An online journal for the North Devon Athenaeum
We often come across intriguing items which have a story to tell when we are looking for something else in our collections, this generally happens when we are doing something quickly for someone! This was the case when I kept coming across images of a rather imposing building from various angles and in various states …
As today marks the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day we take a look at some of the resources we hold within our collections. Throughout the course of the war, the Athenaeum did its bit. The railings were taken to be melted down and used in industry, there was a fire watch station on …
Continue reading "Discover VE Day and World War II…On Our Shelves!"
Reading the first few pages of book Lumberjills – Britain’s Forgotten Army by Joanna Foat I experienced a feeling of déjà vu. Some of her first statements were: - “In the 1940’s people did not believe women could work in forestry” …. or be strong enough to fell trees. “They were laughed at, they were …
Continue reading "Lumberjills – Women’s Timber Corps in World War II 1942-1946"
Every year we close for a fortnight for what has been traditionally called stocktaking. A chance for us to go through our collections to make sure everything is where it should be! It also gives us a chance to carry out larger projects we wouldn’t normally be able to do while we are open to …
2019 was another interesting year, exploring our collections and discovering new things. January Our Assistant Librarian, Sandi, wrote about the research she had been doing on the Plaster Ceilings of Barnstaple in the first post of the year. March Was a big month for us as we worked together with British Military History to put …
On the 22nd July 1919 a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors was called and the directors were gathered in their Board Room in the Athenaeum over-looking the Square. “The Librarian read a statement complaining of the assistant librarian’s behaviour towards himself. On the retirement of the Librarian the Directors sent for the Assistant. …
On the Anniversary of Peterloo, one of our volunteers, David Phipps writes about an interesting Devon connection to the events in Manchester... After the launch of Mike Leigh’s new film about the Massacre of Peterloo (named to echo the battle of Waterloo), I wondered just how many people were aware of just what happened in …
Discover Charles Kingsley and more…On Our Shelves! Over the years we have discovered several varied and fascinating connections in the North Devon area. A series of these starts with the man who was born 200 years ago today. On the shelves dedicated to local authors you will discover Mr Kingsley sitting right next to a …
The Invasion Has Begun the North Devon Journal announced in its pages which were published two days after what has been called The Longest Day. While the article gave the official report of the action across the channel it gave nothing away of North Devon’s contribution to its success, examples of which can be found …
One from the Archives to celebrate both Local History Month and Museums Week both of which are highlighting the role of women in culture and local politics throughout history.
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
![Mrs Jewell, Mayoress of Barnstaple [Harper Album 3]](https://talesfromthearchives.files.wordpress.com/2019/05/p50-2-ed.jpg)
Mrs Jewell, Mayoress of Barnstaple [Harper Album 3]
The war into which, as an Empire, we were so suddenly plunged twelve months since found us quite unprepared in the country, whatever might be said of the naval or military position. We had allowed ourselves to be lulled into a feeling of false security. With the outbreak of war a heavy burden of responsibility was thrown on the municipalities—a far heavier burden than they had ever previously been called upon to bear. Barnstaple, on common with other towns and cities throughout the country—many of them, perhaps, more “before the footlights,” but very few of more ancient origin or possessing a finer record of patriotic traditions—through its representative authority, manfully…
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Tales From the Archives 