Discover Devon's colourful 1920s at Seale-Hayne Agricultural College exhibition

As part of the county-wide Devon in the 1920s Festival, the Devon Rural Archive at Shilstone is hosting an exhibition that tells the story of the Seale-Hayne Agricultural College in the 1920s. The exhibition includes stories of students and staff at the College, which opened in 1920, and how the College expanded its courses and became a focus for agricultural research.

The exhibition features posterboards, photographs, letters, a tapestry of the College’s Coat of Arms, as well as information about Rt Hon Charles Seale-Hayne, who founded the College. Images showcase students learning, tractor trials and women students, whose inclusion caused ‘shock and horror’ as mixing of sexes was not considered to be advantageous financially or otherwise! There is information about the effects of the agricultural depression and how students struggled at times with not enough desks and chairs go around. The exhibition also recounts how highly the College was ranked among the educational institutions in the country at the time.

Local groups, museums and the National Trust help show how life in the 1920s was more colourful than ever before – in clothes and shoes and fashion accessories like handbags. More people had more leisure and the opportunity to enjoy it on trips out, on holiday, or in their Devon second homes.

There are exhibitions and events taking place between March and November across the county, from Appledore to Hemyock, Plymouth to Exeter, Dartmouth to Arlington. You’ll be able to re-imagine the world of work in Devon’s traditional industries – farming, market gardening, ship-building, domestic service. Or in the new worlds of motor transport and the growing hospitality sector.

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