Newton Abbot Museum is awarded the Nautiek Trophy
by The Historical Diving Society!


The museum has been awarded the Nautiek Trophy for an exhibition which, in the opinion of the judging panel has done most to forward the knowledge of diving history to the general public.  The judging panel,all whom had visited the John Lethbridge exhibition, was unanimous in its choice.

The trophy was first awarded in 1998, since when it has been held by museums in France, Italy, America,Sweden,Denmark, Poland and slovenia as well as the UK.

The trophy is held by the winner for one year, and will be awarded to the museum in Portsmouth on the 13th November2010.

The efforts of the staff and designers who brought the Lethbridge exhibition together have been well rewarded with this recognition.  The museum staff could not be more delighted to acquire this International award! 

The award will be displayed for the first time in March 2011.



Ford House rings to the sound of local singer Nicky Swann!

The 17^th century building of Ford House was open to the public on Sunday 22^nd August

for guided tours run by  erudite  local historian Michael Martyn. 

His historic tours were followed by songs created by Nicky Swann all about the history of

the town. 


Nicky agreed to sing for the museum to help raise funds for the museum's 'Heart of Oak'

conservation project to restore the Renassaince carved wooden screen, originally from

Sandford Orleigh. 

Permission was kindly granted by Teignbridge District Council to allow

the museum to fundraise for the screen in Ford House.

Nicky has been researching the local history the help of the museum.

She has created songs that will go towards her new CD due out in early 2011.

One of the songs Nicky sang at Ford House was based on the quirky

fact that Maud Allbrighton's extremely thick ,strong hair was

made into a rope swing by the ropemakers of Newton Abbot when

she had it cut in the 1920s, and there are photographs of her

swinging on it.

What was more extraordinary that on Sunday,

Maud's niece had come to visit Ford House

and was very excited to hear her Auntie

Maud's story had been turned into a song!

Maud's hair rope swing was donated to the museum in 2008, and

here is a picture of her swinging on the rope hair in the 1920s!    

     
An introduction to Nicky Swan
                                                                                       

Hellofor those of you who don't know me my

name is Nicky Swann. I'm a singer/songwriter

guitarist and a Newton Abbot girl.

In May 2010 I released my debut album ‘Matches and Dispatches',

which received great reviews. I have played nationally, supported

many great  UK artists including Show of Hands, Clive Gregson,

Brian Willoughby and Cathryn Craig, Megson as well as American artists

Brooks Williams and Corrine West.

I'm now looking to the future and I want to write my second album,

but I want to do something that will stretch my songwriting skills and write about

different subject matter, away from the  ‘that boy broke my heart' scenario.

So I have decided to look at where I come from and write an album based on local

stories from my home town. I hope the album could promote the town and

introduce its history to a wider audience.

It's currently August 2010 and I'm about half way through the writing stage, and

would hope the finished CD will be ready sometime early next year.

Some of the subject matter for the songs you can expect to hear include:

 
John Lethbridge an inspirational man who invented a diving machine in order to

reverse his fortunes when he fell on hard times.

Ropewalk and the story of Maude Albrighton who cut her extraordinary long and

strong hair and asked the ropemakers to weave her a rope from her hair which she
then used as a swing.

Kitty Jay (Jay's Grave) a familiar story to many Devonians I'm sure but one that I

couldn't ignore as Kitty Jay spent her early childhood in the Newton Abbot

poorhouse. In her teens she was apprenticed out to a Dartmoor farmer, fell

pregnant by the farmer's son and sadly subsequently took her life.

Dr J.W.Ley did much for the poor in Newton Abbot, he was horrified by the

conditions by which (particularly the children) had to live in. He wrote a poem

describing the plight of the workhouse children, I have taken his poem and put it

to music.

Other subject matter that I hope to include on the album will be, the ball clay

mining industry, Tuckers Maltings, and Second World War bombing raids of

Newton Abbot.

For more information you can join the mailing list at my website and receive

regular updates http://www.nickyswann.com

Debut Album Reviews

"accomplished"

David Burke

R2 Magazine

"This album is really classy and jam packed full of sublime songs. A must for all music fans."
Maverick Magazine

"Nicky Swann has achieved critical acclaim and support slots for many luminaries of the folk circuit and there's a lot to like about her debut album. Her voice is rich and resonant, her versatility - playing guitar, mandolin and melodica - impressive, and the excellent sidemen contribute to the slick feel of the album."
Sam Wise
Acoustic Magazine

The Two Stories Exhibition was

opened by

Newton Abbot Mayor

Cllr Carol Bunday

on the 11th August 2010. 

It is a moving and contraversial exhibition, and has already been visited by many Polish people.

Susan Young, pictured on the left, is a writer and photographer, Halina pictured in the centre has shared her life story with Susan to create a book which is available in the museum. 

The exhibition is not open on Saturdays and will not be available to visit on the 24th August.

We apologies for any inconvieniance caused. 

Guide Launch

Thursday 6th May 2010

Devon Record Office - 'Family History Day'

Thursday 6th May 2010

• The launch of historic information boards within the town.
  
  
  Three historic information boards were
  officially launched at the opening of the new museum
  exhibition on March 9th 2010.
  
  The official launch was made by The Mayor Cllr David Howe and Camilla Hampshire, Museum Manager of exeter Museum(RAMM), pictured to the right, with Curator of Newton Abbot Museum.
  
  The information boards detail the history on:-
  
• St Leonard's Chapel, (only the clock Tower now remains)
  
• The first declaration of intent by Prince William of Orange to become England's new King in 1688 in Newton Abbot in 1688.

• Eight centuries of Market trading in the town.