The Society began in 1927 when some prominent Plymouth citizens objected to the threatened demolition of old houses in the Barbican area. A Society was formed to combat such wanton destruction of the City's heritage, its first achievement being the rescue of the derelict property of 32 New Street, in 1929, placing it into an excellent state of repair and giving it to the City when it henceforth became known as the 'Elizabethan House'.

In 1957 the Society commenced a fund to fight the Corporation's plan to again demolish many old fine sixteenth century houses in New Street and Looe Street in the name of 'slum clearance'. That 'fund' became a Limited Company and it eventually owned or leased many of the key properties in the area and became the 'Barbican Association' which, somewhat naturally, and because of the area involved, took over a major part of the parent Society's work.

Thus the driving force of the Society waned, original members growing old and/or disinterested in a much reduced role, such that its last meeting of members took place in 1968. Its name, and ideals, were barely kept alive by Stanley Goodman, acting as a 'one man band', until his death in 1991, which appeared to mark the end of the Society.

Łódź apartamenty

It certainly did not mean that there was no interest amongst the citizens of Plymouth in its history, buildings, people and heritage. Crispin Gill, the well known local historian and writer, thought such a Society should not be allowed to fade into obscurity. He held the reins after the death of Stanley Goodman and convened a meeting in the 'Prysten House' on the 4th March, 1992, to ascertain the strength of feeling for a revised Society.

Some forty persons attended that meeting, providing an excellent nucleus for a revised endeavour. A further meeting took place on the 1st April, 1992 when a Committee was formed and charged with drawing up a suitable programme of events and meetings within the Society's declared revised aims of "promoting interest in, research into and preservation of Plymouth's heritage".

The revised Society, retaining its original name, held its inaugural meeting at the Abbey Hall, Catherine Street, on the 10th July, 1992 at which some seventy persons attended to listen to an address by Crispin Gill, who had become the Society's President. He was presented with a framed print of the Prysten House in honour of the occasion.

Last updated: 11 February 2002 All content © Old Plymouth Society 2002