Statesman and political philosopher Edmund Burke (1729-1797) was MP for Bristol from 1774 to 1780. Burke did not live in Bristol and rarely visited the city – one of the causes of complaint by locals who wanted him to concentrate his efforts on Bristol rather than national issues. Edmund Burke (detail from Some Who Have Made Bristol Famous).

His support for relaxing restrictions on Irish trade to the colonies was seen as a threat to Bristol's own colonial interests, his support of Catholic emancipation was poorly received by his predominantly Protestant constituents and his campaign against slavery a serious challenge to Bristol's profitable connection with the trade. He was an outsider who retrospectively has been claimed by the city as an example of its liberal aspirations but at the time was deemed to have failed in his duty to the Bristol public.

Others associated with politics and Bristol include:

Henry Cruger (1739-1827), New York-born merchant and radical politician who was MP for Bristol.



Rammohun Roy by H P Briggs, 1832 (Bristol's Museums, Galleries and Archives).

Rajah Rammohun Roy (c 1772-1833), Indian political and religious thinker who died in Bristol during a visit to city.

John Frost (1784-1877), Chartist who worked as draper in Bristol.

Samuel Morley (1809-86), businessman, philanthropist and Bristol MP.

Mary Clifford (1842-1919), founder of the National Union of Women Workers.

Helena Born (1860-1901), trade unionist.

Ben Tillett (1860-1943), trade unionist and politician.

Emmeline Pethick Lawrence (1867-1954), President of the Women's Freedom League.

Norah Cooke-Hurle (1871-1960), Somerset's first female councillor and Alderman.

Ernest Bevin (1881-1951), trade unionist and politician who played major part in creation of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

Florence Brown (1899-1981), Bristol's first female Lord Mayor.

Miriam Daniell (died 1894), trade unionist.

Lilian M Pheysey (died 1940), Bristol's first female Alderman.



Annie Kenney.

Annie Kenney (1879-1953), political activist and suffragette.

Theresa Garnett (1888-1966), suffragette, imprisoned for hitting Winston Churchill at Temple Meads.

Sir Richard Stafford Cripps (1889-1952), Labour MP and lawyer.

Dame Florence Hancock (1893-1974), President of the Trades Union Congress.

Jessie Stephens (1893-1979), trade unionist.

Marge Evans (1905-96), political activist.

Paul Boateng, politician and lawyer. Paul Boateng, © Crown Copyright 2007.

Dawn Primarolo, Bristol South MP, and Minister for Public Health.

Paul Stephenson, leader of the Bristol bus boycott of the early 1960s.