Topsham's maritime history brought to life
HISTORIAN and collector Sadru Bhanji has brought to life the ancient maritime tradition of Topsham.
His Postcards From Topsham Volume Two gives an insight into the history of the ancient estuary town near Exeter.
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WATERWAYS: Topsham Quay was enlarged in the 1860s. A major alteration was the inclusion of the Steamer Quay, which was used by steamships heading for London, France and the Channel islands. Inset, a postcard dated 1904 shows the canal near Topsham Lock
The new book includes a collection of postcards of the town and its surroundings.
Topsham owed its past reputation as one of England's major ports to its position along the River Exe.
The new volume concentrates on views of, and from, the Exe — but the Exeter Canal and River Clyst are not ignored.
Cargo-bearing vessels were once able to navigate between Exmouth and Exeter, but during the medieval era the way was blocked by a dam at Countess Wear and ships shifted to the quay at Topsham.
Despite many efforts it was not until 1566 that the Exeter Chamber opened a canal to bypass the dam.
This was not a total success as many merchants still preferred to transport goods between Topsham Quay and Exeter by road.
Even the purchase of Topsham Quay by the Exeter City Chamber in 1769 failed to ease the situation as a number of merchants then refused to pay the city for its use.
It is said the stones used to build Exeter Cathedral were brought to Topsham on the River Clyst and, during the 18th century, boats carrying salt, sea water and coal sailed along the Clyst to the salt refinery and coal depot near the site of the present Bridge Inn.
More recently guano was conveyed to the manure factory at Odam's Wharf.
Mr Bhanji, 65, was born in Yorkshire, but brought up in Lancashire. He came to the South West in 1977 as consultant psychiatrist to the then South West Regional Health Authority and as senior lecturer in adult mental illness at the University of Exeter.
On retirement in 1992, he took up local history as a hobby on the advice of a friend. Mr Bhanji is now vice-chairman of the Devon and Exeter Institution and treasurer of the Devon History Society and of the Exeter Branch of the Devonshire Association.
The book is available from Joel Segal Bookshop in Topsham or directly from the publisher, Precious Moments Exeter.
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