CREDITON Area History and Museum Society held its AGM in the Boniface Centre on Monday, September 12 which was followed by a presentation given by the Society’s archivist John Heal in which he featured 20th century photographs from the Society’s archives.

John’s presentation began with photographs of what was arguably the biggest event ever to take place in Crediton – the funeral of General Sir Redvers Buller of Downes House, in 1909 – and included photos of hundreds of soldiers massed at the railway station ready to escort his coffin to Crediton Parish Church, Buller’s horse with his boots reversed in the stirrups, and a huge throng in East Street.

The next big event in Crediton was the Coronation of George V, which was marked by the demolition of cottages and the Ring o’ Bells public house that extended from the churchyard entrance to Church Lane, and the erection of the Coronation Cross that still stands in the south east corner of the churchyard.

John also showed a number of photographs connected to World War One including the 300 or so volunteers from Crediton, gathered outside what is now Redvers House and waiting on Crediton Railway Station; the two hospitals for wounded soldiers – one in the grounds of the workhouse (now Western Lodge in Western Road) and the other in the Liberal Club (now Wetherspoons).

Also a Blue Cross day in 1916 that raised £50 (worth £4,500 today), and a Peace Day march in Union Road.

The audience was then moved on to the construction of the town’s War Memorial in 1923, and shown photos of the huge crowd that gathered for the opening ceremony, and the 10ft high cob wall that had to be demolished.

This was followed by photos of Newcombes Meadow and the tennis courts that once were next to the bowling green, Newcombes House (demolished in the 1970’s) in the background and the long-gone wartime huts (including a photo of them on fire!).

Photos of royal visits followed, including the Queen’s Rolls Royce passing St Lawrence Green, the late Princess Margaret unveiling the statue of St Boniface and the Archbishop of Canterbury blessing St Boniface Well in Newcombes Meadow and also local Coronation parties.

John also showed photos of the Fordton floods, Codshead Bridge washed away leaving the railway track in mid air, and deep snow in High Street and North Street.

John ended his presentation with photos of the thatched almshouses that once stood in Church Street and the lodge to Newcombes House that once stood in Belle Parade.

The Society has an archive of more than 1,000 photos, the earliest that we can reliably date at about 1864 being of the High Street when Searle Street had just been cut through.

Copies of many photos are available for purchase and contact can be made through the society website: creditonhistory.org.uk .

Keith Mortimer