Alcoholics Anonymous History In Your Area
Bristol, England
50 years of Alcoholics Anonymous in Bristol -Timeline
1953 – Dr Jim H. convenes first AA Meeting at the Full Moon
1954 – Public meeting with press coverage
1955 – Opening of the Bath Group
1956 – First English Convention, Cheltenham
1957 – Bristol’s first lady member joins Start of Calne, Wiltshire Group
1958 – Daisy celebrates one year
1959 – Travers’ sobriety date, 16.4.59 • Public meeting at the Council House • Second English Prison Group starts at Dorchester
1960 – First Wells Hospital Group at Mendip • First Bristol Group moves to Elmdale Road
1961 – Sackville of Dublin agrees to sponsor Travers
1962 – Prison sponsorship continues at Dorchester
1963 – First sponsorship to Leyhill Open Prison
1964 – Second Bristol Group opens • Formation of South West Intergroup • Horfield Prison Group opens
1965 – Bristol Prison Sponsors open Shepton Mallet
1966 – Bristol members start Dartmoor Prison Group
1967 – Bristol Prison Sponsors open Portland Bill • Barrow Hospital Group opens
1968 – Bristol Akron Group opens • Bristol Fashion first published • Keynsham Group up and running
1969 – Tower Hill Group opens • Public meeting, Montpelier
1970 – Portishead Group forms
1971 – First European Convention held • Young People’s Group started • Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Bill W. at Bristol Cathedral
1972 – Reunion in Bristol • First Annual Bristol AA Dinner held • Newcomers Group opens at 103 Queens Rd • Bristol and Dublin members receive Papal Medal on behalf of AA • SWIG Mini-Convention at Barrow Hospital
1973 – Lois W. visits Bristol • Second Reunion in Bristol • Young People’s Group becomes Fellowship Group
1974 – Withywood Group forms • First meeting of Bristol South Group • Third Reunion in Bristol • Western Service Office opens • Dr Jack Norris visits Bristol
1975 – Fourth Annual Bristol AA Dinner held
1976 – St George Discussion Group opens
1977 – Newcomers Feelings Meeting • Newcomers Step and Tradition Meeting
1978 – Gerry D., Irish Archivist, contacts Bristol
1979 – Sackville R.I.P. • Travers speaks at the Blue Bonnets
1980 – The start of Archives in Bristol
1981 – Bristol Reunion ‘Green Grows Sobriety’
1982 – Bristol Reunion ‘Adventure Magnificent’
1983 – Bristol Reunion ‘Such is the Warp and Woof…’ • Seventies Pathfinders Group becomes Salvation Army Group
1984 – Totterdown Group opens • Bristol members attend Founders Day in Akron
1985 – ‘Fifty Years with Gratitude’, Grand Hotel • Bristol Fashion presentation, International, Montreal • Nell Wing visits Reunion in Bristol
1986 – Kings Square Group opens • Bob P., General Manager of AAWS, attends Reunion
1987 – Bristol Reunion ‘A Price had to be Paid’ • Cyrenians Monday Morning meeting opens
1988 – Bristol Reunion ‘Action is the Magic Word’ • Clancy comes to Bristol • Gloucester Road Discussion Group opens
1989 – Big Book Study Seminar at Nympsfield
1990 – Bristol Reunion, First Big Book Study • First early morning meeting, Hope Chapel Hill • Travers C. R.I.P.
1991 – Second Big Book Study at the Reunion • Sunday on the Centre opens
1992 – Frank M., New York, speaks at Reunion ‘We are the Parents Now’
1993 – Bristol Reunion, Third Big Book Study
1994 – Clancy Comes Back to the Reunion
1995 – Bristol Reunion, Fourth Big Book Study
1996 – Gratitude on Founders Day • Avon Intergroups Mini-Convention
1997 – 50 Golden Years of AA in Britain • Fifth Big Book Study at the Reunion in Bristol
1998 – Clancy at Bristol ‘The Miracle of a Changed Life’
1999 – Avon Intergroups 1st Mini Convention • Big Book Thumpers • Final Big Book Study at the Reunion in Bristol
2000 – Avon Intergroups 2nd Mini Convention • A Vision For You started • John W. (Florida) speaks at Reunion Dinner
2001 – Avon Intergroups 3rd Mini Convention • Reunion with Clancy ‘The Path Continues’ • Austin C. (Arizona) speaks at Reunion Dinner
2002 – Reunion with Clancy ‘A Disease of Perception’ and Judit Santon, AA’s Archivist, New York
E&OE!