The Laundrette

Further Info

This story was made at a two and a half day digital storytelling workshop with a Brunel theme, for architects, engineers, photographers and anyone interested in the legacy of Brunel and his impact on the city of Bristol.

The workshop was led by Liz Milner, and took place at Watershed during March 2006 and was supported by Bristol’s Museums, Galleries & Archives.

Transcript

Washing machines and launderettes. I was chatting to an old man in such an establishment as you might whilst waiting for a spin cycle to end: a pocket-sized moment in time, linking people through generation and place. This old man claimed to be the great grandson of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

So did I meet his great grandson or no? I have no reason to disbelieve the old gent. If so, then the notion gave me a living connection to the man who designed of my then workplace, so I’m told. It’s how the subject of the man’s family heritage came up in the first place.

The Old Coach House, on Jamaica Street, Stoke’s Croft. The space where I designed, and made, and aspired to be inspired, gazed out of windows.

The Old Coach House, a forerunner to the modern-day skyscraper indeed. A technique of building girded layer upon girded layer at relative speed with nuts and bolts. There’s also an early example of a lift, unfortunately no longer in use; a sort of store cupboard, occasional DJ booth at present. The stairs, of which there are many, always remain feeling many, despite how ever much practice I lavish in the upward and downward directions.

Was it Brunel’s great grandson, now old himself? He was very amenable, lives somewhere in Bedminster, liked drinking tea, joked about the plummy accent that came out of his mouth.

[sound of whistling kettle]

I don’t know, but I like to think it was him.

[sound of launderette]

Credits

All media not otherwise credited created by the story author, or permission obtained, used under copyright licence.