We are having an interesting summer. Too much rain, too many slugs and snails and the sunny days seem to come suddenly with not enough warning to arrange a picnic or barbecue. The Jubilee weekend was very successful and Crediton looked very festive
with all the flags, decorated shop windows and floral displays. A number of street parties took place and there was a big event in Newcombes Meadow that attracted a big crowd and the children especially had a good time.
We have had a number of group visits to Crediton Museum. On a Saturday afternoon In May we opened specially for the Crediton Twinning Association and welcomed a group of visitors from Avranches and their host families.
At the end of May Crediton Rainbows visited the Museum. The girls are aged between 5-7 yrs and are a junior section of the Girl Guides. They were working towards a Jubilee Badge and came to see our display. They followed their visit with a walk up to the Scout and Guide Garden for a “litter pick”.
Leader Sarah Turner said “We are trying to help the girls understand the “serving the queen“ part of our promise. It is a challenge with girls so young but we are trying to develop the idea of caring for our surroundings as a starting point so learning about Crediton’s past and caring for the new Scout and Guide Garden seems a good evening’s work.”
In July members of the Devon History Society visited the Museum. Newcombes Meadow Jubilee Celebration Chairman’s Comments I wrote my last Chairman’s comments before the sad and sudden passing away of our archivist John Jones, and you will note that tributes were paid to John in our last Newsletter. The exhibition “Crediton Treasures” which has been on show in the Museum since April is a tribute to John and all the work he did for and on behalf of the Society.
Sandra Cooper
Chairman’s Comments
I wrote my last Chairman’s comments before the sad and sudden passing away of our archivist John Jones, and you will note that tributes were paid to John in our last Newsletter. The exhibition “Crediton Treasures” which has been on show in the Museum since April is a tribute to John and all the work he did for and on behalf of the Society.
The Museum is privileged to be able to display the model of Crediton made by the late Mr J. Whitfield in the 1980s which shows part of the High Street as it was before the disastrous fire of 1743. Seen in conjunction with the town map which Mr Whitfield used in constructing the model, you get a good idea of how Crediton must have looked in the mid 18th century. The model was for many years housed in the chapter house of Crediton Parish Church but recent work to the church’s electrical supply has meant it had to find a ‘new home’. Cosmetic restoration work was expertly done by society member, Capt David Dornom. Thank you David for all the hard work you put in to this model. Many visitors have been surprised that Crediton once looked like the model - they were under the impression that since most of the building dated from the 18th century it had not had such a long history.
By the time you read this some of the exhibits in the Museum will have been changed and we hope you will continue to visit the museum and I am sure you appreciate the great deal of hard work that goes into producing the exhibitions.
I have nearly completed my first year as your Society Chairman and I am eagerly looking forward to year two, if you will have me! I will review the past year in my Chairman’s Report at the AGM in September 2012.
G.J. Palin
Any articles or news items relating to Crediton and the surrounding area would be welcomed by the Editor.
The deadline for the next news-sheet is 16 December