This is the largest single index of information relating to all aspects of Devon up to 1940. Although located in the Westcountry Studies Library, it is not a catalogue of the contents of that collection. It was originally conceived by the Devonshire Association in 1915 as a bibliography of Devon, to include works related to or printed in the county as well as works written by or relating to Devonians. It was largely the work of R.Burnet Morris, who personally wrote most of the one million cards in the index until blindness forced him to give up the work in 1940, at which date the Devonshire Association deposited the index in Exeter City Library. As it is the work of one man with his own very individual methods it was decided not to continue it after 1940.

A more detailed guide to this remarkable index was compiled in 1990: The Burnet Morris Index 1940-1990: a guide prepared to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the completion of the index and its transfer to Exeter City Library. This attempts to list the full range of sources covered and to explain the complex filing rules. Because of their complexity the Devonshire Association has asked that readers do NOT remove cards from the drawers for transcription or photocopying.

A fuller list of the works Burnet Morris analysed in detail is given in the guide mentioned above. The outline which follows gives some idea of the wide scope of the index.

Books and pamphlets. Details obtained from direct inspection as well as from bibliographies and catalogues of libraries, booksellers' and auction catalogues

Reference works. Details extracted from directories, year-books, almanacks, biographical dictionaries, registers of universities and inns of court, army and navy lists, peerages, landed gentries etc.

Ephemera. Ballads, broadsides etc from catalogues of various collections.

Manuscripts. Details obtained from Public Record Office calendars, PRO lists and indexes, Historical Manuscripts Commission reports, publications of record societies, indexes of probate records, published and unpublished catalogues of manuscripts in the British Museum, the Bodleian Library, Lambeth Palace Library, Somerset House etc. A personal survey of parish records in the county.

Maps and plans. Details from the British Museum catalogue of printed maps and other sources.

Illustrations. Details of portraits, topographical prints and paintings by local artists from art gallery catalogues and other sources.

Music. Songs etc. from the British Museum catalogue of printed music and other sources.

Newspapers. Details from the Times Tercentenary Handlist, British Museum catalogue etc. Cuttings and references from local and national newspapers, mainly for the period 1915-1940.

Official publications. Statutes, bills, parliamentary papers, references in the London Gazette.

Periodicals. National and local titles, including school and parish magazines, learned society publications etc

The index is arranged in three sections:

1. AUTHORS (drawers 1-291). This is better considered as a name index as the bulk of the cards are for references to individuals mentioned in works analysed and indexed by Burnet Morris. Parishes are considered to be the authors of their own records. Variant spellings of surnames (e.g. Smith/Smyth/Faber - the Latin for smith) are interfiled with cross-references to the chosen form of name. A card at the front of each surname lists the main variants. References to the family as a whole precede those to individuals, who are arranged alphabetically by initial or forenames. Within each forename the arrangement is by date.

2. PLACES (drawers 292-391). A place is normally equivalent to a parish, and localities within a parish are normally cross-referenced to the parish itself. Within each parish the arrangement is alphabetically by subject. There are many references back to the author section where fuller information is often given.

3. SUBJECTS (drawers 392-415). These are often grouped under more general headings (e.g. Folklore). There are many references back to the author and place sections.

Detailed information, together with a reference to the source is often to be found on one card. E.g. in the place section:

This is a reference to the Gentleman's Magazine for 1005, page 105. A file of this magazine is in the Exeter Reference Library.

Other cards frequently contain cross-references to a card where more detailed information is available. E.g in the place section:

This is a reference to the author section:

This is a reference to the Public Record Office Calendar of Patent Rolls, a set of which is in the Exeter Reference Library.

Cross-references can also be to authors of books containing the information. E.g. in the subject section:

This is a reference to a card in the author section:

Reference to the Westcountry Studies Library catalogue shows this work to be in stock located at: DEV/0005/CHU.

Locations: WSL = Westcountry Studies Library, Exeter. REF = Exeter Reference Library.

Brit. Mus. Add. Mss. A catalogue of additions to the manuscripts in the British Museum. REF

Brit. Rec. Soc. British Record Society publications. REF, local volumes WSL

Burke's Landed Gentry. REF

Cal. Close Rolls. Public Record Office, Calendar of Close Roll. REF.

Similiarly the PRO's calendars of Fine Rolls, Patent Rolls, State Papers Domestic, Treasury Books etc.

Charities. Charity Commissioners, Charities in the county of Devon WSL: 361.76/DEV/CHA

D & C N & Q. Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries. WSL: Periodicals

D & C Rec. Soc. Devon and Cornwall Record Society publications. WSL

D.N.B. Dictionary of National Biography. REF

Devon N & Q. Devon Notes and Queries. WSL: Periodicals

Devonian Yearbook. WSL: Periodicals

Ex.City Mss. 1916. Historical Manuscripts Commission. Report on the records of the city of Exeter. WSL: B/EXE/352/HIS

Ex. Dioc. Arch. Soc. Exeter Diocesan Architectural Society. Transactions WSL: Periodicals

Exeter Charities 1825. Charity Commissioners. Report for Exeter. WSL: B/EXE/361.76/REP

Fursdon Collection. Transcripts of parish records WSL: s352/DEV/FUR

Gent. Mag. Gentleman's Magazine. REF

Hist. Mss. Comm. Historical Manuscripts Commission. Reports. REF, some local ones WSL, e.g. Exeter B/EXE/352/HIS

Inq. P.M. Inquisitions post mortem. WSL: 333.322, REF

Kelly's Directory. WSL 380.1025 and s380.1025

Lysons. Lysons, D. Magna Britannia. Vol. 6: Devon WSL: xDEV/0001/LYS

Musgrave's Obituary. In Harleian Society, publications vol.44-49. REF

N & Q. Notes and Queries. REF

Notes and Gle. Notes and Gleanings. WSL: Periodicals

Oliver Eccl. Antiq. Oliver, G. Ecclesiastical antiquities of Devon. WSL: 726.5/DEV/OLI

Pipe Rolls. Pipe Roll Society, publications. REF

Powell MS notes. A collection of genealogical notes. WSL: sx929.3

Prince's Worthies. Prince, J. Danmonii orientales illustres. WSL: 920.02/DEV/PRI

Reichel. Various articles on feudal Devon. WSL: 333.322/DEV/REI etc

Risdon, Tr. Risdon, T. Chorographical description of Devon. WSL: DEV/0001/RIS

Stockdale Collection. In the Devon and Exeter Institution library. The notes themselves are unindexed so full details should be taken.

TDA. Transactions of the Devonshire Association. WSL: Periodicals

Vivian Visitations. Vivian, J. Visitations of Devon. WSL x929.3/DEV/1531

Waterfield. A collection of cuttings now dispersed

Westcote, A view Westcote, T. A view of Devonshire. WSL: DEV/1630/WES

Western Antiquary. WSL: Periodicals