As our new year’s resolutions wain – from joining a gym to having a non alcoholic January – Bishopsteignton Heritage looks forward into 2026.
It reminds me of having a new ‘jotter’ or new book at school where the handwriting on the fresh new page was orderly and neat. The back pages were a scrawl….
There is certainly no lack of commitment and drop of standards at BH. The metaphorical foot on the accelerator is consistent, driving us specifically towards museum accreditation. Our ‘Public Mince Pie and Wine’ museum consultation took place on December 12th 2025 and all participants were given the opportunity to throw in their thoughts and ideas regarding the new museum opening in the Hawkins room, hopefully in the Spring.
After a great deal of painstaking work by the hub team, headed up by James Hooper, listed building consent has been granted and work on the building should commence in March/April this year.
The new museum affords more room than the current Wilson Room and will display items that were formally displayed in the ‘old museum’ as well as the many that have been acquired subsequently.
The new museum is ‘for the village’ contributed ‘by the village’. With this in mind, BH would encourage folk to look in your attics, cupboards, under your bed, dig up your patio for any photos or objects related to the history of Bishopsteignton.
BH would also like to hear from anyone interested in volunteering to help once the new museum is open.
It is fantastic that BH can share all things Bishopsteignton with the ever-increasing number of interesting followers.
I myself, recently viewed a short film donated by esteemed ex- village footballer, Tony Apps, which included Gourds Removals (a village based household removals firm), characters long passed and a village fete at the Vicarage which included my Uncle Ken, sister Gaynor and well-known villager, Edward Perkin. I reckon this film was from 1963.
Members of the Robbins family on the local toy train.
It’s also very gratifying when previous articles written for BH, suddenly produce connections that were unexpected. For example, Jack Pugh, an engineer that lived in Rose Cottage on Fore St, had a scale railway locomotive and tender in his house! I remember it as a five year old! His grandson who lives in Sussex contacted BH to tell us he now has the loco and thought he ought to inform us after reading an article in BH!
Dave Robbins
Dave and all the team at Bishopsteignton Heritage would like to take the opportunity to wish everybody a very Happy New Year!
You can always get in touch with us via email: [email protected], our Facebook page and of course by coming to see us at the Hub in the community centre on Fridays 11 – 4 and Saturdays 10 – 12. You will always be welcome!