Ladies' Mile

Home
United Kingdom
Bristol
Ladies' Mile

Call Directions Website

Discover the remarkable story of Victoria Hughes, who spent 33 years as a cloakroom attendant on Bristol's Durdham Downs.

Explore her life, the people she encountered and the fascinating history of Bristol captured in her memoir, Ladies' Mile.

14/09/2026

Who was the mysterious Lady of the Haystack?

In late 1776, a mysterious young woman appeared in Flax Bourton, a few miles from Bristol. She went to a house and asked simply for a little milk. She would not give her name or explain where she came from.

Instead of accepting offers of shelter, she chose to sleep under a haystack.

And she stayed there.

For roughly four years, local people fed and protected her. She would accept milk and tea, but rejected money, clothing and attempts to persuade her to live under a roof. She was regarded as harmless, and children apparently became fond of her.

But who was she?

As the years passed, people began to call her Louisa, although nobody knew whether that was really her name. She became known locally as the Lady of the Haystack — or sometimes the Maid of the Haystack.

Naturally, stories began to circulate about her. Some claimed she was a foreign noblewoman who had fallen on hard times; others imagined an even more extraordinary past.

But there was no evidence to support any of these stories.
Eventually, concern grew for Louisa's welfare, and she was taken to St Peter's Hospital in Bristol. But she did not settle there. She escaped and returned to the life she had chosen.

Then, in 1781, her story reached another remarkable Bristol woman.

Hannah More, the writer and social reformer, was staying at Fishponds when she heard about the mysterious woman living beneath the haystack. Curious, she went to see her.

Hannah More was fascinated by what she found.

She later wrote about Louisa's strange story, and it was published in a London newspaper under the name Philalethes. For a woman whose origins were completely unknown, Louisa had suddenly become a subject of national curiosity.

But the mystery was never solved.

Louisa eventually left Bristol and was cared for elsewhere. She died at Guy's Hospital in London in 1800, still known only by the name that local people had given her.

Nearly 250 years later, we still don't know who she really was.

Why did she come to Flax Bourton? Where had she come from?And why, when people were willing to offer her a home, clothes and money, did she choose to live beneath a haystack instead?

Perhaps we'll never know.

Have you ever heard of the Lady of the Haystack?

And what do you think her story might have been?

11/09/2026

This stunning floral display greeted me at the Town Hall in Glastonbury where I was speaking to the friendly, interesting and very enthusiastic Women's Friendship Group.

26/08/2026

Who remembers eagerly waiting for the Pop Man to arrive? 🥤

Every week, a lorry with cleverly angled boxes along its sides would trundle up our road. Each box held a different flavour of sweet, fizzy pop, and the Pop Man would jump out to serve us. With a twist of his arm, our chosen elixir appeared!

My favourites were Cream Soda and Dandelion & Burdock. Aah… those tastes! They still bring back memories.

And what happened to the bottles? Once we'd finished our pop, we swilled them out and returned them to the Pop Man. He handed over a small deposit, which was then deducted from our next order. No plastic bottles, no supermarket shelves — just the weekly visit from the Pop Man.

I didn't know until recently that the story of Corona began in the Rhondda, before expanding to other parts of South Wales. The company was taken over by Beechams in the late 1950s, and as supermarkets became increasingly popular, the Pop Man gradually disappeared.

Children today really don't know what they're missing!

🥤 So, what was YOUR favourite pop?

And did you have a Pop Man who came to your road?

I'd love to hear your memories!

24/08/2026

The Bristol murder case that helped make forensic science history…

In 1835, Mary Ann Burdock was tried at the Bristol Assizes for the murder of her elderly lodger, Clara Ann Smith.

Clara had died in October 1833 while lodging at Mary Ann's house in College Street. For more than a year, nobody seriously questioned her death. Then her relatives became concerned. They had heard nothing from Clara and knew that she had possessed considerable property.

When enquiries were made, Mary Ann's answers were not considered satisfactory — and neither was the apparent disappearance of Clara's possessions.

Fourteen months after Clara's burial, her body was exhumed.

And this is where the story takes a remarkable turn.

The remains were examined by William Herapath, a Bristol chemist and toxicologist. Despite the long period the body had been in the grave, Herapath discovered arsenic in Clara's stomach. Three medical witnesses testified that the quantity found was sufficient to cause death.

Other evidence emerged against Mary Ann. She had purchased arsenic, she had been responsible for administering Clara's food, and Clara had received £800 shortly before her death. Mary Ann had subsequently become considerably wealthier.

The evidence was circumstantial, but the jury found her guilty of murder.

Mary Ann was sentenced to death.

On 15 April 1835 she was hanged at Bristol's New Gaol, in front of an enormous crowd. Contemporary reports estimated that 50,000 people gathered to witness her ex*****on.

Her attitude towards her impending death was extraordinary. She reportedly told her brother not to spend more than £2 on her coffin and requested a “warm, comfortable shroud.”

Today, the case is remembered not only as one of Bristol's most notorious nineteenth-century murders, but also for its importance in the development of forensic investigation. The successful detection of arsenic in a body buried for fourteen months was described as a landmark in English forensic analysis.

A murder mystery, a pioneering piece of forensic science — and another extraordinary story from Bristol's past.

If you enjoy discovering Bristol's forgotten stories, follow the Ladies' Mile page for more.

14/08/2026

"Make sure they puts their pennies in!"

If you are of a certain age, you may remember the little metal mechanism on the door of a public toilet.

You put in a penny. The lock released. And you could finally get inside.

It seems extraordinary now, but coin-operated lavatory locks became a familiar feature of British public toilets from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Surviving examples date from around 1890 onwards, and the penny charge gave us the wonderfully British expression "spend a penny."

But for Victoria Hughes, the penny mechanism was simply part of everyday working life.

When she was being trained as a cloakroom attendant, she was given some very clear instructions: "Make sure they puts their pennies in - and see that the doors slam to when they've gone out."

And, as Victoria discovered, the mechanism didn't always behave itself. She once recalled returning sadly from an unsuccessful job application, only to find that her own penny had become wedged in the lock. The attendant came to her rescue—and, after hearing how hard she had been trying to find work, helped her towards a completely new career.

That chance encounter ultimately led Victoria to 33 years working at the public toilets on Durdham Downs.

It's rather remarkable to think that a little penny-in-the-slot mechanism played a tiny part in the story of how Victoria came to write Ladies' Mile.

Did you ever have to "spend a penny"? And do you remember how much it cost?

12/08/2026

Imagine Bristol in the summer of 1348.

The city was crowded, busy and growing rapidly. People lived cheek by jowl, and much of the water supply came from wells that could easily become contaminated.

And then came the plague.

15 August 1348 is traditionally given as the date on which the Black Death reached Bristol, although the evidence isn't quite as straightforward as that.

The Oxford chronicler Geoffrey le Baker recorded the plague reaching Bristol at this time. But the earliest surviving contemporary evidence we have comes slightly later: a Crown record dated 15 April 1349 refers to land beside the churchyard of St Cross of the Temple having been filled with burials resulting from "the pestilence."

The scale of the tragedy is difficult to comprehend.
Historians estimate that perhaps 35–40% of Bristol's population died.

The city's poor sanitation and dependence on wells may have contributed to the devastating death toll. It wasn't until 1376 that steps were taken to improve the water supply, when an official was appointed to oversee three conduits bringing fresh water into the city.

More than six centuries later, Bristol's streets still preserve reminders of the medieval city—and of the people who lived, worked and died there.

Can you imagine Bristol losing perhaps four people out of every ten to a single disease?

History can be astonishingly difficult to comprehend until we stop and imagine the human stories behind the numbers.

10/08/2026

A young Bristol man who died a hero

Hidden among the names and dates in Victoria Hughes' family history is the remarkable story of a young man whose courage cost him his life.

Edward Rogers was Victoria's second cousin. He was just 23 years old.

One evening, a fire broke out above a shop on Blackboy Hill. A little girl was trapped inside the burning building.

Without hesitation, Edward rushed into the flames.

Although he succeeded in bringing the child from the house, she had already succumbed to the flames — but the effort came at a terrible cost to Edward. Soon afterwards, he became gravely ill and was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary, where he died from what contemporary newspapers described rather vaguely as an "internal complaint" — almost certainly the result of smoke inhalation.

Edward's funeral clearly touched the local community. Seven carriages formed the cortège, travelling from his home in High Street, Durdham Down, to the parish church at Westbury-on-Trym.

His bravery did not go entirely unrecognised. Edward was posthumously awarded a certificate from the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, in recognition of the "prompt and efficient aid rendered by him."

And yet today, his name has almost disappeared from Bristol's history.

I have searched for Edward's grave in Westbury-on-Trym churchyard but, so far, without success.

Can anyone help me find where this brave young Bristolian was buried?

I'd love to be able to visit his grave and pay my respects to a man who gave his life trying to save a child.

08/08/2026

Has Ladies' Mile become a collector's item?

I couldn't believe my eyes recently.

I spotted an original 1977 edition of Ladies' Mile in St Nicholas Market with a price tag of £50.

Then, a few days later.....another original copy appeared in a Westbury-on-Trym charity shop. Price? £75!

It just goes to show how treasured Victoria Hughes' memoir has become over the years.

Fortunately, thanks to the republished edition, her remarkable story is once again available for everyone to enjoy.

📚 Have you ever stumbled across an unexpectedly valuable book in a charity shop or second-hand bookshop?

06/08/2026

The nicest compliment I could receive...

After one of my recent talks, the organiser sent me this lovely message:

"...I was interested in Victoria's story, but I also found the background to the preservation of the Downs very interesting. Although I have lived in Bristol and the surrounding area for over 30 years, I had never heard that historical background..."

That really made my day.

One of my favourite moments is when someone tells me they've lived in Bristol for decades but have discovered something completely new.

That's exactly why I enjoy researching Victoria's story so much.
Bristol is full of remarkable stories hiding in plain sight.

Have you ever discovered a fascinating piece of Bristol history that surprised you?

09/05/2026

A hugely successful evening at Knowle Townwomen's Guild last Tuesday in which I completely sold out of books! Thank you so much to the lovely ladies who came along to listen, to buy and to ask questions about Victoria Hughes and her life.

Address

Bristol

Telephone

+447788140122

Website

http://www.bristolreadbooks.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ladies' Mile posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organisation to be the top-listed non profit organisation in Bristol?