- From “Down Devon Way’ by S. P. B. Mais
I spent a happy evening at the “Chichester Arms” at Mortehoe, a white-washed inn of great antiquity. Tom Parker, who year after year looks after the two donkeys on Woolacombe beach, told me that one of them, Mary, had died on her legs at the age of twenty-seven just a month before. “And my poor father,” he went on, “who died last autumn, said to me with his dying breath, “Mary’ll not live twelve month’
- The King’s Coronation Celebrations
Thank you to everyone who came along on Sunday 7th May to commemorate the King’s Coronation. A lovely day was had in the Museum play area. The Museum are making a commemorative mosaic, which was free for everyone to add to, thank you to everyone who made a special square to be added to this piece. We would love to see your photos from the day, to add to our Museum Archives.
- Woolacombe 1st Brownie Pack
The museum was honoured to be loaned a collection of photograph albums of the Woolacombe 1st Brownie Pack, the album’s had once belonged to much loved Alice Trebble who had been the Brown Owl for many years. The collection will be scanned and shared online as well as forming part of a display in the museum. It is wonderful to keep these memories alive and we would love to hear from you if you have
- A short history of the Barnstaple and Ilfracombe Railway
There were a great many schemes to build a railway line between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe and in the end the two main rival companies, the ‘London and South West Railway’ (LSWR) and ‘Devon & Somerset”, made an agreement in 1864 for a joint mixed gauge railway to be built. The agreement collaspsed when the Devon and Somerset were unable to contribute their share of the money. A new plan was made by the “Barnstaple and
- Schermuly Pistol Rocket Apparatus
Lost ships can be replaced but lives are gone forever William Schermuly left his career as a seamen in 1880 and began working on ways to save the lives of men who were in distress or in trouble at sea. In 1897 following a decade of experimenting with various ideas and methods, Schermuly developed a practical ship line throwing appliance, however it would not be until 1920, with his son that Schermuly would invent the
- US Red Cross Service Club State Record Book
“One way the American Red Cross won the hearts of the America’s fighting men during World War II was through their stomachs. Of all the services that the Red Cross provided the armed forces, the operation of canteens at home, clubs and clubmobiles overseas remains among the most memorable in the minds of the American World War II veterans. At a canteen or club, a solider or sailor could pause for a cup of coffee,
- Bull Point Lighthouse
Bull Point lighthouse is situated in Mortehoe. It was originally constructed in 1879, to guide vessels navigating the North Devon Coast.The plans for the lighthouse started in 1876, when two engineers from the Board of Trade visited the coastline around Morte with the view of ascertaining the most serviceable spot for the erection of a lighthouse. They favoured Bull Point, and a roadway was planned from Morte to the Point. The estimated cost to build
- Coastguard and Rocket Apparatus
Woolacombe and Mortehoe’s coastline have had many shipwrecks over the years. The coastguards have played an important role in protecting the people that found themseles in trouble. The first records of the rocket apparatus at Woolacombe are incomplete, however the first entry in the Rocket Apparatus Records book is dated 1890, and details a wreck that happened on June 23rd at 03:00 in the morning. At this time there were only two coastguards and a
I spent a happy evening at the “Chichester Arms” at Mortehoe, a white-washed inn of great antiquity. Tom Parker, who year after year looks after the two donkeys on Woolacombe beach, told me that one of them, Mary, had died on her legs at the age of twenty-seven just a month before. “And my poor father,” he went on, “who died last autumn, said to me with his dying breath, “Mary’ll not live twelve month’
Thank you to everyone who came along on Sunday 7th May to commemorate the King’s Coronation. A lovely day was had in the Museum play area. The Museum are making a commemorative mosaic, which was free for everyone to add to, thank you to everyone who made a special square to be added to this piece. We would love to see your photos from the day, to add to our Museum Archives.
The museum was honoured to be loaned a collection of photograph albums of the Woolacombe 1st Brownie Pack, the album’s had once belonged to much loved Alice Trebble who had been the Brown Owl for many years. The collection will be scanned and shared online as well as forming part of a display in the museum. It is wonderful to keep these memories alive and we would love to hear from you if you have
There were a great many schemes to build a railway line between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe and in the end the two main rival companies, the ‘London and South West Railway’ (LSWR) and ‘Devon & Somerset”, made an agreement in 1864 for a joint mixed gauge railway to be built. The agreement collaspsed when the Devon and Somerset were unable to contribute their share of the money. A new plan was made by the “Barnstaple and
Lost ships can be replaced but lives are gone forever William Schermuly left his career as a seamen in 1880 and began working on ways to save the lives of men who were in distress or in trouble at sea. In 1897 following a decade of experimenting with various ideas and methods, Schermuly developed a practical ship line throwing appliance, however it would not be until 1920, with his son that Schermuly would invent the
“One way the American Red Cross won the hearts of the America’s fighting men during World War II was through their stomachs. Of all the services that the Red Cross provided the armed forces, the operation of canteens at home, clubs and clubmobiles overseas remains among the most memorable in the minds of the American World War II veterans. At a canteen or club, a solider or sailor could pause for a cup of coffee,
Bull Point lighthouse is situated in Mortehoe. It was originally constructed in 1879, to guide vessels navigating the North Devon Coast.The plans for the lighthouse started in 1876, when two engineers from the Board of Trade visited the coastline around Morte with the view of ascertaining the most serviceable spot for the erection of a lighthouse. They favoured Bull Point, and a roadway was planned from Morte to the Point. The estimated cost to build
Woolacombe and Mortehoe’s coastline have had many shipwrecks over the years. The coastguards have played an important role in protecting the people that found themseles in trouble. The first records of the rocket apparatus at Woolacombe are incomplete, however the first entry in the Rocket Apparatus Records book is dated 1890, and details a wreck that happened on June 23rd at 03:00 in the morning. At this time there were only two coastguards and a