of over 14,000 in October. But by this time the UK had seen its first run on a bank since 1866 as customers queued around the block to get their cash out of Northern Rock whilst banks like UBS and Citigroup now announced $3bn losses to subprime, with Merrill Lynch reported to have exposure of almost $8bn.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Nevertheless, perhaps buoyed by the IMF forecast of only slightly reduced World Economic growth of 4.8% in 2008 followed by 5.1% in 2009, the Dow Jones peaked for a third time in early December.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">However over the Christmas period and into January, as worries about liquidity and the subprime exposure of individual banks increased, the Dow dropped by over 10%. This did not prevent Wall Street from awarding itself $32 billion in bonuses of course.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Just as now, there then followed a volatile period in which the market seemed to change direction depending on conflicting news headlines and/or pure speculation. Increasing commodity prices (Oil had been forecast to drop in price by 20%, but would instead increase in price by almost 50% by July) added to the mix, whilst the Federal Reserve reduced interest rates to 3.5%, and then, a week later, to 3%. Meanwhile in February, the nationalisation of Northern Rock by the British government was finalised.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">A key moment came on the 11th March, when the share price of Bear Stearns collapsed. After a weekend of frantic negotiations a company that had a market value of $18bn a year previously was sold to JP Morgan for $1/4 billion.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Just as in November 2011, the apparent resolution of a problem with an insolvent entity (for Bear Stearns read Greece), seemed to calm the market. Over the next nine weeks, the Dow Jones steadily rose, even after the IMF published its Global Financial Stability Report estimated potential losses due to the crisis at $945 billion. By the end of April, the nine week rally saw the Dow Jones hitting the 13,000 level again, which although still short of the 14,000 it had hit in October, seemed a good indicator that the global economy - and the financial system - would soon return to business as usual.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Comparing the two 52 week periods, the track of the Dow Jones show, in both cases, three separate peaks, followed by a decline. There then followed a period of volatility, followed by a "recovery" when it was felt that the worse was over and the "bad apple" problem (Bear Stearns, Greece) had been resolved.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The difference is that for 2008, we now have the benefit of hindsight, and we can look back at 2008, and see what happened next.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRn22kaXyMOA7A-O0iXtJ7Dstx2r69XLSaU-aZBWEpC-So_gp_duVsij5fhwR5XcEflkTUXDTf1ESTZsOFo4mUaLsRKK6hbV9HbXdNmmiQdtUYn0-ShRLwE8nNzdvfwhrt1j5zms8nMc/s1600/Repeating+History.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaRn22kaXyMOA7A-O0iXtJ7Dstx2r69XLSaU-aZBWEpC-So_gp_duVsij5fhwR5XcEflkTUXDTf1ESTZsOFo4mUaLsRKK6hbV9HbXdNmmiQdtUYn0-ShRLwE8nNzdvfwhrt1j5zms8nMc/s400/Repeating+History.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What came next, was, of course, the nationalisation of the US government-chartered mortgage institutions colloquially known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the nationalisation of RBS, the $700bn US government asset purchase system, the bailout of AIG, etc, etc, etc.<br />
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From a level of 14,000 in October 2007, the Dow Jones dropped to 6,600 by March 2009. Similar effects were felt on Stock Markets around the globe as $50 trillion worth of assets were destroyed. The effect in the real economy saw millions made unemployed as the world experienced its first year of negative growth since the end of World War II. <br />
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The OECD countries saw a drop of almost a trillion dollars in private fixed investment between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2009. In the UK, by the first quarter of 2010, GDP had dropped by £18.6 billion with over £10 billion of fixed investment lost, while personal spending saw a decline of over £8 billion as people tightened their purse strings.<br />
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In response, politicians have inflicted austerity cuts on those least culpable whilst many of those individuals and corporations who benefited most in the years of boom continue to take advantage of tax loopholes to avoid paying taxes of between £35-£220 billion per year in the UK alone - tax revenues that could otherwise protect frontline services like healthcare, education, and welfare.<br />
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The fact that the Dow Jones in 2011 has unerringly retraced the ebbs and flows of the Dow Jones in 2007-08 does not in itself mean that we are about to have a global recession as we had in 2008/09. Past performance is, after all, no guarantee of future performance.<br />
<br />
But there is a feeling amongst many that the financial crisis further revealed the underlying weaknesses of the current financial system that already been exposed by the Asian banking crisis and the default of Russia in the late 90's. It has demonstrated the unsustainable nature of a global economic system in which massive trade imbalances are sharpened by private consumption. Private consumption that, due to wage repression, is itself reliant on debt creation fueled by massive credit transfers from producer countries and historically cheap interest rates. <br />
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The response to the $1.4 trillion subprime mortgage shock of bailing out the banks has merely served to transfer an unsustainable debt problem from private banks to the public sector where it has exacerbated an existing problem caused by politicians caught in the trap of promising both low taxes AND decent levels of public services. In comparison to subprime, the combined sovereign debt bill of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain is in the region of $4.8 trillion, and financial institutions are placing bets on the yields from government bonds for the PIIGS just as they did on mortgage backed securities and their derivatives in the subprime mortgage sector.<br />
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It now seems that because major reforms to the global banking system have largely failed to materialise, allowing banks and other financial entities to continue with business as usual, it is likely that another global recession, one potentially even more devastating then the first, may be about to hit the world's economy.</div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-29910409091641604482011-11-18T10:43:00.000+00:002011-11-18T10:43:21.708+00:00Hydra Bookshop - opening Saturday 26th November<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFjt9F2fZIPXLTIyioeToo_gbz9zDkfIXchUAT_o81AHwMfR8vDQDxwR2w6ovAz9fEgXIQVFoFkrktnrRINZTY7NmPWDO0vqB6WHICi_w6FPZ0P_OBFhV2hqoVzBEMg7klvvFlNONsaE/s1600/oldmarketriot31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFjt9F2fZIPXLTIyioeToo_gbz9zDkfIXchUAT_o81AHwMfR8vDQDxwR2w6ovAz9fEgXIQVFoFkrktnrRINZTY7NmPWDO0vqB6WHICi_w6FPZ0P_OBFhV2hqoVzBEMg7klvvFlNONsaE/s640/oldmarketriot31.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.hydrabooks.org/">http://www.hydrabooks.org/</a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Hydra Bookshop will open on </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Saturday 26th November 2011</span></strong>.</div><br />
'The Hydra' is a bookshop and coffee shop by day; event space and meeting place by night situated at 34, Old Market Street (BS2 0EZ). We have a warm inviting event space suitable for groups of up to 25. As a community bookshop we aim to support local groups by creating a space were your publications can be sold, with a percentage going to maintaining the bookshop. Run by local people as a workers' co-operative, the shop grew out of the Bristol Radical History Group and similar networks across the city. <br />
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<span style="color: blue;">There will be an opening week of events organised by Bristol Radical History Group. The details will appear in the Events Calendar on the website shortly</span>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-75253844585740128022011-11-10T21:54:00.004+00:002011-11-11T09:52:39.938+00:00Trojan HorsesLast Wednesday (2nd November) I watched the early evening news on the BBC which described how the Greeks were being difficult about accepting a deal that will “<em>halve their debt</em>”. The BBC made it very clear how unreasonable the Greeks were being for looking this apparent gift horse in the mouth. A similar theme continued in the Guardian the following Monday (7th November);<br />
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<em>“Greece received a €110bn bailout in May 2010 with the latest aid package writing off half of the country's €360bn debt load.”</em> describing the latest aid deal as <em>“a €130bn bailout package.”</em> <br />
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Sounds like an offer you couldn't refuse doesn't it? (And we all know the unpleasant horse experience linked to that phrase).<br />
<br />
The Greek people, having themselves been the provider of a dubious gift horse in the past, are perhaps more able than most to perceive the need to be weary of such apparent largesse. <br />
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Which is why our friendly neighbourhood Franco-German “<em>kingmakers</em>” made it clear to the Greek Prime Minister that any attempt to ask the Greek people for their opinion should be abandoned – politicians tend to only support referenda when they think they will get the answer they want. <br />
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Greek sovereign debt is in the region of 350-360 billion Euros (£300-310 billion). If there really was a 50% write-off (or “<em>haircut</em>”) on all Greek debt then we should see 175-180 billion Euros wiped off the Greek debt mountain. This would bring the Greek debt to GDP ratio down from a unsustainable 157%, to a more manageable 79% - a level of debt lower than that of the UK, Germany or France (but not below the level of Spain, another “troubled” country, with sovereign debt levels at only 68% of GDP). <br />
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Yet, according to the Debt Sustainability Analysis leaked to the press during the recent Euro summit, IF the “<em>ungrateful</em>” Greeks accept the terms of the new “<em>bailout</em>” deal, AND assuming there are no other shocks to the economic system, AND if other proposals go according to plan including even more austerity measures, privatisations, and reductions in Greek sovereignty, they might, just might, be able to get their debt down to 130% of GDP by 2030. A level of debt greater than that carried by Italy at 120%, which the same BBC programme described as very worrying and an indication that Italy might be the next sovereign state in the firing line.<br />
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Obviously, something doesn't add up. The most obvious questions that might spring to mind are:<br />
1) How come a deal to “halve Greek debt” doesn't?<br />
2) Why, if Greece has now had two debt “<em>bailouts</em>” totalling 240 billion Euros, is Greek debt actually getting higher rather than lower?<br />
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As we will see, those behind the new bailout know that it only provides, at best, enough funding for a E26bn reduction in Greek debt - a 7% reduction not 50% - and even this depends on the level of take-up of a haircut that is only voluntary because of fears regarding the stability of the financial derivatives market.<br />
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Unfortunately, there is no simple way to explain why the bailouts don't do what they say on the tin, so I have split my attempt at an explanation into six hopefully more digestible chunks. <br />
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<b>Part 1 Where we learn that not all debt is created equal.</b><br />
<strong></strong><strong></strong> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5YQGk-dZyks7vOFOLCw2wBjjO70_Fm-vZfr6cDFr_OBaL4fA58JMYO4x53o3HrM1J5h0eV13eAMUXm8i1aUNnKiAEPCD8ZDkaAMQGaepIT2HWLfri2ED3MQWZwZ8wccH6KuV1qF1qcA/s1600/Part+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA5YQGk-dZyks7vOFOLCw2wBjjO70_Fm-vZfr6cDFr_OBaL4fA58JMYO4x53o3HrM1J5h0eV13eAMUXm8i1aUNnKiAEPCD8ZDkaAMQGaepIT2HWLfri2ED3MQWZwZ8wccH6KuV1qF1qcA/s400/Part+1.bmp" width="400" /></a></div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div>A closer look at the components of Greek sovereign debt allows us to roughly calculate that the Greek sovereign debt includes somewhere in the region of 150-160 billion Euros worth of debt in the form of bonds and loans owed to official agencies including the EU (E47bn), IMF (E18bn), the ECB (at least E45bn), other European central banks (about E13bn), legacy loans from the Bank of Greece (E6bn) and other bilateral/special loans. None of this “official sector” debt, it appears, will be subject to the 50% haircut. <br />
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That leaves about 200 billion Euros worth of privately held sovereign debt, including debt held by Greek and Cypriot commercial banks (E60bn), foreign commercial banks (E30bn), sovereign wealth funds (E25bn), public sector workers' pension funds (E30bn) and other private sector institutions. <br />
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A 50% reduction on this would see the overall Greek debt reduced by about E100 billion (30%) and, indeed, E100 billion was the figure used by the (now ex-) Greek prime minister in a speech to his party group last Thursday (3rd November) as he tried to convince his audience that the decision as to whether the Greek government would hold a referendum was one for the Greeks alone despite the fact that everybody knew that Merkel and Sarkosy had already said Nein/Non! <br />
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In fact, the final reduction is likely to be considerably lower than the E100 billion referred to by Mr Papendreou. <br />
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<b>Part 2 Where we learn it's not just what you owe but how much you have to pay for it.</b><br />
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Despite all the headlines about the overall level of Greek sovereign debt, the immediate problem for Greece is the rising cost of servicing their debt, coupled with the fact that too much of the borrowing is over a short term period.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWzOOKN62VWeC_jpZW7C8FOpyxh20A1WEyTHYSoPlziUGTNVcNxMNlgDs7bS9eWeCZnJhFHeUD7wMOPMWDYggdYHLt4-7BDeLKQM-uVF_d_iBCe3HoEAcNI5kJtRQXlyQquCk-hM4PzE/s1600/Part+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWzOOKN62VWeC_jpZW7C8FOpyxh20A1WEyTHYSoPlziUGTNVcNxMNlgDs7bS9eWeCZnJhFHeUD7wMOPMWDYggdYHLt4-7BDeLKQM-uVF_d_iBCe3HoEAcNI5kJtRQXlyQquCk-hM4PzE/s320/Part+2.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div><br />
Some of Greece's current problems have been forced upon Greece by a market that has become more risk aware (as recently as 2009, the level of Greek debt as a percentage of GDP was still lower than it had been some 7 years previously), other problems are self-inflicted - such as the largest shadow economy in “western” Europe (at some 28% of GDP) with high levels of tax avoidance and evasion badly impacting upon the level of tax revenues collected. <br />
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As with politicians in almost every developed country, Greek politicians have promised to deliver the public services the electorate demands, whilst being unwilling to collect the tax revenues needed to pay for them.<br />
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The net result is that Greece has borrowed from the market and as the level of Greek debt has risen, so the cost to the Greek government of paying for that debt has increased which means the Greek government has increasingly been forced to borrow on shorter terms from the market because the cost of borrowing short-term is (usually) cheaper (because the investors are only committing their funding for a shorter, and thus, theoretically, less riskier, period of time).<br />
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This has a consequence in an increase in the frequency that the Greek government has to go to the market looking for “new” borrowers in order to “rollover” (ie. re-borrow) significant portions of its debt.<br />
<br />
Because markets have (belatedly) become more risk conscious, increasing concerns about the ability of Greece to repay its debts have caused the price of Greek bonds to fall in order to sell thus forcing up the cost of borrowing for the Greek government even more.<br />
<br />
This, in turn, forces the Greeks to borrow on even shorter terms (forcing them to “rollover” their debt ever more frequently) and at ever higher rates of interest (increasing debt interest payments and reducing the ability of the Greek government to reduce its deficit) - in other words, the Greeks are stuck in a Catch 22 situation, with their debt levels and interest payments spiralling out of control. <br />
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Therefore, part of the plan to “rescue” Greece is not just to reduce the overall level of debt via a 50% “haircut”, but also to encourage bondholders to agree to swap their short-term bonds for longer bonds with maturities of, if possible, 30 years at lower market rates than those available via the bond markets. This would reduce the frequency of Greek sovereign debt “rollovers”, relieving pressure on Greek government finances (and reducing the impact of a negative or “bear” market). <br />
<br />
Overall, the deal will have the effect of reducing the impact of a negative market on Greek government finances by removing the need for the Greeks to repeatedly go to the market to rollover their existing debt, which in turn may help to stabilise the cost of Greek borrowing. <br />
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<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Part 3 Where we learn that insurance is not always worth the paper it's written on</b></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">However, the proposed 50% “haircut” and bond swap programme referred to above is intended to be voluntary which has major implications in terms of reducing the debt burden. </div><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXsxRs_3GMZzPbr6XkHKVOzOte1Mv4vY1VwShTTkTVxPjb8OeOKddzV9EHZFYiR7EG957HTiTr0VpxzJoIXWW101BDP5fqjPFXJhrxg4VFclXH1szrAaiJeiAvvPPa9PRWOWuwczl-dY/s1600/Part+3.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXsxRs_3GMZzPbr6XkHKVOzOte1Mv4vY1VwShTTkTVxPjb8OeOKddzV9EHZFYiR7EG957HTiTr0VpxzJoIXWW101BDP5fqjPFXJhrxg4VFclXH1szrAaiJeiAvvPPa9PRWOWuwczl-dY/s400/Part+3.bmp" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The reasons for the Eurozone deal-makers wanting the debt holders to agree to a voluntary haircut rather than a forced haircut is to avoid triggering Credit Default Swaps (CDS). CDS are essentially a form of insurance against the very thing that is happening here – the potential for the seller of a bond to experience a credit event and default on all or some of their payment obligations. Therefore it would seem the most obvious course of action would be to force a 50% partial default, triggering the ability for the bond holder to claim on the CDS to recover their investment. After all, isn't that what insurance is for? </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The problem is that there are major concerns about the ability of the CDS market to cope with a sovereign default, even a partial one by a relatively small country, an economy that only accounts for a tiny percentage of Europe's GDP – many senior figures in the finance industry recall how, after the Lehman Brothers collapse in September 2008, it became clear that the insurance giant AIG was exposed to tens of billions of dollars of payments for CDS due within weeks without the ability to pay them. Having allowed Lehman Brothers to fail, the officials concerned were so panicked by the potential knock-on effect of a failure in the CDS market, that they reversed their policy of not using taxpayers funds to bail-out private companies, and bailed out AIG. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">As of November 4th, 2011, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) held details of over 4,400 live single-name CDS contracts directly referencing Greek government debt with a Gross Notional of $74 billion. Many CDS experts have insisted that the headline figure worth noting is the much smaller Net Notional ($3.7bn) and that the problem with AIG was because it had a high Net Notional unlike Greek CDS, but, in the end, it all comes down to levels of trust. In a largely unregulated market nobody really knows what sort of chain reaction might be sparked by the triggering of the insurance supposedly provided by CDS.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The simple fact is that many in the financial industry and in the political realm are scared stiff of the very insurance system meant to guard investors against credit events like a Greek default.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">So, rather than trigger the CDS, the deal will look for a voluntary haircut from the private sector even if that means that the potential reduction in Greek debt will be considerably lower than might otherwise have been the case.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Part 4, Where we learn that you can only have the haircut you're willing to pay for.</b></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ilDDkW1fW4KWqPDPKZYYt7NN9Oq0FzeoW5F1iU2P2-xMQ6c6Jea9r1OY_PxPPwKrHUOa891AH-TT_fHoXHtB_gqGjukFFSUfVsh0GYeVDgfhlD9kE-uqTduWsgMVNyvFFnI0GlXA1N4/s1600/Part+4.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ilDDkW1fW4KWqPDPKZYYt7NN9Oq0FzeoW5F1iU2P2-xMQ6c6Jea9r1OY_PxPPwKrHUOa891AH-TT_fHoXHtB_gqGjukFFSUfVsh0GYeVDgfhlD9kE-uqTduWsgMVNyvFFnI0GlXA1N4/s400/Part+4.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click picture for larger image)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Back in May 2010, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund funded a E110 billion package to “rescue” Greece, by providing it with the funds to meet its obligations for 2010-2012.. The IMF pledged E30 billion, with the EU offering E80 billion provided by the other Eurozone countries.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Of the E110 billion, approximately E10 billion was allocated to recapitalise (“bailout”) those Greek banks most affected by the debt crisis.</div><br />
So far E65 billion of the funding has been disbursed in 5 payouts between May 2010 and July 2011 – E18 billion from the IMF, and E47 billion from the EU supplied by the Eurozone taxpayers including Germany (13.5bn), France (10bn), as well as the Italians (E9bn) and Spanish (E6bn) who might be considered to have enough problems of their own. Included in this total is E3.5 billion that has gone directly to recapitalise the banks.<br />
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Of the other E61.5bn disbursed, most of this has gone to meet the E43bn Greek deficit for 2010 and 2011 which included E27.5bn in debt interest payments to the holders of Greek debt (including payments on the loans provided as part of the bailout package itself).<br />
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The next EU/IMF payout of E8bn is due to go to Greece as soon as it accepts the terms of the latest bailout package. This left E37 billion still in the pot (including E6.5bn earmarked for bank recapitalisations) however this has been reduced to E34bn after Slovakia declined to take any further part, and Portugal and Ireland also themselves became recipients of bailouts.<br />
<br />
However, by July 2011, it had become clear that the first “bailout” had failed to reassure the market about Greece's problems, leading to a second proposed E109bn “bailout”, subsequently increased to E130 billion on October 26th..<br />
<br />
Of this new funding pot of E130 billion, some E30 billion will be made available for more Greek bank recapitalisations. Added to the E6.5bn left over from the recapitalisation pot for the first bailout, this means that E36.5 billion is available to prop up the banks directly.<br />
<br />
Another E30 billion will be made available as “sweeteners” to encourage existing private sector bondholders (including banks) to swap their existing short-term bonds at a 50% haircut for longer term bonds maturing in up to 30 years. <br />
<br />
That leaves E70 billion, along with the remaining E27.8 billion from the first bailout for a total of E97.8 billion to keep the Greek government solvent over 2012-2014.<br />
<br />
Over that time period, the EU/IMF/ECB “Troika” who are now effectively governing Greece, predict that the Greek government will actually run a primary balance surplus of E14bn. <br />
<br />
However, after allowing for the Greek debt interest payments which total E49bn over the same period, the surplus turns back into a deficit of E32.7bn, to which must be added another E2.3bn due from the failure to meet the deficit target for 2011 When this deficit is added to the E6.5bn of arrears that the Greek government owes to hospitals, local government, state bodies, social security funds etc, that leaves roughly E56bn available for the 50% “haircut” that was supposedly going to halve Greek sovereign debt.<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Part 5, Where we learn that the 50% haircut....isn't</b></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbvhNQ2Y3w_hiPCPR1r5FwITWdfB3rvn16Ik5CzT0vfkt08apmKRD9sEWd9gjN-s8aK3I8bi4aSYOxtHzsjiL5OIeJkklYUAUzRjeJ2rnHmzebUgbHkgktL-8k4MfObYVAH08S_PtBzg/s1600/Part+5.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbvhNQ2Y3w_hiPCPR1r5FwITWdfB3rvn16Ik5CzT0vfkt08apmKRD9sEWd9gjN-s8aK3I8bi4aSYOxtHzsjiL5OIeJkklYUAUzRjeJ2rnHmzebUgbHkgktL-8k4MfObYVAH08S_PtBzg/s320/Part+5.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The Institute of International Finance, the organisation negotiating of behalf of many of the banks as to how the new bailout should work, estimates that there is some E150bn of the E200bn private sector owned Greek sovereign debt due to be rolled over in the 2012-2014 time period. It is this debt that will be eligible for a voluntary haircut and bond swap.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Back in July, the IIF estimated that the offer of a 21% haircut and swap to longer-term bonds would be taken up by some 90% of private sector bondholders, holding E135bn of Greek debt. The IIF proposal provided four options for bondholders, only two of which included the haircut, with a result that the overall reduction of Greek debt would actually have been just 10% of the E135bn at E13.5bn.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">However, the value of the bond held by the institutions who actually signed up to the original deal would appear to have been closer to E112bn – meaning that the plan would only have seen Greek debt reduced by about E11-12bn. It is easy to see why the EU and IMF were less than impressed by this proposal and instead insisted on a bigger haircut of 50%.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If the same number of private sector bondholders are willing to accept the 50% haircut (with the added incentive of the E30bn of sweeteners referred to earlier) the cost of the haircut will be the E56bn identified earlier. Given, however, that the E30bn of “sweeteners” to encourage private sector involvement will subsequently be added to the Greek debt, the net change will, in fact, be E26bn or 7% of Greek Debt.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This assumes of course that all of the private sector bondholders who were willing to take up the July deal with a 21% haircut that became 10%, will sign up for the October deal with its larger 50% haircut that is really a 23% haircut.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">In other words, it would appear that of the E240bn of taxpayers' money that have gone to “reduce” the Greek sovereign debt, only E56bn at most will actually be available to buy bonds at the haircut price of 50%, leading to a gross reduction in Greek debt not of 50% but of 7%. <br />
<br />
However, financial industry scuttlebutt is that only 60% of the private sector bondholders are supportive of the latest "50% haircut" deal and thus the likely outcome due to the “voluntary” nature of the haircut is a debt reduction of just E15bn or just over 4% of Greek sovereign debt.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"> <b>Part 6 Where we emphasise that Greece has not been bailed out</b></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB-O3b5-BrbvqbKMRiftx3CQoGiuUEcZTExWAt9hAJvukdI2JjonW40kJsYw7TVqcSvfBCGAB7nah6kW0oKKJSU6WQE-eVfskgb7_-Gwj9jlNUpx_VXtZhg_-EXYcTUoEGPsFZ0sIS_s/s1600/Part+6.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieB-O3b5-BrbvqbKMRiftx3CQoGiuUEcZTExWAt9hAJvukdI2JjonW40kJsYw7TVqcSvfBCGAB7nah6kW0oKKJSU6WQE-eVfskgb7_-Gwj9jlNUpx_VXtZhg_-EXYcTUoEGPsFZ0sIS_s/s400/Part+6.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(click on picture for larger image)</span></div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This is not a bailout of Greece.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">A real bailout of Greece might be looking at a moratorium on debt interest payments (which will see the Greek government pay out over E76bn over 2010-2014), it might look at underwriting longer term Greek private sector bonds encouraging holders of short-term bonds to swap into them to reduce the rollover effect. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">In return the Greek government might have been tasked to agree binding targets to collect the taxes avoided and evaded, often by many of its wealthiest citizens, and then investing the additional revenues thus collected (in the region of E25bn/yr) into modernising and “greening” Greek public infrastructure and services, creating jobs rather than imposing austerity measures that destroy jobs often by abandoning infrastructure investment and reducing key services. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">As in the UK, austerity has served to stifle the Greek economy forcing it into recession, killing off revenue generation, and creating social conflict. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">This isn't a bailout of the Greek economy, it is a bailout of banks and other financial institutions - a Trojan Horse in which at least E190bn of the E240bn “bailouts” will go to compensate banks and other financial institutions in order to prevent them from forcing Greece to default on the loans that those same institutions willingly lent to Greece. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If banks continue to be compensated by the taxpayer for making “bad loans”, bad loans are what they will continue to make. </div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">As a result it seems increasingly likely that this Greek tragedy will now be played out again in a much larger Roman arena – with the implication that Greece could merely have been playing the Bear Stearns role to Italy's Lehman Brothers.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The financial sector has become an end in itself and whole economies are being devastated to serve it (and pay for its mistakes), rather than the financial sector serving those economies in order to improve the general condition of the populace as a whole.</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">The road to serfdom, indeed.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-30301492835067037462011-10-25T12:37:00.000+01:002011-10-25T12:37:25.263+01:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqpyXKgZ2QZ2ntVr_fKIYys6noay3nEQraMKFEkvDnJKXAPig7CPAwTiSXkz1SpVWtu5sAyPj_MfPm80coqwx7vAdQQ6v4N4-a-0aukVptMyLbfBtOwidQa44-9YrYPqe0DIAarsA2gs/s1600/bristol%252520civic%252520soc%252520logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqpyXKgZ2QZ2ntVr_fKIYys6noay3nEQraMKFEkvDnJKXAPig7CPAwTiSXkz1SpVWtu5sAyPj_MfPm80coqwx7vAdQQ6v4N4-a-0aukVptMyLbfBtOwidQa44-9YrYPqe0DIAarsA2gs/s1600/bristol%252520civic%252520soc%252520logo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>TRANSPORT IN BRISTOL :</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong>THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE</strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A Presentation and Debate : Open and free to all</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bristol Civic Society presents</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The aim of this event is to debate a transport policy for Bristol that strives to balance the wide range of interests in the city that is deliverable within the legal and financial constraints imposed largely by Central Government. The event will contribute to the Council’s Central Area Action Plan consultation.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Councillor Tim Kent, Cabinet Member for Transport</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bristol City Council</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">will open the meeting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Speakers</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Peter Mann, Director of Transport Bristol City Council</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive of Bristol Airport</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">James Smith, Civic Society Transport Group member</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will give an overview of the current plans for transport in Bristol including the legislative and financial constraints within which transport proposals have to be developed and implemented.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">The concerns of local business about the current transport situation - the importance of transport to delivering local economic growth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">A Bristol resident’s perspective - the delivery of the third Joint Local Transport Plan - what the Council should do to limit the impact of traffic growth in the city’s central area.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Following the speakers there will an hour of questions and debate.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Monday 7th November Colston Hall No 2</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">7.00pm (doors open 6.30pm)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">We expect a high attendance, so to ensure entry please arrive in good time.</div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-48939017452787433592011-10-21T15:20:00.002+01:002011-10-21T15:24:06.618+01:00Bristol High Street survey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7AB7BH0jFnjj_5oBuJI6tpLEthGY3CfCNMCmpqjGxMKuSTNjkK4QfLgmY_eLP5EWYmTPxs_pYRw2zTmc30tuEhD0VAwIW1r-ZPdUbJibC9WPTbk-YwP7ZfhEjptl0qEytlYtuHRP_Do/s1600/safe_image.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7AB7BH0jFnjj_5oBuJI6tpLEthGY3CfCNMCmpqjGxMKuSTNjkK4QfLgmY_eLP5EWYmTPxs_pYRw2zTmc30tuEhD0VAwIW1r-ZPdUbJibC9WPTbk-YwP7ZfhEjptl0qEytlYtuHRP_Do/s200/safe_image.gif" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The Council’s Sustainable Development and Transport Scrutiny Commission scrutinises Council performance and influences its policy and decision-making. It’s holding an inquiry in November to examine best practice in supporting local high streets and making them vibrant and diverse places to visit.<br />
<br />
The Commission is keen to hear from people about their local high streets as evidence for the inquiry.<br />
<br />
The Commission’s chair, Councillor Mark Bradshaw says:<br />
<br />
“<em>I’d welcome people’s views on the high streets they use, what they like about them and what can be done to improve them. The information you give will be invaluable to develop the Council’s action plan on retail for the city</em>”.<br />
<br />
There has already been a business survey recently carried out in Stokes Croft, Old Market, Christmas Steps/Colston Street, Old City, Park Street and East Street - information from these surveys, which include some of the same questions, will be taken into account.<br />
<br />
Residents can give their views at:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/highstreetsurvey">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/highstreetsurvey</a><br />
<br />
There’s also a business survey at:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/highstreetbusiness">http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/highstreetbusiness</a><br />
<br />
RESPOND BEFORE 11 NOVEMBERTonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-57718296964992556622011-10-07T20:03:00.000+01:002011-10-07T20:03:57.065+01:00Beware Banks Bearing Gifts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RQ1ZlDXeZ_OfdUJbMcpPJ3FmgPzrINXorTCY9trPKmV6Z1rDULR3kKYQenKtZhzSm0zL2drHrv8BNYoeACHL2LcJcFjOH5Ex5wLR8TI2ZRwtZo5SZy5WLjUgmhl6Nioax0EZSs2xoQI/s1600/achilles_750605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5RQ1ZlDXeZ_OfdUJbMcpPJ3FmgPzrINXorTCY9trPKmV6Z1rDULR3kKYQenKtZhzSm0zL2drHrv8BNYoeACHL2LcJcFjOH5Ex5wLR8TI2ZRwtZo5SZy5WLjUgmhl6Nioax0EZSs2xoQI/s400/achilles_750605.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
In October 2009, the then Greek government of the central-right liberal-conservative New Democracy party were ousted in the general election by the Panhellenic Socialist Movement. When the Socialists looked at the treasury finances they found that their liberal-conservative predecessors had hidden the size of the budget deficit in order to disguise the fact that they were failing to comply with their Eurozone obligations. The new Government found out that rather than the 3.7% claimed, the real deficit was more than three times what the conservatives had said it was, at some 12.5% of GDP (this was in the first two weeks after the election, later the deficit was revised upwards again to 14%) This was hardly surprising because during the election year, the government had, as usual, pulled all its tax collectors off the streets which is apparently the norm for Greek elections (this is one of the contributors to Greece having such low rates of tax collection contributing to a shadow (black market) economy equivalent to about 28% of GDP). <br />
<br />
<br />
What makes it worse however, was that Greece had repeatedly been warned about providing inaccurate economic data, including by Claude Trichet at the ECB as far back as 2004 in response to revelations about past Greek statistical irregularities<br />
<br />
When the Greeks were allowed to enter the Eurozone as a late comer in 2001 it was known even then that they were massaging their debt and deficit figures. The German Chancellor at the time Gerhard Schroder has since admitted as much but perhaps he was too pre-occupied with Germany heading towards an economic downturn and itself in danger of missing budgetary targets, and thus didn't ask too many questions. <br />
<br />
"Probably the Greeks tricked us, but......I could not say to the Greek Prime Minister, 'you are cheating us'" Schroder, March 2011 as reported by David Marsh (author of "The Euro: the battle for the new global currency") . <br />
<br />
But here's the real kicker, I quote a 2010 Vanity Fair article by Michael Lewis, a former broker and author of the best selling "Liar's Poker" about his adventures as a bond trader; <br />
<br />
"To remain in the euro zone, they [the Greeks] were meant, in theory, to maintain budget deficits below 3 percent of G.D.P.; in practice, all they had to do was cook the books to show that they were hitting the targets. Here, in 2001, entered Goldman Sachs, which engaged in a series of apparently legal but nonetheless repellent deals designed to hide the Greek government’s true level of indebtedness. For these trades Goldman Sachs—which, in effect, handed Greece a $1 billion loan—carved out a reported $300 million in fees. The machine that enabled Greece to borrow and spend at will was analogous to the machine created to launder the credit of the American subprime borrower—and the role of the American investment banker in the machine was the same. The investment bankers also taught the Greek-government officials how to securitize future receipts from the national lottery, highway tolls, airport landing fees, and even funds granted to the country by the European Union. Any future stream of income that could be identified was sold for cash up front, and spent. As anyone with a brain must have known, the Greeks would be able to disguise their true financial state for only as long as (a) lenders assumed that a loan to Greece was as good as guaranteed by the European Union (read Germany), and (b) no one outside of Greece paid very much attention." <br />
<br />
This state of affairs began to unravel when the true extent of the Greek deficit was revealed. And the reverberations are threatening to sound the death knell of the Eurozone, and plunge Europe into a second recession dragging Britain and probably the rest of the world down with it.<br />
<br />
As Angela Merkel said in Feburary 2010; "it would be a disgrace if it turned out to be true that banks that had already pushed us to the edge of the abyss were also party to falsifying Greek statistics."TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-66279072466974481662011-09-09T10:42:00.002+01:002011-09-09T15:38:14.112+01:00The Sins of the Father?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LbEHA4_9zNpsZMcOgnBJ9A9d8mhL9t3RU9pP36MQPpP9cVLrnKhuqgZdUonmjjQqf6ahQF_8zGcaJ0-GViIxxlNta0qQfmpXblNCHD9ky5fdugZm4bcjL8RB6T4D_mbul_pkzDCbrZ0/s1600/Old+Market+1932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3LbEHA4_9zNpsZMcOgnBJ9A9d8mhL9t3RU9pP36MQPpP9cVLrnKhuqgZdUonmjjQqf6ahQF_8zGcaJ0-GViIxxlNta0qQfmpXblNCHD9ky5fdugZm4bcjL8RB6T4D_mbul_pkzDCbrZ0/s320/Old+Market+1932.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Police and unemployed marchers clash in Old Market, 1932</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In an article for Bristol 24-7 called “<a href="http://www.bristol247.com/2011/08/15/tony-dyer-confessions-of-a-failed-bristol-rioter-33879/">Confessions of a failed Bristol rioter</a>” I described the anger my father, a council tenant, felt at the rioting that took place in St Paul's in 1980. He didn't know that his 15 year old son sympathised with the rioters, let alone that he had tried to join them. <br />
<br />
Nevertheless, my father was concerned about his son being "led astray" by others, and when I left school (without any qualifications) it was my father who arranged for me to get a "proper job" working as a labourer laying bitumen-sealed felted roofs (a skill which came in handy recently when my garage roof sprang a leak). <br />
<br />
It was also my father who later organised for me to attend a computer course, and encouraged me get a part-time job as a postman so that I could still contribute to the family's income (I apologise now to the residents of the Turtlegate Avenue area of Withywood for the poor state of their postal services in the 1980s). <br />
<br />
As a direct result of that one course, I ended up working for two very successful IT companies before starting an independent business consultancy and now working as a campaigner for a charity that aims to improve the pedestrian environment (I also occasionally do some political campaigning for my local Green parties).<br />
<br />
However, IF a policy that council tenants should lose their homes if a member of the same household was involved in the recent riots had been in place in the 1980's, and IF I had managed to be more "successful" in my efforts to riot as a teenager, then that history would have been very different.<br />
<br />
The sins of the son would have been visited upon the father (and the mother and a younger brother and sister) in the form of eviction from their council home, and it is likely that, as a result, the bonds between concerned father and rebellious son may well have been irretrievably damaged.<br />
<br />
It is very unlikely that the lesson I would have learnt from the eviction of my family would have been one about the benefits of contributing positively to society – after all I would have just seen how my father, who had contributed positively to society all his life had been rewarded for that lifetime of civility - with enforced homelessness.<br />
<br />
Indeed the negative effects would have extended to my wider family because it is likely that my father may well have placed some of the blame with my maternal grandfather (Granfer), who, unlike myself, <strong>had</strong> been a “successful” rioter in his past.<br />
<br />
Most young men, at some point in their life, experience a stage when they rebel against what their father represents. My father stood for law and order and a certain respect for the establishment, along with a belief that the pen would always prove mightier than the sword. <br />
<br />
My own developing politics were more radical, less accepting of the existing order, and greatly informed by Granfer’s recalling of his experiences growing up in the 20’s and 30’s in slum conditions in the Old Market area. He felt that often the sword was the only thing that would force those in power to take any notice of those towards the bottom of society.<br />
<br />
In 1932, as an unemployed 17 year old, Granfer heard that there was going to be a march to support calls for government funding of “public works” to provide jobs for the masses of unemployed resulting from the Great Depression - and for those jobs to be prioritised to those amongst the unemployed who had failed the “means test” and thus were deemed ineligible for benefits.<br />
<br />
A route for this march had been pre-arranged with the police which would see them start from the Horsefair, proceed to Lawford’s Gate and then return via Old Market Street to the Council House in Corn Street where a petition would be handed in.<br />
<br />
When the day came, some 200 demonstrators gathered, banners waving, near the Bridewell police station and began to march. When they reached Lawford’s Gate they had grown to some 2,000+ marchers. At this point, somebody in authority decided that the march must stop. <br />
<br />
A double row of police, batons drawn, lined up across Old Market Street. When the marchers came face to face with the police, confusion reigned and, inevitably, fighting broke out. A second group of police stationed in a side street charged the crowd trapping some of the marchers. <br />
<br />
Many of the marchers armed themselves; a building site nearby provided bricks and scaffolding poles, chunks of coal were taken from a coal cart for use as missiles, even carts loaded with vegetables were cleared as potatoes, turnips and other assorted greens were thrown at the police. <br />
<br />
When Granfer returned home, bloodied but unbowed, it was to the hero-worship of his youngest brother, 9 year old Stan. I imagine that others might have been calling for Granfer, his father and mother, his brother and sister, to lose the "benefit" of their council owned home.<br />
<br />
The authorities did eventually invest in “public works” in the 1930's – including the building of affordable housing and clearing the worst of Bristol's slums. Granfer found work building the new homes and, eventually, moved into one of them in Knowle West where my mum was born in 1940. <br />
<br />
The country was now at war - a war that had its origins in the previous war and the impact of the demands for reparations and debt repayments that followed it. The sins of the fathers were being visited upon the sons.<br />
<br />
At the beginning of August 1944, Granfer was in Normandy. Unbeknownst to him, his hero-worshipping younger brother Stan, now 20 and recently married was also in action just a few miles away. Great Uncle Stan was <a href="http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2337163">killed in action</a> on the 1st August 1944 near Caen. The story told of his death was that he was killed because the equipment he had been issued with proved completely ineffective against the German tanks attacking his unit. <br />
<br />
After the war, Granfer returned to Bristol and bricklaying, this time building many of the houses on the new Hartcliffe estate in the 1950's once again including his own where he would spend the rest of his life, and where he would tell his eldest grandson about growing up in inter-war Bristol. There were no stories about the war – other family members filled in those gaps. <br />
<br />
However Granfer's experiences both before and during the war had left him with a intense hatred for the "ruling classes" who he felt had speculated to get rich in the 1920's contributing to the financial crash, and then in the 1930's had completely failed to recognise or prepare for the threat of war, resulting in the lives of British troops being needlessly sacrificed when their equipment and tactics were found to be completely outclassed.<br />
<br />
If the council had really wanted to evict the person <strong>other than myself</strong> who was most responsible for my attitudes and actions during the rioting of 1980, then they would have had to knock on the door of an OAP who had fought for his country, losing his brother in the conflict, and had helped build many of Bristol's homes either side of World War II. . <br />
<br />
But I suspect that evicting an old soldier might not have looked good, so instead they would have had to evict my father, the man who did his best to instil respect for law and order into his rebellious son and who felt dismay and anger at the rioting. The man who offered a more restrained counterbalance to the radicalism of Granfer. It is likely that if my family had been evicted from their home, I would have moved even closer to Granfer's views whilst railing against the injustice of my family being penalised for my actions.<br />
<br />
But that's what happens when two-dimensional politicians offer simplistic populist responses to complex problems. They produce unsatisfactory and ultimately self-defeating reactions that simply store up further problems which bubble to the surface further down the line, when the sins of the fathers are visited upon the sons.TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-83642293531855478782011-08-31T20:58:00.001+01:002011-08-31T21:02:26.333+01:00Bristol Independents - 17th September 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqA6ImEl9D2QGjLaRQflZwnGMQXbNURwNT8ewC6UKkvY6IRm8_X0qKQ7u6llSqIggmGZGrPemX9s2rR8P1NpeM1oq5a6YiWLk-KjRxWOsSqyHRZKzhDe0OUizlyLQGM_tWAzQZW-cDSD4/s1600/Bristol+Independents.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqA6ImEl9D2QGjLaRQflZwnGMQXbNURwNT8ewC6UKkvY6IRm8_X0qKQ7u6llSqIggmGZGrPemX9s2rR8P1NpeM1oq5a6YiWLk-KjRxWOsSqyHRZKzhDe0OUizlyLQGM_tWAzQZW-cDSD4/s1600/Bristol+Independents.jpg" xaa="true" /></a></div><br />
<div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Bristol Independents Day</strong></span></div><br />
<div> </div><br />
<div> </div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">We are asking all of Bristol to join us at the start of British Food Fortnight on 17 September to support Bristol’s Independents and…</span></strong></div><br />
<div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Try something local, from somewhere local on Bristol Independents Day!</span></strong></div><br />
<div> </div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;">On the 17th, the Bristol Independents campaign will launch a pilot project highlighting 8 of Bristol’s local shopping areas on recipe postcards featuring ingredients that can be purchased from local shops in each area. There will also be a competition where you can nominate your favourite local food business, and in turn, be entered into a prize draw to win local goodies. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;">The initiative plans to include many more independent businesses and high streets in the coming months. The 17th is just the beginning of a campaign to support Bristol’s local independent traders!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Associated events and promotions will be announced closer to the day.</div><br />
<div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;"><strong>Why support local independent traders?</strong></span></div><br />
<div> </div><div style="text-align: center;">The <a href="http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/food-bristol">Who Feeds Bristol?</a> report has revealed:</div><br />
<ul><li>Bristol has around 180 specialist independent food shops owned by 140 businesses that sell food from which you can cook a meal from scratch (includes bakers).</li>
<li>10 out of 35 wards have no greengrocer.</li>
<li>Half the wards have less than 10 independent food retailers.</li>
<li>Specialist independent food shops are disappearing. They generally offer competitive prices, don’t charge a premium for small volumes and can respond to requests; many buy from local suppliers.</li>
</ul><br />
<div> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: large;">How can I get involved?</span></strong></div><br />
<div> </div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Organise a local food event in your area on the 17th, let us know and we’ll include it in our publicity. Otherwise, visit our website (coming soon), take the ‘good food’ pledge and enter our competition.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Contact Jane Stevenson 0117 966 1639</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="mailto:bristol.independents@gmail.com">bristol.independents@gmail.com</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bristolindependents.co.uk/"><strong>www.bristolindependents.co.uk</strong></a></div><br />
<div> </div><div></div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-65627849059094486932011-08-14T11:05:00.001+01:002011-08-14T11:11:56.666+01:00A NOTE ON ALIENATION AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLEIn response to recent disturbances;<br />
<br />
"The events of April 1980 were characterised by the number of young people involved, both black and white, and the feelings of antagonism they have to the police. No serious assessment can be made unless these attitudes are examined.<br />
<br />
The society in which we live rules on the basis of consent, it is clear that the authorities do not have this consent as far as large numbers of young people are concerned.<br />
<br />
The differences in attitudes between young people and the older generation towards authority, are not so much the oft quoted generation gap, but more a question of the older people having accepted their lack of power, and adopting a mode of existence that does not bring them into conflict with the establishment, some are able to sublimate their lack of power by exerting authority in the family.<br />
<br />
Young people experience factors that do not apply to the rest of the population, they first have no independent income and have to rely upon hand-outs from their parents. Inside the family they have no power and have to accept the decisions just or unjust of parents. During their leisure hours they are the objects of criticism and hostility if they fail to conform to the dress and behavioural patterns of the adult world, although they often see the older generation themselves ignorning these standards.<br />
<br />
Some young people of course learn at an early age to adopt attitudes that are acceptable to the dominant ideology, they are described as co-operative, normal, well-behaved, decent, etc whereas others who have not learnt this trick are called slow learners, trouble makers, yobbos. The language which we use to describe people is of course very arbitrary, in a military situation the second group of youth would be called fearless, tough, hero, etc, in fact many of the factors which we criticise in the young we would applaud in the police force. Society tends to make judgments on people by the type of clothes they wear, the type of house they live in, the car you drive; it is not surprising that young people who in the main do not possess these status symbols see themselves as quite separate from the rest of the population. To counteract this feeling of separation young people have developed their own culture, their own fashions, their own entertainments and even their own language, in an attempt to establish an identity and hence some form of status, if only amongst their own peers. Part of this culture is the challenging of the status quo and those who protect it.<br />
<br />
The police are composed of people who hold the same views as society as a whole on young people, and because of the nature and function of the police force, tend to hold these views in a much more comprehensive form, and deviation from the norm is a threat to law and order and the "standards" of society, the police force is of course able to enforce these concepts by legal force, and their attitudes to young people always commence from the assumption that the police are correct, and the young wrong, often expressed in the phrase "they need teaching a lesson".<br />
<br />
The fact that the police force has such powers and wears a uniform makes them indentifiable to the young as a potential enemy.<br />
<br />
Crime, of course, does exist, and the function of the police is to prevent and detect it. Young people feel they are more likely to be harassed than are the older generation, this feeling is of course based on experience, and if your skin happens to be black, this applies even more so.<br />
<br />
It does not require many incidents of unjustified questioning, heavy handed attitudes, sarcasm, and superior behaviour, for there to be erected a fairly unified concept amongst many young people that such attitudes are universally held by all the police, as in fact they may well be.<br />
<br />
It would have been useful to the enquiry to have examined how widespread such behaviour is amongst the police, but it is significant that those in charge of the force in Avon refused to co-operate with us and have not appeared to give evidence or answer questions.<br />
<br />
For black youth all the foregoing is multiplied many times, for whatever denials and assurances are made, it is clear that the police hold deep, racist views, which are expressed when they harass black people, and can be clearly seen when a crime is being investigated in which a black person may have been involved. Anyone with a dark skin in such circumstances is fair game for questioning!"<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE; The above is a reproduction of Appendix 3 of the report from an enquiry with the following terms of reference "to enquire into the social and economic conditions prevailing in the St Paul's area and to make recommendations which might ensure a level of communal harmony and stability sufficient to minmise the risk of a repetition of anything like the events of April 2nd 1980"<br />
<br />
The enquiry team was established with representatives from the Bristol Trade Union Council and members of the local community, and heard evidence at St Werburghs Community Centre from local residents, Bristol City councillors, and other interested parties. Despite two separate invitations the police refused to attend, stating that they had already given evidence to a House of Commons select committee. Avon County Council also declined to take part.TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-41661278657338011692011-07-29T12:28:00.005+01:002011-07-29T17:38:16.010+01:00A Brief History of.....BRISTOL'S TRANSPORT WOES – Part One<strong><span style="font-size: large;">The Rise and Fall of Rail Based Transport in Bristol 1824-1941</span></strong><br />
<br />
<strong>1) Trains Part 1 (1824-1840) Temple Meads Station – location, location, location</strong>.<br />
<br />
The first railways in the Bristol area were powered by a combination of horse and gravity, and were designed to transport coal from the South Gloucestershire coalfield to the river Avon. The first, the Avon and Gloucestershire, carried coal from Coalpit Heath and other collieries down to the Avon at Londonderry Wharf (opposite Keynsham) where barges carried the coal along the Avon to either Bristol or Bath. Much of this route is now a linear walk known as the Dramway.<br />
<br />
The Bristol and Gloucestershire was also a horse-drawn railway which carried coal from the collieries at Coalpit Heath, Shortwood and elsewhere to Cuckold's Pill (Avon Street Wharf). North of Mangotsfield it used much the same track as the Avon and Gloucestershire before following the route of what is now the Bristol and Bath Railway Path to central Bristol. This railway was opened in 1835.<br />
<br />
When plans were first laid for a steam-powered railway line connecting Bristol to London (the first proposals were as early as 1824), there was much discussion as to where the Bristol terminus should be built. Many suggested that it should be near Old Market on the basis that it could make use of the existing railway infrastructure of the Bristol and Gloucestershire.<br />
<br />
Another body of opinion suggested a site should be found nearer the City Docks in order to provide direct access to the port so that goods, the real commercial impetus for the railways, could be transferred directly from the railway to the ships - this was the solution taken by Bristol's great commercial rival Liverpool.<br />
<br />
However, both options required the reuse of brownfield sites and demolition of existing buildings and structures, which in turn would involve some additional costs. In the 19th century just as today, greenfield sites were usually more profitable to develop than brownfield sites. In the end, ease of development took precedence over ease of inter-connectivity and a greenfield site at Temple Meads on the south side of the river next to the cattlemarket was selected as the Bristol terminus for the Great Western Railway.<br />
<br />
As a result, following the opening of the new station the biggest growth industry in Bristol was that of the hauliers as goods were unloaded and trans-shipped by traditional horse and cart between railway and dock. By contrast, in Liverpool goods could be offloaded directly from the railway carriages into the holds of the waiting ships. <br />
<br />
It would not be until 1872 that direct connection to the docks was provided with the opening of the first stage of the Bristol Harbour Railway from Temple Meads to Wapping Wharf (including the building of a tunnel under St Mary Redcliffe, the compensation for which allowed the church to purchase land at Arno's Vale for a cemetery). It would be 1906 before the majority of the City Docks would have a direct rail connection by which time the focus for Bristol's shipping trade was moving to Avonmouth and Portishead.<br />
<br />
<strong>2) Trains Part 2 (1839-1854) The Gauge War - technological brilliance vs commercial pragmatism</strong><br />
<br />
As we have seen, there was already a railway line in Bristol before the Great Western Railway was constructed, and like almost all other railway lines in England, it was Narrow Gauge with a width between the rails of 4 foot 8 ½ inches.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, the GWR was convinced, largely due to the arguments of their chief engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, that Narrow Gauge was technically deficient and that a superior 7 foot Broad Gauge should be used by the GWR. The GWR accepted Brunel's arguments and proceeded to use Broad Gauge for its routes. Pretty much everybody else stayed with Narrow Gauge. Bristol and the West would thus plough a separate furrow from the rest of the country and once more the question of interchange was deemed to be of secondary importance.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, in 1839, an Act of Parliament had provided for the building of a 22 mile extension of the Bristol and Gloucestershire railway from Westerleigh to meet the Cheltenham and Great Western Union railway which ran to Gloucester. <br />
<br />
The Bristol and Gloucestershire railway line, as we have seen, was Narrow Gauge. The Cheltenham and Great Western Union railway was Broad Gauge. At a meeting in Bristol on 31 March 1840, the now renamed Bristol and Gloucester railway company announced that the new extension would be Narrow Gauge to match the Birmingham and Gloucester railway due to open that same year. Where the new extension met the CGWU at Standish junction, the shared line on to Gloucester would be mixed gauge with shared maintenance and duplicated facilities. Bristol and Gloucester also announced plans to amalgamate with the Birmingham and Gloucester to form the Bristol and Birmingham railway – the merger eventually happened in 1844.<br />
<br />
However, on 13 April 1843, it was suddenly announced that an agreement had been reached with the GWR that the entire line from Bristol to Gloucester would, in fact, now be Broad Gauge. Subsequently, Broad Gauge services from Bristol to Gloucester began in 1844. However, services north of Gloucester into the industrial powerhouse of Birmingham and the west midlands remained Narrow Gauge.<br />
<br />
The result was chaos. Goods shipped from the west midlands by Narrow Gauge had to be trans-shipped by hand across the platform at Gloucester to the Broad Gauge trains waiting to depart to Bristol. Not only did this cause delays, but frequently goods were lost or damaged during transit. A system designed by Brunel to facilitate the transfer failed for reasons that were never properly identified but industrial sabotage was implied.<br />
<br />
Whatever the cause of the chaos, if you were a manufacturer in Birmingham the choice for shipping goods overseas was fairly simple. You could send your goods to Liverpool where the route was entirely Narrow Gauge (thus no need for trans-shipping) and where the railways continued right up to the dockside for direct loading, or you could send them to Bristol, where the change in gauge would mean they had to be trans-shipped at Gloucester before arriving at Temple Meads where they would be trans-shipped again before arriving dockside. <br />
<br />
Within a year of opening the entire route from Birmingham to Bristol passed into the hands of the Midland Railway. However, it was only in 1854 that the entire length of the line was converted to the same, narrow, gauge - it appears that conversion was not a priority for the Midland Railway probably because the overwhelming majority of its goods traffic now went to Liverpool not Bristol.<br />
<br />
<strong>3) Trams Part 1 (1870-1875) – market driven or public service?</strong><br />
<br />
Before the 19th century, provincial British cities were small enough that urban transport was not considered to be a major need. The small size of most cities meant that residence, workplace and other amenities were within a short walking distance of each other. <br />
<br />
However, as cities began to sprawl into suburbs in the 19th century, the need for efficient urban transportation became apparent. Horse-drawn omnibuses began to make an appearance in Britain in the 1830's but remained beyond the means of most ordinary people due to high operating and maintenance costs. <br />
<br />
It was only in the second half of the century, when it was realised that the use of tramlines to reduce friction allowed the same team of horses to pull double the weight (and thus double the passengers per horsepower), that the possibility of cheap but efficient public transport became a possibility. The new horse-drawn trams also provided a step change in the quality of transportation with reduced noise, faster journey times, and a smoother ride in an era when most streets were cobbled.<br />
<br />
However, Government legislation still favoured road-based omnibuses over rail-based trams and it would be nearly twenty years before the Tramways Act of 1870 was passed providing enabling legislation for urban tramways, legislation prompted by the success of the Liverpool Tramways Company. Yet again Bristol was having to play catch-up with its commercial rival in the north.<br />
<br />
Within months of the Tramways Act being passed there were two private proposals for horse-drawn tramlines in Bristol. One was by a Bristol company, for a tram line connecting Bristol Temple Meads with Clifton and Hotwells. The second, by a London-based company, was considerably more expensive and extensive involving the construction of an entire network of lines at a cost of £120,000 (relative to share of GDP this would be equivalent to about £160m today).<br />
<br />
There then followed lengthy debates in the local press and the council chamber about the merits of each scheme. Much of this debate had more to do with ideology than the technical merits of the individual schemes. Essentially there was one body of opinion that insisted that business ventures such as tramways should be run by the private sector responding to market forces in order to reduce the need for public subsidy – whilst their opponents felt that tramways were public services that if left to the private sector would see high fares and/or lowered safety and service standards in pursuit of profit. The debate continues to this day in one form or another.<br />
<br />
In the end, swayed by local hostility against the rumoured London speculators said to be backing both schemes, Bristol's councillors decided to build the tramways themselves with the intention of leasing out the operation of the line to the most trustworthy bidder - leaving the council with the option of replacing the operator if it failed to meet the standards expected. Two lines were proposed - one from St Augustine's Parade to the bottom of Blackboy Hill via Perry Road. the second from Old Market Street to Lawrence Hill. Neither would connect to Temple Meads station – and costs were estimated at £14,000.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, almost as soon as parliamentary approval for the project was given, a rise in the price of iron led to a financial crisis and it became clear that the council's funding capabilities would not allow the building of both lines. In the end only a small section of the first line to Blackboy Hill was completed, and the resulting search for a trustworthy operator was a dismal failure.<br />
<br />
The council was rescued by a group of local businessman who agreed to lease the existing line for 21 years (they eventually purchased it outright for £8,000 a few years later) provided permission was given to build further lines from Old Market to St George and Fishponds, as well as a link from Old Market to the original line via Perry Road.<br />
<br />
Permission was duly given, and henceforth, Bristol's public transport service would be run by the private sector in the shape of the Bristol Tramways Company. <br />
<br />
<strong>4) Trams Part 2 (1881 to 1910) - a successful Bristol transport story?</strong><br />
<br />
Despite the inauspicious start, by 1881 Bristol's tramway had expanded to provide lines to Blackboy Hill, Horfield (Egerton Road), Eastville, St George, Totterdown, Bedminster and Hotwells and was carrying over 6 million passengers per year. <br />
<br />
One potential problem was the lack of a single central transport hub. With the obvious focus for a transport interchange - Temple Meads - being perceived as too far from the centre of the city, the less than satisfactory result was the development of three separate tram termini. South Bristol trams stopped at Bristol Bridge, east Bristol trams at Old Market, and north Bristol trams at St Augustine's Parade (which later became know as the Tramways Centre, and then just “The Centre”). <br />
<br />
Although tramlines linking the three termini were built, journeys involving multiple trams required the purchasing of separate tickets, and a price premium. The problem of no single city centre public transport hub remains with us today.<br />
<br />
Another key event in 1881 was the Bristol Tramways Company signing an agreement with the Great Western Railway and the Midland Railway to have the sole right to provide public hire service at Bristol Temple Meads "the base of all passenger carrying operations in Bristol". The company then leased this monopoly to third party carriage operators before eventually uniting them all into the Bristol Cab Company with the same directors and officers as the Bristol Tramways Company.<br />
<br />
This monopoly proved devastating to the tram company's rivals who were providing horse-drawn omnibus services, and within a decade the last two independent omnibus companies in Bristol failed, at which point the Tram and the Cab companies duly merged to formed the Bristol Tramways and Carriage Company (BTC) in 1887. By 1891, the number of passengers carried by the company had almost doubled to 11.2 million.<br />
<br />
Free of any real competition, the BTC began to address the increasingly obvious shortcomings of using horse driven trams. The cost of fodder for the almost 900 horses used by the company accounted for 34% of operating expenses, almost the same as the costs associated with it's human workforce. When veterinary fees and stabling were added, costs associated with the horses rose to some 50% of revenues.<br />
<br />
The company began to look enviously across the Atlantic, where the success of electric tramways in the United States, especially the Richmond Street Railway opened in 1887, showed that there was the opportunity to both reduce operating costs and improve the effectiveness of tram services.<br />
<br />
Across the Atlantic, electric trams had been shown to be clean, quiet and reliable. The ability to use double-decked carriages, with improved speeds and faster turnaround time offered considerable opportunity for cost efficiency savings. The trams had also demonstrated that they were fuel efficient enough to offer both lower operating costs and lower fares despite the considerable capital outlay required for electrifying the line.<br />
<br />
One final advantage of particular importance given Bristol's topographical situation was the ability of electric trams to cope with steep gradients.<br />
<br />
Convinced of the need to introduce electric trams, BTC began work on the electrification of the Old Market to St George line and its extension to Kingswood (which included some challenging gradients). The line opened on the 14th October 1895 and was a resounding success - schools and factories were closed in east Bristol as people flocked to see the new clean and innovative technology. Over a million passengers used the service in its first four months.<br />
<br />
The "improved facilities and lower fares" (fares were lowered by a quarter) led to a public clamour for the conversion of existing lines and the building of new ones elsewhere in the city. An intense period of capital investment followed, and by 1901 the entire network had been electrified involving the conversion of 16.5 miles of existing track and the construction of 11.5 miles of new track. BTC now offered services to Staple Hill, Kingswood, Hanham, Brislington, Knowle, Bedminster Down and Ashton Gate. Later extensions were added up to Filton (1907) and Westbury on Trym (1908) whilst passenger numbers averaged almost 47 million per year between 1906-1910. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, BTC's operating profits, which as a percentage of revenues had averaged 19% in the five years before electrification, now jumped to an average of over 34% for the five years after electrification.<br />
<br />
However, hidden beneath the success of the tram, could be found the causes of the tram's eventual downfall.<br />
<br />
<strong>5) Trams part 3 - (1910-1941) - The cost of capital and market insecurity</strong>. <br />
<br />
Although the wide distribution of shares in BTC (over 400 shareholders from a wide range of backgrounds but all from relatively prosperous areas of the city) gave it access to capital beyond the means of companies in which ownership was concentrated in the hands of a few directors, nevertheless the capital intensive nature and sophistication of creating an electrified network placed considerable strain on the company's financing. <br />
<br />
Between 1895 and 1902, during the period when Bristol's tramways were electrified, the paid-up capital of BTC increased by 400%. On top of this, the effects on investor confidence in tramways of three separate pieces of legislation need to be considered. Firstly, in the original 1870 Tramways Act, a clause gave local authorities the power to purchase privately owned tramways after 21 years (and every 7 years after that). In Bristol, agreement had been reached which meant that this option could not be exercised until 21 years after the extensions to the line completed in 1892. This meant that the council could only exercise its right to buy the tramway in 1913, any takeover before that would have to be by negotiation.<br />
<br />
A further development came in 1893 when the House of Lords ruled that the purchase price should be based on the cost of construction less depreciation - with no allowance made for goodwill or profitability - thus reducing the potential price of purchase considerably. This was then followed in 1896 by parliamentary legislation empowering local authorities not only to own tramways but to operate them as well. Within a year five northern cities were doing just that with encouraging results and by 1913, Bristol and Norwich would be the only major English cities which still had privately run tramways.<br />
<br />
It was within this context that a row broke out over who should supply electricity for the soon to be electrified tramway. With Bristol having been one of the first cities to undertake electricity supply, the council argued that BTC should contract with them to supply the power for the tramway operation rather than building their own power stations.<br />
<br />
BTC refused, insisting that they should have full control over their own power supply. In response, the council set up a Tramways Purchase Committee to look into buying the entire tramways system as per the 1870 act. The dispute continued into 1898, when eventually, under pressure from a Bristol public keen for a cheaper, faster and more efficient tramway, the council eventually backed down. BTC built its central power station on Temple Back next to Counterslip Bridge and directly across the road from the council's own central power station. The private sector versus public sector conflict set in stone.<br />
<br />
The end result of this combination of rising capital costs, ongoing disputes with the council, and the possibility of the entire tramway being taken over relatively cheaply, meant that the appetite for further private investment in trams was at a low point. Following a decade at the end of the 19th century in which 14 separate new lines or extensions were completed (as well as the electrification of the entire network), the first decade of the 20th century saw just two further tram extensions - from Durdham Down to Westbury on Trym, and a link from Horfield to the new Bristol Aeroplane Company works at Filton - the latter largely due to the ownership links between the Aeroplane company and the Tramways company. Other less capital intensive public transport possibilities started to look more attractive.<br />
<br />
In 1905, the Tramways company purchased a dozen double-decker motor buses for some of its tramway feeder routes. The following year it opened a bus route to Clifton following continued rejection by local residents of tram proposals for the area. As petrol engines became more efficient and reliable, and dis-satisfied with the standard of the buses purchased externally, the company decided in 1908 that instead of investing in tramways susceptible to a council takeover, it would instead invest in construction works at Brislington to produce some 300 motor vehicles (including buses) per year. It was the shape of things to come.<br />
<br />
Although the number of passengers carried by the company continued to increase - reaching 63 million in 1916, there was no further extension to the tramway itself after 1908 whilst the trams themselves remained the same basic model used in 1895 with no real further innovation. . <br />
<br />
Inevitably, the question of public ownership was raised again in 1913 when a report estimated the value of the tramway at £600k, and that it would produce an annual profit for the city of £37,000 per annum. It noted the increasing use of motor buses but concluded that trams offered the most effective and economic way to provide the travelling facilities required by the Bristol travelling public. <br />
<br />
This report added weight to the results of an earlier study produced by the National Civic Federation in 1907 which found that fares in Bristol were 66% higher than for those cities where the trams were publicly owned, whilst staff were expected to work much longer hours for less pay than their public sector brethren. <br />
<br />
In the end following a long dispute in the press and parliament, and despite a Parliamentary Act approving the purchase of the tramways and a poll showing a majority of Bristolians in favour of taking the tramway into public ownership, BTC remained a private company after the company insisted on a valuation of £2 million for its tramways and the council subsequently lost its appetite for the purchase with the onset of a recession and then war.<br />
<br />
Discussions about ownership would be raised again in 1922, 1929 and 1936 and the indecision and uncertainty about ownership continued to have the effect of reducing the incentives for private tram investment whilst simultaneously preventing public investment. Instead, what limited investment was available for public transport in Bristol went into the expansion of the bus network.<br />
<br />
The 12 buses in 1905, had become 44 buses by 1914 (although this compared to 169 tramcars). After World War I, the mix would increasingly be in favour of buses, and the production of Bristol tramcars ceased in the 1920's.<br />
<br />
By the 1920's, the tram was no longer seen as a viable alternative to the bus in Bristol. This was essentially confirmed on the 11th January 1922 when proposals to construct a two lane road with a high speed tram link on its central reservation were thrown out when councillors voted in favour of buses rather than trams "to allow complete interplay of all forms of private, commercial and public transport". As a result the ensuing road became one of the first four lane highways in the country when it was opened in 1926 as the Portway.<br />
<br />
The timing was significant – in the inter-war period, some 30,000 new homes were built in Bristol the vast majority of them on low density estates expanding out in to the surrounding countryside. With no new tramlines or railways to connect most of these new suburbs, their residents became increasing reliant on bus services as the only source of public transport. <br />
<br />
Finally, after decades of uncertainty, on 1st October 1937, the Bristol Transport Act received its Royal Assent, and, for the price £1,125,000, the city council took over the city's tramway undertaking. It then almost immediately began to close the tram routes down, with the Westbury-on-Trym route being the first to go on 7th May 1938. The reasoning was that the bus was now the way forward - trams were no longer considered the most effective and economic way to provide the travelling facilities required by the Bristol travelling public.<br />
<br />
As a result, the 1937 Act had also provided for the council to pay £235,600 towards half the cost of replacement bus services and the setting up of a Transport Joint Committee, with representatives from both the Council and the Bristol Tramway and Carriage Company. It would be this body that would co-ordinate Bristol's public transport services – a service entirely based on the bus and known as the Bristol Joint Services. <br />
<br />
The planned gradual reduction of tram services was abruptly accelerated in 1941 when a Luftwaffe bomb damaged the central power station on Temple Back. Rather than restoring the electricity generation it was simply decided to abandon the trams services there and then.<br />
<br />
The era of rail-based urban transport in Bristol was over – from now on the focus would be on the provision of road-based services both public and private with only local rail services available to offer any alternative to road transport.<br />
<br />
<br />
<em>Key Sources;</em><br />
<em>Nichols, Gerry: Public Transport in Bristol 1945-1965 (included in Post-War Bristol 1945-1965 – Twenty years that changed the city, editor Peter Harris, published by the Bristol Branch of the Historical Association, 2000)</em><br />
<em>Harvey, Charles & Press, Jon: Sir George White and the Urban Transport Revolution in Bristol, 1875-1916 (included in Studies in the Business History of Bristol, editors Harvey and Press, published by Bristol Academic Press, 1988)</em>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-77164353445642502422011-06-24T17:04:00.000+01:002011-06-24T17:04:56.004+01:00Joining up Bristol’s local community energy groups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T7HkzvawpYIJmvqzpCz_82oMKBqhqv-eRCWl1AL3_cZdEuhqhU0IJD_1AbYfS9WKAOwBzUiFZFrinf1r_28RsEqLM9HNFKx_xRqaz_9KeYxarRwONP0XE_08Gzek3zjtjaZWbQzjWm8/s1600/Bristol+Energy+Network.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="95" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T7HkzvawpYIJmvqzpCz_82oMKBqhqv-eRCWl1AL3_cZdEuhqhU0IJD_1AbYfS9WKAOwBzUiFZFrinf1r_28RsEqLM9HNFKx_xRqaz_9KeYxarRwONP0XE_08Gzek3zjtjaZWbQzjWm8/s400/Bristol+Energy+Network.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lYrKsnzhQSs0E2kgkI5eBMJtoPXZjRqB4Exmenl62g_-9PzjZXlbr1ssxEgrX8ZKHqOSihfepVvz-o4F-uKQB-TB7IBSoSPwXWMxzXhpnuU5MOB1_idw1MGSfFcvNWUdFPtM1e2vAPQ/s1600/centre+sustainable+energy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lYrKsnzhQSs0E2kgkI5eBMJtoPXZjRqB4Exmenl62g_-9PzjZXlbr1ssxEgrX8ZKHqOSihfepVvz-o4F-uKQB-TB7IBSoSPwXWMxzXhpnuU5MOB1_idw1MGSfFcvNWUdFPtM1e2vAPQ/s200/centre+sustainable+energy.png" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Joining up Bristol’s local community energy groups’</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Bristol Energy Network and the Centre for Sustainable Energy Present…. </span></div><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A meeting to hear a talk from Dan McCallum, Awel Aman Tawe Community Energy Successes from South Wales and to discuss what community groups can learn from their experiences </span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Learn from what other groups across Bristol and the South West about what they are doing to help reduce energy use in their communities</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* An opportunity for groups and individuals to share their projects and experiences </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Meet people from other energy groups from Bristol and the South West</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">* Find out how the Bristol Energy Network and CSE can support your project</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wednesday 29th June 2011 6.30 to 9pm</span></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knowle West Media Centre, Bristol</span></strong></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Refreshments and light food will be provided.</span></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To book please e-mail Kirsty Mitchel, </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:Kirsty.mitchell@cse.org.uk">Kirsty.mitchell@cse.org.uk</a></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> or phone:</span></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">0117 934 1400</span></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.cse.org.uk/events/ </span></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.bristolenergynetwork.org/events</span></strong></div><strong><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></strong><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All community groups are invited</span></strong> </div></span></strong>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-86571709470282206832010-08-19T20:47:00.001+01:002010-08-19T20:49:27.121+01:00The Real Benefits Scam<strong>One rule for them…….</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
Last week the Prime Minister gave an <a href="http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1313463__time_to_get_tough_with_the_benefit_cheats_vows_cameron_">interview</a> in which he announced that his government would tackle fraud and error in the welfare system.<br />
<br />
“<em>Welfare and tax credit fraud and error cost the taxpayer £5.2 billion a year. That’s the cost of more than 200 secondary schools or over 150,000 nurses. It’s absolutely outrageous and we can not stand for it</em>.” <br />
<br />
Recent figures <a href="http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd2/fem/fem_oct08_sep09.pdf">published</a> (pdf) by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that overpayment to the claimant due to error and fraud amounted to £3.1 billion (or 2.1% of expenditure). Of this £3.1 billion the reasons for overpayment were; claimant/official error £2.1bn and Fraud £1.0bn. Fraudulent claims by “benefit cheats” accounted for just 0.7% of the total benefit bill.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the same document also tells us that underpayment of benefits accounts for £1.3bn (0.9%). <br />
<br />
In other words the amount overpaid to claimants is £3.1 billion but underpayment to claimants many of whom are in desperate need is £1.3 billion which means that if the system was run at its maximum efficiency it might save £1.8 billion per annum.<br />
<br />
The Prime Minister also referred to Tax Credits. Figures <a href="http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtcredits-error0809.pdf">provided</a> (pdf) by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Custom (HMRC) shows that the amounts overpaid to claimants is £2.1 billion (of which some £460 million was due to fraud). Meanwhile there were errors of some £260m where claimants were underpaid. So again, the actual net gains are £1.8 billion<br />
<br />
The Prime Minister’s £5.2 billion - £3.1bn overpaid in welfare benefit, and £2.1 billion in tax credits - apparently only refers to overpayments made to claimants, it is the gross figure not the nett. <br />
<br />
Left out is any reference to the £1.6 billion where the government underpaid eligible claimants – unless, of course, the government is only planning to crackdown on errors in its favour and ignore errors that leave vulnerable claimants underpaid?<br />
<br />
The actual gain from a more efficient operation of the welfare and tax credit system would be £3.6 billion per annum not £5.2 billion. But £3.6 billion is still a lot of money, to use the Prime Minister's own analogy that is 138 secondary schools or 104,000 nurses and given the size of the deficit he can't afford to overlook any opportunities to reduce that deficit which is, of course, the gap between government receipts and government expenditure.<br />
<br />
Of course, the mantra is that in order to make something more efficient you have to give it to the private sector - so the government is planning to recruit private credit references agencies to combat benefit fraud. <br />
<br />
This concerns the <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/">Information Commissioner</a> who has <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/pressreleases/2010/benefit_crackdown_110810.pdf">written</a> (pdf) to the Welfare Reform Minister to request a meeting seeking further clarification from the Department of Work and Pensions in relation to the government’s proposal to use information provided by credit reference agencies to combat benefit fraud. <br />
<br />
In his letter the Information Commissioner says “<em>I hope the Government is going to hold to the good practice of considering the data protection implications of policies at the earliest stage</em>”<br />
<br />
The reference to the Information Commissioner allows me to mention the fact that back in early 2008, the Information Commissioner forced HMRC to admit the size of the “tax gap” caused by the practice of tax avoidance and evasion by wealthy individuals and large corporations. <br />
<br />
This followed <a href="http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2008/02/01/the-missing-billions-press-coverage/">publication</a> of <a href="http://www.tuc.org.uk/touchstone/Missingbillions/1missingbillions.pdf">figures</a> (pdf) that estimated that tax avoidance was costing the country some £25 billion per annum (£12 billion from large corporations, and £13 billion by individuals). <br />
<br />
Eventually, HMRC released an <a href="http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/measuring-tax-gap.pdf">estimate</a> (pdf) that the tax gap due to avoidance, general non-compliance, and non-payment was probably £22 billion per annum but could be as high as £40 billion per annum. <br />
<br />
Since then a further <a href="http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/measuring-tax-gaps.pdf">revision</a> (pdf) published in March by HMRC estimates that the tax gap across all HMRC administered taxes is £40 billion including £15 billion from indirect taxes, £9 billion from corporation tax and £16 billion from other direct taxes. <br />
<br />
This adds up to 8% of the total tax liability (compared to the 2.1% of benefit payments lost to error and fraud). The other two countries that have published figures for tax gaps (Sweden and the USA) calculated tax gaps of 10% and 14% respectively, the latter percentage if applied to the UK would take the tax gap figure up to £70 billion.<br />
<br />
Fraud is, of course wrong. But, as has been explained above the loss to the public purse caused by fraud in the benefit system is £1 billion, a third of the gross loss caused by error and fraud. Meanwhile, some £40 billion is being lost to the public purse each and every year by deliberate avoidance, non-compliance and non-payment of taxes.<br />
<br />
Or as the Prime Minister might have put it, that's equivalent to over 1500 secondary schools or over a million nurses.<br />
So why is the Prime Minister not implementing a tax crackdown on the rich and powerful to complement the benefit crackdown on the poor and vulnerable. Is it because it is easier to pick on the poor and vulnerable but takes more courage to take on the rich and powerful? <br />
<br />
The reality is that we are facing tremendous cuts to public services not simply because we spend too much on public services but also because the government is inefficient at tax collection. <br />
<br />
Reducing non-compliance and non-payment of taxes and closing loopholes that promote tax avoidance is likely to be more productive than working through the 140,000 cases where a claimant mistakenly received an average of £35 more than they should have.<br />
<br />
Perhaps one example of the disparities between clamping down on benefit errors and fraud whilst ignoring tax errors and avoidance will suffice. The DWP published its <a href="http://www.dwp.gov.uk/publications/corporate-publications/structural-reform-plan.shtml">Structural Reform Plan</a> only last month and set the following target for itself for the end of the year: <br />
<br />
<strong>6.4 Further reduce fraud and error in the benefits system to a maximum of 1.8% of expenditure</strong> <br />
<br />
As pointed out earlier, the current level of welfare benefit error is 2.1% in overpayments, so a reduction to 1.8% would see £440 million recovered - except that by March 2011 it is estimated by the treasury in George Osborne's <a href="http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Nl1/Newsroom/Budget/Budget2010/DG_186500">emergency budget</a> that the level of welfare benefit payments will have increased by 2011 so that in fact a reduction to 1.8% lost due to error and fraud will see £3.05 billion lost compared to the current £3.1 billion - so a saving of £50 million then . Not quite the £5 billion headline figure quoted by the Prime Minister.<br />
<br />
In contrast, back in 2005, a retailing business bought by “<em>probably the greatest retailer of his generation</em>” paid out probably the largest dividend in British business history – not to him but to his wife. The wife was a resident of Monaco so by assigning the assets to her it avoided any payment of tax to the British Exchequer. <br />
<br />
As a result it was estimated that this single payment avoided some £300m in taxes. In other words this one transaction was worth six times the savings in public spending that the DWP expects to get from the Prime Minister’s crackdown on benefits.<br />
<br />
The name of this “<em>greatest retailer of his generation</em>”? <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/aug/13/sir-philip-green-spending-review-tax">Sir Philip Green</a>, recently appointed to advise the government on how to reduce public spending including the payments of benefits to people for whom £300 million is the stuff that lottery dreams are made of.TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-37239613808872927552010-07-26T11:57:00.000+01:002010-07-26T11:57:31.311+01:00Blaming the referee shows how weak the Ashton Gate plan was<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85dmAOpuLwmgV0eZFiBFD-b8aPcj4GvcBiG2CP6fwaopwO3B6kxcmwCefQyEqx37ANfwEznXGUVBv8j62SX5WftaXJ-AQtGqfi2SjuC9MIC9qnw5rqehoSumratKSW-BB6wtTScrRr-g/s1600/bristol247330x80logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85dmAOpuLwmgV0eZFiBFD-b8aPcj4GvcBiG2CP6fwaopwO3B6kxcmwCefQyEqx37ANfwEznXGUVBv8j62SX5WftaXJ-AQtGqfi2SjuC9MIC9qnw5rqehoSumratKSW-BB6wtTScrRr-g/s400/bristol247330x80logo.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Supporters of a supermarket at Ashton Gate now appear to have decided the fault lies with the referee rather than accept their entire game plan is fundamentally flawed.<br />
<br />
Bristol 24-7 article <a href="http://www.bristol247.com/2010/07/26/blaming-the-ref-shows-how-weak-ashton-gate-plan-was/">here</a>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-10014178475371108602010-07-19T21:03:00.000+01:002010-07-19T21:03:12.161+01:00Lost and FoundThe following crumpled up piece of paper was found outside the Council House by a foreign gentleman. If anybody knows who it belongs to please contact Friar Mephistopheles, c/o Borgia 5, Ottavo Cerchio, Inferno di Dante. For directions just ask a politician, they will know the way. A small "donation" may be charged for its return.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VfOeU6CQbpNqw40m1dJqK_ISHiUS0ZDyI702LnVYKCDTxG1fNs7ZNp9K8jfLsZvhW7gpMGz8lo-jgPaPeaQvN-Pt1KjF2173hIjeaMT4CY-MZx-WwtqwkffwfhjHMgYCc-SdpqyE1qI/s1600/Election+Post.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" hw="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VfOeU6CQbpNqw40m1dJqK_ISHiUS0ZDyI702LnVYKCDTxG1fNs7ZNp9K8jfLsZvhW7gpMGz8lo-jgPaPeaQvN-Pt1KjF2173hIjeaMT4CY-MZx-WwtqwkffwfhjHMgYCc-SdpqyE1qI/s400/Election+Post.JPG" width="361" /></a></div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-31155834444625162492010-07-10T20:02:00.000+01:002010-07-10T20:02:35.648+01:00Dear My Friend Mr Bristol City Council<span style="font-size: large;">OPPORTUNITY TOO GREAT NOT MISS!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">PLEASE IMMEDIATELY RESPOND</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear My Friend Mr Bristol City Council,<br />
<br />
<br />
I have great opportunity for you but must act soonest as all people will want be involved.<br />
<br />
We have great INTERNATIONAL TOP BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY to assist you help in getting rid of unwanted land. We represent big business wanting to build housing on land and able to offer great excellent opportunity. This one time offer only so no delay please.<br />
<br />
Please send us immediately £45,000 each year for gym membership for next 30 years. In return you get back £144,000 each year gym membership for 30 years – sorry no refunds. We build houses on your unwanted land to sell (but no council house please) and promise to bring World Cup (free tickets for you and Mrs Bristol City Council with VVIP special seat soon by VVIP Mr Blatter) and we very happy. You very happy. Everybody very happy.<br />
<br />
INVEST NOW BEFORE TOO LATE. <br />
<br />
FIFA Guaranteed. But must say Yes by 21st July or opportunity lost. We have many other interested party. <br />
<br />
Send deeds to land very quickly as time is urgent. We speak to Mr Cook he say you very keen, also say you would like Arena. We promise Arena too but no guarantee. But museum more hard. Please send money now.<br />
<br />
Your obedient servant,<br />
<br />
<br />
Mr U B’nhaad<br />
World Utopian Bank of Football (formerly Lagos Savings and Loan)<br />
Guernsey<br />
<br />
This no scam, this real offer. Hurry Now.TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-33650709712941053152010-06-08T18:56:00.001+01:002010-06-08T18:57:25.348+01:00Who will be the big 3 to decide Bristol's future?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zFu2VTxMUJu0nTzhyphenhyphenUL8A_GvSfHe_O_a1Fr4m-kZLDH5cmS1fGQlAwTf_1i0jHSCq0L7Kau1eMdGFeXDhxj6LtXOX4DUVbUaXE2BQH7NIzlRBmGGSji8oFWRbCwwenSOU4V32ZT18lY/s1600/bristol247330x80logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zFu2VTxMUJu0nTzhyphenhyphenUL8A_GvSfHe_O_a1Fr4m-kZLDH5cmS1fGQlAwTf_1i0jHSCq0L7Kau1eMdGFeXDhxj6LtXOX4DUVbUaXE2BQH7NIzlRBmGGSji8oFWRbCwwenSOU4V32ZT18lY/s320/bristol247330x80logo.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By this time next year, we could find that there will be three key individuals who will have considerable power over our city’s future development...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bristol 24-7 article <a href="http://www.bristol247.com/2010/06/08/who-will-be-the-big-3-to-decide-bristols-future/">here</a></div>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2832448906499949997.post-40195432337420369232010-05-29T15:04:00.001+01:002010-05-29T15:04:45.337+01:00Who will be Bristol's champion in Whitehall?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4BuHIY7d3tOGaZb7yH1arUfycQ_cGsT6kdgmDa2PvjkV1mkRF7VjlhTw9GxKR9xdUmOUcDvUbp-PDuc66IpcExHFSOuY38I__z93BhkWfMgo9MlK5BOOf86k3ohxkHHzwv4yN6-Whg8/s1600/boxing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4BuHIY7d3tOGaZb7yH1arUfycQ_cGsT6kdgmDa2PvjkV1mkRF7VjlhTw9GxKR9xdUmOUcDvUbp-PDuc66IpcExHFSOuY38I__z93BhkWfMgo9MlK5BOOf86k3ohxkHHzwv4yN6-Whg8/s400/boxing.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In a <a href="http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/speeches-and-transcripts/2010/05/transforming-the-british-economy-coalition-strategy-for-economic-growth-51132">speech</a> delivered in Hull on Friday, David Cameron said that<br />
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"<em>I will be assigning Ministers and senior MPs to some of our biggest cities, with responsibility to work with local communities to help drive forward economic development by making sure blockages in Whitehall are dealt with."</em><br />
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Bristol is, of course, one of those biggest cities, so are we destined to get our own "champion" in the corridors of power at Whitehall?<br />
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If so, who?<br />
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Well, it would almost certainly need to be a "local" MP, and it is unlikely, for obvious reasons, to be either of our two Labour MPs in Bristol. So no championing role for Dawn Primarolo or Kerry McCarthy.<br />
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In addition the use of the words "Ministers and senior MPs" will appear to rule out "newbies" like Charlotte Leslie (Bristol North West), Chris Skidmore (Kingswood), Jack Lopresti (Filton and Bradley Stoke) or, a little bit further afield; Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset).<br />
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So who does that leave? Well, if we look at the West of England Partnership area, we get the following list;<br />
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Liam Fox (Conservative, North Somerset)<br />
Steve Webb (Lib Dem, Thornbury and Yate)<br />
Don Foster (Lib Dem, Bath)<br />
John Penrose (Conservative, Weston-s-Mare)<br />
Stephen Williams (Lib Dem, Bristol West)<br />
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Of the above John Penrose is Minister for Tourism and Heritage at the DCMS, Liam Fox is the Secretary of State for Defence, and Steve Webb is the Minister for Pensions at the DWP. Stephen Williams and Don Foster currently have no ministerial responsibilities.<br />
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The water-cooler talk is that if the UK's major cities do get a champion, that the Lib Dems will insist that Bristol is represented by one of their own on the basis that it is already run locally by a Lib Dem-led council - in which case Stephen Williams may be the favourite.<br />
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On the other hand, an alternative viewpoint is that it is the Bristol "city-region" that will be represented, in which case three of the four councils are currently run by the Conservatives - and in this scenario, Liam Fox is said to be the favourite.<br />
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So Stephen Williams or Liam Fox? Who would you prefer as Bristol's champion to unblock the bureaucracy at Whitehall?<br />
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Note: The boxing match picture at the top of this blogpost was taken from a Flickr article about Albert "Boy" Bessell, a pre-war Bristol boxer who was brought up in the same street as my nan. If you want to find out more about him, click <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/3240136071/in/photostream/">here</a>TonyDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01419247851163118883noreply@blogger.com0