1900s - 1920's

Click on a picture to enlarge - latest update 21st November 2007

Pre and First World War Exeter - 1910 to 1919

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Proclamation of George V
The proclamation of King George V was made at the Guildhall in May 1910. A large crowd turned out to hear the Mayor read the proclamation for the new King. In former times, the Mayor and Alderman, dressed in their scarlet gowns and robes, would proclaim a new monarch outside the Guildhall, New Inn, Bear Inn, St John's Bow and the Carfax.

Gould Brothers, garage
Gould Brothers were one of the first motor dealers in Exeter. They had showrooms near the New London Hotel, and a workshop in Southernhay. Sidwell Street and New North Road were popular areas for motor garages with Maudes, Standfield & White, Cox Brothers and Reid & Lee all within a couple of hundred yards of each other within a few years.This photo dates to about 1914.

The Canal Basin - 1915
A view past Kings Arms Sluice towards the Canal Basin. Two ships appear to be waiting to leave the basin. The chimney on the left is the electricity generating station. The church on the horizon in the centre left, is St Michael's Mount Dinham, while that on the right is St Mary Major.

High Street
The High Street showing trams trundling back and forth - notice the blinds over the shop fronts. See High Street

Greenslades , the coach company was founded by two brothers in 1912 at Bradninch.

The Half Moon Hotel
This hotel occupied the same site as Deller's, until 1912 when Lloyds Bank was built. The Half Moon dated from 1680/90 as a coaching inn.

See Half Moon Hotel - HighStreet/Bedford St

In 1912, there were 225 private cars registered in Exeter.

The day war was declared, on 4 August 1914, a large crowd gathered in Bedford Circus.

Henry Wykes started his photographic studio in 1914, by the Exe Bridge. After his death, 40,000 of his negatives formed the Isca Photographic Collection

Marks and Spencer opened its first store in Exeter in 1912 at the top of Queen Street.

St Nicholas Priory
The interior of St Nicholas Priory - Exeter Corporation purchased the priory from the Wilcocks family in 1913 and opened it as a museum three years later.

The Express & Echo reported on 9th January 1913. A farrier was made bankrupt at the Exeter Court because of -
"the introduction of motor cars and a system of electric tramways in Exeter. The tramways caused a considerable reduction in the number of cabs plying for hire......and subsequently a loss of trade to the debtor, who did the shoeing of the horses".

Exeter City Football Club played the Brazil national side in Rio de Janeiro in July 1914. The score was 3-3. 90 years later on May 30th 2004, Brazil returned to Exeter for the replay! The match was to celebrate Exeter City's centenary - the score was 0-1 to Brazil.

Events during the First World War - 1914 to 1918

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See Exeter in the Great War for how Exeter coped with the Great War.

Ambulance trailers
Exeter had five military hospitals during the First War. Volunteer drivers, with cars, were enlisted to tow ambulance trailers to take the wounded from Central Station to a designated hospital. Both photos show the ambulances at Central Station. The gentleman in the trilby is Bertram Percy Tucker, who worked for the Wilts and Dorset Bank, later to become Lloyds in the High Street. Photos courtesy Paul Tucker

Great War Allotments
By 1917, the German u-boat blockade of the country was beginning to bite, the Government introduced rationing, and local authorities authorised the use of parks and other land for allotments. These allotments are believed to be in St Leonard's. The little boy is Ambrose Tucker, who is still going strong at the age of 94.
Photo courtesy of Paul Tucker

Tram Crash
This tram overturned on Exe Bridge on 7th March 1917. Go to Tram crash story 
See History of transport in Exeter for more on the trams.
Courtesy Express and Echo

New Kitchener's Army
This large column of men have just joined Kitchener' Army, probably in late 1914 or 1915. Still in civilian clothes, they are marching in Church Road, St Thomas, away from the County Ground, where they would have signed up. Cowick Road is middle, top of photo. The railings were removed in World War Two for ammunition. Photo courtesy of Pam Salzmann.

Deller's Cafe
The long lost cafe first opened in Exeter in the premises of the Exeter Bank, next to the Royal Clarence Hotel. The interior, on the left was very ornate, with an intricately plastered ceiling. The building is now Michael Caines Abode Café Bar. Right is how the new Deller's Cafe looked just after the First World War. The cafe was built on top of Lloyd's Bank and opened in 1916. It was destroyed in May 1942 during the blitz. Part of the message on the back reads " PS what do you think of this palace. I had tea and supper here".

In September 1914, Exeter became the first provincial town to take refugees, when 120 Belgians arrived. By the end of October over 800 had settled. In 1915, a further 3,000 arrived in the city.

The River Exe flooded on the 16th January 1918.

On 19th July 1919, all city schools attended a service at the Cathedral to celebrate Peace, followed by a Victory March through the streets.

Thomas Moore, who founded the clothing shop in Fore Street was killed in battle at Zillebeke, France in 1917, at the age of 34.

The Exeter Flying Post ceased publication on 21st April 1917. The plant and machinery were auctioned on the 25th April and the office files and records purchased by the Exeter City Library. The Flying Post was first published as the Exeter Evening Post in 1763 from Southgate Street. In 1770 it became the Trewman's Exeter Flying Post. See War Breaks Out for how the Flying Post reported the start of the First World War in August 1914.

Marks and Spencer opened their second store in Exeter at 259 High Street, in 1919.

Anzac Day - 1917
Many Australian and New Zealand troops passed through Exeter, either on the way to the front or returning home. Many were also treated for their wounds at the VA Hospitals around the city. Here, Australian troops assemble to celebrate Anzac Day at the Cathedral. Mols, in the background has a large sign advertising War Etchings.

The King and Queen visit the war wounded - 1915
On 8th September 1915, King George V and Queen Mary visited Military Hospital VA No 1, based at the Eye Infirmary. Queen Mary also visited the Castle Street Hostel VA No 5, now Bradninch House. This was the first visit by a monarch to Exeter in a motor car, when four cars were loaned by prominent citizens for the King's use.

On 26th October 1914 the Express and Echo reported - "there was an unusual number of small cases at the Exeter Police Court, today, a good many of them covering drunkenness among soldiers". A magistrate was quoted as saying - "something would have to be done about the closing of public houses". The Government brought in legislation to limit pub opening hours with the Defence of the Realm Act (1914).

Captured German Guns at Northernhay Park
The 8th and 9th Devonshires captured some German guns at the Battle of Loos during September/October 1915. They were brought back to England and put on display in Northernhay Park. The 8th suffered casualties of 19 officers and 619 men killed from machine gun fire - they took the German gun trenches where these guns were presumably captured. By October they held an area 2 miles deep by 4 miles wide, but the attack was not the big push expected by the generals.

The Exeter City, Arsenal and England footballer, Cliff Bastin was born in Heavitree in 1912.

The River Exe froze over in the winter of 1917. The ice was so thick that it supported 100 people walking on its surface, an ox was roasted on the ice, and people were skating under the Exe Bridge. Someone also managed to ride a bicycle on the ice, between Cowley Bridge and the Fish Quay, no doubt sliding down Blackaller Weir.

The population of Exeter in 1914 was approximately 48,000.

 Exeter shops and businesses - 1910 to 1919

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Murch's Restaurant (Tinley's)
Murch's Cathedral Restaurant and Cafe occupied the building next to Broadgate around about 1910 and through the First War. In 1930 it became Tinley's Teashop

Worth & Co
Worth's published the guide in which these adverts appeared. Worths were based in Mol's Coffee house.

Noah's Ark
An old, established business that lasted into the 1990's as the Exeter Pram & Toy Shop based in Sidwell Street.

Cornish & Co
A 1910 display calendar for Cornish and Co of Fore Street. The business moved from Broadgate to Fore Street in 1905.

Rougemont Hotel
The impact of the car can be seen in this advert for the Rougemont Hotel. Queens Street appears to be very wide. See Rougemont Hotel (Thistle Hotel)

Field Sports
A business that caters for the country class and reflects the rural hinterland of Exeter.

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