Heavitree Local History Society

Taking an interest in Heavitree's past

Past Meetings

Date	Subject	Speaker(s)
Sep 2025	AGM + Researching family history: Stories from Heavitree	Sue Bond (Devon Family History Society)
Jun 2025	Roman Exeter and life in its neighbouring areas	John Salvatore
Mar 2025	Sorcery to Supercomputers: Key events in the history of weather forecasting	Catherine Ross
Dec 2024	Everyday life in the 17th century Westcountry	Mark Hailwood
Sep 2024	AGM + Exeter and the British Empire	Todd Gray
Jun 2024	Factory-made houses and model cities: Building a new Exeter and Heavitree after the Second World War	Clare Maudling
Mar 2024	Richard Ford's alhambra villa and Exeter's lost buildings in the 1800s	Todd Gray
Dec 2023	Mile Lane - A hidden Heavitree treasure	Nick Roseveare
Sep 2023	AGM + Meeting the promise of ‘Homes for Heroes’ in Heavitree after the First World War	Julia Neville
Jun 2023	Victor Street and the entrepreneurial spirit of Heavitree [joint meeting with Heavitree Squilometre]	Various
Mar 2023	Heavitree and the railways	Richard Westlake
Dec 2022	Researching Heavitree at the Devon Heritage Centre	Brian Carpenter
Sep 2022	AGM + A social history of The RD&E Hospital	Stephen Pettett-Smith
Jun 2022	Hidden histories of Heavitree [joint meeting with Heavitree Squilometre]	Various
Mar 2022	The History of St Mark's Church, Exeter	David Oates
Dec 2021	[Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 apprehension]
Sep 2021	AGM + 150 Years of Higher Cemetery	Michael Parrott (Friends of Higher Cemetery)
Jun 2021	[Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions]
Mar 2021	[Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions]
Dec 2020	[Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions]
Sep 2020	[Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions]
Jun 2020	[Meeting cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions]
Mar 2020	Wonford Village and the Great House [joint meeting with Heavitree Squilometre]	JoJo Spinks
Dec 2019	Expanding Heavitree: The story of Regent Square & John J F Ellis	Sally Robinson
Sep 2019	AGM + The History of the Ludwell Valley	Laurie Fentimen (Ludwell Life)
Jun 2019	From Exeter to Heavitree by Tram	Julia Neville
Mar 2019	Mont le Grand - Opulent Heavitree [joint meeting with Heavitree Squilometre]	JoJo Spinks
Dec 2018	Mobs, crowds and the outcasts in Exeter	Todd Gray
Sep 2018	AGM + Heavitree Pleasure Ground	Parklife Heavitree
Jun 2018	Alehouses and drinking culture	Mark Hailwood
Mar 2018	Heavitree Stone and the Heavitree Quarries [joint meeting with Heavitree Squilometre]	John Allan
Dec 2017	Cliff Bastin - Heavitree's football hero, and other Exeter sporting legends	Rob Jennings-May
Sep 2017	AGM + short talks of local interest by members
Jun 2017	Tour of Heavitree Parish Church
Mar 2017	The history of Heavitree Brewery	Graham Crocker
Dec 2016	Executions in Exeter	Mike Richards
Sep 2016	AGM + short talks of local interest by members
Jun 2016	Richard Ford of Heavitree (1796-1858)	Richard Hitchcock
Mar 2016	Tour of Exeter Guildhall
Dec 2015	Sixty years in Spicer Road	Richard Holladay
Sep 2015	AGM + short talks of local interest by members
Jun 2015	The Roman army in Heavitree	John Smith
Mar 2015	Heavitree, Jamaica - An historical connection	Gillian Allen
Dec 2014	Medieval rood screens	Martin Horrell
Sep 2014	AGM + short talks of local interest by members
Jun 2014	Being a chaplain	Paul Morrell
Mar 2014	Whimsical buildings	Lawrence Hunt
Dec 2013	Freemasonry past and present	Peter Galt
Sep 2013	AGM + The future of the Society
Jun 2013	Views of Exeter 1880-1950	Alan Dolley
Mar 2013	The Templers of Stover House	Geoffrey Harding
Dec 2012	One hundred years of advertising	Roger Brien
Sep 2012	AGM + River Exe discoveries	Tegwin Harris
Jun 2012	My top 50 Devon churches	Todd Gray
Mar 2012	Roman finds at St Loyes	John Salvatore
Dec 2011	Heaven and Heavitree	Roger Thorne
Sep 2011	AGM + An A-Z of Exeter's history	Simon Timms
Jun 2011	Snippets from the life of a Devon historian	Susie Hewitt
Mar 2011	Breton craftsmen in early Tudor Devon	John Allan
Dec 2010	Exeter's industrial history	Ian Diffey
Sep 2010	AGM + Exeter's almshouses	Geoffrey Harding
Jun 2010	Life in Tudor times	Jill Kemp
Mar 2010	Exeter's witches	Frank Gent
Dec 2009	Exminster's wartime secrets	Mike Passmore
Sep 2009	AGM
Jun 2009	[Meeting cancelled]
Mar 2009	Overview of developments at the RAMM	Tom Cadbury
Dec 2008	Street furniture in Heavitree and Devon	Roger Brien
Sep 2008	AGM
Jun 2008	Theatre Royal fire of 1887	Richard Passmore
Mar 2008	War medals of Heavitree	Phil Mussel
Dec 2007	Exeter and Heavitree personalities	Christine Trigger
Sep 2007	AGM
Jun 2007	Findings from Princesshay redevelopment	Graham Langdon
Mar 2007	Local history - "Any Questions"
Dec 2006	Civic Society's role in protecting the city's heritage	Hazel Harvey
Sep 2006	AGM
Jun 2006	Exeter's archives	Julia Neville
Mar 2006	History of Heavitree Pleasure Ground	Caroline Keep
Dec 2005	Things you might not know about Exeter	Jo Griffiths
Sep 2005	AGM
Jun 2005
Mar 2005
Dec 2004	Women's work in rural England, 1450-1700	Jane Whittle
Sep 2004	AGM
Jun 2004
Mar 2004	Exeter Roman bathhouse excavations	John Salvatore

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Old Newsletters

Edition	Date	Subject(s) Covered
Newsletter 98	Sep 2025	Roman Exeter and Life in its Neighbouring Areas; The Heavitree Police; Joining the Bridges – Walk from Polsloe Bridge to Heavitree Bridge
Newsletter 97	Jun 2025	New Edition of the ‘Discovering Heavitree’ Booklet; Sorcery to Supercomputers – Key Stories in the History of Weather Forecasting; Pinhoe Road 1909; Digby - City of Exeter Lunatic Asylum, Part 2: 1918-19
Newsletter 96	Mar 2025	Everyday Life in 17th Century Westcountry; Loma-Loma: 83 Heavitree Road; Obituary: Tony Collings
Newsletter 95	Dec 2024	Exeter Workhouse at Christmas; Voices of Empire in Exeter
Newsletter 94	Sep 2024	Heavitree Parish Boundary Walk; Factory-Made Houses and Model Cities: Building a New Exeter & Heavitree After the Second World War
Newsletter 93	Jun 2024	Richard Ford’s Alhambra Villa and Exeter’s Lost Buildings in the 1800s; Remembering Hilda Mitchelmore; Heavitree Pleasure Ground in the 1970s
Newsletter 92	Mar 2024	Mile Lane, Beacon Heath: a hidden Heavitree treasure; Update on Northbrook research; Memories of Heavitree: Michael Hughes (90 years of age); Historic link with Heavitree execution
Newsletter 91	Dec 2023	Meeting the Promise of 'Homes for Heroes'; Tour of Higher Cemetery; Old Postcards of Heavitree Pleasure Ground; The 'Panny'
Newsletter 90	Sep 2023	A Celebration of the Heritage of Victor Street
Newsletter 89	Jun 2023	Heavitree and the Railways; Exploring the Whipton Brook
Newsletter 88	Mar 2023	Researching Heavitree at the Devon Heritage Centre; Digby - City of Exeter Lunatic Asylum, Part 1: 1890
Newsletter 87	Dec 2022	A Social History of the Royal Devon Exeter Hospital; A Stroll Through Historic Wonford; Researching a Heavitree Silk Merchant
Newsletter 86	Sep 2022	The Queen in Heavitree; Hidden Histories of Heavitree
Newsletter 85	Jun 2022	A Lifetime in Chard Road; St Mark’s Church Exeter 1912-2012; Northbrook Walk
Newsletter 84	Mar 2022	Heavitree Storms; Retailing in Fore Street (2022 update); Music to Heavitree's Ears; Heavitree, Kingsand, Cornwall; Heavitree Cricket Club; Further Memories of Sampson's Lane; Old Views of Heavitree Bridge
Newsletter 83	Dec 2021	150 Years of Higher Cemetery; When Heavitree Had Its Own Abattoir; Heavitree United Football Club; Fore Street Walk; Heavitree Mineral Water Company
Newsletter 82	Nov 2020	Heavitree and Infectious Diseases; Lockdown Brings Out Historic Items in North Avenue; Resurfacing of Fore Street, Heavitree Reveals History Beneath; Richards Family Burials at Higher Cemetery; Graves with Connections to Early Development of Football in Exeter
Newsletter 81	May 2020	Special Edition: Remembering VE Day in Heavitree 75 years ago
Newsletter 80	Mar 2020	Expanding Heavitree: The Story of Regent Square and John J F Ellis; Retailing in Fore Street (updated for 2020); Long Departed Vicars of Heavitree
Newsletter 79	Dec 2019	The History of Ludwell Valley; Memories of Top Video and Livery Dole News; Polsloe Bridge Walk; A Sports Ground in Higher Cemetery; Outpouring of Grief for Heavitree Cholera Victim
Newsletter 78	Sep 2019	From Exeter To Heavitree By Tram; 'My Heavitree' Coffee Morning; Beating the Bounds Walk 2019
Newsletter 77	Jun 2019	Walking the Northbrook; Opulent Heavitree and Mont-le-Grand; Heavitree's Folk Music Connections; Heavitree United FC
Newsletter 76	Mar 2019	Forthcoming Walk Northbrook 2019; Mobs, Crowds and Outcasts; Heavitree Post Boxes
Newsletter 75	Dec 2018	Heavitree Bridge Walk; Parklife Heavitree; Polsloe Park Dairy
Newsletter 74	Sep 2018	Beating the Bounds Walk; Alehouses and Drinking Culture; Heavitree Quarries Performances and Trails
Newsletter 73	Jun 2018	Heavitree Stone and Quarries; David Morrish Obituary; Ron Crabb Obituary; Lost Shops of Heavitree
Newsletter 72	Mar 2018	Den Perrin Obituary; Retailing in Fore Street (updated for 2018); Memories of Rosary House School; Heavitree's Sporting Connections; Heavitree Dolls' Hospital
Newsletter 71	Dec 2017	Polsloe Park Walk; John Samson; Heavitrees of the World; Eagle House
Newsletter 70	Sep 2017	Tour of Heavitree Parish Church; Beating the Bounds; The Hoare Family
Newsletter 69	Jun 2017	Heavitree Brewery; Heavitree Road, Kingsand; Annexation Cartoons
Newsletter 68	Mar 2017	Executions in Exeter 1285-1943; Ladysmith School in the 1930s
Newsletter 67	Dec 2016	Christmas in 1930s Heavitree; Member's AGM Talks; Fore Street Walk; Heavitree Link with Rotherham; Further Memories of Life in Chard Road
Newsletter 66	Sep 2016	Richard Ford of Heavitree; South Lawn Terrace - What's in a Name?; Memories of a House in Chard Road
Newsletter 65	Jun 2016	Exeter Tour Guildhall 2016; Retailing in Fore Street 1851-2016; Boot Scrapers of Regents Square; South Lawn Terrace Since Victorian Times
Newsletter 64	Mar 2016	Sixty Years in Spicer Road; Polsloe Park Chapel; The Gordon Lamp
Newsletter 63	Dec 2015	Members Talks; Devonia Pottery; Heavitree Titanic Memorials; Sacred Trees of Heavitree
Newsletter 62	Sep 2015	The Roman Army in Heavitree; Some History Behind the HLHS Boundary Walk; A Scrap of History
Newsletter 61	Jun 2015	Heavitree Jamaica: An Historical Connection; 'Disorderly Houses' in Heavitree; Exeter City Footballers on Heavitree Roll of Honour; The 'Heavitree Squilometre'; Heavitree's Toll-Houses
Newsletter 60	Mar 2015	Medieval rood screens; Blue plaque for Vanbrugh sisters; Toll houses of South Devon
Newsletter 59	Dec 2014	Memories of 1914; Member's talks; Dracula link with Heavitree; From the archives: Fore Street a Roman Road
Newsletter 58	Sep 2014	Memories of 1914; Being a chaplain; From the archives: 1066 and all that
Newsletter 57	Jun 2014	Whimsical buildings; Heavitree in Crosby's Complete Gazetteer; Heavitree connections to Exeter's game with Brazil
Newsletter 56	Mar 2014	Freemasonry past and present; Heavitree horse trough; Rare post box
Newsletter 55	Dec 2013	Minutes of AGM; Heavitree annexation centenary exhibition
Newsletter 54	Sep 2013	Alan Dolley's views of Exeter; Retailing in Fore Street 2012-13; AGM
Newsletter 53	Jun 2013	Beating the Bounds and its history; The Templers of Stover; The future of the Society
Newsletter 52	Mar 2013	One hundred years of advertising; Planning the annexation centenary exhibition
Newsletter 51	Dec 2012	The ecology of the River Exe; The Garland grave in Heavitree
Newsletter 50	Sep 2012	The glory of Devon's churches; James Shapland's grave in Higher Cemetery; AGM
Newsletter 49	Jun 2012	Roman finds on the former site of St Loyes College
Newsletter 48	Mar 2012	Retailing in Fore Street 2011; Heavitree chapels and churches; Grave of poet John Charles Arnell
Newsletter 47	Dec 2011	Life of Devon historian Prof W G Hoskins; A-Z of Exeter's history
Newsletter 46	Sep 2011	AGM
Newsletter 45	Jun 2011	1948 Olympic torch in Heavitree; Breton craftsmen in Tudor Devon; AWJ Motorcycles; Beating the Bounds 2011
Newsletter 44	Mar 2011	Annexation 1913; Exeter's Industrial History
Newsletter 43	Dec 2010	Heavitree, Jamaica - Compensation For Slaves; Exeter's Almshouses
Newsletter 42	Sep 2010	Retailing In Fore Street; Tudor Life and Times; AGM
Newsletter 41	Jun 2010	Three Witches Hanged In Heavitree; New Link With Heavitree, Jamaica; Dick Manley and East Avenue (part 2)
Newsletter 40	Mar 2010	Dick Manley - Heavitree Craftsman and Rugby International (part 1); Exminster's Wartime Secrets
Newsletter 39	Dec 2009	Rowancroft; Heavitree Jamaica; Graves in Higher Cemetery
Newsletter 38	Sep 2009	Records of Retailing in Heavitree 2008-9; King George V Oak Tree
Newsletter 37 (erroneously numbered 29)	Jun 2009	Royal Albert Memorial Museum; Victorian Deeds; Thomas Paine
Newsletter 36	Mar 2009	Street Furniture; Fore Street Tour; Haldon Belvedere Tour; Polsloe Party in the Park
Newsletter 35	Dec 2008	Heavitree Parish Records; Dr W G Hoskins; Victorian Discoveries; Exeter Tailors' Celebration
Newsletter 34	Sep 2008	Records of Retailing in Heavitree 2007-8; Origins of Heavitree Social Club (Wingfield Park); Theatre Royal Fire 1887; Heavitree's South African Connections
Newsletter 33	Jun 2008	Men and Medals; Heavitree Road, Plumstead (part 2); Excerpt from Express and Echo 50 Years Ago
Newsletter 32	Mar 2008	Heavitree Road, Plumstead (part 1); 1948 Olympic Torch in Heavitree; Exeter Notables
Newsletter 31	Dec 2007	Heavitree's Jamaica Links; 1911 Air Race
Newsletter 30	Sep 2007	Archaeological finds during the building of the new Princesshay; Hamlin Lane Playing Fields; Botanical history of Heavitree Pleasure Ground; Retailing in Fore Street 1999 + 2007
Newsletter 29	Jun 2007	St Michael's School log; Hamlin Lane Playing Fields; Sampford Courtenay visit; HLHS publications
Newsletter 28	Mar 2007	Today's Heavitree Jamaica; Exeter Civic Society: History + Role; F.W. Meyer + Meyer Court
Newsletter 27	Dec 2006	St Michael's Church: Dry rot + rotting bodies; Further information on Heavitree Jamaica; Old press: Caution against indiscriminate alms giving; Armorial bearings in church
Newsletter 26	Sep 2006	Memories of St Michael's Primary School (part 2); Exeter Archives talk; Czech Involvement in WW2 Exeter; More Heavitree Jamaica links
Newsletter 25	Jun 2006	Memories of St Michael's Primary School (part 1); Pleasure Grounds in Devon
Newsletter 24	Mar 2006	Heavitree Pleasure Ground Centenary; North Street Widening; Heavitree Jamaica Link; First Bank in Heavitree
Newsletter 23	Dec 2005	Heavitree Pleasure Ground; Exeter Blitz Victims
Newsletter 22	Sep 2005	Heavitree street party 2005 report + photos; Heavitree boundary walk 2005 report; Secretary's report for AGM
Newsletter 21	Jun 2005	Heavitree Street Party 2005; Heavitree Boundary Walk 2005; Mystery Stones Found in 19th Century; Apprentices in Heavitree
Newsletter 20	Mar 2005	Women's work in rural England 1450-1700; Dealing with Blitz victims 1939-45; Heavitree Pleasure Ground World War II photo
Newsletter 19	Dec 2004	Heavitree's cricket connections; Heavitree's 1946 victory celebrations; Whipton Lane street party 2005
Newsletter 18	Sep 2004	Polsloe Park for sale 1846; Neighbourhood Watch 1831 style; Whipton Lane street party 2005
Newsletter 17	Jun 2004	St Katherine's Priory; Exeter's Roman baths; Heavitree fire hoax 1862; Sivell Place Mortuary
Newsletter 16	Mar 2004	Sivell Place Mortuary; Polsloe Park Estate + Exeter Brick & Tile Company; Second Avenue in the Blitz; Residents' complaints about Salvation Army 1883
Newsletter 15	Dec 2003	Heavitree Sunday School Excursion 1890; Poltimore House Links with Heavitree; Heavitree Conservation Area
Newsletter 14	Sep 2003	Exeter School Tour; Further Memories of North Avenue; St Katherine's Priory; Honiton Road-Pinn Lane Boundary Stone
Newsletter 13	Jun 2003	Uncovering Your House's History - a Local Case Study (part 2); Heavitree Agriculture in the 17th Century; Heavitree Muster Roll in the Civil War; Exeter Blitz Film
Newsletter 12	Mar 2003	Uncovering Your House's History - a Local Case Study (part 1); Exeter Night Watch 1835; Regent Square Project; Exeter Blitz Film
Newsletter 11	Nov 2002	Heavitree Boundary Walk; Joanna Southcott; Devon & Exeter Institute; WW1 Roll of Honour Publication; Heavitree Names
Newsletter 10	Sep 2002	Heavitree 2002 RAMM Exhibition; Wreck of The Avalanche; Heavitree-related articles from old local press
Newsletter 9	Jun 2002	Heavitree 2002 RAMM Exhibition; The Heavitree Yew; Wreck of The Cospatrick
Newsletter 8	Mar 2002	How education came to Heavitree; Heavitree 2002 RAMM Exhibition; James Upright's grave Heavitree
Newsletter 7	Nov 2001	Gardeners Arms pub site; Heavitree Jamaica update; Heavitree Gap Australia; Grave of Sir John Bowring
Newsletter 6	Aug 2001	Heavitree Jamaica; Heavitree-related articles from old local press; AGM
Newsletter 5	Jun 2001	Fore Street Heavitree - a Roman Road?; Heavitree News from Exeter Flying Post 1820 and 1871
Newsletter 4	Feb 2001	Heavitree and the Domesday Book; Manor House Fore Street site
Newsletter 3		This newsletter was never published
Newsletter 2	Jul-Oct 2000	General Society business
Newsletter 1	Apr-Jun 2000	Inauguration of the Society; Topics to explore