An online journal for the North Devon Athenaeum
While we were rather quiet on the blog front last year, we had plenty to keep us busy during year as we take a look back at 2022 in pictures. January The beginning of the year saw some book post and a rather happy librarian, it was also the start of some serious behind the …
This weekend sees the return of the Bath and West of England Society’s show at Shepton Mallet in Somerset. The Society was originally called the Bath Society and was established in 1777 ‘for the encouragement of Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in the Counties of Somerset, Wilts, Gloucester and Dorset’. By 1779 Devon and Cornwall …
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 …
1. There Are Several items on Display in the Dodderidge Room of the Guildhall. The room itself was rescued from a house in Cross Street when it was pulled down to make way for new post office. The wooden panelling, fireplace and original window were then relocated to its current home just behind the council …
Continue reading "10 Facts About Our Items on Display at the Guildhall, Barnstaple"
When the Armistice was signed 100 years ago today, many took to the streets in celebration. This article was written by one of the North Devon Herald's journalists and describes the scenes in Barnstaple on that memorable day. "PEACE HAS BROKEN OUT!"I was in the midst of a shorthand transcript in the reporters' sanctum of …
We Celebrated 30 years of working with the North Devon Record Office and North Devon Local Studies Library this month, here are 10 facts about the last 30 years 1. Since we moved into the library building there have been 3 Librarians and 5 Assistant Librarians for the Athenaeum. The current Librarian and assistant librarian …
One of our favourite items from across our collections is our 18th Century oil painting of Barnstaple which can be found taking pride of place in the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon. Hanging on the wall over looking the staircase in our old building, the painting is by an unknown artist and is believed …
Continue reading "Beyond the Library…The 18th Century Snapshot of Barnstaple"
Not all of our collections are held on-site, when we first opened our doors back in 1888 we were not just a library. We were also a museum and archive for Barnstaple and the North Devon area. Some of the items in our collections had been given to us when we were still the Literary …
On this day in 1917, a Royal Charter was given establishing what is now known as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). The cemeteries and graves the Commission look after can found across the world. The Commission was the brainchild of Sir Fabian Ware who, being too old to fight in World War One, commanded …
Continue reading "100 Years of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission"
We received a slightly unusual item for our archive collection this week. It has, however, a particular connection to the building we now occupy. In fact you could say the item has actually found its way home. The item in question was a soda water syphon from C.C. Dornat & Co. whose factory once stood …
Tales From the Archives 