The ‘Edwardians Family Life and Work Experience Before 1918’, Bristol People’s Oral History Project and the Somerset Oral History Archive, contain hundreds of interviews covering a wealth of memories and perspectives on everyday life in the early twentieth century. Harrison’s article uses these oral histories to investigate the perspectives of young people on growing up in rural South- West England, and perceived problems in rural communities. Additionally, the article evaluates the use of oral history as historical evidence for a study of rural life.
Tag: Devon
Active Opposition to Hunting in the South West – a History yet to be Written
"The South West of England was prominent in the campaign to ban blood sports in the second half of the twentieth century. Both the Hunt Saboteurs Association and Save Our Stags, an organisation established to oppose deer hunting in Devon and Somerset, were both born in the region". Tichelar looks at the people behind the movement, and how it has shaped the areas approaches to wildlife and conservation.
A Rearguard Action: Bristol Toryism and the Reform Bill, 1830-32
"During the 1810s and 1820s, the Tory merchant and banker Richard Hart Davis rode high in Bristol electoral politics. Elected as one of the city's two MPs at a bye-election in 1812, he retained his seat at the general election of that year and at subsequent elections in 1818, 1820, 1826 and 1830". John Stevens looks at how Toryism was in the ascendancy, restricting the influence of Whiggism in Bristol.
Builders of Victorian Bristol
"The phrase 'builders of Victorian Bristol' can be approached at different levels. It can refer to all those who contributed to the growth of the city in the widest sense, embracing its physical, economic, social, political and cultural development in the period 1837-1901". Peter Malpass investigates some important names and how they made a different to Bristol in the Victorian era.
Clergy Discipline in the Diocese of Exeter: Two Diverse Cases from the Files of the Consistory Court
In this article, Michael Weller looks at two contrasting cases from the Consistory Court, showing the variety of disciplinary cases which occurred in the Diocese of Exeter in the 19th Century. It explores the proceedings that were taken in reaction to individual disciplinary cases, and what punishment befell those who broke the rules.
Drunkenness and Devotion in a Devon Parish: the Diary of John Bound of Sheepwash, 1680-1775
The diary of John Bound of Sheepwash reveals a number of fascinating things. Through this source we are able to gain information not only about Bound himself, but also about the lives of the women he interacts with, as well as contemporary trade and culture in Devon. In this article, Simon Dixon highlights the inadequacies of categorising historical characters as either devout Christians or ‘ungodly reprobates’. The diary reveals a surprising overlap between those who frequented the alehouse and those who were staunch churchgoers.
Conflagration and Cartography: Discovering Eighteenth Century Credition
A great fire at Crediton in 1743 tore through the West Town. The thatched roofs and timber frames caught like tinder, and onlookers watched the ‘impending conflagration’ as it devastated the area. The map of Crediton held by the Devon Record Office provides an insight to what the town would have looked like before the terrible fire. The recovery of a missing part of the map has provided detailed information about eighteenth century Crediton and has sparked new research. Simon Dixon, John Heal, Philip Planel and Nick Hastead use the map to reconstruct this old market town and explore its trade and industry.
‘Natural Fire’ and the Idyls of Labour: a socialist poet in nineteenth Century Bristol
By Gerrard Sables Issue 17, Summer, 2007 pp. 35-38. Devon-born poet and bootmaker, John Greggory, was a beloved member of the socialist community in Bristol. In this article, Gerrard Stables follows the story of Greggory’s life and traces his connections to the Chartist, Socialist and Trade Unionist movements of Bristol. Throughout his life, Greggory’s poetry evolved and naturally became evermore connected to the social causes which he fought for. 17 - Gerrard Sables:… Continue reading ‘Natural Fire’ and the Idyls of Labour: a socialist poet in nineteenth Century Bristol
In search of an ‘England’s past for everyone’ in Ilfracombe, Devon: a digital history and heritage project
By Andrew Jackson Issue 17, Summer, 2007 pp.32-34. Andrew Jackson looks at some of the work of the Victoria County History (VCH), and their project in Ifracombe in north Devon. The group launched the ‘Devon’s History and Heritage’ project 100 years after the Devon volume of the VCH was first published. The new project explored different ways to approach Devon’s history by utilising image analysis and oral history. 17… Continue reading In search of an ‘England’s past for everyone’ in Ilfracombe, Devon: a digital history and heritage project
Extract from the Diary of Sarah Champion Fox / Introduction to the Diary of Sarah Champion Fox
This is an extract from the diaries of Bristol Quaker Sarah Champion Fox published by the Bristol Record Society edited by Madge Dresser. Dresser provides an analysis of the extract. It provides context from the life Sarah Champion Fox, and discusses her role in the history of women. In addition, she also gives an insight into the mindset of Bristol's female icons, placing her in an important period of the city's history.