Medieval Bridge over Exe
Medieval Bridge over Exe

Exeter Local History Society

Exeter Local History Society members are hooked on history. If you share our fascination, why not join us? We have between 6 and 12 lecture meetings a year (details below), plus we occasionally have long-distance outings, and we cover an incredibly diverse range of subjects from Roman remains to post-WW2 redevelopment.

Our regular monthly meetings at Leonardo Hotel Exeter are usually held on the second Thursday of each month. Full details of future walks and talks are given below.

The charge for each meeting is normally £3 (free to members) and the annual membership fee is £12 (£16 for joint membership). If you sample a meeting and decide to join, the £3 cost will be deducted from your first annual fee. Walks and visits normally cost £3 p.p. for members and visitors alike.

We also produce six newsletters a year — how about we email you the most recent as a free taster? To request a copy just email us at:

ExeLocalHistorySociety at gmail.com

And do check out this website and see for yourself the great selection of subjects with which we entertain our members. Just click on "Recent Talks" or "Recent Walks and Visits" to explore our programme! Click on "How To Join Us" for an application form. Please fill out this form if you wish to stay updated on our events and receive monthly newsletters.

We hope we will see you soon at one of our many events!


Bedless and Lifeless: The History of The Devon and Exeter Hospital

 
with Richard Holladay on Thursday, 11 April 2024
at 7pm at The Mint Methodist Church Centre, Exeter (Wesley Room)

The Southernhay building had been the home of the Devon & Exeter Hospital, later the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, since the mid-18th century until 1974, when the RD∓E was moved to Wonford. One of the largest hospitals in South West England, it had welcomed numerous patients from across the region and was a place of work and study for many healthcare professionals and professionals-in-training.

Some may well recall Southernhay as a busy institution but dated and verging on the inadequate. Few people, though, would ever have experienced it as an empty building or have explored even part of it from basement to attic. Our speaker, Richard Holladay did, with permission, in August 2009. As he recalls, he was searching for evidence of Garton & King's work in the early days of the Hospital and got sidetracked! In his talk, Richard will share his at times provoking memories and show the images he took during his visits.

Non-members are most welcome to join us for this interesting talk. There is, however, a very small (£3) charge. Tickets can be purchased by clicking on the link below:

Please note that this event has been moved to April 2024.


Meeting the promise of ‘Homes for Heroes’ in Exeter after the First World War

 
with Dr Julia Neville on Thursday, 9 May 2024
at 7pm at The Mint Methodist Church Centre, Exeter (Rowe Hall)

Prime Minister Lloyd George’s promise of ‘Homes for Heroes’ in recognition of the sacrifices made by working men during the long years of the First World War is widely known — even if he never quite used those actual words! Exeter entered the 1920s as a city with considerable over-crowding and a city centre where many properties were dilapidated and ‘injurious to health’ and needed replacement. More homes — many more homes — were definitely required and the government acknowledged that was the case.

In this talk Dr Julia Neville, ELHS member and project manager for the Devon in the 1920s project, explores the efforts made by various parties in Exeter to keep that promise. The council — which had almost no pre-war experience of building council houses — did its best to create new ‘council estates’ against a backdrop of economic recession. Together with private builders and developers and with some help from social housing organizations like the Church Army Housing Society, they changed the landscape of Exeter, and much of what they built still exists today.

Tickets for this event can be secured by following the link below. The event registration is free for the members of the Society; there is a very small (£3) fee for non-members.


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