Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre
2007 News Items
Diary of Events 2007.
Christmas Fayre
On the 1st December 2007 a Christmas Fayre was held at the Old Station the Choir from Bovey Tracey Primary School sang Christmas Carols and saw Father Christmas.
Refreshments in the form of Mince pies and Mulled wine were provided. Tea, coffee and cakes were also available. A produce stall, lucky dip, draw and tombola along with a soft toy and book stall added to the event.
Some members of the Heritage Trust committee and volunteer helpers dressed in 19th century style.
The Annual General Meeting of the Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust
The Annual General Meeting of the Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust took place on the 20th November 2007. It was very well attended having an audience of around 80 people. After the meeting there was a break for refreshments.
There followed the first public showing of a short monochrome movie film which was donated to the trust some years ago, the film has been transferred from it’s original 16 mm photographic film to VHS video and DVD, by the ‘Television South West film and television archive’ ( www.tvswfta.co.uk ).
The film, made by an unknown photographer, showed various people and views of places in Bovey Tracey, Lustleigh and Haytor in what seems to have been the late 1940’s or early 1950’s.
Members of the audience were able to give names to most but not all of the people in the film.
Two pictures of unidentified people are shown, we believe the old Lady may have lived near to St John's Church, the girl may have been a visitor to Bovey. Remember this is how they looked in the early 1950's.
The film was followed by an illustrated talk by local resident Stan Dart; about the history of and changes to shops in Bovey Tracey from the 1930’s onwards.
The winning ticket in the
annual prize draw, for a framed original painting, of a train at Bovey Station in the 1940's, by local artist David Elphick, was
drawn by the Mayor of Bovey Tracey Cllr. Alan Griesiell.
The winner was Mr John Butcher a recent resident, who was evacuated to Bovey Tracey during WW2 and has now returned for his retirement, Mr Butcher has volunteered to be a steward at the Heritage Centre in 2008.
PHIL NEWMAN
Gave an illustrated talk entitled
‘The Dartmoor Tin Industry’
At the Phoenix Hall , Bovey Tracey.
This was very well attended despite it being a very wet evening.
OnTuesday the 4th of September
An Illustrated Talk entitled 'The Moorland Teign' was given by Mike Perriam.
At The Phoenix Hall, St Johns Lane, Bovey Tracey.
Thursday July 19th 2007
Members and non members of the Heritage Trust had an accompnied walk to the abandoned medieval village near Hound Tor.
The weather was fine despite the sounds of distant thunder, and there was an excellent sunset over the moor.
A new exhibit arrived at Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre on Monday 16th July.
A Salt Glaze Pottery Kiln which is thought to have been in use at the Fore Street Pottery around 1760.
The Kiln was discovered in Fore Street in 1932. It
was moved for preservation to a site in the Candy Tiles (now British Ceramic Tiles ) works at
Heathfield; where it has remained until the present day.
The decision to move the kiln from Heathfield back
to Bovey Tracey was made because the site it occupied at Heathfield is now
needed for an extension to the BCT factory. The costs of dismantling, moving and restoring the kiln will be met by BCT.
The transfer to Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre was
approved by the Heritage Centre Committee and The Bovey Tracey Town Council; who own the Old Station, Heritage Centre
Site.
The transfer and reassembly of the kiln are being
supervised by Brian Adams, curator of The House of Marbles Pottery
Museum.
Saturday July 7th 2007
A group of Devon Pottery Collectors visited the Heritage Centre to view the collection of Bovey Pottery, after lunching at the Dolphin Hotel.
Saturday June 16th 2007
A group from the Bovey Tracey Youth Action organization visited the Heritage Centre, to see, draw and photograph some of the exhibits and interview some of the ex workers from the Bovey Pottery.
Saturday June 16th 2007
Pottery Exhibition.
The Mayor of Bovey Tracey Cllr. Alan Griesiell performed the official opening of the 2007 Bovey Tracey Pottery exhibition, which marks the 50th anniversary of the closure of The Bovey Tracey Pottery Company in Pottery Rd, Bovey Tracey.
Pottery worker's reunion.
Twenty ex-pottery workers were invited to the official opening event.
A memorial plaque to the late Nick Harman, Founder and Chairman of the Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust (who died last year), was unveiled by his widow Mrs Beverley Harman, at the Heritage Centre.
Thursday June 14th 2007
Chris Kelland conducted a guided tour of the remains of the Atlas Mine at Hay
Tor, the weather was good and event was well attended.
Tuesday 6th February
A talk entitled ‘Policing the Peninsula' by
Police Historian; Simon Dell, took place at The Phoenix Hall, St John's lane,
Bovey Tracey.
Bovey Tracey Heritage Centre Events in 2006
Events in 2006
Tony Beard & Steve Manning.
Tuesday 28th February 2006.
Mike Perriam gave an illustrated, evening talk entitled: ‘Dartmoor through the Ages', at the Phoenix Hall, St Johns Lane, Bovey Tracey.
Tuesday 28th March 2006.
Nick Walter gave an illustrated, evening talk entitled: ‘The Workings of Kelly Mine',
at the Phoenix Hall.
Heritage Centre re-opening 2006.
The season's new exhibition celebrated the life and remarkable
achievements of Isambard Kingdom Brunel on the 200th anniversary of his
birth. The Heritage Centre re-opened on Saturday April 1st, in time
to celebrate his birthday.
Brunel was born in Portsmouth on 9th April 1806. In 1833, at the age of 27, he was appointed chief engineer of the Great Western Railway. His work on the Great Western helped to establish Brunel as one of the world's leading engineers.
April 6th
There was a coffee morning and bring and buy sale, held at Southbrook Court, by kind invitation of John Morris.
Heritage Trust members had an opportunity to visit this wonderful house and garden. The house was originally the farmhouse of South Brook Farm which was part of the Parke Estate.
On the 13th & 14th of May 2006.
A vintage bus stopped at the Heritage Centre to collect visitors to the Brunel 200 Event in Newton Abbot.
Unfortunately there were not many passengers, as the football cup final was on the same weekend.
Wednesday 17th May. There was an evening visit to the Heritage Centre, by The Moretonhampstead History Societ
26th of May 2006the bus returned bringing
visitors to the Heritage Centre from Newton Abbot and
Teignmouth.
Monday 12th of June.
There was an evening visit to the Heritage Centre by the Plymouth
Railway Circle, who walked along part of the old railway track-bed.
This was followed by a talk and refreshments.
July 6th
Mr Brunel (Steve Manning) visited the Heritage Centre to tell local
Primary School children about the life and achievements of Mr Brunel
and to answer their questions.
On the same morning, Tony Beard, from BBC Radio Devon, visited the Station to interview one of
the Heritage Centre volunteers and Steve Manning, for a Radio Devon news item.
Tony Beard & Steve Manning.
18th July. There was an evening visit to the Waterleat Hydro Electric plant at Old Walls Farm, Ponsworthy, on Dartmoor. http://www.waterleat.co.uk/ .
The weather was lovely and the conducted tour was very interesting, this was followed by refreshments.
BTHT members & friends at Waterleat. Turbine house. At Waterleat.
On the afternoon of August 5th Members and Friends visited an ‘Open Day' at Kelly mine, Lustleigh.
The waterwheel at Kelly Mine.
www.kellymine.freeserve.co.uk/kellymine.htm#Contents
Saturday 19th August 2006 volunteers from the Heritage Centre manned a stall at The Bovey Tracey Horticultural Show.
Wednesday 23rd August 2006. There was an evening visit by the Widecombe History Group.
Tuesday 5th September 2006
An evening talk and slideshow, about Devon Inns and their signs was given by Robert Hesketh of Devon Life magazine, at the Phoenix Hall Bovey Tracey.
Slideshow by Robert Hesketh.
Tuesday 10th October, Chris Kelland gave an illustrated talk entitled
‘Surface Mining On and Around Eastern Dartmoor'
Saturday 30th September. A Car Boot Sale was held in the Heritage Centre car park.
On the morning of November 4th 2006, Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust, committee members and volunteers, provided morning coffee, and guided walks in Bovey Tracey town, for members of the Devonshire Association, who held their 2006 AGM in Bovey Tracey at the Phoenix Hall. In the afternoon the Heritage Trust manager gave a slide show entitled ‘A Brief History of Bovey Tracey', afterwards tea was provided.
November 4th. The Heritage Centre closed for the winter. It will reopen at Easter 2007, with an exhibition to mark the 50th anniversary of the closing of the last commercial pottery in Bovey Tracey.
Tuesday 14th November 2006
The AGM of the Bovey Tracey Heritage Trust was held at the Phoenix Hall in the evening. The meeting was followed by cheese and wine, an exhibition of old photographs and a request for people to put names to the faces in some of the pictures. There was also a prize draw.
The Mayor of Bovey Tracey Cllr. George Gribble drew a ticket to select the winner of the season long 2006 prize draw.
20th November. The Mayor of Bovey Tracey presenting the winners of the 2006 prize draw, Mr & Mrs John Warr of Bovey Tracey, with their prize at the Heritage Centre.
The prize was a framed, limited edition print of Bovey Station, by local artist David Elphick, who kindly donated the picture
Mr & Mrs J. Warr and the Mayor of Bovey Tracey.
Wednesday 22nd November 2006.
The Heritage Centre was visited by The Lord of the Manor of Bovey Tracey, Mrs Val Brealey and her Husband.
credits © 2006 Devon Museums Group
supported with generous funding from MLA South West
designed by imaginarium built by light source
supported with generous funding from MLA South West
designed by imaginarium built by light source