House Detective (printer friendly version (128KB - pdf help))

Have you ever looked at the houses and shops in your street or nearby? How old do you think they are? How old do you think your house is? Have you ever wondered who lived there before you? Maybe it was an explorer or a pirate!

Most of the facts that you can find in the libraries and in the Devon Record Office are going to be about houses that were built at least one hundred years ago, but if you live in a modern house (like my 1960s built kennel) you still might be able to find out the name of the field where your house was built.

Deeds
You can find out who lived in your house from its deeds. Deeds are documents which contain information about previous owners, boundaries, alterations to the house and plans of the layout. The deeds may be in your house or they might have been deposited at the Devon Record Office.

Trade and street directories
Larger libraries have books called directories, which are arranged by street names. It can be fun to see who used to live in the street and what they did for a living. The Record Office may also offer clues as to who lived at your house in the past and if they ran a business from home. Maybe you are living in an old sweet shop!

Census Returns
The Census is a count of all the people in the United Kingdom on one particular day and is normally taken every ten years. The census provides wonderful information of what life was like in a particular house on the day that the information was collected. As a result, census information is brilliant for helping us to explore the past. The first modern Census was taken in 1801 and there has been one every ten years since, apart from 1941 when British involvement in the Second World War stopped it taking place. Between 1801 and 1831 the Census contains only general information relating to the population but from 1841 more details started to be kept. After this date, information on each person living in a household was recorded. This means that the Census is a very useful source of information for historians. You can use computers in libraries and the Record Office to find the street where you live.

Newspapers
Other sources you can use for 19th century houses are newspapers. For example, the Exeter Flying Post is online and indexed; it was full of adverts for houses to let.

Architecture
If you want to find out how old your house is you may find clues in the style of architecture that has been used. For example: the shape of the windows or the materials used to build it.

Maps
You may find your house on a map. The Westcountry Studies Library has old maps which show the streets and houses, you might be able to find your street. The Devon Record Office has lots of maps and they often show houses, streets, fields and sometimes record details of who owned the land. Compare a map of your street published today with one of a hundred years ago. How has the area changed?

If you find out something interesting about your house don’t forget to write and let me know!

Just email me at max@devon.gov.uk or drop a line to:

M@x c/o Devon Libraries
Library HQ
Great Moor House
Bittern Road
Exeter
Devon
EX2 7NL

Make a replica of your house for the Big Draw!

What you will need: Cardboard box, scissors and Felt tip pens.

Big Draw Family Sunday 26th October - The Phoenix, Exeter

Secret City – drawing, printmaking and cardboard construction– 11:30-3pm.

October’s Family Sunday art drop-in will be a free workshop to celebrate the national Big Draw.

This year The Phoenix, RAMM, the Devon Record Office and CCANW (Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World) are creating together a Secret City.

Come and make your own part of the city, or just bring along a pre-made house for inclusion in the city! Draw and make prints with Double Elephant Print workshop!

For more information please phone the Devon Record Office - 01392 384253