Devon in the 1920s

Rural life 100 years ago.

Some of our volunteers are currently researching rural life in Devon during the 1920s, and are looking particularly at the changes that took place on local farms in the decade after the first world war.

To this end we will be using items from our collection, such as tenancy agreements, stock valuations, letters between farmers and their land agents and historic photographs, to help us build a picture of life on the farm 100 years ago. Our studies will be complemented by information gleaned from census returns*, trade directories and historic newspapers too.

This is part of a county wide research initiative, hosted by Devon History Society in partnership with the South West Heritage Trust and the Devon Family History Society. The project aims to explore the distinctiveness of Devon in the 1920s through a collaboration of individual researchers and organisations, and to share the findings widely.

To find out more about the project, or to get involved, please visit the Devon History Society website. Alternatively, if you would like to volunteer at the DRA and take part in our research for this project, please do get in touch.

*The 1921 census is set to become available for study in January 2022*