Memories of the Olympics: Tower Bridge (4 August 2012) |
Welcome to this month’s round-up of local
history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex. … and welcome to our new look page layout thanks for the Blogger!
Willingale Bells
Six bells rang out for the
first time on 27 May 2012, the day when the newly augmented peal was dedicated. See http://www.willingalebells.org/newsletters/WoiW_May_2012_extended_v1.pdf
Successful History Event
Ingatestone United Reformed
Church, in association with the local Historical Society, hosted a history
event linked with its 200th anniversary on 14 & 15 July. On display were a number of old village
photographs and other memorabilia. The
event was the official launch of an e-book written by Chris Harvey to
commemorate the anniversary. A large
number of people attended.
Ingatestone stone dislodged
One of the ancient ice-age
stones on the corner of Fryerning Lane, which gives the village its name, was
dislodged when a delivery lorry collided with it on 21 July 2012. The stone awaits resetting. See http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Historic-Ingatestone-rock-knocked-road-lorry/story-16560850-detail/story.html
Olympic connection with Railway Museum
The East Anglian Railway
Museum, at Chappel and Wakes Colne, can claim two links with the Olympic
Games. One of their steam engines,
currently on loan to the Churnet Valley Railway, was built at the Temple Field
works site in Stratford in 1924. Temple
Fields made way for the Olympic Park beside the Liverpool Street London railway
line. The other link is that Blur, the
Indie Band, performed their first gig at the Museum back in 1989. Blur, now
re-formed, was one of the artists involved in the Closing Ceremony of the Games
on 12 August inasmuch that their song ‘Parklife’ was included as a quirky cover
version. (They performed 'live' at the Mayor of London's gig at Hyde Park that evening.)
The museum itself tells the
story of the railways in the local area.
Its collection includes the two Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) which were
used on the Stour Valley Line until the 1980s.
signal boxes rescued from local lines are also preserved. The Museum is the current resting place for a
three-car electric train (Class 306 017) which was in service from London
Liverpool Street to Shenfield and Chelmsford from 1949 to 1980 (see http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=class+306). There is a relatively new exhibition
space. Worth a visit. See http://www.earm.co.uk/
Local news connection with the Olympic Games
The Red Arrows flew over the
Olympic Park about 45 minutes before the opening ceremony on 27 July. We heard the roar of them over the houses in
Blackmore on their return journey. They
had long gone by the time we had raced into the garden.
Earlier that day a family went to Blackmore Church to ring the church bells, and participate in Martin Creed's project 'Work No. 1197'. Across that country at 8.12am that day everyone was encouraged to ring bells as loud and fast as possible for three minutes. Welcome to Britain everyone!
Followers of tennis may remember a young lad giving Andy Murray a congratulatory hug after winning a gold medal. The 11 year old Henry Caplan comes from Blackmore. (see http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2012-08-06/cool-essex-boys-verdict-on-gold-hold/)
Followers of tennis may remember a young lad giving Andy Murray a congratulatory hug after winning a gold medal. The 11 year old Henry Caplan comes from Blackmore. (see http://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2012-08-06/cool-essex-boys-verdict-on-gold-hold/)
The Olympic flame was in our area on 6
& 7 July. See http://www.brentwoodweeklynews.co.uk/news/9804316.Olympic_flame_will_never_be_forgotten__residents_say/
The London 2012 Olympics was a triumph
both in its organisation and the success of the athletes. It was a hugely memorable Festival for those
who were lucky enough to get tickets and enjoy the site afterwards. Local people were among the 70000 Games Makers
who made the whole event so pleasurable for spectators.
Epping
and Ongar Railway brings visitors to Ongar
Trade in Ongar and North Weald has
increased thanks to an influx of tourists coming to the newly opened Epping and
Ongar Railway. The attraction is running an old London bus (christened the 339
route) from Harlow to North Weald on event days. See http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/9819390.ONGAR_NORTH_WEALD__Modern_day_railway_gold_rush_for_high_street_traders/
William
Byrd
Stondon Massey Church has a copy of the
original Will of William Byrd, composer, in which he expresses a wish to be
buried in the churchyard of the Parish where he lived. The congregation will be welcoming The
Cardinall’s Musick to two concerts at the church on 2 September. The event is a
sell-out. Separately another website has
published the Will: http://theoryofmusic.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/the-will-of-william-byrd-modern-english-version/. For more information on William Byrd visit http://williambyrdfestival.blogspot.co.uk/
Essex
Record Office celebrates Heritage Weekend
The county’s archive resource is throwing
open its doors for a special event on Saturday 8 September to mark Heritage
Weekend. Their keynote speaker is family
history expert Nick Barratt, radio and ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ fame. Any information I glean will be posted on the
website. For more, and to see Nick
Barratt in aeries of videos, go to http://www.familyhistoryshow.net/essex-record-office-discovery-day
Writtle
Calling
To celebrate the 90th anniversary
of 2MT, Britain’s first radio station, enthusiasts are mounting recreation series of broadcasts starting 11
September. For more go to http://www.writtlecalling.co.uk/pr3.pdf
Essex
Voices
A Great Dunmow based history website: Essex
Voices, is a resource of note. Here is
an illustration of how Queen Mary was confused with Mary Queen of Scots, the
Catholic, executed at Fotheringhay: http://www.essexvoicespast.com/history-howlers-mary-i/. Go to the ‘home page’ to find the latest
entries: http://www.essexvoicespast.com/
Brentwood
& Shenfield history
‘Changes over a century’ is well worth a
look: http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Changes-century-leave-mark-today/story-16751829-detail/story.html
A ceremony to unveil a War
Memorial at the new Ongar Medical Centre was held on 10 May 2012. It contains the names of those who died from
the local area, predominantly during the First World War. It replaces the War Memorial which existed in
the former building, the War Memorial Hospital, which occupied this site. A separate post will feature this event.
Doddinghurst War Memorial
A War Memorial tablet to those
who died in the First World War at Doddinghurst is sited in All Saints Church. (see http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/doddinghurstwwone.html)
I have now completed the work
to provide a tribute page online for all of those named. New pages are available on ‘Blackmore Area
Local History’ for:
Arthur Benton - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_arthur_benton.html
Harry Benton - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_harry_benton.html
George Everett - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_george_everett.html
Arthur Hammond - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_arthur_hammond.html
George Hammond - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_george_hammond.html
St George Swaine Showers - http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ww1_swaine_showers.html
Pages have already been set up
for Herbert Miller, Gerald Wellesley Pigott, James Roast and Harry Riglin
because their names also appear on the War Memorial at Blackmore.
Commonplace Book of Edward Reeve
The complete series of posts
can be viewed by following this link: http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Commonplace%20Book
Chelmsford
City
The county town now has official City
status, conferred by HM Queen Elizabeth II in celebration of the Diamond
Jubilee.
Blackmore
Church photos
Some interesting photographs of St Laurence
Church Blackmore have appeared, taken by a visitor on a Teas In The Tower day: http://toomanyphotos.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/blackmore-church/
In
brief
Ingatestone WW2 airmen’s lives remembered: http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/Airmen-s-lives-remembered/story-16355291-detail/story.html
Still for sale – The Bull, Blackmore: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/7189872671/
Links
For an extensive list of links to other
sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html
No comments:
Post a Comment