Useful Links
Below are links to external websites that you may find useful.
- Explore the archives and view original documents at the Devon Heritage Centre.
- The National Archives is the official archive and publisher for the UK Government, and for England and Wales.
- The Devon History Society is is a registered charity that promotes the study of all aspects of Devon’s history.
- The South West Maritime History Society encourages interest in all aspects of maritime history and promotes research in these fields, leading where possible to the publication of the results of such studies.
- GENUKI provides a virtual reference library of genealogical information of particular relevance to the UK and Ireland.
- The Dartmouth Directory is an online resource for all things in and around Dartmouth, including accommodation, shopping, estate agents, education and hospitals.
- The Blackawton & Street History Group aims to research, collate and record historical information on the twin parishes of Blackawton and Strete publicise activities and outcomes.
- Dartmouth Museum is a small but fascinating museum which occupies part of the historic Butterwalk, a terrace of rich merchants’ houses built in 1640.
- The Kingswear Devon website provides an abundance of information on Kingswear, on the opposite side of the Dart from Dartmouth.
- The Devon Family History Society promotes the study of genealogy and history, especially of Devon families and places.
- The Friends of Devon Archive promotes the preservation and use of historical records throughout Devon and to raise public awareness of their importance for research and education.
- The Devon Rural Archive in Shilstone, Modbury is an independant heritage centre for the study of Devon’s buildings and landscapes.
- Based in Totnes in South Devon, the Totnes Image Bank & Rural Archive is a volunteer-run historic photographic archive.
- Dartmouth’s Great War Fallen is a website dedicated to all those commemorated in the town of Dartmouth who died as a result of their service to their country, during or shortly after the Great War.
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A week after the Battle of Hastings comes the anniversary of another significant battle, the Battle of Trafalgar, on 21 October 1805, when the British fleet under Lord Nelson defeated the combined French and Spanish fleets under Admiral Villeneuve. Amongst those serving in the Royal Navy were 34 men and boys whose place of birth was reported on ships muster rolls as “Dartmouth” (31), “Kingsware” (2), and “Ditson” (Dittisham) (1) (see the “Trafalgar Ancestors” database at the National Archives).![]()
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Two of the 34 were killed in the battle, Able Seaman William China, of HMS Tonnant, age 40, and Ordinary Seaman Robert McInnes, of HMS Belleisle, age 28. So far we’ve not been able to find anything in local records about Robert, but we do know something about William.![]()
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There’s no trace of his birth in local records but his wife and family certainly lived in Dartmouth. Remarkably, two letters from him to his wife Jane, the second written only a month before the battle, survived – the text appeared in the Western Morning News in 1924. Dartmouth parish registers show that Jane Triscott (nee Rumsume), recently widowed, married William China (sp Chaina), Mariner, of Islington, in 1796 in St Saviours. Jane and her family appear to have remained in Dartmouth after William’s death.![]()
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This painting by Nicholas Pocock shows HMS Tonnant in action at Trafalgar, engaging the Spanish ship Monarca
On 14 October 1066, the army of King Harold of England faced the invading army of Duke William of Normandy. We don’t know if men from our part of South Devon fought in the Battle of Hastings, but they were probably called out earlier in the year, when King Harold summoned the largest land force in living memory to defend the Channel coast against invasion. They maintained their watch all summer, but contrary winds kept William’s ships away. ![]()
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No sooner had they stood down, than King Harold faced a surprise attack in the north. At the battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September, he achieved his greatest victory, only to discover that the Norman army had finally landed three days later in Sussex. ![]()
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King Harold and his army hurried south, and met William's forces near Hastings. The fierce battle lasted all day – at the end of it, Harold, two of his brothers, and many of the country’s leading men, were dead. Remaining members of his family fled to the south-west, where the King's mother, Countess Gytha, held several estates. Over the next three years, Devon became an important centre of English opposition to William’s regime.![]()
#dartmouth #localhistory #battleofhastings![]()
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The photograph shows the traditional site of the battlefield, south of Battle Abbey in Sussex.
Come and visit us at the first Dartmouth Book Festival! We're very pleased to be involved in this exciting new event.![]()
Some of us will be in Dartmouth Library from 4pm to 5pm tomorrow with copies of all our books. We'll be delighted to meet you and answer your questions about how to discover more about our wonderful local history. I#dartmouthr#localhistoryh#flavelh#dartmouthlibraryartmouthlibrary
To celebrate Dartmouth Royal Regatta, two "then and now" pictures.![]()
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"Then" may be 1899, 125 years ago. We can see that the site of the new Royal Naval College has been prepared, though there is no building as yet. HMS Britannia is moored in the river, above the Higher Ferry, and the harbour is crowded with visiting yachts. ![]()
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1899 was the 65th Regatta and took place over the last Thursday to Saturday in August. Thousands of "excursionists" came each day to the town by train, and apart from all the sailing, rowing and swimming races, the highlights were two firework displays and a "Grand Al Fresco Ball" on the New Ground (now the Royal Avenue Gardens).![]()
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The "now" picture shows the view on Wednesday this week from a similar location. Of course, much has changed in 125 years, but much remains the same. See how many differences you can find! And if you're coming to Regatta, have a good time!![]()
#dartmouth #The Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta #localhistory![]()
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With thanks to ZRJPHOTOS for the "now" photograph.
In the General Election this Thursday Dartmouth forms part of a new “South Devon” constituency, following a name change and a small boundary adjustment. Dartmouth has a long parliamentary history. In 1298 two of the town’s leading men, John le Bakere and William atte Vosse, were summoned to Edward I’s Parliament in York, demonstrating the town’s growing importance. From 1351 Dartmouth sent representatives to Parliament continuously for over five hundred years - two until the Great Reform Act of 1832, and then one.![]()
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In 1868 the constituency of Dartmouth was abolished altogether. Seven English boroughs with populations under 5000 were disenfranchised to give more seats to Scotland without creating more MPs. Dartmouth became part of the "South Devon" constituency – as it once more is today (though "South Devon" in 1868 was bigger than in 2024).![]()
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But electoral reform still had a long way to go. In 1868 there was no secret ballot and universal suffrage for adult men and women (age 21 and over) was not achieved for another sixty years. The right to vote was extended to everyone over 18 in 1969.![]()
#dartmouth #LocalHistory #southdevon #votingmatters. 🗳![]()
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The map shows Dartmouth's parliamentary boundaries in 1868, just before the constituency was abolished. From the archives on our website: dartmouth-history.org.uk