The Bristol suburb of Bedminster changed dramatically with the
discovery of the Bedminster/Ashton Vale coalfield in the mid
18th century. The transformation of Bedminster was both rapid
and traumatic, the population jumped from 3,000 in 1801 to
78,000 in 1884 as people from depressed Somerset flocked
to the new coalfields for work.
Almost overnight Bedminster became a power-house of heavy
industry manned by a huge workforce packed into high density
terraced housing. Coal mining and smelting generated other
industries: engineering, tanneries, glue works, paint-factories,
glass works. Large factories were built in the 1880's for paper
bag manufacture, numerous large red brick tobacco factories
were built in the Bedminster/Ashton area.
Theres very little left of Bedminsters industrial past so I was
pretty chuffed when I found this small engineering works.
More photos here. http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk/gallery/browseimages.php?c=53&userid=