An online journal for the North Devon Athenaeum
A fortnight after the article covering Mr and Mrs Chanter's visit to their son in a Dutch internment camp was published, news of another interned Barumite was reprinted in the North Devon Herald. Francis Henry Gribble was born in Barnstaple in 1862, the son of Henry Gribble of the Old Bank. In 1887, after finishing …
Continue reading "Germans Release Barumite – Mr. Francis Gribble Describes his Life at Ruhleben"
As part of our series of posts covering World War One articles from the local newpapers this interesting article from the North Devon Herald contains an interview with Charles Edward Roberts Chanter (an original Trustee of the North Devon Athenaeum) and his wife describe visiting their son, John Fincher Roberts Chanter, in an internment camp …
In this interesting article from the North Devon Journal, Edgar Lancey Laramy sends home a diary to his wife detailing his experiences of the war...Barum Athena Mrs. Laramy, No. 1, Strand, Ilfracombe, has just received an interesting diary from her husband, Driver Edgar Laramy, 108th Heavy Battery, R.G.A., as under :- “We left Southampton on …
As part of our series of newspaper articles from the First World War comes this piece about the work done by Harriette Ellen Jewell during the first year of the war...Barum Athena The war into which, as an Empire, we were so suddenly plunged twelve months since found us quite unprepared in the country, whatever …
We have had work experience student Millie with us for the last fortnight. She has been looking into the history of the various public houses of Barnstaple, particularly the premises known as the White Lion, and the people who operated them. Here is what she found out...Barum Athena Why did the White Lion go under? …
Whilst trying to comply with the Defence of the Realm Act this Barnstaple motorist got caught driving without his lights at night... The magistrates at Braunton Divisional Sessions held in Barnstaple yesterday (Wednesday), were called upon to decide a case of an unusual character. A Barnstaple motorist, Mr. Roy Berry, was summoned for allowing his …
Continue reading "“Between the Devil and the Deep Sea” — A Barum Motorist’s Dilemma"
For the past fortnight we have had Philip with us on work experience. He has written this post on what he found about his Jones ancestors by using the resources we have in the Athenaeum and our partner departments, the North Devon Record Office and the Local Studies Library...Barum Athena During the previous two weeks, …
The Defence of the Realm Act came into force on 8th August 1914, just four days after the declaration of War. What follows is the coverage of the first case in North Devon to be brought before the Magistrates regarding the visibility of light from a property facing the Bristol Channel. Any light visible from …
Continue reading "Put That Light Out! — Failing to Obscure Lights in Lynmouth"
The Carnage dreadful beyond description...Lieut. John Roberts 18th June 1815 In our document collection is a small pocket diary chronicling one man’s experience of the final campaign against Napoleon which led to the Battle of Waterloo and the eventual overthrow of the Emperor. In 1815 Lieut. Roberts, of Bideford, said goodbye to his wife and …
Continue reading "Diary of an Officer at the Battle of Waterloo"
Northward of Egham, between the town and the Thames, is Runnymead, which will ever be celebrated in the history of this country as the spot where the assembled barons, in 1215, compelled King John, who had in vain resorted to the most criminal prevarications, to grant what is emphatically denominated Magna Charta, the great charter …
Tales From the Archives 