The writing of local history: an experiment at Exeter
A paper read by Professor W. J. Harte at the annual meeting of the Historical Association
held at Exeter, 3 — 6 January 1923.
by Ian Maxted
Exeter working papers in book history; 39
Cover illustration from: History of the Royal Albert Memorial College, Exeter, [1911].
Introduction
When Hazel Harvey retired as President of Exeter Civic Society in November 2024, after half a century of involvement in the Society, she handed me a 23-page top-copy typescript of a lecture given to the Historical Association in 1923. Later that year it was published as “Local history: an Exeter experiment” in the Association’s periodical History (New Series, Volume 8, Part 29, pages 19-28). Hazel or her late husband David must have received it through their links with the University, where both were lecturers. The author, W. J. Harte, was Professor of History at the University College of South West England.
Dr Julia Neville succeeded Hazel as President of Exeter Civic Society. Since 2021 she has been leading Devon History Society’s ambitious project “Devon in the 1920s”, so it is particularly appropriate that this document on Exeter’s historiography should emerge a century after it was written.
It is revealing to compare the range of resources available and the historians active in the 1920s to the situation in the 2020s. It also provides the opportunity to pay tribute to the half-century of dedication Professor Harte gave to the cause of local history in Exeter and the Westcountry. For this reason I dedicate this web page to him and also his successors Hazel Harvey and Dr Julia Neville.
Ian Maxted, Exeter, January 2025
The writing of local history: an experiment at Exeter
I have been asked by the Council to give you this paper on the writing of local history, in the hope that it may stimulate the local branches to write the history of their own areas, or to supplement and revise what has already been written by making further researches in the materials at their disposal; and I hope that the story of our experience may be useful either as a guide or as a warning to other centres.
I have here to acknowledge the assistance of my colleagues in the production of this paper, but, although the plan laid down is the policy of the committee, they are in no way responsible for the manner in which I have set it forth.
The want of a new history of Exeter incorporating the results of recent research, and revising where necessary the conclusions of previous writers, has long been felt.
The best known histories of Exeter, apart from Miss A. M. Shorto’s useful little sketch, are used those of Oliver and Freeman.
Oliver's History was published in 1861, and it is for the most part the story of the history of England in connexion with Exeter. Freeman’s history is not based on any independent research in the Exeter archives. He never bothered himself with the deciphering of manuscripts, and he himself allows that after the Norman Conquest the history of Exeter was to him mainly the history of those events in English history which took place in Exeter.
Of course, there are many writers who have done good work, such as Cotton, Shapter, Archdeacon Freeman and Rev: Reynolds, to mention only a few who are no longer with us, but theirs has been work on special subjects or periods and they have not dealt with the history of the city as a whole.
Now the histories of Exeter by Oliver and Freeman do not carry out our idea of what a history of Exeter should be. We do not want merely a record of past events. We wish to try to present the story of the normal social life of the citizens of Exeter and of the way in which the municipal government developed, together with the relation between the city and the political, ecclesiastical, social and economic life of the nation.
We want to deal with past conditions and institutions as well as with events, in order to get an understanding of bygone days. For instance, we want to know more about the doings of our city merchants and traders, and their intercourse with other cities and countries.
We want to find out, if we can, more about the City Guilds before the 16th century; about the incidence of taxation; about the watch and ward; about the waits and the city plays, and the watch on St: John's Eve; about the unemployed and troubles about wages and prices; about the life of the children, as well as details about the buildings and the streets, and the effects of the dissolution of the monasteries on city life.
Our first idea was to get to work at once on the writing of this new history, and some chapters had already been allotted to various writers. But we soon came to the conclusion that such a history must be preceded by the collection of a great deal of material in the form of monographs dealing fully with the different aspects of city life, based on original research, which must be the basis of the new history.
Then too, we are anxious to bring together the results of a great deal of recent work which now is scattered in the publications of various societies and to supplement this by further research. In this way, where it is necessary, some of the conclusions of earlier writers may conveniently be revised.
I should say at this point that whilst we were thus engaged in working out our plan of campaign, it occurred to us that we might also collect some original material suitable for the use of the schools of the neighbourhood, illustrating from concrete examples which the students could see for themselves the history they were studying, and thus giving them a more lively interest in their work.
Whilst we are engaged in this story of Exeter, a member of our branch, Mr J. F. Young, the Secretary of the Education Committee of the Devon County Council, is endeavouring to evolve a scheme for enlisting the help of the schools in the county in collecting material for a regional survey of the county, based on plans in operation in Kent and in Wales.
It is quite natural that this effort should be made by members of the Exeter Branch of the Historical Association. The importance of our local history was urged at the very first meeting of our Branch on 3: Nov: 1906, at which were present five members who are still in the branch; whilst the minutes of the meeting was signed by Mr T. W. Phillips who is now living in Dulwich, but whose heart I am sure is still in Exeter.
The first effort of the Branch was to draw up a bibliography of Exeter, the chief work of which was taken by Miss Cresswell, Mr. Harbottle Reed, Miss A. M. Shorto, and Mr. Tate, and this was issued to the Association in March 1908 as Leaflet No: 9. Of course, by this time it is considerably out of date, but it did some little good, not only in giving members a useful list of books, but also in stimulating other branches to do a similar work, for the London branch published its bibliography in the same year, and Sheffield followed on in 1911.
Returning to our own work, there was a great deal of delay in proceeding further. Most of us were very busy with the daily round of work, and we were further handicapped by the fact that we had no-one specially trained in palaeography amongst us until 1920 when Miss R. C. Easterling joined the College staff. We were also much encouraged by the appointment of Mr. F. G. Snowball to the Headmastership of Hele’s School in 1913.
It will be obvious to all those who have visited — I am afraid too hurriedly — some of the buildings in this city that we possess here many advantages for a work on local history, such as a new town does not possess. To begin with, we have the benefit of living in a city possessing a continuous life right back to the nebulous past. For there has never been a time since the dawn of history when this hill has not been inhabited,, and it has played an important part in the history of our country. This fact of course has its disadvantages too from the point of view of the archaeologist. For we have no great collection of “finds”, such as one gets in Bath, for instance. The relics of the past have evidently been gradually replaced by new buildings more suitable to the inhabitants of the time, and we are seldom able to dig down and discover records of earlier inhabitants, if such exists. But we may say that we live in the atmosphere of a long historic past and that we are proud of it. The inhabitants of Exeter are really interested in their City and its history. Not long ago one of our members, who has worked in many towns in England, remarked to me how much she was struck with the interest taken in the city by what one may call the ordinary man in the street and the shop; and she said it was particularly noteworthy in contrast with the ignorance displayed by the inhabitants of another place, whose name I will not mention, where she had recently been working.
But chiefly we are are we fortunate in our wealth of documents. Some of these are well known to all. The Exeter Book is of wide world fame, and the Exeter Doomsday [sic] is indispensable to those who deal with the history of land tenure in the 11th century. There are other documents to which are well known to those whom they concern.
But it is not with these that we have to deal, but with a mass of original material which has only hurriedly examined, and which requires to be transcribed and explained and compared with other documents. In this respect I think we can say that our resources compare very favourably with those of other districts. It would be wearisome and by no means useful in a paper such as this to give a long list of these manuscripts; the mention of some of the most important amongst them must suffice.
We have Court Rolls from the reign of Edward I, with some fragments from the last years of Henry III. Receivers’ Rolls from the 14th Century onwards; Memorial [Manorial?] surveys; Court Rolls of Fairs, Act Books of the City Chamber from the 16th century, and a large number of deeds, some of which are as early as the [12th?] Century. Then there are letters and Diaries as well as the large manuscript volumes of Hokers Collections, only some of which have been published.
This short list deals only with the City Archives, but there are also the Archives of the Bishop and of the Dean and Chapter, as well as those of the Tuckers’ and Weavers’ Guild, the Vicars’ Choral, and St: John's Hospital. Probably a number of the Almshouses have still some early documents in their possession, whilst the collection of Court Records at the Castle of Exeter contains some things relating to Exeter, and there are the contents of numerous “Parish Chests”.
But I have said enough to show that we have ample concrete material for illustrating the past life of the city in its many aspects, as soon as we have enough time, and workers and money to make use of our advantages.
These documents Lodged in the city archives before the year 1601, bear evidence of the care bestowed upon them by John Hoker, the uncle of the judicious Hoker, whose statue you have seen in the Cathedral yard. Hoker was the first Chamberlain of the city of Exeter, and on three separate occasions between 1561 and 1601 he put in order the manuscripts belonging to the city. With reference to his third effort, he writes thus to the Mayor, Senators, and Commonalty:- “Yet it was not so well done as I wished, and ought to be. Now therefore once more and the third time I have perused and reviewed the same in the best order I can, and caused places to be appointed and presses to be made with keys and locks, and with a book wherein I have registered every writing and rolls of all such evidences as then remained; all of which I have caused to be locked up in safety without further spoil, and the keys to remain in your own custody”. And a few months before his death he drew up a “view and survey of all the Records, Evidences, Charters and writings whatsoever appertaining to the Chamber and City of Exeter”.
Hokers example was followed by Samuel Isaack who was Town Clerk from 1624 to 1647, who carefully docketed the documents under his care. His son Richard Isaack was appointed Chamberlain in 1653, and he indexed the first ten volumes of the Act Books of the Chamber and continued the work of docketing his manuscripts. Then in 1677 he published his Remarkable Antiquities of the City of Exeter, a useful piece of piracy of Hoker’s work. But perhaps he merely delayed till too late his printed acknowledgements, for in the manuscript copy of his Memorials of the City of Exeter he mentions “the indefatigable labours of my principle predecessor in this place and office, the learned Mr. John Hooker, whose works bespeak him famous within our gates”.
Isaack's work was continued by his son Samuel, who was Chamberlain from 1693 to 1729. Then the next official to deal with the documents was Mr Benjamin Heath, the Town clerk in 1755.
In 1820 Rev: George Oliver was employed by the Chamber to draw up a Calendar of many of the documents, and in 1863 the City Council employed Mr. Stuart A. Moore to make a report on all their documents. In the course of his investigations he found an enormous bulk of records hitherto unexamined. After a work of some years he produced a most valuable calendar, which is of great use to those engaged in work in the Muniment Room. He also made a similar Calendar of the Documents in the Cathedral Library.
Lastly came Dr. J. H. Wylie to report upon the records of the City of Exeter for the Historical Manuscripts Commissioners. The more DR. Wylie saw of the archives, the more fascinated he was with them, and I do not think I am divulging any great secret when I say that his volume, published in 1916, was much larger than was contemplated by the Commissioners and it is invaluable to us in our work.
A similar Report but one much less detailed dealing with the Records of the Bishop of Exeter and the Muniments and Library of the Dean and Chapter, was produced by Mr R. Lane Poole in the Report on Manuscripts in “Various Collections” Vol: IV, published in 1907.
Much valuable work is also is to be found scattered in Devon Notes and Queries and in the publications of the Devon and Cornwall Record Society and in the Transactions of the Devonshire Association; whilst Mr. Burnett Morris’s enormous Card Index of Devon is also at our disposal.
But it is useless to have a wealth of documents in your areas, if access to them is made impossible. One hears that there are some places where none save the rats and mice are allowed to visit the manuscripts in their damp abodes. This is not the case in this City. We are very fortunate in Exeter. In Mr. Lloyd Parry we have a Town Clerk, who has done good work himself on the Records in his spare time, and has written the History of the City Seals and of the founding of Exeter School. But he is not content to behave like the little boy who collects his toys in the corner and will let no-one use them. Not only does he know that manuscripts, like horses, require exercise and air and light, but he also realises the value of research, and he gives us every possible facility in pursuing our investigations. We are very glad of having this opportunity of expressing our appreciation for his active and generous support and enthusiasm,, all of which he gives in a thoroughly practical way.
I have mentioned him first of all because our researches have so far been made chiefly among the City Archives. But we must also express our thanks to others who have given us facilities when we have asked for them, and shown their appreciation for the work we are trying to perform. Our thanks are due to Mr. W. Snow, the Clerk to the Dean and Chapter, and the Guild of Tuckers and Weavers; to Mr Michelmore, the Bishop’s Registrar; and to the Rev: Prebendary Chanter, the honorary Archivist to the Bishop, who is one of our contributors. All these have proved our very good friends and we look forward with pleasure to further research among their records at some future time.
But the cost in time and money and energy is very much increased if there is no Reference Library near at hand. In this respect we are happy in possessing a library common to the University College and the City, to which friends from all parts of the county have made valuable contributions. The library has acquired, both by gift and purchase, a considerable number of original documents bearing on the locality, including original histories written by bygone antiquaries, and some original parish registers and churchwardens accounts, which for unknown reasons have found their way Into the market, together with a good collection of transcripts of parish registers made by local genealogists. There is also a small collection of wills and several thousand original deeds. Scrap books also for each parish in the county have been kept by Mr Tapley-Soper for a number of years and approved of great value to those engaged in research work. The library also affords a safe temporary deposit for documents linked to those who are anxious to work on them but who cannot visit the places where the archives are housed.
Attention has also been given to Pictorial Records under the guidance of the librarian and of the curator of the Museum (Mr. Rowley), and the Pictorial Record Society has acquired an interesting collection of photographs and prints, a few of which are hung on the walls of Rougemont House, whilst a very great number are waiting for the time when money is forthcoming to make them available for public display.
In the Rougemont House Museum, the curator, Mr. Rowley has collected such relics as concern the past history of the City, including pottery, glass, seals, trade tokens of 17th century, as well as some remains of the old woollen industry of the neighbourhood.
We are fortunate too in the fact that the City Fathers as, as well as the citizens as a whole, are interested in and proud of their City. They cannot make good the losses caused by their predecessors more than 100 years ago, who permitted the old city gates to be pulled down, but they take an active interest in guarding the relics of the past which are left, and have, amongst other activities, caused part of the old Priory of St. Nicholas to be restored by Mr Tonar under the guidance of Mr. Brakspear. They have also purchased the beautiful Rougemont Grounds and set aside the Rougemont House for a local Historical Museum.
I now come to the explanation of the methods we have adopted. We first of all formed a Committee of members living pretty closely in touch with one another, so that we might, without much elaborate organisation, meet together to discuss plans. Our first meeting was held on 30 April 1920, and between that date and 5 July in 1921, we held twenty-one meetings.
We first of all despatched a circular letter to all the members of the Devonshire Association and to some others whom we thought would be interested in the undertaking. In this letter we stated that we proposed to collect material for a comprehensive history of Exeter, and we asked for assistance, and gave the names of eight well known members of the Association who had promised to contribute. At the meeting of the Association at Totnes in July 1920, the objects of the committee were also explained by Mr Tapley-Soper who described to the members the plan we had laid down.
The postman was not overburdened with the replies he had to deliver. Thirty-one members responded to our appeal, and of these two sent donations. and another a promise on which we can safely rely. But we had not evolved the financial side of our undertaking, and it was the support of literary contributors that we were then seeking. However we had quite enough offers to keep us busy, and we made arrangements for the writing of a considerable number of monographs. We also addressed the Local Branch [of the Historical Association] and asked for assistance not only from those who could write papers, but from those who, though they might not be able to contribute monographs themselves, yet might give us a great deal of valuable information.
We next invited members to read papers on the work that had been assigned to them, and thus stimulate discussion and controversy and elicit further assistance.
On 16 June 1921 Miss E. Lega Weekes read a paper on the Priority Earl’s Burh over Rougemont Castle, the Identification of Harold’s Fee, and a criticism of Kerslake's Theory about Fore Street.
On 26 February 1921 Mr. J. J. Alexander read a paper on The Anglo-Saxons in Exeter.
On 9 December 1921 Mrs. Rose Troup read a paper on The Lost Chapels of Exeter.
On 14 October 1922 Mr. J. J. Alexander read a paper on Exeter and the Parliaments down to 1485.
These readings of papers and the discussions have proved most useful in helping to pool knowledge and in eliciting preliminary criticisms.
When the monograph has been finished in rough draught, it is then sent round to others for suggestions. This seems to be a more satisfactory way than the holding of additional meetings, and by these means we hope to obtain a considerable amount of conflicting views.
In the course of our experience, and in consultation with the writers of monographs, we have naturally modified some of our original ideas and developed others, nor do we suppose that we have of necessity reached finality. We feel, however, that in one respect our original idea holds good. That is, we feel that it is imperative that all contributors should be willing to have their work fully criticised by others, so that they may know all points of view. It will then be for the writer to decide to modify or maintain his original position as he feels to be right; and in some cases when he does not agree with the criticism offered, he will consider them sufficiently valuable to be inserted in a footnote or appendix With the name of the critic appended. It may even be advisable not to try to reconcile conflicting views on very contentious subjects, but to publish the two separately. This process, of course, is a slow one, and we are convinced as the result of our experience, that it will be fatal to the scheme to hurry into print, before the writer has had the opportunity of confronting the criticisms of other members.
From what I have said, I hope I have made it clear that our chief object is to obtain hearty cooperation amongst all those engaged in the work, and it is the main work of the Editorial Committee to facilitate this mutual help.
The monographs will be published under the names of the writer or writers, who will acknowledge by name the assistance received, and we hope that by this means, people will be willing to throw their knowledge into the common stock when they know that their contributions will be acknowledged and not absorbed in another's work without any recognition.
We have also formed a small group of workers who meet under Miss Easterling’s guidance once a week in the City Muniment Room and are engaged in some definite piece of work, and in this way we hope to make accessible some of the original authorities on which a history must be based.
Another suggestion has been made, which we hope to carry out, namely that we should keep a book in the Public Library in which questions could be entered for the consideration of contributors.
The following monographs etc: have been promised:-
Exeter in Anglo-Saxon & Danish Times by Mr. J. J. Alexander (in process of circulation).
Parliamentary History of Exeter by Mr. J. J. Alexander.
Municipal Buildings by Mr. Bennett.
Monastic Buildings by Mr. H. Brakspear.
The Bishops & the Cathedral by Rev: Prebendary Chanter.
Geology & Physical Geography by Professor Clayden.
Polsloe Priory by Miss K. Clarke.
Exeter Churches by Miss Cresswell.
Theatrical Activities by Mr. E. J. Domville & Professor A. E. Morgan.
The stained glass Windows of the Cathedral by Mr. M. Drake.
The Friars by Miss Easterling & Mr. A. G. Little (almost finished)
Municipal Courts by Miss Easterling (partly finished)
Ancient Roads and Ways by Mr. J. Joce.
Maps by Mr. S. Lewis, Mr. Snowball and Mr. Tonar (partly completed)
Domestic Architecture by Rev: C. Nourse.
Education by Mr. Lloyd Parry.
Exeter during the Wars of the Roses by Lady Radford.
Exeter from Norman Times to 1300 by Rev: O. J. Reichel.
Public Health by Doctor Stirk.
Lost Chapels of Exeter by Mrs. Rose Troop (in the Press).
Topography by Miss E. Lega-Weekes.
The Castle & City Walls by Mr. H. Watkin.
We will now consider the difficulties likely to be encountered in writing the history of a locality. To begin with those accustomed to work in the British Museum or in the Public Record Office are likely to forget certain handicaps under which local work has to be done. They must remember that the local records are under the care of officials who have neither the office room nor the time nor the staff requisite for providing suitably for research students. I have already said how very fortunate we are in having the active sympathy of the officials, but they cannot make suitable muniment rooms, and in the case of the City Archives I should like to call the attention of the City Council to the necessity of providing a safer and more worthy home for the really valuable documents belonging to the city. It will be sufficient in this respect to quote from Dr. Wylie who says “I feel bound here to record my conviction that this great collection, as at present housed, is in serious danger of destruction”. This was written in 1912. Although this was written in 1912, nothing has yet been done to remove the records to a place of safety.
Another difficulty, and one from which we suffer, is the lack of a Department for Post-graduate students to carry on research work. We hope however as time goes on to remedy this deficiency.
Next, there is the difficulty about finance. We have not seriously tackled this thorny subject as yet, but are working on a balance due to Treasurer, and I shall be glad to hear suggestions as to the best way to finance an undertaking like ours. The best plan would probably be to collect a fund available for the working expenses and for the publication of the monographs; but one of the difficulties of this course will be the irregularity of the intervals between the production of the contributions. In the case of one monograph, Mr. H. Townsend very kindly offered to take over the cost of printing it for us, but unfortunately the particular work did not satisfy our requirements, and our connexion with it ceased.
Our first publication, by Mrs. Rose Troup on Lost Chapels in Exeter, is being published by Messrs Commin of Exeter, but the plan adopted does not solve the financial problem. We are glad, however, of this opportunity of thanking Mr. Commin and his brother for undertaking the publication, and showing in a practical way that interest in the City which was so abundantly evinced by their father, the late Mr. J. G. Commin.
Now for the next difficulty. I have said we were fortunate in our wealth of documents. But some might say that we are unfortunate in having so much unexplored wealth at our disposal. At any rate it is a source of some difficulty, for it would be much more easy to write our history if there were not so many records that require inspection. Of course we cannot play the part of Mr. Micawber indefinitely, but when fresh evidence comes to hand modifying some conjecture, or converting it into a probability or a certainty, it is necessary to delay publication. This has been the case with Mrs. Rose Troup’s monograph on Lost Chapels of Exeter, which we hoped to have published in time for this meeting. But it has been held back on three separate occasions owing to the discovery of additional evidence of sufficient importance to necessitate further delay.
Lastly there is the difficulty of Human Nature. The Editorial Committee does not pretend to be perfect. Perhaps we ought to put up that ambiguous notice said to have been found outside a Church in some remote district in Texas. “You are requested not to pot at the organist, because he does his best, and it annoys the congregation”.
I must say that our contributors have showed quite a wonderful amount of consideration for us. We have had only one serious difficulty, and that was due partly to our failure to make very clear indeed the cooperative nature of the work. The first effort therefore proved to be unsuitable for our purpose, and I should not have mentioned the incident, but for the fact that it appears to have caused an impression to get about that we have ceased to function. It may be useful therefore as an illustration of one of the snags against which one’s craft may strike. Moreover it helps to show up the really remarkable sympathy displayed by the other contributors, although many of them have not been accustomed to to cooperative work.
Another difficulty may arise owing to an impression that our work is one that should be quickly completed. This needless to say is not our idea. We hope that we have been able to lay the foundations of a Society which will go on flourishing more and more and will remain doing its work long after the first monographs have seen the light; for new problems are ever arising, and in seeking to solve one problem we formulate many new ones.
There are some troubles that are sure to arise and can only be solved by the goodwill of all concerned. There is the difficulty of over-lapping which is bound to crop up in some parts of the work; and then there is the tendency to postpone working until the promise of publication is forthcoming, regardless of the fact that the circulation of the manuscripts is a most important part of our scheme.
Then there is the disappointment arising from the fact that one may work amongst the records for a long time and find little that is valuable for one's own work, but much that is useful to others.
But after all that is said I must again repeat how few difficulties we have experienced hitherto, and express our thanks for the consideration and sympathy shown to us by all engaged in the work.
The History of Exeter Research Group
The Group appears to have been set up in 1920, but of the monographs promised in 1923 none seem to have materialised. The following publications have been located which bear some similarity to those mentioned above:
Alexander, J. J. Exeter members of Parliament. In: Devonshire Association, Transactions, 1927-1930. 4 parts covering from 1295 to 1832.
Alexander, J. J. The Saxon conquest and settlement. In: Devonshire Association, Transactions ; 64, 1932, pages 75-112.
Breakspear, H. Capitals and bases from St. Nicholas' Priory, Exeter. In: Society of Antiquaries Proceedings, 22 Jun, 1916.
Chanter, John Frederick. The custos and college of the vicars choral of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Exeter and their Close. In: Devonshire Association, Transactions ; 65, 1933, pages 380-382.
Cresswell, Beatrix F. Exeter churches: notes on the history fabrics and features of interest in the churches of the Deanery of Christianity, Devon. Exeter: James G. Commin, 1908, 224 pages, plates : illustrations ; 23 cm.
Joce, T.J. Exeter roads and streets. In: Devonshire Association, Transactions ; 75, 1943, pages 121-133.
Published monographs
A series of ten monographs did appear over the next forty years:
1. Rose-Troup, Frances. Lost chapels of Exeter / by Frances Rose-Troup. Exeter : James G. Commin, 1923. 58 pages : map ; 25cm. History of Exeter Research Group. Monograph ; no. 1.
2. Schopp, J. W. The Anglo-Norman custumal of Exeter. Oxford : Oxford University Press, 1925. 60 pages, plates : facsimiles ; 25cm. History of Exeter Research Group. Monograph ; no. 2.
3. Little, A. G. The Franciscans and Dominicans of Exeter / A. G. Little and R. C. Easterling. Exeter : A. Wheaton, 1927. 92 pages ; 25 cm. History of Exeter Research Group monograph.
4. Wilkinson, Bertie. The medieval council of Exeter. Manchester : Manchester University Press, 1931. 106 pages ; 25 cm. History of Exeter Research Group monograph.
5. Curtis, Muriel E. Some disputes between the city and the cathedral authorities of Exeter / by Muriel E. Curtis. Manchester : Manchester University Press for the University College of the South-west of England, 1932. 98 pages, 1 leaf : folded plan ; 24 cm. History of Exeter Research Group. Monograph ; no. 5.
6. Hoskins, W. G. Industry, trade and people in Exeter, 1688-1800 : with special reference to the serge industry / By W.G. Hoskins. [Manchester] : Published for the University college of the south-west of England by the Manchester University Press 1935. 189 pages frontispiece, maps, diagram 25 cm. History of Exeter Research Group. Monograph ; no. 6. 2nd edition 1968.
7. Rose-Troup, Frances. Exeter vignettes : Clarembald and the miracles of Exeter ; Exeter in Norman days ; the murder of the precentor / by Frances Rose-Troup. Manchester: Manchester University Press 1942. 57 pages ; 25 cm. History of Exeter Research Group. Monograph ; no. 7.
8. Fox, Aileen. Roman Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum): excavations in the war-damaged areas, 1945-1947. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1952. 104 pages : illustrations, maps ; 26 cm. History of Exeter Research Group monograph ; no. 8.
9. Stephens, W. B. Seventeenth-century Exeter: a study of industrial and commercial development, 1625-1688 / W.B. Stephens, with a foreword by W. G. Hoskins. Exeter : Exeter University, 1958. 203 pages ; 23 cm. History of Exeter Research Group monograph ; no. 9.
10. Brockett, Allan. Nonconformity in Exeter, 1650-1875 / by Allan Brockett. Manchester: Manchester University Press on behalf of the University of Exeter, 1962. vii, 252 pages, 2 unnumbered leaves of plates: folded map, portrait ; 23 cm. History of Exeter Research Group monograph ; no. 10.
Biographical sketch of Professor W. J. Harte
Professor Walter (W.J.) Harte was born in 1866 and was educated at Bath College and Worcester College, Oxford, subsequently teaching at Bath College and other schools. He was appointed as Chair of History at the Royal Albert Memorial College in 1901, was Head of the Department of History and Literature by 1902 and was appointed Professor of History and Literature in 1904. He probably taught the whole of both subjects at first, until Literature was given to another professor. The Royal Albert Memorial College began its life in 1870 in the present Museum building on Queen Street. In 1893 it was linked to the extension programme of the University of Cambridge and became designated as The Royal Albert Memorial University College in 1901. There had been four extensions in 1884, 1891, 1895 and 1899 and the building next door in Gandy Street, now the Phoenix Centre, was built in 1910-11 to accommodate the growing teaching work of the college. When Harte arrived, the College was not a recognised university college although a very few of its students did take London external degrees. Most were trainee (non-graduate) teachers. In particular, Harte promoted the cause of history in the Westcountry. He attended the Historical Association’s foundation meeting in 1906, and formed the Exeter branch of the Historical Association as a focal point in November 1906, the Association’s opening year. Harte was a pioneer who worked with scarcely any resources. From 1919 he helped edit John Hooker's Description of the Citie of Excester for the Devon and Cornwall Record Society in two volumes.
He also attended the very first Anglo-American Historical Congress in London in 1921, and appears in the group photo taken at the time.
The college was again redesignated the University College of the South West in 1922, so it was appropriate that when the annual meeting of the Historical Association was held at Exeter in January 1923 he was able to announce in his address the formation of a History of Exeter Research Group, which published ten scholarly monographs between 1923 and 1962.
He became President of the national Historical Association from 1932 to 1936. His presidency followed soon after his retirement from the Chair of History at the University College of the South West in 1931. Over four decades he exercised a steady influence with the Historical Association, drawing people together by his friendliness, and urging from the first that the Association should include not only teachers but all who were interested in history.
In 1937-38 he was president of the Devonshire Association, another local organisation with which he was linked for many years, serving as Honorary Secretary from 1940 to 1949.
On 9 July 1946 he was thanked by Exeter City Library Committee for his “valuable assistance in replacing the evacuated books and manuscripts”. He had used the Westcountry collections intensively for more than thirty years so his accumulated knowledge had been invaluable.
The Harte Lectureship in Local History was founded by the University College of the South West in 1951 to commemorate Professor W. J. Harte's fifty years' association with the study and teaching of history in Exeter.
He died in hospital 19 November 1954, the year before this lectureship was continued by what then became the University of Exeter.
Harrte drew people together by his friendliness, and urging from the first that the Historical Association should include not only teachers but all who were interested in history. In particular, Harte promoted the cause of history in the West Country, forming the Exeter branch of the Historical Association as a focal point. He was especially interested in the study of local history, believing that local universities and university colleges must grow “as many roots as possible in their localities”. In 1951 a local history lecture series was started in his name. However, he was light on publications, and unfortunately he was to leave little trace nationally. At his death its Transactions summed him up frankly: “He was not a profound scholar, but his personal quality won him the confidence and friendship of the leading historical scholars”.
Publications
An account of the Sieges of Exeter, the foundation of the Cathedral Church, and the dispute between the Cathedral and the City Authorities / transcribed and annotated by Walter J. Harte.-- Exeter Commin 1911.
Illustrations of municipal history from the act book of the chamber of the city of Exeter, 1559-1588. In: Devonshire Association Transactions ; 44, 1912, pages 206-230.
Illustrations of history from the act book of the chamber of the city of Exeter, 1560-1581. Part 1. In: Devonshire Association Transactions ; 45, 1913, pages 409-422.
Illustrations of history from the act book of the chamber of the city of Exeter, 1560-1581. Part 2. In: Devonshire Association Transactions ; 46, 1914, pages 437-454.
The description of the citie of Excester / by John Vowell, alias Hoker ; transcribed and edited from a manuscript in the archives of the corporation of the City of Exeter by Walter J. Harte, J. W. Schopp and H. Tapley-Soper. Exeter : Devon and Cornwall Record Society, 1919-1947. 3 volumes (Part 1 pages 1-464. Part 2 pages 465-951)
Sir Francis Drake / by Walter J. Harte ; with a portrait.-- London ; New York : Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge ; MacMillan Co., 1920.
The writing of local history: an experiment at Exeter. A paper read by Professor W. J. Harte at the annual meeting of the Historical Association held at Exeter, 3 - 6 January 1923. Typescript. 23 pages.
Local history: an Exeter experiment. In: History, New Series Vol 8 Pt 29, 1923, pages 19-28. The published version of the present typescript document listed above.
Foreign policy and the Dominions / by W. J. Harte. London : Historical Association, 1925.
Gleanings from the Common place book of John Hooker, relating to the city of Exeter (1485-1590) / by Walter J. Harte.-- Exeter A. Wheaton & Co., Ltd., [1926]. 39 pages ; 21 cm.
Gleanings from the manuscript of Richard Izacke's Antiquities of the city of Exeter / By Walter J. Harte. Exeter : A. Wheaton & Co., [1929].
The control of foreign policy in the British Commonwealth of Nations / W. J. Harte. London : Bell, 1932.
Some evidence of trade between Exeter and Newfoundland up to 1600. In: Devonshire Association Transactions ; 64, 1932 Pages 476-484.
Ecclesiastical and religious affairs in Exeter, 1640-62. In: Devonshire Association, Transactions, vol. 69, 1937, pages 41-72. Address of the President.
Handbook of British chronology / edited by F. M. Powicke; with the assistance of Charles Johnson and W. J. Harte. London : Royal Historical Society, 1939.
An outline history of Exeter for the general reader. Annotated typescript, [1940]. 98 pages ; 26 cm. Compiled with a view to publication plus letters regarding this.
Barnstaple fair in 1945. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1946. Pages 45-46.
Devon. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1946. Page 57. Verse.
A Devon sunset. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1947. Page 11. Verse.
Home : (Barnstaple). In: Devonian Yearbook, 1948. Page 36. Verse. First line: My native town it blossomed fair ...A Devon reverie. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1956. Page 14. Verse.
Recently published Devonian works. In : Devonian Yearbook, 1951, page 35.
Jan's visit to London. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1952. Pages 36-40. Dialect.
History of Alphington / by Professor W. J. Harte, M.A. Exeter : J. Townsend for the Devonshire Association, 1952. [Later dates, perhaps for reissues, to 1957].
Jan comes to our dinner. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1955. Pages 31-33. Dialect.
A Devon reverie. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1956. Page 14. Verse.
The beggest lie. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1957. Page 19. Dialect.
The real meaning. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1957. Page 18-19.
The Earl Fortescue, K.G., High Steward of the Borough of Barnstaple. In: Devonian Yearbook, 1958. Page 12.
Obituaries
Devonshire Association, Transactions, volume 86, 1954, page 268. Quoting Times obituary by W.D.H.
Times, 22 November 1954. Obituary by W. D. H.
Torbay Express and South Devon Echo, 22 November 1954, page 3.
Wells Journal, 26 November 1954, page 1.
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