The Devon-Newfoundland Story: a Celebration of Historical and Cultural
Connections
In the first two weeks of April 2017
the Devonshire Association (www.devonassoc.org.uk), in collaboration with the
Devon Family History Society (www.devonfhs.org.uk), is planning a celebration
of nearly 500 years of contact and interaction between Devon and Newfoundland.
The
Association, which was founded in 1862 to promote the study, understanding and
appreciation of every aspect of Devon, is an active organisation with over 1300
members. It has both historical and existing links with Newfoundland: several
of its present members have collaborated with Newfoundlanders in history,
archaeology and music, and in the 1970s and 1980s the Association had a
Newfoundland Branch, based in St John’s. Developing these connections is one of
the aims of the planned celebration; another is to make ordinary Devonians and
Newfoundlanders more aware of the importance of each place in the history and
development of the other, and of how much culture they share.
The
celebration will be county-wide, but particularly centred in Exeter, the county
town, and in Bideford, a North Devon port town with strong historic
Newfoundland connections. The core event will be a weekend of talks, workshops
and exhibits: starting with a reception on Friday April 7th in
Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum, awarded UK Museum of the Year in 2013;
and continuing on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th with a
symposium in Devon County Hall in Exeter, in which a series of talks by experts
from both sides of the Atlantic will explore aspects of shared history and
trade, dialect and folklore, music, mumming and dance. Alongside and
interspersed with these will be an informal programme of exhibits, short talks
and conversation in which family history interests can be shared and discussed.
Both before
and after this central weekend, there will linked events in other Devon towns,
and excursions to these and to other places with particular Newfoundland
connections. These will include a tour
on Thursday 6th to Dartmouth, Totnes, and to Compton Castle, the
seat of Sir Humphrey Gilbert who first claimed Newfoundland for a British
colony, and still owned by the family. Friday 7th will explore
Exeter, a walled city founded by the Romans, with fine mediaeval and later
buildings; and will visit the pretty adjacent port of Topsham. Monday 10th
will visit Plymouth, with its citadel and old harbour. On Tuesday April 11th Bideford and
Barnstaple will run a full programme of events, including talks, museum visits,
displays and pottery workshops – North
Devon pottery was widely used in C17th and C18th Newfoundland, and
is still made. Throughout the two weeks several museums in Devon towns are
mounting special exhibitions linked to the overall celebration. There will be a
concert of folk music involving musicians from both Devon and Newfoundland,
which will explore their shared traditions and may tour between several venues
in the county.
For those
interested in family history: as well as the weekend event it will be possible
to visit Tree House in Exeter, the research centre of the Devon Family History
Society; and the Society is also planning a family history help desk on April
11th and a talk and display on April 15th, all in Bideford.
Devon will be in early
Spring, and we hope that many Newfoundlanders will take the opportunity to
visit this beautiful, historic, amazingly varied county and take part in this
celebration of our common heritage. For those wishing to explore on their own
we will provide details of car hire companies and bus and rail timetables.
If you may
be interested in coming please email devonshireassoc@btinternet.com
without commitment, and we will keep you posted with developments.
You will be made very welcome.