A Journey of Family History at Kingsley Hall

Back in August, our Heritage team was connected with Jane from New Zealand and Laura from Dorset, two family history enthusiasts on an exciting voyage of discovery. Their great-great grandfather was John Gregory, a socialist poet and reformer who had deep ties to Kingsley Hall, our grade II* listed building and our charity base.

Gregory was described as “one of a pioneer band of social reformers, actively engaged in establishing the socialist and labour movements.” Jane and Laura were hoping to find a bust of him that the Independent Labour Party had unveiled at Kingsley Hall in 1930.

Though the bust remained elusive, our Heritage team was excited to join them on this treasure hunt! Chloe, one of our Heritage Youth Board (HYB) members, jumped into the research by delving into our Kingsley Hall archives. This effort provided invaluable help to Jane and Laura, leading them to a new clue at the local library. Chloe reflected on the experience, saying, “It was fascinating to learn about John Gregory and the work he did at Kingsley Hall, and so nice to help Laura and Jane discover their family history.”

During their visit to Kingsley Hall, Jane and Laura were given a tour by our Heritage Team. They also had the opportunity to meet with our HYB members, sharing their family history journey and fascinating insights about John Gregory’s life. They expressed how proud they felt knowing that their great-grandfather’s beliefs continue to resonate through the work of 1625 Independent People today.

For the HYB members, the experience was equally powerful. They shared their knowledge of Bristol’s history and explained why heritage is so important to them. Witnessing Jane and Laura piece together their family story, and discovering the deep connections to Bristol, the socialist movement, and Kingsley Hall, was a moving experience for everyone.

Reflecting on the visit, Laura said, “The bust remains a mystery, but seeing John Gregory’s writings and reading about him was far more enchanting than plaster. It was really nice to see the building where he would have spent time-fighting for the cause. Jane and I had a brilliant day, thanks entirely to the leads that Chloe gave us, and we owe her so much gratitude. We hope our story of discovery will inspire younger people than us to start their journey of self-discovery.”

Photo reference: John Gregory from his published book of poetry Murmurs and Melodies 1885.