The Exmouth Seamen’s Mission and Sailor’s Rest in St Andrew’s Road was erected in 1909 and closed in 2007. Before 1909 premises in Camperdown Terrace and Chapel Hill were used for mission purposes.
Its original 1909 objectives were:
“1. IN TRUST TO PERMIT THE SAID PREMISES TO BE USED AND OCCUPIED AS A SEAMEN’S MISSION AND SAILORS REST.
2. AS A PLACE OF MEETING FOR REST AND RECREATION FOR MEN WHO HAVE BEEN OR ARE CONNECTED WITH SEA-FARING LIFE AND WORK WHERE THEY MAY BE PROVIDED WITH HOME COMFORTS AT A MODERATE COST WHILE ON SHORE.
3. AS A PLACE OF MEETING RECREATION AND AMUSEMENT FOR THE LOCAL FISHERMEN AND BOATMEN.
4. FOR THE RECEPTION AND SUCCOUR OF SHIPWRECKED SEAMEN AND FISHERMEN.
5. FOR THE HOLDING OF MEETINGS FOR SERVICES BOTH ON SUNDAYS AND WEEKDAYS AND OF LECTURE CLASSES AND ENTERTAINMENTS FOR THE PROMOTION OF THE SPIRITUAL MORAL AND SOCIAL WEFARE O THOSE WHO SHALL FREQUENT A RESORT TO THE SAID MISSION OR WHO SHALL BELONG TO ANY OF THE CLASSES OF PERSONS HEREINBEFORE MENTIONED SUCH SERVICES LECTURES AND CLASSES TO BE OF A SIMPLE AND INTERESTING CHARACTER SUITABLE TO THE NEEDS OF THE MEN.”
The building was used as a VAD Hospital between 1914 and 1918. During the second World War it was used by the Home Guard and the Red Cross and provided accommodation for soldiers and sailors and a school room for evacuees. After the war, the committee leased The Sailors’ Rest to the British Sailors’ Society to be run as a hostel for sailors. In 1950, it was leased to the YMCA which later sub-let part of the building to Devon County Council to be used as a centre for Adult Education. It was closed in 2007.