Eric R Delderfield and Exmoor
Eric Raymond Delderfield was well known for his writings about West Country topics. He moved with his family to South Devon in 1923, when his father, William James Delderfield, became editor of the Exmouth Chronicle. His brother Ronald (RF Delderfield) became a well-known novelist. Eric published over sixty books and guides, plus a series of Brief Guides, condensed versions of his books ranging from regionals to churches and inn signs. He knew Exmoor and Devonshire well but also wrote about Yorkshire, the Lake District and the Cotswolds.
His British Inn Signs and their Stories, published in 1965, is a recognised reference book on the subject and ran into several editions and reprints. Animal Stories was published in Britain and America and reprinted in the Pan paperback series. Other popular works running into several editions and reprints were Kings and Queens of England and West Country Historic Houses and their Families.
His North Devon Story was published in 1952 under the imprint of Raleigh Press, as was his Exmoor Wanderings in 1956. Exmoor Wanderings contains many original stories about different parts of Exmoor and the book is brought to life with many anecdotes and quotes from local people. Published under his own imprint, ERD Publications, was Visitor’s Brief Guide to Exmoor (1953) and The Book of Lynton and Lynmouth (1981). By far the most successful of his Exmoor books was The Lynmouth Flood Disaster, first published a year after the disaster in 1953 and running to its tenth edition in 1981, with reprints ever since. Originally published by Raleigh Press, then ERD Publications and since Eric’s death it has been published by J Atkins and J Letheren.
Some of Eric’s books were jointly published under the imprint of Raleigh Press and ERD Publications. Raleigh Press, based in Newton Abbot published works of other authors but ERD Publications, based in Eric’s home town of Exmouth, was entirely for Eric’s own works. He wrote several books about Exmouth, including Exmouth Milestones and Exmouth Yesterdays and was highly regarded as a recorder of the town’s history. His books are well researched and written and concentrate on the human story, Eric often relying on first hand information from the people concerned. Part of Eric’s success as a businessman was his personal touch and the way he would deliver his books personally and chat with his customers to find out what they needed. What many needed was cheap guidebooks on popular subject to sell to visitors, and this was what Eric provided. The bonus for the visitors was that they were so well written.
Eric died in 1996.