Leighway January 2015.Pdf
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LEIGHWAY ISSUE 45 JANUARY 2015 HAPPY NEW YEAR Well here we are again- another on further aspects of the Great work of the Society, don’t miss INSIDE THIS new year - how fast they go! War and World War II, this out on the deadline date. ISSUE: 2014 was a great year for the being the 70th anniversary of Society. We had an incredibly the end of the war, but also on We have some interesting talks Happy New Year 1 successful Open Day at the other topics. lined up for this year so please Community Centre, outings to put the following dates in your Portsmouth and Southwold We will also have our annual diaries. Talks start at 7.30pm at Notices and Photo 1 organised by Ann, our hugely quiz, and ‘Wilton’ lunch. So we Wesley Methodist Church. Calls popular quiz by Sally and hope to see you there and at 25 March—Canon King’s letters— several very interesting talks. our meetings and thank you for Jenny & Ed Simpson— work of An Actor’s Life 2 The programme for this year is your support. the shared learning project with Leigh Laureates now being planned and we the U3A hope will prove just as good. So—let’s get the bad news out 22 April—AGM - Film of Leigh A Friend in Leigh 3 of the way first. Subs are due Horticultural Society’s holiday in A Well Deserved We also carried out some major from members who do not pay Northumberland—Ivan Starkey work to the Heritage Centre in by standing order (if you would 28 April - visit to Chiddingstone Medal terms of putting in a new boiler like to do so in future please ask Castle & Aylesford Priory Internment in Leigh 4 and radiators which we hope for a form when sending in 20 May—Exploring Tidal Islands Found—The Lady will reduce our heating bills. your subs and we will send you around the Essex Coast—Peter The boiler was over 30 years old one to set it up and running for Caton You’ve got to Pick a so it was about time it went out 2016. 18 July—Open Day Pocket or Two to pasture. We also had the 21 October—Trafalgar Day— electrics checked out and Subs remain the same at £10 Naval Warfare—talk by Lt John The Eighty Club 5 replaced and started on a per household (£15 for overseas Pascoe Jumping the Shotgun revamp of the displays - thanks members), and must be paid by 18 November—The Literary Roland Quiz to Sally, Jenny, Ed, Elaine and the AGM on 22 April to avoid Associations of the North bank of Carole for starting on this work losing your membership. the Thames from Shoebury to and Jenny and Ed for their Barking—Jenny & Ed Simpson The Voyage of the 6-7 tremendous work on the To save postage we will not be Shamrock archives. Our 2015 open day is chasing those who have Other important local events — planned for 18 July. We hope overlooked their membership. 6-13 June—Art Trail WW2 Memories 7 to have visiting societies as we So to ensure you get your 18-21 June—Folk Festival did last year which proved very Leighways and notice of events 20 September—Regatta Battelling on popular, and will have a focus and give your support to the Leigh Town Council events - Canon King 28 March—Spring Event LET US EMAIL 2 August — Leigh Maritime Festival Bowers Marshes 8 27 November—Leigh Lights YOUR 12 December—Carols on Strand Not a Leigh Joscelyne Wharf LEIGHWAY So plenty to see and do in Leigh Personal notices Thank you so much to those of you who have PHOTO CALLS agreed to receive their Leighway by email. This is Has anyone got a photo of Saunders Motor- saving us on paper and postage, money we can ARTICLES WANTED bike shop at the corner of Elm Road and Rectory plough back into the work of the Society and Heri- Grove. An enthusiast who bought a bike there tage Centre. many years ago is keen to find a picture. The next edition of Leighway will be in April. If you would like to Getting Leighway by email means you can read it on Does anyone have photos of Victoria avenue in submit an article for the line in colour and you don’t have to print it off and Southend before the tower blocks were built. newsletter please email it to can save it on your computer. We are looking for the house of Louis Utton Carole by 15 March. which was called Glemham. Please email: [email protected] email [email protected] if you to get yourself added to the email list. can help AN ACTOR’S LIFE You could be forgiven for Effingham Saloon in 1849 and missing this advert in the at the Britannia in 1862. The Southend and Westcliff Britannia is described as a Graphic in 1910 as it lurked at huge place and held the same the foot of the page in every number of people as Drury playwrights including George reinstated. edition. But in one edition a Lane Theatre. It was Bernard Shaw, indeed Shaw whole half page was devoted frequented by the likes of devoted two pages of his When he was fifty, he to Mr Bigwood and his 81st Dickens and Shaw. "Dramatic Opinions" to suffered a head injury and birthday. George Bigwood. was told that it would be Over his 41 years at the dangerous for him to If you look closely you will see theatre George not only took The newspaper described him continue drinking. He became that Mr Bigwood is billed as part in productions but also as the man who has provided teetotal and remained so for 41 years at the Britannia acted as stage manager. He innocent mirth to hundreds the rest of his life. When he Theatre, London. So who was once played the dwarf in of thousands and in so doing eventually retired to he? Gulliver's Travels and in going conferring a public benefit. Southend to run his to sleep and waking up as a tobacconists shop he was the George Bigwood lived at Pier giant with forest scenery Early on he had problems longest surviving member of Hill and despite being 81 in around him he remarked "I'm with alcohol, often missing the Britannia company. 1910 he was recorded as Bigwood but this is a larger shows or forgetting his lines being alert and vigorous and wood than I am" due to being drunk. Sarah He died in 1915 aged 84. seeming to have captured the Lane, the theatre's manager, secret of eternal youth. George was an encyclopaedia always protected him and at So you never know who's of theatre lore and could talk one point when he was behind the counter! He first appeared on the for hours of actors and sacked she had him London stage at the LEIGH LAUREATES LEIGH AND ME LIFE IN LEIGH When the train pulls in, the commuters emerge Set by the Thames where children play And shrug off the city’s grime, and trippers spree their precious day They breathe the fresh air with the tang of the salt With cockle sheds and prawns for tea As they stride up the Belton climb. While dinghies sail the sheltered lee Old cottages of 'memory Lane' The town of Leigh is a haven And pubs to quench nostalgia's pain For those who seek respite, Tide varying vistas greet the eye From the world of Banks and Finance, And marshland hides wild nature's cry It’s a place of peace and light. Sprawling cliffs which gently hallow Greater Stitchwort, Vetch and Mallow But sometimes the sea will darken Strolling Marine Parade above And the clouds turn grey and low Relax on seats bequeathed by love And the waves will lash in fury, Regatta sails great joys unfurled As the north winds fiercely blow. While music charms the social whirl Belfair's kind trees nurse poison's stealth But often it is different, Healing the air with scented health When the water’s flat and calm, The leafy lanes of Leigh-on-Sea As the white sails cross the horizon Retirement dream for you and me They soothe like a healing balm. Visit this town with time to spare For here you still can stand and stare. For Leigh is a place of contrasts, Rev John Ambrose Where the swell may be smooth or strong, When the crashing waves pound up the shore, As the boats are swept along. These two lovely poems were entries in the So for me, the area’s beauty Town Council’s Community Centre Centenary Is the changing scene of the sea, When the Brent geese arrive in October, competition ‘Leigh and Me’. It’s a magical place to be. Norman Sutcliffe’s was the winning entry Norman Sutcliffe A FRIEND IN LEIGH IS A FRIEND INDEED Sadly, there was to be no good Joseph Beresford news. Joseph was killed in action on 24 May 1918; his grave is at Shields Pozieres Memorial Cemetery. 1879-1917 It seems likely that the Mrs or From some papers found in a Miss Wilson to whom Mrs Shields Deed Box from Meek, Stubbs & wrote her touching letter is the B a r nley, so lic ito r s, o f Miss Elizabeth Ann Wilson named Middlesbrough came a small as an executor of his Will. She envelope containing a letter from kept the boarding house in which Joe Shields to his mother, his birth he lived in Leigh.