The Group was established in April 1991 with three objectives i) to collect together photographs, oral history and other historical data and to make such collections accessible to South Tawton Primary School and the general public ii) to promote, improve, develop and maintain public education and appreciation of the history and culture of South Tawton Parish and its environs, and iii )to present e
xhibitions lectures and other events with reference to the collections. This all began with the photographic archive which came about due to the initiative and hard work of Margaret Tucker and the Wren Trust who borrowed photographs from local residents and had them copied. From this beginning the group has acquired more historic material including maps, books, papers, house histories and more photographs. The first chairman of the group was Patrick Shaw with a committee of six including Julia Candler (secretary, Jackie Yeats (treasurer), and John Popplestone (custodian of the Archive). In more recent years the group was sustained, and several exhibitions mounted under the steady hands of Meg Wolton.
