People Talking

In 1976, Jenny Lloyd embarked upon producing a series of booklets containing the memories of people from all over Exeter.

Over a period of four years, stories were collected covering the living memories of people in different parts of the city, and interesting and colourful characters and events.

The memories were recorded and then transcribed and edited.

Fairs and carnivals, work, the farthing breakfasts, school, wash houses and many places around Exeter including the West Quarter, Burnthouse Lane, St Thomas and Exe Island are all remembered. Some of the participants were very elderly so their memories went back as far as the 1890s, through the First World War.

Exeter Memories is privileged to be given the chance to use some of this material on the site, and allow others who missed the series of nine booklets, the first time around, the chance to see some of the stories now.

Some of the longer pieces will appear in the stories section, and other, short extracts will appear in various articles around the site, especially in the streets section.

The full transcripts of the extracts used here, and other People Talking memories are available at the West Country Studies Library or the Devon and Exeter Institution.

Some of the contributors include:

Mrs M J Whitehead, Mrs K R Pollard, Miss Minnie Rand

Other names will be added.