Jacob’s Wells Buildings in 1950’s, where Brandon House now stands Jacob’s Wells Community Hub is a local grassroots organisation aiming to represent the diverse community of Jacob’s Wells Road in Bristol and its surrounding neighbourhood. Crossing that residential road takes you from Clifton Wood to Brandon Hill. Crossing the road at the bottom takes you from the very new residential are of Harbourside towards the ancient area of Hotwells. Behind the façade of multi storey flats and Georgian town houses there are people struggling to live, or isolated and alone.

The Baths are located at Jacobs Wells Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1DX, U.K. Brief History The Public Baths were designed in 1881 and opened in 1887 By Josiah Thomas. The building hosted a covered pool with a semi-circular steel truss roof carried on steel corbels of Northern Renaissance Revival style, as well as Warm Baths. The architecture is stunning and Grade 2 listed. The Public Baths were converted into a Dance Centre c1980 with a fantastic rosewood sprung floor covering the still existing swimming pool.

One of JW Community Hub’s most important projects was the Heritage Lottery funded “Washing in the Well” - resulting in a board now standing in Jacob’s Wells Road. The main feature is the map from the middle pages with illustrations provided by pupils from our local primary, St Georges Brandon Hill. We know how exciting it is for the children, many from Brandon House, to see their work on display in this way.

New crossing in place behind us half way up Jacobs Wells Road, Bristol Our long awaited crossing over Jacobs Well Road is finished. Sally, Heather and Judy celebrated its arrival with our councillors, Mark, Paula and Jerome from the two wards that are linked by the crossing and who helped to press for work to start. We waited over 4 years and the start date slipped monthly. There is now a pedestrian “refuge”on this corner as part of the improvement scheme.

In 1846 the Baths and Washhouses Act, which had enabled provision of public baths including open air swimming baths, was passed and amended 1878 to encourage addition of covered swimming pools for health exercise and leisure. There had been a severe cholera epidemic in Bristol in 1849 as well as 1832 and councillors wanted to avoid further outbreaks. Few authorities adopted the 1878 amendment to the Act before the 1890’s. Bristol was very progressive and councillors started planning for Jacob’s Wells Baths to include a swimming pool, warm baths and possibly clothes washing facilities before the act was amended.

Our map project is completed and 5,000 copies have been printed. These have been distributed throughout Bristol. Sally Silverman instigated the project and obtained a community wellbeing grant from the Bristol City Council Neighbourhood Partnership Scheme. Ruth Myers from Local Learning liaised with us and City of Bristol College and led the project within the college. The purpose was to show everyone what happens between Brandon Hill and Harbourside in an area that many people do not know.

Jacob’s Wells Baths Audio Archive Oral history Podcasts made using the voices of people who used the baths 01 Class and context 02 Since closure 03 Swimming in the docks 04 Swimming 05 The warm baths Sound editor: Tot Foster Local children playing in Brandon Buildings – 1954 Soundscapes Soundscapes that recreate the swimming pool and hot baths. 06 Communal baths soundscape 07 Swimming baths soundscape Sound editor: Stephen Goldsmith MA AMPS, Film Sound Designer / Re-Recording Mixer

We were Venue 33 in Bristol Open Doors 2018. Which door did you come through - MENS WARM BATHS AND SWIMMING BATHS or LADIES WARM BATHS? Lights are usually off when you pass this Victorian Queen Anne Revival Grade 2 listed building. Built in grand style for working poor, it probably influenced the style of later pools nationally. Read more about the history on this website. Visitors saw the banner “Saving the Baths Just in Time” produced by Craft Hub

Trying out the Fun Palace idea in the Hub Space at a Bristol Doors Open Day Fun Palaces is an annual, free nationwide celebration. Originally a UK event, now international. Our first ever Fun Palace at the Baths was on Sunday Oct 7th 2018. This was our first Fun Palace, but we know how to have fun in our community and invited everyone to come and “Explore Curious Patterns with Local Food Plants”.

Jacobs Wells Community Hub had use of a room at Jacob’s Wells Baths to host many regular activities, including Craft Hub, Tai Chi, Storytelling, Children’s Chess Club. Some were funded by Bristol Ageing Better. Some were supported by Bristol City Council Neighbourhood Partnership. This room was generously provided free of charge by Bristol City Council, Artspace Lifespace and latterly Fusion. Many one off events took place in the space too. Sadly the building has deteriorated and the space is no longer safe.

The moment it happened On Friday 31st May 2019 at 1 p.m. was the unveiling of a Bristol Civic Society Plaque on Brandon House, Jacobs Wells Road. This is the site of Jacobs Wells Theatre 1729-1799: One of the first playhouses in Bristol and one of the first purpose built theatres outside London. See Wikipedia for more information. Jacob De Wilstar 1746 Survey. O marks the location of Playhouse Jacobs Wells Theatre 1729-1799

Jacobs Wells Craft Hub entered a piece of artwork into the Holocaust Memorial Day 2020 "75 Memorial Flames" project. Standing Together With Compassion In our Bristol neighbourhood of Jacob’s Wells there was a time when the community faced severe discrimination. The Jewish community were outcasts and forced to live outside of the City Walls. This is our history. Our hub’s aim is to do all we can to bring people together regardless of age or ethnicity.