North Devon in 100 Objects 11

11. View from the River by F.R.Lee This small painting, created in 1821, is the work of Frederick Richard Lee, the only Royal Academician from Barnstaple.  It shows the town from the river, before the improvements and building of Victorian times, and contrasts with the large scale paintings Lee was to go on to create. …

North Devon in 100 Objects 9

9. Peggy James's Sampler The word sampler is derived from the old French term 'essamplaire', meaning 'an example', referring to work that has been copied. Samplers were created to show off an individual’s embroidery work, and from the 18th century onwards became part of a young girl’s education. In the Museum’s collection there are several …

North Devon in 100 Objects 12

12. The Bowden's Indian Balm Sign This splendid sign advertises Bowden’s Indian Balm, a cure-all ointment that was made and sold at the end of Butchers Row in Barnstaple until 1973.  It has a fascinating story to tell of missionaries and colonialism as well as medicine. William Bowden, together with his friend William Beer, were …

North Devon in 100 Objects 16

16. A Hair from an Elephant's Tail This elephant hair was posted to Henry Desborough of Pilton, probably around 1860.  It found its way into the collections of the North Devon Athenaeum, perhaps via the Literary and Scientific Institution, of which Henry was a member. Museums in the 19th century became the home of all …

North Devon in 100 Objects 17

17. The Huxtable Plough This clever invention was developed here in North Devon. John Huxtable was a blacksmith’s son from Brayford, who was fascinated with all things mechanical from childhood. He used to watch the farmers at work in the fields near his home.  The mouldboards of standard ploughs always turned the soil to the …

North Devon in 100 Objects 21

21. Some Leyden Jars These glass jars, lined inside and out with zinc foil, were found lined up in a large wooden box, connected by metal wires.  We have no record of their provenance, but we believe they once belonged to the Barnstaple Literary and Scientific Institution. The Institution was set up in 1845, thanks …

North Devon in 100 Objects 22

22. The Elliott Ralli Car This little cart is a Ralli Car, made by Elliotts of Bideford around the turn of the 20th century.  Carts like this would once have been common in North Devon, used as a general run-around for families. It has back-to-back seating and space under the seats for luggage or shopping …

North Devon in 100 Objects 26

26. The Phrenological Head This ceramic head has been part of our collection for 175 years - longer than almost any other object.  It was given to the Barnstaple Literary and Scientific Institution by Dr.Richard Budd (1809-1896), who was the physician at the North Devon Infirmary for over 40 years. The 19th century pseudoscience of …

North Devon in 100 Objects 30

30. Queen Victoria's Slippers There are a number of pairs of Queen Victoria’s slippers in museums. It is said that she wore each pair only once, and they were then passed on to her attendants.  Some of them were kept and passed down to their descendants, which is how this pair ended up in the …

North Devon in 100 Objects 32

32. A Yeomanry Table Napkin The Royal Devon Yeomanry Regimental Collection includes a set of illustrated silk table napkins made by Thomas Marshall in 1850 for the Officers’ Mess.  The hand drawn images show the range of the Yeomanry’s activities at that time. Thomas Mervyn Bouchier Marshall was the son of the banker John Marshall …