Royal North Devon Hussars at Gallipoli – a first hand account

A hundred years ago today the Royal North Devon Hussars were landed at Sulva Bay as part of the Gallipoli Campaign. Very little was reported in the newspapers at the time as there was a ban on the reporting of movements. It was only after the evacuation of the peninsula that the stories of those …

Baking Under Difficulties – A Recipe For Making Yeast in the Dardanelles

It may be the final of the Great British Bake Off this evening where tensions will be rising in the tent - but imagine having to create your own yeast and baking bread in the Turkish heat whilst under attack from the enemy. This letter written during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War One and …

Germans Release Barumite – Mr. Francis Gribble Describes his Life at Ruhleben

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 …

An Interned Barumite

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 …

Ilfracombe Soldier’s Diary

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 …

The Jewell in Barnstaple’s Crown – Twelve Months of War & the Splendid Work of Barnstaple’s Mayoress

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 …

Whatever Happened To The White Lion?

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? …