Bristol Then & Now

The Scholastic Trading Company wholesale and retail stationers and booksellers —was one of the best-known businesses trading on Bristol's High Street before the war. The store occupied these premises close to Bristol Bridge — from the 1890s onwards although it had been established in the city for about 30 years previously. The thriving enterprise, which employed 200 staff, also had an additional shop at 20 Bridge Street.

 

The store survived Bristol's first major Blitz of November 1940 - the one which took the heart out of the city and destroyed so many nearby premises - but was lost in the Luftwaffe raid in January 1941. The former site is where the Bank of England building now stands — some of which was left as an empty space and some of which was built upon some 40 years ago — This site is now poised to be re-developed yet again.