library - Devon Archives and Local Studies in Exeter, Devon

Tickets are now available for visiting the heritage centres. We're reopening again at Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter on Tuesday 8 and at the North Devon Record Office in Barnstaple on 9 December.

Thanks to generous donations from the Friends of Devon's Archives and the Friends of the National Libraries we have recently acquired a 17th century account book which belonged to William Walrond of Bradfield House, near Uffculme. It's in great condition and records the daily business of a rural estate in the years which followed the Civil War, including wages paid to estate employees, and rent received from tenants, as well as money paid out for a wide range of other expens...es. More information can be found on the South West Heritage Trust website here: https://swheritage.org.uk/news/walrond-account-book/

Our friends at the 'Telling Our Stories, Finding Our Roots' project, based in Exeter, have an online talk coming up about the Polish Naval Camp and Resettlement Centre which operated in Okehampton during World War Two. https://www.facebook.com/events/16271593207 89068... There are, or will be, exhibitions relating to the work of the project on display at the Museum of Mid Devon Life in Tiverton, the Museum of Dartmoor Life in Okehampton and the Burton Art Gallery in Bideford, although all the venues are currently closed. Hopefully they will re-open in early December, and further details can be found on the project website here. https://www.globalcentredevon.org.uk/

Following the latest Government guidance, we will be temporarily closed from the end of the day on Wednesday 4 November until further notice. If you were booked to visit us, you should have received an email from us yesterday to let you know. The health and wellbeing of our staff, visitors, volunteers and community remain our priority. ... We will reopen our sites when Government guidance makes that possible. We look forward to welcoming you back as soon as we can. https://swheritage.org.uk/november-lockdown/

As part of Black History Month, we are jointly hosting this talk with Devon Development Education. It should prove a very interesting insight into an important part of post-war British history whch is rarely considered in a south-western context. https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk//a-celebration-of-wi/

During and shortly after the Second World War a number of children were born to white English mothers and black US Army fathers. Discover this little-known national story which played out especially strongly in the South West #BlackHistoryMonth #bhm2020

The Starcross History Society is embracing the online future with a full programme of remote events over the coming months: https://starcrosshistory.blogspot.com//10/next-events.html