Description:

Photograph of Historic site, The Ostrich public house in Bristol. Dating back to at least 1745 the pub contains an interesting account of its history and of the port of Bristol at the time. One of its walls has been partly demolished to reveal the interior of one of the many caves under Redcliffe. On the wall opposite is a copy of a trade card for the pub, dated 1775, which features a young black man, probably a slave. Contrary to local myth, it is unlikely that the caves were used to house enslaved Africans, as only a few came to the city, rather they were bought in Africa by Bristol traders and taken straight to the plantations in the Caribbean for sale. The caves were probably used to house prisoners of war.

With thanks to the authors of the Slave Trade Trail around Central Bristol, Madge Dresser, Caletta Jordan, Doreen Taylor.

Creator: BCC Museum

Date: 2003

Copyright: Copyright BCC Museum