We now move around to another shaft, which is quite close to the Well Shaft. If this shaft is climbed for about ten feet a left and right horizontal passage are found. Both passages are red brick lined and floored with flagstones. Both passages have sewer pipes leading into them the left being 17 meters long and the right 23 meters long. Both end in a collapse.

This story has a funny title – How to get terrified in Bristol Reference Library. Whilst we were surveying the one of the horizontal passages we found hypodermic needles. They were not modern as the part that joins them to the syringe is made from Bakelite rather than plastic (Bakelite was used in manufacturing processes from the 1930’s until the 1950’s). How did the needles get there? I asked a chap from the Council who suggested that they came from the Hospital Laundry this was not correct, as the Laundry is 50 yards further away.

A 1938on the caves suggested another solution that the waste water from a Dentist Surgery was got rid of via the caves. So while I was at the Reference Library I did some checking in Kelley’s Directory. I started in the 1950’s and sure enough located the Dentist, but unfortunately above the horizontal passage that did not contain the needles. So I researched back further in time 1940’s nothing. The 1930’s revealed the solution – above this passage was the Somerset Dispensary for Tuberculosis – this is what terrified me. The Council are arranging removal of the needles.

Photograph relating to this text

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