Essex Journal (Spring 2015)
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EssexJOURNAL A REVIEW OF LOCAL HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY Spring 2015 VOLUME s: n d io el st fi e h u c u Q t 0 S 2 n J ti E ar M Spring 2015 Vol.50 No.1 EssexJOURNAL ISSN-0014-0961 Incorporating Essex Review he ESSEX JOURNAL is published twice a year under the management CONTENTS of an EditorialBoard consisting of T Editorial 2 representatives of the Essex Archaeolog ic al News from the Essex Record Office 4 andHistoric al Cong ress, theFriends of Hannah Salisbury Historic Essex, theEssex Record Office The Medieval Estates of St Bartholomew’s (on behalf of the Essex County Counc il), Hospital, London 5 and the Honorary Ed itor. It is recognised James Kemble that the statutory duties of the County The Marconi legacy: assessing the heritage of 9 Counc il preclude the ERO from sharing the wireless communication industry in Essex in thefinancial commitments of the Tim Wander & Tony Crosby consortium . Tilbury Docks in the Great War: 17 the Dutch & Belgian Connection Chairman: A. Corder-Birch: David Bissenden [email protected] ‘A Fantastical will’: Ongar castle and 19 Hon. Editor: N. Wiffen, MA: the Mitford mausoleum [email protected] Michael Leach Hon. Treasurer: G. Willden: [email protected] The Great War Hospitals of Southend 25 Ken Crowe Hon. Secretary: currently vacant [email protected] Book Reviews 35 Mike Osborne, Hon. Membership Sec : J. Hawkins, MA: Defending Essex, [email protected] (R. Harris) The annual subscription of £10.00 David Edmondson, (cheque made payable to ‘Essex Journal’) Anglo-Saxon England in 100 Places, should be sent to: (J. Kemble) The Hon. Membership Secretary, Peter Minter, 13 South Prim rose Hill, Chelm sford, The Brickmaker’s Tale, Essex, CM1 2RF, (A. Corder-Birch) or paid on-line at: George P. Raven, www.essexjournal.co.uk/subscribe Swimming against the Tide: The Diary of an Essex Copper 1953-1983, Notes to contributors (M. Scollan) Contributions are welcome and should be sent in a Word A.J. Carson (editor) et al format to the Honorary Editor at the email listed above. Finding Richard III: The Official Account of General correspondence can either be emailed or posted to: Research by the Retrieval and Reburial Project, 30 Main Road, Broomfield, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 7EF. (J. Ward) The Editor is more than happy to discuss any proposed Pam & Adrian Corder-Birch, articles as he does not guarantee that unsolicited material The Works: A History of Rippers Joinery will be published. Contributors are requested to limit their Manufacturers of Castle and Sible Hedingham, articles to 2,500/4,000 words, other than by prior (J. Townsend) agreement with the Editor. Style notes are available. Disclaimer Ken Rickwood, Items printed in the Essex Journal do not necessarily reflect The Colne: by Boat Bike and Boot, the views of the Editor or Editorial Board. Contributors, on (M. Fox) behalf of the Essex Journal, have made every effort to trace Ron Bill, and acknowledge ownership of all copyrighted material and A Civic History of Harlow Council, to secure permissions. The Editor would like to hear of any 1955-1985, inadvertent omission in the acknowledgement of copyright (M. Leach) material. Copyright EJ 20 Questions? 41 All written material, unless otherwise stated, is the copyright Martin Stuchfield of the Essex Journal. Enquiries to the Editor. Main cover illustration: Based on Christopher Saxton’s 1576 map of Essex. (Courtesy of the ERO, MAP/CM/1/1 & H. Salisbury.) EssexJOURNAL 1 EJ Editorial ere we are then, volume 50 and what a for publicity in this milestone. I’m not sure that when I took digital age. You Hover the helm of Essex Journal back in 2007, can even pay your for the second issue of volume 42, that I had any subscription on it idea of how long I would keep on editing! But if it is currently here we are, almost eight years later and I’m still overdue! Hannah at it. In that time there has been much to learn as at ERO then follows well as meeting lots of interesting people. Also the on with a taster of financial footing of the EJ has improved no end what has been going and in total over the past few years eight (yes eight!) on there over the extra pages have been produced by this issue with course of the last no increase in the subscription cost whatsoever. I six months before do hope that you have all enjoyed the content as James Kemble gets much as I have enjoyed bringing all the issues the articles going together. I think that a fair range of topics have with an interesting been covered by a fantastic selection of authors. piece on the Essex estates of St Bartholomew’s What’s more there is plenty of exciting material to Hospital. Bringing it up to date, Tim Wander come which is lined up over the course of the next and Tony Crosby discuss what is left of the year and a bit. On top of this the Editorial Board Marconi estate which was surprisingly extensive – are busy working away on funding applications so very much more than just New Street and so to enable the 50 volumes, that will have been much that has disappeared over the not too completed by the end of this year, to be indexed. distant past. This will then unlock the full potential of the David Bissenden looks at the vital role that content of the 4,806 pages that have been published Tilbury Docks played in the First World War, since volume 1 back in 1966. Look out for more and the fleeing of civilians from conflict rings a news of this soon. familiar tone with what is going on in the So a forthcoming anniversary for the Essex Mediterranean at the moment. Michael Leach Journal in a year that seems jam packed with follows with the curious tale of Robert Mitford them. There is such a wide range, from the and his will and the Chipping Ongar connection. 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, 600 years I’m not sure you could have made up that story. since Agincourt, 200 since Waterloo, a whole Well done to Michael for finding these delicious host of First World War anniversaries as well as nuggets of information – whatever will he find 75 years since Dunkirk, the fall of France and the next? To finish off Ken Crowe looks in detail Battle of Britain, 70 years since VE day, and the at what happened to the wounded from the 50th anniversary of the death of Winston Churchill. Western front who happened to end up in hospital For those that have been and gone, there has been in Southend. This reminds us of the massive some great coverage. I was quite moved with contribution of the Home Front to the war effort some of the programming around the death of as well as the human suffering that also went on Churchill. However, I thought there was rather far from the fighting. a lot of unnecessary discussion by historians and A selection of book reviews follows, with commentators about Churchill’s legacy and standing hopefully something to suit all tastes, and to finish in the world. Comparing Churchill to our current off issue 1 of volume 50 I asked Martin Stuchfield social mores did not, I feel, bring anything new to if he would very kindly share with us his answers the party. Surely, we can all appreciate that some to the 20 Questions piece. Martin is an ideal of his nineteenth century outlooks, beliefs and candidate for this as he has been so instrumental actions would not be acceptable today. Just as in keeping Essex Journal going for the last 20 years Henry V at Agincourt would now be considered or so. I am indebted to him for all his encourage- a war criminal for ordering the killing of prisoners, ment and support of my editorship over the past so Churchill could be pulled up on some of his eight years so it is with great pleasure that, even decisions. He was a man of his time who was in though he is the busiest man in Essex that I know, the right place at the right time in 1940. Was this I can bring you his answers. Now that he has a case of historians trying to be just a bit too ‘on finished answering these I’m sure he’ll have time message’? Anyway, the anniversaries keep on to finish off writing up important work relating coming this year – perhaps I’ll see you at the ERO to medieval Essex brasses – no excuses now Agincourt event that is taking place later on in Martin!!! the year (details on the inside cover)? In this issue, as I mentioned above, there are All for now, another four extra pages which I have had no trouble in filling. Jason Townsend kicks off with Cheers, an introduction to the Essex Journal website which in his capable hands promises to become a vital tool Neil EssexJOURNAL 2 he Essex Journal now has a stronger presence on the Internet with the creation of our INGATESTONE HALL Tnew website www.essexjournal.co.uk. Now you are able to access information regarding past issues and read the latest news from the editorial 16th century mansion, team. To keep up with the latest news, you can set in 11 acres of grounds, join the Essex Journal email list or you can add containing Petre family furniture the news feed to your email client using RSS.