Capturing life on a Bristol estate, where women rule
- Text by Niall Flynn
- Photography by Tommy Sussex
The Knowle West estate is a neighbourhood of around 12,000 residents, situated at the top of a hill that overlooks the south side of Bristol.
Created in the 1930s following slum clearance in the city centre, it exists as an in-between of sorts, where dense housing meets vast agricultural land. At its highest point, you can gaze over Bristol in its entirety.
Back in 2015, photographer Tommy Sussex began visiting the estate with the aim of documenting its story. Intrigued by its unique, geographical makeup – as well as the strong, identity of its residents – he soon found himself making regular trips, getting lost in its various back routes, alleys and side streets.
Quickly, it became apparent to Sussex that while Bristol was constantly changing, Knowle West was – like numerous other parts of cities across the UK – finding itself left behind. “Many residents suffered from ineffective public transport and felt trapped,” he recalls.
“[They] questioned the funding that was being put into the area and felt that other obvious aspects of the community were being ignored and needed further investment. I heard the phrase ‘on tap, not on top’ regarding government funding a handful of times.”
The result of Sussex’s journeys to and from the estate form What Takes Hold, a collection of images that capture the area’s distinctive character. While the looming spectre of gentrification haunts the project, rather than make this the centrepiece, Sussex instead turns his lens towards the spirit of the Knowle West residents: a close-knit group of people who care about their community – and are intent on protecting it.
In particular, Sussex became fascinated by Knowle West’s notorious matriarchal network, made up of heads of families, community leaders and colourful, outspoken women that were, as he terms it, “running the show”.
“One evening, I spent time playing bingo at Nover’s Social Club. The ladies sat in the main room catching up telling jokes and socialising, while the men sat in the bar next door drinking cider. These women were far from shy. Some of the jokes were too blue even for me – and I’m not prudish!”
Placing candid portraits alongside sweeping shots of the estate’s blend of both the urban and pastoral, What Takes Hold is an entangled portrait of the Bristol area. For Sussex, it’s a place he’s come to hold dear: a warm and welcoming community, full of figures unashamedly proud of where they’re from.
Tommy Sussex is currently curating this week’s edition of the 71a Instagram Takeover. See more of his work here.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
The last days of St Agnes Place, London’s longest ever running squat
Off the grid — Photographer Janine Wiedel spent four years documenting the people of the Kennington squat, who for decades made a forgotten row of terraced houses a home.
Written by: Isaac Muk
How Japan revolutionised art & photography in the ’60s and ’70s
From Angura to Provoke — A new photobook chronicles the radical avant-garde scene of the postwar period, whose subversion of the medium of image making remains shocking and groundbreaking to this day.
Written by: Miss Rosen
Artifaxing: “We’ve become so addicted to these supercomputers in our hands”
Framing the future — Predominantly publishing on Instagram and X, the account is one of social media’s most prominent archiving pages. We caught up with the mysterious figure behind it to chat about the internet’s past, present and future, finding inspiration and art in the age of AI.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The lacerating catharsis of body suspension in Hong Kong
Self-Ferrying — In one of the world’s most densely packed cities, an underground group of young people are piercing their skin and hanging their bodies with hooks in a shocking exploration of pain and pleasure. Sophie Liu goes to a session to understand why they partake in the extreme underground practice.
Written by: Sophie Liu
What we’re excited for at SXSW 2026
Austin 40 — For the festival’s 40th anniversary edition, we are heading to Texas to join one of the biggest global meetups of the year. We’ve selected a few things to highlight on your schedules.
Written by: Huck
In photos: The boys of the Bibby Stockholm
Bibby Boys — A new exhibition by Theo McInnes and Thomas Ralph documents the men who lived on the three-story barge in Dorset, giving them the chance to control their own narrative.
Written by: Thomas Ralph
