Shipwrecks were common off the coast of North Devon and Ilfracombe until recently, though few of them have a legacy as mysterious as that of the HMS London, which sank just off Rapparee Cove on the 9th of October 1796.

For over two centuries now, Ilfracombe has been a popular place to retire in – something that is still true even today.

The 1800s and 1900s brought about some of the most dynamic and diverse years of Ilfracombe’s history.

A significant portion of Ilfracombe history has and always will be tied to its harbour. By the early 13th Century Ilfracombe was considered a harbour of refuge and a significant stop along the route to and from the Bristol Channel.

Musicians from Europe – but in particular German musicians – were not an uncommon sight in Ilfracombe throughout the mid to late 1800s and even into the 1900s.

Buried deep in the depths of the Ilfracombe Museum Archive are four images of the same employee at Russel’s Colonial Warehouse.

In both world wars Ilfracombe saw a huge number of fleeing refugees, and it was critical in providing a secure space to train new soldiers to better defend the borders of Britain – and even mainland Europe and the rest of the world.

Born in 1908 in Swansea, Wales, Thornton Thomas had a bumpy start to life caused in no small part by being the mixed race son of a single mother. In 1938, Thornton made his way to Ilfracombe and became a local footballing legend.

Over 3000 German and Austrian Jewish refugees fled from mainland Europe and joined the British army, ending up in Ilfracombe for their training.