I’m Bristol born and bred, with deep roots in the city and fond memories of growing up near the Downs, Henleaze, and Westbury on Trym - especially from my school days at Red Maids. After brief spells in Wales and Scotland, I now live in the beautiful Somerset countryside.
My working life took me through admin, sales, recruitment and later into computing and systems analysis, eventually becoming a group auditor in a major insurance company. But retirement sparked a creative shift - first launching a successful bespoke baking business and now turning to history and publishing.
My latest chapter? Republishing the ‘remarkable and shocking’ story of twilight Bristol - a important and memorable piece of Bristol’s past that deserves to be read far and wide. And the business name? A simple nod to Bristol and my family name.
Kerris Harrop
The Ladies' Mile book story
It all began over coffee and cake near the water tower on the Downs. I asked my Redland friends if they’d heard ofLadies’ Mileor Victoria Hughes. To my surprise, they hadn’t - so off we went to see the Stoke Road toilets and Victoria’s blue plaque for ourselves. The building’s sad and neglected state spurred me on. I promised to find them a copy of the book... but none could be found - online, in second-hand shops, or even through the original publisher.
That promise led to a much bigger journey: securing a licence to republishLadies’ Mile. It wasn’t simple - and it wasn’t cheap - but thanks to the generous support of a JustGiving campaign, the book is now back in print and ready to be rediscovered.
If you’ve never read Victoria’s extraordinary story - or if it’s been a while - Ladies’ Mileis once again available to buy and share. Let’s keep her memory alive.
This book is available exclusively from BristolRead Books. All proceeds from its sale will go to refurbishment of the iconic Ladies' Mile loos.
