Building Homes for Heroes in Exeter after the First World War

Prime Minister Lloyd George’s promise of ‘Homes for Heroes’ in recognition of the sacrifices made by working men during the long years of the First World War is widely known – even if he never quite used those actual words! Exeter entered the 1920s as a city with considerable over-crowding and a city centre where many properties were dilapidated and ‘injurious to health’ and needed replacement. More homes – many more homes - were definitely required and the government acknowledged that was the case.

In this talk Dr Julia Neville, ELHS member and project manager for the Devon in the 1920s project, explores the efforts made by various parties in Exeter to keep that promise. The council – which had almost no pre-war experience of building council houses – did its best to create new ‘council estates’ against a backdrop of economic recession. Together with private builders and developers and with some help from social housing organizations like the Church Army Housing Society, they changed the landscape of Exeter, and much of what they built still exists today.

If you are a member of the Exeter Local History Society, tickets are free for you - please select a £0 ticket when registering for the event. If you are not a member of the Society, there is a small (£3) entry fee. If you would like to attend as a non-member, please select a non-member ticket when registering.

More information about the Society and its events can be found on the Society's website at www.exeterlocalhistorysociety.co.uk.