An online journal for the North Devon Athenaeum
Today marks the 560th Anniversary of the start of the War of the Roses which saw the country descend into civil war until, the recently reinterred, Richard III lost his life at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The first battle was fought on this day in 1455 in the town of St. Albans, Hertfordshire. …
Continue reading "Discover the War of the Roses…On Our Shelves!"
During the First World War German citizens, or enemy aliens, were required to register with the authorities and had strict restrictions placed on their movements. The following article, taken from the North Devon Herald in May 1915, involves the case of a German alien, Fritz Adler, who was fined £20 (roughly £1,400 in today's money) for breaching the regulations when he hired a pony and joined two local hunts...
Pte. F. T. Hookway, of the 2nd Devons, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hookway, of Richmond-street, Barnstaple, has been invalided home from the Front in consequence of a serious attack of pneumonia and rheumatism, brought about through a most trying, dangerous, and thrilling adventure which he experienced. Pte. Hookway participated in the famous bayonet …
“I am looking forward to returning to the firing line and having another go at the Germans.” Such were the sentiments expressed to a “Herald” representative by Pte. T. Passmore, of Pugsley's street, Green lane, Barnstaple, who is spending a fortnight in his native town, having been wounded while serving with the 1st Devons at …
This week we have had Josh, a work experience student with us, who has written this post on what he discovered about one of his ancestors by using the resources we have here...Barum Athena. This past week, I have been studying my families’ past, and I have come across some things I have found fascinating. …
An interesting story in the annuals of Barnstaple’s history is that of Ulalia Page of Plymouth who was sentenced to death for murdering her husband when the Assizes were held in Barnstaple in 1590. In Sketches of the Literary History of Barnstaple John Roberts Chanter tells Ulalia's tale using as a guide a diary written …
Each February we close to the public for a fortnight for stocktaking. This gives us a chance to check our collections and carry out important work we can't do while we are open to the public. This year we focused on accessioning and cataloguing a large donation of library items, checking our pamphlet collections and …
