A SMALL team working tirelessly to uncover the secrets of Ivybridge’s industrial past has been recognised with an award.

The Ivybridge Mill Archive Group came into being when it was announced that Stowford Mill was to close its doors.

Member Lesley Thatcher, who already had an interest in local history, contacted the mill’s manager and asked for a look at any old records and documents, fearing that the closure might mean the loss of a vital link with Ivybridge’s heritage.

Once Stowford Mill finally shut in 2013, all historical documents were handed over to the town council. The council placed them into the care of the group, which has been hard at work investigating and sorting through the masses of material.

The archive group has organised a number of public displays of its findings, and is working towards making a reference collection available based on the theme ‘Ivybridge uncovered – a mill town heritage’ – a mammoth task.

In recognition of its hard work, the group has just been announced as the winner of the Nick Cummins Community Group of the Year Award by the town council. The council said the award acknowledged the ‘outstanding work undertaken in investigating, recording and presenting an important aspect of Ivybridge’s industrial heritage’.

It added: ‘The professionalism and dedication of the group is well illustrated by public presentations, and thanks to its work the citizens of Ivybridge are now more aware of a significant part of the town’s history and structure.’

The group will be officially presented with the award at the town council meeting on Monday, December 7.

Lesley says her interest in local history was originally piqued when she discovered that the famous landscape artist William Turner had painted the Ivy Bridge – demonstrating its importance as an historic crossing of the Erme, as well as its scenic beauty. She began to research the growth of Ivybridge as a town, before hearing of the planned closure of the ancient mill.

Lesley said: ‘The award was a complete surprise, but very nice – we’re delighted to be recognised.

‘We’re working rather long term to get some kind of heritage centre up at the mill, and I think there is a willingness on both sides to get something up there.

‘We’ve also had funding to buy a museum record system, to make things much more accessible to the public, and easier for ourselves. Next year, we’re hoping to get some of our stuff on an interactive kiosk in the library so that anyone can look.

‘Ivybridge is a very interesting place, but so little is known about it, and there’s very little in the town about its own history. We’ve had lots of donations, not necessarily to keep, but we’ve had sight of lots of people’s personal archives, including a collection of 1,500 postcards, and lots of old documents that we’ve digitised.

‘We’ve got all these little nuggets that we’re trying to put together so people can see the big picture.

‘The interesting thing about the mill, and the paper industry in general, is it was perfectly usual for people to work there for 30 or 40 years, even in the less skilled jobs. One family in Ivybridge we know had six generations all employed there.

‘When things like that come up you think – I must find out more. It’s the little details that all come together to make something much more personal.’Mayor of Ivybridge cllr David Gray-Taylor said: ‘I am delighted that this year’s award has been given to the Ivybridge Mill Archive Group, who have put many hours work voluntarily into storing information on the town’s history and heritage. ‘This award is a huge accolade to them and justly deserved.’

Having worked intensively on the history of Stowford Mill the group now plans to broaden its scope, and is currently looking at topics including the viaduct and Brunel, and the town’s boundary stones. It plans to change its name to the Ivybridge Heritage Archaeology Group as its main focus moves past the mill, and has a new website, www.ivybridge-heritage.org, under development.