Drinks and reception are in the foyer at 6:00pm. The lecture starts at 6:30pm
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| Poster for the 2017 Joyce Youings Memorial Lecture |
Dr Elmer is a senior research fellow in the history department at Exeter University
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| Dr Peter Elmer |
Monday 30 October 2017
Murder, Magic and Witchcraft
All are welcome on Thursday, 2nd November in the Armory Moot Room on the Streatham Campus at Exeter University, when Dr Peter Elmer will present the 2017 Joyce Youings Memorial Lecture titled Murder: Magic & Witchcraft: the Politics of the Supernatural in Restoration Exeter
Drinks and reception are in the foyer at 6:00pm. The lecture starts at 6:30pm
Dr Elmer is a senior research fellow in the history department at Exeter University
He has a "broad interest in the cultural and intellectual history of early modern
Europe, with a particular interest in the impact of religious and
political change upon medicine and its practitioners in Britain in the
same period."
Drinks and reception are in the foyer at 6:00pm. The lecture starts at 6:30pm
Dr Elmer is a senior research fellow in the history department at Exeter University
Exeter Steampunk's November Convivial on November 7th
Michael Farley, of Exeter Steampunk, invites everyone to enjoy a convivial STEAMPUNK evening at the Cowick Barton in Exeter, at 7:30pm on Tuesday, 7th November
"It's the first Tuesday of the month, so why not join us at the Cowick Barton for Exeter Steampunk's November Convivial? Everybody's welcome (the more the merrier)..."
"It's the first Tuesday of the month, so why not join us at the Cowick Barton for Exeter Steampunk's November Convivial? Everybody's welcome (the more the merrier)..."
Saturday 28 October 2017
Train attempts hurdle
Many thanks to Dave Grylls from Newton Abbot for this action photograph by the River Lemon:
March 6th 1997 Train attempts to jump hurdle spanning the river next to racecourse
March 6th 1997 Train attempts to jump hurdle spanning the river next to racecourse
Monday 23 October 2017
Remember the heroes at St Mary's Church, Cofton. 12:00 noon this Thursday, 26th October, 2017
The Dawlish World War One Project
website details three local boys who died 100 years ago, fighting for King and country in the First World War .
The information on the Dawlish World War One Project's website is comprehensive and includes some photographs, which include, for us in Starcross, a very poignant one of a very young Leonard Reggie Stephens at school in Starcross
Private William Blatchford. Royal Marine Light Infantry
Private Leonard Reggie Stephens. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
Private Tom Pook. Devonshire Regiment
website details three local boys who died 100 years ago, fighting for King and country in the First World War .
Remember them at St Mary's Church, Cofton. 12:00 noon this Thursday, 26th October, 2017
The information on the Dawlish World War One Project's website is comprehensive and includes some photographs, which include, for us in Starcross, a very poignant one of a very young Leonard Reggie Stephens at school in Starcross
Private William Blatchford. Royal Marine Light Infantry
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| Royal Marine Light Infantry Badge |
Private Leonard Reggie Stephens. Royal Warwickshire Regiment
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| Private Leonard Reggie Stephens in uniform |
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| Leonard Reggie Stephens at school in Starcross |
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| Devonshire Regiment Badge |
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| Poster for 26th October |
Friday 20 October 2017
Earning Pocket Money in the 40s
Here's a marvellous example of oral history, from Newton Abbot's Dave Grylls:
Dave Grylls, aka Isambard Kingdom Brunel, kindly sent in this audio clip about his childhood in the 40s. Children would make their own barrows, from crates and pram wheels, and use them to ferry things they could sell, such as jam jars, wood and flowers.
Transcript
Hello. This is Dave Grylls again. This is just another memory that I have of when I was a child, growing up.
During the war years, things were perhaps a little bit scarce. We were rationed and all sorts like that but nevertheless we managed to carry on with a little bit of endeavour we enjoyed life to a degree and had many happy times.
However this is all about earning, and I repeat, earning pocket money not thrown around but earning it and how to earn it in the 40s as a young boy. I grew up in the time when pocket money was earned and not freely given away on a weekly basis. Money, as you can appreciate was scarce. Every penny had to be accounted for and consequently parents found it very difficult to reward children. If we as young boys really wanted something, then we worked together to gather enough money to buy it. This was good for all as it taught responsibility at an early age. And also, how to look after it once you'd got it.
Often items were handed down from one child to the next and because of the value of hard work and care it represented, almost these items were as good as their first day of purchase.
There were various ways in which to earn pocket money; some easy maybe but some needed some effort at least. The most lucrative demanded some hard work. Before the commencement of all these little earners, we had to consider some way of transportation of our goods and suchlike. Many youngsters, with a little initiative, built their own little wheelbarrows from wood, an old tea-chest or box, old pram-wheels, 2 shafts, a few nails or screws and we were away. Initial outlay was quite small as most grocers had an unwanted chest or box. Pram wheels were also easy to come by so with a little bit of initiative, hammer, screws and nails you could create something quite reasonable.
Almost all children of my generation can remember the Jam Jar Run. Collect enough jam jars from your neighbours to fill a wheelbarrow and off you go to the back entrance of Maple in Hopkins Lane.
The manager would count each jam jar out and pay up accordingly. 2 or 3 ... shillings are not to be sneezed at. The Maples stores were recycling jam jars long before most modern-day supermarkets were even thought of. Half a penny for the 1lb jars and a whole penny for the 2lb jars.
All radios and wireless of the day - if you were lucky enough to have one - were powered by what we termed cumulators1 . These had to be charged on a regular basis by the local electrical shop so we would collect the cumulators, take them to be charge and return them for a fee.
The wheelbarrows really worked hard and often wheels buckled down with the strain,. Quite often, running repairs were necessary. Often there were 2 of us pushing. And as some of the loads were quite heavy - for children - However not too wise a move to have too many pushers, 'cause it meant splitting the profits.
Most homes had log fires; some coal maybe, but most burnt logs and proved to be a real earner. We'd make several trips to Culls' wood yard where whole trees were sawn into logs while you waited. Lovely smell - freshly sawn wood. Empty barrows down the hill; loaded barrow up the hill which, believe me, can be quite back-breaking at times. Sometimes we would amalgamate the wood run with the paraffin run as some customers had paraffin heaters. This was actually sold by the gallon and it was essential to screw the lid on securely, or you would smell of paraffin all day. Any leakage also cut down the profit.
Spring and Summertime came and it could have proved a bit lean for child business so we picked primroses, foxgloves, bluebells violets; and made them into bunches. Good salesmanship could make this quite lucrative however we always found time for play.
The surrounding countryside had much to offer and all absolutely free. And as a child you work this hard to earn your pocket money, then, believe me, you really appreciate the end result.
This story I penned on 22nd November 2009 and it came to me just out of the blue and this I think is a great thing. If you fail to record all these little stories, however silly they may seem to be, unless you put them on paper or record them, they are lost forever. And some stories are really quite delightful.
Thankyou and bye-bye.
Dave Grylls, aka Isambard Kingdom Brunel, kindly sent in this audio clip about his childhood in the 40s. Children would make their own barrows, from crates and pram wheels, and use them to ferry things they could sell, such as jam jars, wood and flowers.
 | |||
| RIGHT CLICK AND OPEN IN NEW TAB | so that you can see the transcript while you listen |
CLICK HERE to link to the audio of Dave talking about earning pocket money in the 1940s
with thanks to WikiUpload
Transcript
Hello. This is Dave Grylls again. This is just another memory that I have of when I was a child, growing up.
During the war years, things were perhaps a little bit scarce. We were rationed and all sorts like that but nevertheless we managed to carry on with a little bit of endeavour we enjoyed life to a degree and had many happy times.
However this is all about earning, and I repeat, earning pocket money not thrown around but earning it and how to earn it in the 40s as a young boy. I grew up in the time when pocket money was earned and not freely given away on a weekly basis. Money, as you can appreciate was scarce. Every penny had to be accounted for and consequently parents found it very difficult to reward children. If we as young boys really wanted something, then we worked together to gather enough money to buy it. This was good for all as it taught responsibility at an early age. And also, how to look after it once you'd got it.
Often items were handed down from one child to the next and because of the value of hard work and care it represented, almost these items were as good as their first day of purchase.
There were various ways in which to earn pocket money; some easy maybe but some needed some effort at least. The most lucrative demanded some hard work. Before the commencement of all these little earners, we had to consider some way of transportation of our goods and suchlike. Many youngsters, with a little initiative, built their own little wheelbarrows from wood, an old tea-chest or box, old pram-wheels, 2 shafts, a few nails or screws and we were away. Initial outlay was quite small as most grocers had an unwanted chest or box. Pram wheels were also easy to come by so with a little bit of initiative, hammer, screws and nails you could create something quite reasonable.
Almost all children of my generation can remember the Jam Jar Run. Collect enough jam jars from your neighbours to fill a wheelbarrow and off you go to the back entrance of Maple in Hopkins Lane.
The manager would count each jam jar out and pay up accordingly. 2 or 3 ... shillings are not to be sneezed at. The Maples stores were recycling jam jars long before most modern-day supermarkets were even thought of. Half a penny for the 1lb jars and a whole penny for the 2lb jars.
All radios and wireless of the day - if you were lucky enough to have one - were powered by what we termed cumulators1 . These had to be charged on a regular basis by the local electrical shop so we would collect the cumulators, take them to be charge and return them for a fee.
The wheelbarrows really worked hard and often wheels buckled down with the strain,. Quite often, running repairs were necessary. Often there were 2 of us pushing. And as some of the loads were quite heavy - for children - However not too wise a move to have too many pushers, 'cause it meant splitting the profits.
Most homes had log fires; some coal maybe, but most burnt logs and proved to be a real earner. We'd make several trips to Culls' wood yard where whole trees were sawn into logs while you waited. Lovely smell - freshly sawn wood. Empty barrows down the hill; loaded barrow up the hill which, believe me, can be quite back-breaking at times. Sometimes we would amalgamate the wood run with the paraffin run as some customers had paraffin heaters. This was actually sold by the gallon and it was essential to screw the lid on securely, or you would smell of paraffin all day. Any leakage also cut down the profit.
Spring and Summertime came and it could have proved a bit lean for child business so we picked primroses, foxgloves, bluebells violets; and made them into bunches. Good salesmanship could make this quite lucrative however we always found time for play.
The surrounding countryside had much to offer and all absolutely free. And as a child you work this hard to earn your pocket money, then, believe me, you really appreciate the end result.
This story I penned on 22nd November 2009 and it came to me just out of the blue and this I think is a great thing. If you fail to record all these little stories, however silly they may seem to be, unless you put them on paper or record them, they are lost forever. And some stories are really quite delightful.
Thankyou and bye-bye.
1 cumulators was us chillen's word for electrical
accumulators, which is an obsolete term for capacitors: electrochemical cell, a
cell that stores electrical energy, typically used in rechargeable batteries wiki
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| Dave Grylls as Isambard Kingdom Brunel at the Starcross History meet |
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| Dave Grylls as Isambard Kingdom Brunel in Dawlish |
Unearth event
recorded some Starcross Stories from Starcross residents. This is a
first step in the Starcross Oral History project. We have been offered
the facilities and expertise of the Hear and Now
recording studio
in Dawlish, and we have people who are willing to tell us more
Starcross stories. We need a leader to take forward the Starcross Oral
History project. Please get in touch if you would be that leader.
Saturday 14 October 2017
TILES WANTED for The Starcross History Mosaics Project
With lots of help from the village, The Starcross History Mosaics Project will create a series of mosaics to celebrate its fascinating history.
The first design being worked on is for the forge.The forge mosaic will have an anvil, horse-shoes, hammer & tongs and a HORSE (of course), set against a background of the red&orange-glowing coals of the furnace.
The forge used to be called Smiths Forge The Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies hold a bundle of documents, dated 1728-1894.
Another current design idea is of Brunel with his iconic cigar and stove-pipe hat, by a red sandstone tower.
The owner of the house where Captain Peacock lived, has kindly agreed to display our mosaic of The Swan of the Exe - which will be based on this excellent photograph ( kindly forwarded by The Liverpool Archives) of Captain Peacock's folly, The Swan of the Exe, with Mr Dixon, of Dixon's Yard at Exmouth (where the yacht was built) and Captain Peacock on board
Teignbridge District Council point out that the siting of mosaics might mean getting planning permission, and they have offered the help of their Community Art and Design Adviser.
Anyone could have a go at making a mosaic. But broken tiles can have sharp edges, cutting tiles can result in flying shrapnel, tile adhesive can stick to stuff you don't want it to, so be aware of the Health and Safety aspect of what ought to be a harmless hobby.
The steps to create an outside mosaic could be:
NB wear goggles to protect your eyes, and gloves to protect your hands. Put your hands inside a pillowcase when you cut tessarae; to prevent pieces flying.
NB wear goggles to protect your eyes, and gloves to protect your hands. Put your hands inside a pillowcase when you cut tessarae; to prevent pieces flying.
There's lots more advice on the internet, but much of it is around mosaic suppliers. Using unwanted materials such as old/broken tiles and shells is the cheapo way
Please get in touch if you can add to this basic how2, or would help with this project. Do you have any plain coloured tiles? It doesn't matter if they are broken. Any colours, but we need red and orange for now. and silver and gold.
Many thanks to Joanne Bickel and Alma for their advice and encouragement.
The first design being worked on is for the forge.The forge mosaic will have an anvil, horse-shoes, hammer & tongs and a HORSE (of course), set against a background of the red&orange-glowing coals of the furnace.
The forge used to be called Smiths Forge The Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies hold a bundle of documents, dated 1728-1894.
Another current design idea is of Brunel with his iconic cigar and stove-pipe hat, by a red sandstone tower.
The owner of the house where Captain Peacock lived, has kindly agreed to display our mosaic of The Swan of the Exe - which will be based on this excellent photograph ( kindly forwarded by The Liverpool Archives) of Captain Peacock's folly, The Swan of the Exe, with Mr Dixon, of Dixon's Yard at Exmouth (where the yacht was built) and Captain Peacock on board
Teignbridge District Council point out that the siting of mosaics might mean getting planning permission, and they have offered the help of their Community Art and Design Adviser.
Anyone could have a go at making a mosaic. But broken tiles can have sharp edges, cutting tiles can result in flying shrapnel, tile adhesive can stick to stuff you don't want it to, so be aware of the Health and Safety aspect of what ought to be a harmless hobby.
The steps to create an outside mosaic could be:
NB wear goggles to protect your eyes, and gloves to protect your hands. Put your hands inside a pillowcase when you cut tessarae; to prevent pieces flying.
- Find a piece of wood with at least one side unvarnished and unpainted.
- Drill holes where you will fix it to a wall
- (you will leave a space around the fixing holes you have drilled - you tile over the top of the screws after the mosaic is fixed in place)
- Create a design out of simple shapes
- Draw it onto the unvarnished, unpainted wood
- Collect the tessarae - which need to be small, thin and flat. You could use pebbles, or tiles, or pottery or shells. If you need to cut tessarae, do it inside a pillowcase to prevent pieces flying.
- Sort the tesserae into colours
- Use WATERPROOF adhesive cement. Polyfilla is ideal. Either butter it on to the tesserae or put it onto the wood - whichever way suits you is best.
- After it's dried for a couple of days, grout it all with WATERPROOF grout.
- Leave a couple more days.
- Use yacht varnish to make the wood waterproof on the back and the edge of the wood.
NB wear goggles to protect your eyes, and gloves to protect your hands. Put your hands inside a pillowcase when you cut tessarae; to prevent pieces flying.
There's lots more advice on the internet, but much of it is around mosaic suppliers. Using unwanted materials such as old/broken tiles and shells is the cheapo way
Please get in touch if you can add to this basic how2, or would help with this project. Do you have any plain coloured tiles? It doesn't matter if they are broken. Any colours, but we need red and orange for now. and silver and gold.
Many thanks to Joanne Bickel and Alma for their advice and encouragement.
Tuesday 10 October 2017
307 Squadron Project in Exeter
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| third from the right navigator F/O Leon Michalski, fifth pilot F/O Alfred Suskiewicz, sixth mechanic Cpl Piotr Czereda. |
307 Squadron Project invite you to a number of important events taking place in Exeter on Wednesday 15th November (307 Squadron Day) to honour the Polish 307 Squadron.
307 Squadron, part of the RAF, were night-fighters who fought the Luftwaffe over the skies ofBritain and prevented Exeter from being totally destroyed during the blitz on the city in 1942.
This year is the 75th anniversary of when the squadron presented the city of Exeter with
the Polish flag on 15th November 1942 in a sign of international cooperation.
The events on 15th November, ‘307 Squadron Day’ include:
- 09:50 RAF Brize Norton Parade from the top of High Street to the Guildhall. RAF Brize Norton will be exercising their Freedom of Exeter to honour 307 Squadron.
- 10:00 Raising of the Polish flag over Exeter Guildhall in the presence of distinguished guests including:
His Excellency Arkady Rzegocki, Polish Ambassador to Great Britain
The Lord Mayor of Exeter, Councillor Lesley Robson
- 10:30 Exhibition ‘Night Fighters of Exeter’ at the Guildhall opens. This free public exhibition, in both languages, is open until 16:00 hours.
Tuesday 14th November 10:30 - 16:00
Thursday 16th November 10:30 - 16:00
- 16:30 Unveiling of 307 Squadron plaque at Exeter Cathedral. The plaque, which will be placed inside the St James Chapel, will be unveiled by The Polish Ambassador
- 17:30 Choral Evensong Incorporating 307 Squadron at Exeter Cathedral
Andrzej Michalski, Michael Parrott, Marcin Piórkowski
307 Squadron Project
www.307squadron.org
facebook.com/307SquadronProject
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| poster: Night Fighters of Exeter |
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| Commemoration at Exeter Guildhall |
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| Commemoration at Exeter Guildhall |
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| Commemoration at Exeter Guildhall |
Saturday 7 October 2017
Dress up as a film star. Popcorn is free.
Newton's Place Film Night
On Tuesday, 17th October, at 7:30pm, in St. Leonard's Church, Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot, there will be a National Lottery funded show of archive film about Newton Abbot and surrounds.
Come as you are, or as your favourite film star.
On Tuesday, 17th October, at 7:30pm, in St. Leonard's Church, Wolborough Street, Newton Abbot, there will be a National Lottery funded show of archive film about Newton Abbot and surrounds.
Come as you are, or as your favourite film star.
- FREE ENTRY
- FREE POPCORN
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