2010 : Crew's Hole Road looking east

Image: © Maurice Pullin Taken: 26 Nov 2010

Toward the bottom of Trooper's Hill where the tar works stood until 1970. "This brief history of Tar Distillation at Crew’s Hole, Bristol starts from John Bethell’s patent No 7731 in 1838, the use of creosote for the preservation of wood. Isambard Kingdom Brunel, building miles of railway lines, needed a good preservative for his wooden sleepers. With the financial support of Roberts and Daines, Iron Masters in St Philips, and the lease & technical expertise of Bethell, he set up a Tar Works at Crew’s Hole in 1843. He chose one of his employees, William Butler, who had been working on the construction of the Bristol & Exeter railway line to take charge of the works. The crude tar was purchased from the local Gas Works. By 1863 the works was owned by William Butler, and traded under the style of Wm Butler & Co (Bristol) Limited." The above was copied from A HISTORY OF TAR DISTILLATION AT CREW’S HOLE, BRISTOL by Raymond Holland 10 Meadow Mead, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol BS36 2BQ, UK Where there is much more of interest. (web link not working) The inhalation of fumes from coal tar distillation was known to be an effective means of relieving the symptoms of asthma, sufferers came here "for the air". I know this from personal experience in my family.

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