Looking Back at Looe Street at Plymouth Arts Centre

Austerity and ‘make do and mend’ necessitated by the war years are being celebrated at an event at Plymouth Arts Centre.

The event, on Saturday 14 December, is the opening celebration of the Looe Street Detectives exhibition at the Arts Centre.  Artist, Sara Bowler has worked with a team of Plymouth residents, the ‘Detectives’, aged from nine to over 70.

Together they have unearthed historical facts and anecdotes about 38 Looe Street, and the immediate vicinity. Their findings have been used to transform the gallery, in an exhibition where the visitor is surrounded by the rich and hidden histories of this area of the Barbican.

The research has uncovered that the occupants of Plymouth Arts Centre and its neighbours included a boot and shoemaker, dairy, baker, grocer, furniture dealer, bottle merchant, sweet dealer, hatter, butcher, tripe dresser and wholesale egg importer – and that’s only takes us up to1908!

Visitors to the event are invited to be photographed alongside their treasured objects and to make some retro, thrifty Christmas decorations. Darran McLane, from Grow Allot will be sharing food growing stories and advising on ‘Growing your Own’, in a Growing Challenge. 

Local people have been able to get involved with the project thanks to support from Councillor Chris Penberthy’s Community Grant Fund and Cllr Penberthy, Ward Councillor for St Peter and the Waterfront, will launch the event and be available to chat about the area.

The project is part of the Engagement Network, developed by Engage South West and funded by Visual Arts South West.  It has also been supported by the ARC research group at Plymouth University, Plymouth and West Devon Records Office and Plymouth Central Library.