Support this site with

Newest update 24th June 2010

Exeter Memories forum to ask and answer questions about Exeter.

Paul Simon playing in a barn at Newhayes House, Cowick Lane, in 1965. Part of his performance can be heard in this recording. Photo courtesy of Bob Brooks.

Use Search for all mentions of a topic and the Site Map for the topic page

This graphic appeared on the rear of the official Exeter City Council guidebooks for about 15 years, from the 1920s to 1942.

Featured Photographs

Stereoscopic, or 3D photographs were a favourite in late Victorian and Edwardian times. This sterescopic photo of the Guildhall from circa 1890 shows it as a modern 'autostereo wobble' photograph.

Salisbury and Winchester Journal
Monday, March 2, 1818
Three performances of sacred music, consisting of the Messiah, part of the Creation, and a selection from some other sublime oratorios, will take place at Exeter theatre during the ensuing assize week, the profits of which are to be distributed amongst the charitable institutions of that city.

A contract has been made to supply the prisoners in the Devon county gaol with bread at 4d. per quartern loaf under the price affixed by the assize at Exeter; by which that county will save from £300 to £340. per annum.

Salisbury and Winchester Journal
Monday, January 11, 1813
On Tuesday the 29th ult. as Mr. Tothill, master of the Buller's Arms, in Exeter, was at work in his brewhouse, on passing from the furnace to the mashing kieve, the steps unfortunately broke, and he fell into the latter, by which he was so dreadfully scalded, that he lingered in the greatest agonies until Sunday morning, when death put an end to his sufferings. He was in the prime of life, and deservedly respected by all who knew him.

Salisbury and Winchester Journal
Monday, October 25, 1825
On Sunday morning the wife of Mr.Way,a respectable farmer at Alphington, near Exeter, was safely delivered of three fine girls, all of whom are doing well. Mrs.W. has given birth to 5 children in the space of 1 year and 13 days.

Salisbury and Winchester Journal
Monday, April 4th, 1825
Three idle and disorderly boys were on Monday placed in the stocks, before the Guildhall at Exeter, for disturbing the congregation, on Sunday night, at the parish church of St. Edmund, in that city.

E-Mail Guestbook Links Sources Site Map Photos wanted of Exeter

The Exeter 'Comment' from Exeter Memories

This site is run by a resident of who loves the city - Previous Comments

The Exeter Local History Day on the 27 February 2010

A local history day will be held by the Exeter Local History Society in collaboration with the Westcountry Studies Library at the Westcountry Studies Library and adjoining music room. The free event will include five talks based on the theme of the Port of Exeter, its trade, industry and the city's water supply. Other local history societies have been invited to display photographs, drawings and artefacts covering the mills, floods and more. There will also be local publishers providing a range of local history books for purchase. Refreshments will be available.

Open Mornings at Exeter Cemeteries - 6 February 2010

Exeter City Council Bereavement Services are holding a series of open mornings at their cemeteries over the coming months. Although the events are aimed at those researching family graves, funeral planning and support following bereavement, the open days will give an opportunity to anyone who is researching the location of graves for local history purposes.

Higher Cemetery, St Mark's Avenue, Heavitree, EX1 2PX	2 February 2010	4 May 2010
Exwick Cemetery, Exwick Road, EX4 2BT	2 March 2010	1 June 2010
Topsham Cemetery, Elm Grove Road, EX3 0BW	6 April 2010	6 July 2010

For more information contact: Exeter City Council Bereavement Services, Civic Centre, Paris Street, Exeter, EX3 0BW or phone 01392 265370.

Exeter Local History Society

Join the Exeter Local History Society and discover 2000 years of the history of Exeter. Learn of intrigue, plots, disasters, celebrations and the way of life of past generations of the city.

We meet six times a year at the Central Library Exeter for a chat, and a talk from an expert on a historical topic.

Come along to a meeting without obligation - upcoming meetings can be found here

Or phone the Secretary, Geoffrey Harding on 01392 276176 or email:

ELHS contact

Exeter Memories on Intute - 1 November 2009

A website run by a consortium of Universities has added Exeter Memories to its list of resources for education and research, selected and evaluated by a network of subject specialists. The entry is at Intute entry. Exeter Memories is described : "This website presents a truly excellent array of resources on the local history of Exeter and is run by a committed amateur enthusiast. The simple-to-use navigation system is split into several categories. The 'Memories' section provides access to a number of personal accounts of the experience of a number of events (from the Blitz to a first ride in a motorcar and student memories from the 1990s). The 'Bygone' section provides a number of pictures - arranged by decade - showing and describing the history of Exeter. There are also sections on topics (e.g. buildings, sports, streets, parks); articles (discussion of some major events); people (some descriptions of prominent and important people in the history of Exeter); events; photos; a site map; and a time-line of events. This website is highly user friendly and will prove to be a fantastic resource for those interested in Exeter's history."

The Universities in the consortium are:
University of Birmingham
University of Bristol
Heriot-Watt University
The University of Manchester
Manchester Metropolitan University
University of Nottingham
University of Oxford

It is nice to know that my efforts to record people's memories and historical places and events of the city have been noticed – it is a recognition that could only be achieved with the input and help of all those people who have contributed memories, snippets of information and thousands of photographs for use on the site. Thank you to you all.

That's all for now,

David Cornforth - My Contact E-Mail