M Shed will host a rare exhibition showcasing Bristol’s powerful history of anti-nuclear protests and activism this weekend
The M-Shed and Museum Square at Prince’s Wharf on Bristol’s Harbourside(Image: Google Maps)
An exhibition opening this Saturday at the M Shed in Bristol will offer a rare glimpse into the city’s history of anti-nuclear activism, showcasing materials that chronicle the rise of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament during the Cold War.
Organised by Bristol Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), the display will form part of the Bristol Radical History Festival on Saturday, April 26. It features a compelling selection of artefacts dating back to the early 1980s, a period when Margaret Thatcher’s approval of US Cruise missile deployment in the UK sparked a powerful resurgence in peace campaigning.
Among the items on display are documents and memorabilia from the period’s mass protests, peace camps, and marches, many of which helped swell the ranks of CND membership both locally and nationally. The exhibition will also include a small but significant collection of publications from earlier peace movements of the 1940s and 1950s, offering historical context to the modern campaign.
Bill Braddick, a long-standing member of Bristol CND and curator of the exhibition, will also be speaking at the event. Bill said: “Many young people learn about CND when studying the Cold War but CND is not just a historic organisation – we still exist and the issues we campaign on are as relevant today as in the 1980s. I hope that the exhibition and our stall (which will have a range of current leaflets and briefings that can be taken away and CND merchandise for sale) will be of interest to people of all ages.”
The M Shed, located at Bristol’s Harbourside, will be the venue for this one-day-only display. Attendees will also have the opportunity to speak with Bill about the exhibition and the organisation’s history in the region.
More information about the Bristol Radical History Festival can be found on the Bristol Radical History Group website, and details about Bristol CND are available at www.bristolcnd.org.uk.