The group meets once a month, usually on the first Monday, in Newton Poppleford Village Hall.
So far we have managed to sort out and organise the old documents and memorabilia that were languishing in old boxes and suitcases upstairs. A couple of filing cabinets have helped – things can now be found a bit more easily than rooting through the old boxes!
Some coffee mornings have taken place, bringing in people who had moved away from the area years ago, and bringing with them more memories and photographs. At recent coffee mornings we haverun photo-shows of a selection of the scanned photographs in our archives.
In December 2017 we published our first small book: ‘Memories from the People of Newton Poppleford’. This limited edition has sold well and we may consider a reprint if there is sufficient demand.
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The coffee mornings have also raised some funds to help us pay for hiring the hall, buying some basic equipment etc., and made donations to local charities. The parish council provided some seed funding in 2014 to help us get going.
Photos and old documents are being scanned and stored as computer files as a backup to the originals – many of which are quite fragile. People are being interviewed informally and their memories recorded for posterity.
For 2016 and 2017 a calendar using old local photographs was produced and sold to raise some funds. Books are being planned, the first one having been very successful.
In 2018 we plan to hold an exhibition of wartime and are seeking help from local people to lend items from their records to include. Following the exhibition we hope to produce a second book about wartimes and how this affected the area.
Newton Poppleford Local History Group 
Good afternoon. My name is Len Smith, and I am the manager for Elliott’s, who are building the new school. However, I find the history of the old school fascinating. I have enjoyed looking at photos, of the old school, from 1906 & 1910. Do you have any further photos of the school?
Also, in the historical narrative, about the school, Marion & Kitty speak of the ‘spring term,’ at the school, and the annual medical checks undertaken by the school doctor, dentist, and ‘the nit nurse.’ In what years did Marion & Kitty go to school, at Newton Poppleford?
I am more than happy to make a cash donation, for your help.
Regards, Len Smith
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Hi Mr Smith. My name is Anthony (Tony) Curtis, and I attended Newton Poppleford school from 1954 to 1960. I was online a few days ago and came across a recent photo taken outside the school on School Lane. I had to look twice as I said to myself ‘where is the school’? A bit more research made it clear that there was now a new school. I don’t think that I have any pictures, but I can describe life at the school if you (or anyone in the History Group) is interested.
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