Exploring the rich multicultural history of Devon.

Exeter Community Stories

John Antat Interview

John Antat is a rooted community member, and was the manager of the Phoenix Youth Club in Wonford. His parents came from the Seychelles. He’s lived in Exeter for 35 years. There are three extracts here. Listen to the extracts by clicking on the play button on...

Terry Bissessar Interview

Terry Bissessar is a police inspector based in Exeter. His parents came from Guyana in the 1960s. Sandhya Dave and Bati Ghimire interviewed him at Heavitree Police station in December 2012. Read the full transcript of the interview here. Listen to the extracts by...
A Migrant’s Story

A Migrant’s Story

‘A Migrant’s Story’ by David Woolger David has been part of the ‘Telling Our Stories’ project from the outset and through his writing and poetry has shared his story. David speaks with eloquent openness about race, identity and life with...
Chosen by Ourselves

Chosen by Ourselves

Inspired by her fascination with artifacts and the museum collections in Exeter’s RAMM, Community Researcher Yukiko Frank undertook an innovative research project of her own ‘Chosen By Ourselves’ which researches multi-cultural Exeter today. Many...
Multi-Cultural Exeter 1500-1800

Multi-Cultural Exeter 1500-1800

Community Researcher, Olivia Hall, has given us three areas of research that give insight into Exeter’s multi-cultural past: St Stephens Parish Henry VIII’s Military Survey of 1522 which shows early records of foreign-born nationals in Exeter. Photo shows...
Tucker Sketches

Tucker Sketches

From Devon Record Office, a collection of ‘Portraits of Devonshire Characters’ by an artist called Tucker. Dated 1870-1873. Number 3 carries the caption “Miss ______ Daughter of an English Merchant in West Africa sent to England to be...
Fordland Sketches

Fordland Sketches

A collection of sketches from the Devon Record Office, made by J Harris in 1823 and 1824 (ref no Z19/2/4) Number 8: ‘Mr White A Black Beggar’ is of special interest to this project – nothing else is known of him. Photographs by Ghee Bowman, with...
Where Butterflies Live

Where Butterflies Live

In the 2011 census nearly 2726 Devonians stated their religion as Buddhist, a proportonal increase of 51.9% since the last census in 2001. ‘Where Butterflies Live is a personal and reflective journey with Buddhism at its heart by Community Researcher Alexandra...

Bozenka Pearson

Bozenka Pearson’s parents both came from Poland during World War II. They were part of Anders II Corps who travelled via Iran and the Middle East, to Italy and thence to Britain after the war. They were part of a very large Polish emigre community in Britain...