The Author
John Travis has written and lectured on many aspects of Devon's history, but is perhaps best known for his books on the rise of the Devon seaside resorts, the history of smuggling on the Exmoor coast and on early Lynton and Lynmouth. He was a Lynton hotelier for many years, before studying at the University of Exeter and being awarded a Ph.D. for his thesis on the rise of the Devon seaside resorts. He then became a lecturer in social history.
John has been Mayor of Lynton and Lynmouth three times. He has also been a District Councillor on the North Devon Council and a Member of the Exmoor National Park Authority.
John and his wife, Gwyneth, have five children and thirteen grandchildren. They both enjoy holidays in France, bird watching and rambling in the countryside.
Previous Books
The Rise of the Devon Seaside Resorts, 1750-1900 (University of Exeter Press, 1993)
An Illustrated History of Lynton and Lynmouth, 1770-1914 (Breedon Press, 1995)
Lynton and Lynmouth: Glimpses of the Past (Breedon Press, 1997)
Smuggling on the Exmoor Coast, 1680-1850 (Exmoor Society, 2001)