Friends of Devon's Archives

30/10/2025

29/10/2025

29/10/2025

02/10/2025

Our Torquay in the Twenties project, focusing on life in the town 100 years ago, is now complete. The project, which launched in late June 2024 at Torre Abbey, was made possible thanks to a grant from Torbay local Heritage Grant Scheme which awarded F**A £5000 to deliver the project. With support from the South West Heritage Trust and the Devon in the 1920s project, a number of local independent researchers and organisations took up the challenge.

The primary outcome of the project was to produce two heritage films with local film producer John Tomkins of Emberlense Productions. Research for the films was carried out by local volunteers who, supported by F**A, studied items from the newly catalogued Cary archive held at the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter and local heritage material available at Torquay Library, Torre Abbey, Torquay Museum and online as well as the surviving 1920s attractions within the town.

Film 2:
The Roaring 20s - entertainment in Torquay in the 1920s.

Friends of Devon's Archives, Emberlense Productions, Devon Archives and the Festival of Devon in the 1920s is proud to present: The Roaring Twenties - Enter...

02/10/2025

Our Torquay in the Twenties project, focusing on life in the town 100 years ago, is now complete. The project, which launched in late June 2024 at Torre Abbey, was made possible thanks to a grant from Torbay local Heritage Grant Scheme which awarded F**A £5000 to deliver the project. With support from the South West Heritage Trust and the Devon in the 1920s project, a number of local independent researchers and organisations took up the challenge.

The primary outcome of the project was to produce two heritage films with local film producer John Tomkins of Emberlense Productions. Research for the films was carried out by local volunteers who, supported by F**A, studied items from the newly catalogued Cary archive held at the Devon Heritage Centre in Exeter and local heritage material available at Torquay Library, Torre Abbey, Torquay Museum and online as well as the surviving 1920s attractions within the town.

Film 1:
Living in the 20s - the Carys and the History of Torquay.

Discover the Cary Estate in the 1920s and go behind the scenes of Devon Archives. Friends of Devon's Archives, Emberlense Productions, Devon Archives and the...

02/10/2025

In case you missed our premiere back in March you can now enjoy our Torquay heritage films via the South West Heritage Trust YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/

Emberlense Productions Devon Archives and Local Studies Torre Abbey Torquay Museum

20/08/2025

An example of the many thousands of photos that we're cleaning, digitising and cataloguing through the Isca Photographic Project, based on the collection previously owned by the late Peter Thomas. The project, financed by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, began in April, and we're now getting to the stage where it's possible to post a selection of images online, so watch this space!

21/07/2025

The first in a series of blogs to share the story of the preservation and digitisation of the Isca Photographic Collection.