Torbay Libraries will be exploring the Bay's rich past after successfully being awarded £31,700 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Celebrating Torbay: a year of local and family history will be starting in January 2016 and aims to engage local residents, young and old, in learning more about the history of their towns, streets and families, as well as seeking to preserve invaluable artefacts, photographs and documents for future generations.

A dedicated website will be created and a range of resources will be available to help everyone research and learn about their local history. The website will also provide information on activities, including displays, talks, exhibitions and reminiscence work, which will all be taking place throughout the year to help and inspire residents to be part of the history making.

Councillor David Morris, Executive Lead for Customer Services, said: “It is fantastic news that our libraries have been awarded this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. This will be a great project for everyone of all ages in Torbayto get involved in. Torbay is rich in history, and with Napoleon, Rudyard Kipling, Oscar Wilde and Agatha Christie being just some of the famous historical figures that have helped shape our past, there will be a wealth of local history to document.” 

Nerys Watts, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said:
“Celebrating Torbay is a great project which will give local people of all ages the chance to explore and learn more about their town and where they come from. By digitizing the libraries’ archives and creating a website the intriguing history of Torbay will be open to all and we’re delighted to be supporting this project thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.” 

As well as the website several other projects related to local history will be taking place. These include: a project digitising Torbay Libraries’ extensive range of archive photographs; a book written by local school children which will detail some of Torbay’s more blood-curdling secrets; and a local history calendar will be produced to showcase the library’s rarely seen images from the past.