Latest news with #DevonHeritageCentre
BBC News
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Exhibition taking place about history of Exeter's paper mills
An exhibition about the history of Exeter's paper mills is taking place in the city. It is the result of a research project into the city's past links to the industry and showcases artwork and information. A team of 15 researchers visited former mill sites in Exeter and talked to residents, descendants of mill owners and former paper mill workers. Emma Molony, project manager of the organisation behind the exhibition, said the artwork provided an "imaginative and immersive way" for people to "envisage this incredible part of Exeter's history." One of the works on display at the exhibition on Sidwell Street is called is created with paper embossed linocuts by artist Juliette Losq. She said: "I am interested in exploring the papermaking landscape by reinterpreting fragments of the milling process which have been left as traces. "Based on recommendations and routes mapped out by the project volunteers, I walked paths that passed beside or through several former mill sites." The second part of the installation is called Paper Heron, and is a fictional sound story by author Ellen can listen to the story at the exhibition, and it explores the world of papermaking in Exeter in the mid-19th Century. Ms Wiles said: "I learned a lot from the research avenues that the volunteers chose to pursue and spent time in archives myself, particularly The Devon and Exeter Institution and the Devon Heritage Centre, and I read copious books and articles about the history of papermaking, particularly relating to women, and the Great Exhibition."The exhibition runs until 15 February at Positive Light Projects in the city.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Unique Exeter picture collection to be saved
A "unique and irreplaceable" record of photos of 20th Century Exeter is being saved from destruction with a £178,000 National Lottery grant, according to the South West Heritage Trust. The trust said it would use the money to digitise 24,000 images taken by photographer Henry Wykes, which are suffering from vinegar syndrome - a chemical process that destroys negatives. Mr Wykes, who was born in Australia and opened his first studio in Exeter in 1914, documented key moment's in the city's history, including the devastation caused by the Baedeker raids in April and May 1942. He was the UK's oldest working photographer when he retired at the age of 88 in 1962. The Isca Photographic Collection Project will preserve 24,000 of the 50,000 images the collection holds and the work is likely to take 15 months. Volunteers will help catalogue the photographs and make them available online. Scott Pettitt, the head of archives at Devon Heritage Centre, said: "The Isca Collection is one of the most significant visual records of Exeter of the past century. "It offers an extraordinary account of the city and its inhabitants during a period of unprecedented transformation." He said the collection was "a social document of the city and its inhabitants". He said Mr Wykes, who was also a portrait photographer, "captured the changing faces of the city". Mr Pettitt added: "By the 1960s there was more diversity and he captured things like changes in women's fashion." There will be an exhibition at Custom House in Exeter in 2026 and community events will also take place, including an environmental project. Stuart McLeod, from the National Lottery, said the project would lead to more people getting "involved with, protecting and learning about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep". He said heritage had a "huge role to play" in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Detectorists split £4.3m Norman coin hoard Lottery grant funding set to boost heritage sites South West Heritage Trust
BBC News
27-01-2025
- General
- BBC News
Treasure trove of pictures reveal Exeter's history
A "unique and irreplaceable" record of photos of 20th Century Exeter is being saved from destruction with a £178,000 National Lottery grant, according to the South West Heritage trust said it would use the money to digitise 24,000 images taken by photographer Henry Wykes, which are suffering from vinegar syndrome - a chemical process that destroys Wykes, who was born in Australia and opened his first studio in Exeter in 1914, documented key moment's in the city's history, including the devastation caused by the Baedeker raids in April and May was the UK's oldest working photographer when he retired at the age of 88 in 1962. The Isca Photographic Collection Project will preserve 24,000 of the 50,000 images the collection holds and the work is likely to take 15 will help catalogue the photographs and make them available Pettitt, the head of archives at Devon Heritage Centre, said: "The Isca Collection is one of the most significant visual records of Exeter of the past century. "It offers an extraordinary account of the city and its inhabitants during a period of unprecedented transformation."He said the collection was "a social document of the city and its inhabitants". He said Mr Wykes, who was also a portrait photographer, "captured the changing faces of the city".Mr Pettitt added: "By the 1960s there was more diversity and he captured things like changes in women's fashion."There will be an exhibition at Custom House in Exeter in 2026 and community events will also take place, including an environmental McLeod, from the National Lottery, said the project would lead to more people getting "involved with, protecting and learning about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep".He said heritage had a "huge role to play" in instilling pride in communities and boosting local economies.
