THE areas of Hotwells, Clifton and Cliftonwood need their own local history society, says organiser Sue Stops, who lives in Hotwells, because of a crying need to bring together all the historical aspects under one umbrella.

"As Donald Jones has shown in his excellent books, the three areas of Lower Clifton (ie, Hotwells), Clifton (up the hill) and Cliftonwood (which sits comfortably halfway up/down) are interwoven," she explained.

The areas' buildings have been extremely well documented over the years, so what will a new local history society actually be doing?

"It's the stories about people which really bring local history to life," says Sue.

"Many enjoy researching family history and the stories of their local community – schools, churches and chapels, pubs, shops and clubs.

"Others enjoy researching, on both an amateur or academic level, at the local record office, library or museum.

"Because local history can be like a disease that's impossible to cure, I thought that it would be good idea for people to meet up occasionally and share what they have discovered.

"Living Memories of Hotwells, a local residents' group, have been recording and publishing stories for many years about the area's great characters – people such as explosives expert George George and Florrie Brown, the Wills' tobacco stripper who became Bristol's first lady Lord Mayor.

"Our new local history group would like to continue doing that but we are also concerned that archive material, things like photos and letters, are properly cared for.

"The Merchant Venturers, the people who had such a huge influence on the area, have now placed their valuable archives in the safe hands of the Bristol Record Office, but unfortunately some people keep their records behind sofas – or even in places like airing cupboards.

"Sadly, some archive material has even been sold. We would like to see it given a safe home.

"As part of an umbrella organisation, Avon Local History and Archaeology, our new history society aims to learn from their expertise and perhaps make useful contributions."

The history of the Hotwell area, like so many other parts of the city, has been all about change.

"The return of the ss Great Britain from the Falklands in 1970 wasn't just a catalyst for the regeneration of the Floating Harbour but of a whole area that had become very run-down," says Sue.

"And the 1950s and 60s proved a period of feverish 'Do It Yourself' activity as people bought big Georgian houses here for ridiculous prices and did them up.

"But the ss Great Britain isn't the only attraction that brings visitors to our corner of Bristol. There are loads of others. Thousands of people each year, for instance, visit Brunel's iconic suspension bridge to admire its beauty.

"And not far away, Bristol Zoo and its gorgeous gardens has been attracting the crowds successfully for generations. Other visitors might then walk up to the Observatory, Camera Obscura and Giant's Cave on Clifton Down, while their children enjoy the well used 'slider'.

"Fit people still use the historic Zig-Zag path down the side of the gorge to Hotwells, but it was once possible to travel down on the Clifton Rocks Railway, a funicular railway within a tunnel.

"Supported by the Avon Gorge hotel, this fascinating, but hidden away place, is slowly being rediscovered and opened up to the public on special occasions.

"The spectacular gorge has changed a lot since socialites and the sick visited the Hotwell Spa in the 18th century to take the waters.

"Did those visitors, I wonder, realise that many of the boats which passed by the attractive riverside location were involved in the slave trade?

"By the turn of the century the spa had had its day, with the wealthy visitors leaving behind many consumptive people (those with TB) seeking help from a new breed of scientists attracted to the Hotwell.

"But people like Humphry Davy – although celebrating the discovery of laughing gas (nitrous oxide) with their poet friends – couldn't help them much.

"Unfortunately, the beautiful, wooded gorge became scarred by quarrying, and then more rock faces were blasted away to widen the river for bigger ships.

"The harbour was radically changed between 1804 and 1809 when William Jessop had the vision to re-route the river Avon via a 'New Cut' through Bedminster.

"Lock-gates were installed on the old river course to ensure that the level of water remained constant.

"Now, in this new 'Float', boats were no longer left stranded on the mud and rocks at low tide.

"The Underfall Yard, with its unique Victorian maritime workshops, remains relatively unchanged, and the pleasure steamer Balmoral serves as a reminder of the Campbell's White Funnel Fleet which once used the harbour as its base.

"Although the area has architectural riches galore, it's important for us to remember that while some people lived in style in grand houses, others survived in abject poverty in sickening hovels off the Hotwell Road.

"The two biggest changes to happen to Hotwells were firstly, when the shipping moved down river to Avonmouth, and secondly, when a large area of housing was demolished for the creation of the Cumberland Basin flyover in the early 1960s."

The new history group will be launched this Wednesday (May 20) at 7.30pm in the lecture theatre at the Create Centre on the Cumberland Basin.

There will be a talk by UWE academic Peter Malpass, who together with Andy King from the Industrial Museum, has written a new book about the Floating Harbour.

And various guests, such as local historians Francis Greenacre, Mike Pascoe and Mike Leigh, plus journalist Liz Marleyn and writer/ publisher John Sansom, will be giving five-minute talks about something that enthuses them.

It's obviously going to be a popular night so, if you want to be there, call Sue Stops on 0117 927 7157.