Stories of the Silent: Prisoners of war and paupers at Blackberry Hill, Bristol
A talk by Andrew Pearson and Sharon Clough
Archaeological works in advance of the redevelopment of the former Blackberry Hill NHS hospital have yielded remarkable discoveries relating to the site’s Georgian and Victorian past. Its first use was as a prisoner of war camp, holding captives from Britain’s numerous wars of the late 18th and early 19th century – above all against France. Constructed in 1778, it is believed to be the first purpose built POW camp in Britain. From 1832, the site was repurposed as a workhouse, a function it retained into the 20th century. The discoveries provide a stark insight into these institutions, including POW burials that are potentially those of Napoleon’s soldiers and sailors. Meanwhile, within the former workhouse cemetery, the burials of its later residents have been revealed, offering a snapshot not only into the lives and deaths of the destitute from Bristol’s Victorian slums, but also of a hidden history of medical exploitation.
