The Francis Frith Collection.
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Plymouth photos (179 available)

Old photo of Plymouth

Plymouth maps (2 available)

Old map of Plymouth

Plymouth books (8 available)

Plymouth memories

Plymouth College

Plymouth, the Cemetery 1889

Whilst this is the best known photograph of Ford Park Cemetery in the late nineteenth century it is also one of the best of Plymouth College (seen in the top right), because it was taken at a time when the school still owned all the land down to the eastern cemetery wall and had continuing hopes of extending the first phase of the Oxbridge style complex to both sides and forward as well as further developing the prominent site into impressive gardens and playing fields. Regretably expensive civil proceedings arising from a sporting accident left the school almost bankrupt and all but the small residual cricket pitch had to be sold to speculative residential developers who quickly filled the huge site ...read more here
Contributed by Chas Tope

Ford Park Cemetery

Plymouth, the Cemetery 1889

The Cemetery, popularly known as Ford Park Cemetery, and owned by the Plymouth, Devonport & Stonehouse Cemetery Company finally went into liquidation in 1999 owing to the decline in burials following the opening of the two Council run cemeteries at Weston Mill and Efford and also in part due to the increasing popularity of cremation. At that time there had been upwards of 250,000 pesons interred in the Cemetery but there was still room for some 10,000 more.
A charity - The Ford Park Cemetery Trust - was formed in 2000 to run the over-grown and vandal damaged cemetery and has now, with the help of a very willing team of volunteers and a dedicated ground staff, completely cleared the grounds, ...read more here
Contributed by Tony Dean

Bubbles up your bum!

Plymouth, the Bathing Pool c1950

Just look closely at the picture, sitting on top of the fountain was half the fun & excitement of coming to the pool. Water wings under my arms and the supervision of Granddad Russell I made my first attempt at learning to swim. Getting really daring swimming to the back of the pool, climbing out would lead to the open sea where only the brave would swim. The pool was accessed by steps from the road at the front of the Hoe. Walking down the damp steps we then divided into boys and girls changing rooms from where we emerged into the circular concrete pool. There were 2 four layer fountains to climb and sit on and a central taller fountain ...read more here
Contributed by margaret gradwell

Devon memories

Plymouth College

Plymouth, the Cemetery 1889

Whilst this is the best known photograph of Ford Park Cemetery in the late nineteenth century it is also one of the best of Plymouth College (seen in the top right), because it was taken at a time when the school still owned all the land down to the eastern cemetery wall and had continuing hopes of extending the first phase of the Oxbridge style complex to both sides and forward as well as further developing the prominent site into impressive gardens and playing fields. Regretably expensive civil proceedings arising from a sporting accident left the school almost bankrupt and all but the small residual cricket pitch had to be sold to speculative residential developers who quickly filled the huge site ...read more here
A memory of Plymouth contributed by Chas Tope

Extracts From Plymouth & Devon books

Plymouth, Onion Sellers 1907

This charming study of two young onion sellers was taken by the Frith photographer during the long and prosperous ‘Edwardian afternoon’. Merchant ships brought goods from all over the world into Plymouth’s harbours.
An extract from from"Times Gone By".

Plymouth, Onion Sellers 1907

This charming study of two young onion sellers was taken by the Frith photographer during the long and prosperous ‘Edwardian afternoon’. Merchant ships brought goods from all over the world into Plymouth’s harbours.
An extract from from"Countryside Poems".

Exmouth, the Esplanade 1898

This view was taken from the building at the very end of Morton Crescent. To the immediate left is the Imperial Hotel, seen in its original architectural design, changed now after the fire in the 1970s.
An extract from from"Exmouth Photographic Memories".

Exmouth, the Esplanade c1955

By the middle of the 20th century we see something resembling the modern scene. There is the more familiar red telephone box on the traffic island, a modern post box, and Belisha beacons to aid pedestrians wishing to cross the road. In the centre of the photograph is the white tower of the Pavilion Theatre. Much of the street furniture was removed by the start of the 21st century, leaving a more traffic-dominated Esplanade.
An extract from from"Exmouth Photographic Memories".

Exmouth, from the Pier 1906

The construction of a substantial sea wall, seen here in section to the right, led to Exmouth’s prosperity as a seaside resort. Before the wall was built, much of the sea front was marshland and sand dunes, and subjected to constant flooding. The first section of the wall was completed in 1842, paid for by the local landowner John Rolle. It was 1,900 feet long and constructed from Devon limestone. The designer was John Smeaton, a veteran engineer and the designer of London Bridge.
An extract from from"Exmouth Photographic Memories".