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The Torquay guide containing a description of the town, and of the most remarkable objects in the neighbourhood. (3rd Edition)

Teignmouth: Edward & George H Croydon (1848) 160pp.

Prepared by Michael Steer

This tourists' guide is of a type called 'vade mecum' and was for the visitor an almost indispensable part of Devon's burgeoning Victorian seaside holiday industry. The Guide retailed at five shillings, a substantial amount in its day. Edward Croydon of Teignmouth operated as a bookseller, printer, stationer and print and music warehouse. He owned and managed a circulating library and provided billiard rooms for visitors (advertised in the Guide p. 98). He clearly sought to act as an important social centre for the newly formed resort. In 1819 he was selling ball tickets, his circulating library kept the London and Exeter newspapers and, prior to the establishment of the Teignmouth arrival list in 1849, he kept a listing of visitors at his circulating library for public consultation. He also published guidebooks. This rare and much sought-after book was produced digitally by Google from a copy in the University of California Library collection and can be downloaded from HathiTrust. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.