Aeroplane Crash In Blackmore, 24 September 1944

Four American airmen who were killed when their aeroplane crashed in a field in Blackmore on 24 September 1944 are to be commemorated on a Memorial to be placed in St Laurence Church.  It will be a visible and permanent reminder of the brave contribution made by 30,000 American Army Air Force personnel stationed in Essex between 1943-45. 

Neil McCarthy wrote in the September 2019 edition of ‘Church Matters’, the parish church magazine, “It was on the evening of 24 September 1944 that a Martin Marauder B26, attempting to reach its base at Matching Green while returning from France in appalling weather, disintegrated on impact in a field adjacent to Fingrith Hall Lane.  Two other planes in the same homeward-bound squadron also crashed elsewhere in Essex that night in almost identical circumstances as the Blackmore crash”.  See also: https://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2008/12/blackmore-notes-and-queries-3-americans.html

“For the first time, in 2016, the names of those onboard B26 aircraft, no 42-95823, “Baby Doll III”, were able to be known and honoured in the place where they died”.

The unveiling date of the Memorial has yet to be announced as Faculty (the permission to make changes to the church structure) has only recently been granted.  The wording, as commissioned, on the wall mounted plaque reads:

To the glory of God and in commemoration of

The United States Army Air Force Stationed at Essex Airfields

During World War II who died so we would remain free

This plaque is dedicated to the memory of

FIRST LIEUTENANT RICHARD E. BAEHR

FIRST LIEUTENANT FRANK I. YAWITZ

STAFF SERGEANT EDWARD G. DEMYANOVICH

CORPORAL JOHN M. MYERS

Of the 391st Bombardment Group who were killed

When their aircraft crashed in a Blackmore field

On 24th September 1944

Blackmore: Church Restorations etc

An extract from The Essex Review, Volume 11, 1902

Blackmore.—The renovation of the church of St. Lawrence, which has occupied four years, is at length completed, and the restored building was publicly dedicated by the Bishop of St.. Albans on 9th June. The improvements include the entire re-framing of the roof of the nave, the re-building of the north arcade, re-erection of the north wall, renewal of the aisle roofs, and alterations in the chancel, new oak choir stalls, pulpit, lectern, and screen. A new organ and three painted windows have also been placed in the church. All the bells have been re-hung, and the tenor bell is re-cast. The unique spire and timber tower, which Mr. Chancellor has described as “the glory of Blackmore Church” (see E.R. viii. 65> 86), have been practically rebuilt, the old wood being utilised: as far as possible. A reference to the illustrations in Mr. Chancellor’s article above referred to, will show its peculiar three-storied character, which, with the dormer windows in the roof of nave, rendered the old priory church “a magnificent piece of carpentry.” Its dilapidated condition may be surmised from the fact that £2,500 has been expended on the restoration,, which has been carried out under the direction of Mr.Chancellor, in accordance with the historical associations of the ancient building. A strip of land has been given by Mr. T. R. Hull for enlargement of the churchyard. Altogether the sums given and collected are noteworthy in so small a parish, and are due chiefly to the untiring efforts of the Vicar, the Rev. W. L. Petrie

Blackmore: Church Restorations etc.

An extract from 'The Essex Review', Volume 1, 1892.

Blackmore.—A new organ in the Baptist Chapel was opened on April 27th, 1892, under the presidency of the Rev. G. Stevens, pastor.

Essex Parish Registers Indexed

The Essex Record Office has announced that Parish Registers in their keeping have now been indexed making it even easier to search entries and ancestors: http://www.essexrecordofficeblog.co.uk/time-for-an-index-essex-record-office-in-partnership-with-ancestry-com/

Henry Fitzroy. Born Blackmore. June 1519

To commemorate the five hundredth anniversary of the birth of Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII, in Blackmore a display has been mounted around the eight sides of the Font in the Priory Church of St Laurence telling his story and connection with the village.  The display will remain in place throughout the month following its 'unveiling' at the Blackmore Village Fayre over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.  For those unable to see this in person, the eight panels are repeated below.

Henry Fitzroy

Born June 1519, Blackmore

Birth

Henry Fitzroy, the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII was born at Blackmore Priory in June 1519.  His mother, Bessie Blount, a lady in the retinue of Queen Catherine of Aragon, was one of the King’s mistresses.  “Without the birth of Henry Fitzroy, Bessie’s own affair would have probably gone unrecorded”.  When Bessie became visibly pregnant Thomas Wolsey discreetly dispatched her to Jericho House in Blackmore, the home of the prior Thomas Goodwyn.  “Bessie made her final appearance at court early in October 1518”.

Baptism

There is no surviving record of Henry Fitzroy’s baptism anywhere.  It is possible that the ceremony was held here at Blackmore around this Font.  Cardinal Wolsey was a godparent. He was absent from Court from 19 June to 29 June 1519.  Wolsey had been godparent for the boy’s half-sister Mary, the only surviving child born of Queen Catherine.   Could this font have been the place where the ceremony quietly took place?

Royal Visitor

Henry VIII is alleged to have been a frequent visitor to Jericho House where Bessie stayed after Fitzroy’s birth.  The King is said to have given orders not to be disturbed hence the expression used in Court, “He has gone to Jericho”.  The Priory was one of the King’s “Houses of Pleasure”.   (The present Jericho Priory was rebuilt c.1712.)   Bessie Blount may have later had a daughter by the King around 1520 at Blackmore.  She was married off to Gilbert Tailbois (or Tailboys), who hailed from a rich Lincolnshire family.  They may have married in April 1522 because “the king began to be conspicuously generous to Gilbert Tailboys”.

Henry Fitzroy Coat of Arms

Priory

Blackmore Priory was dissolved in 1527 because of its immoral goings-on.  In that year there were only four Canons in residence.   From “the records of the dissolution … it does appear that the prior was somewhat more worldly than he should have been”: its debts ran to one third of the annual income.   Perhaps the expenditure was higher than usual, sheltering a future King?  Cardinal Wolsey was granted the income from the dissolution.

Honours

Much admired and spoilt by Henry VIII, Henry Fitzroy was, by the age of six, created Duke of Richmond with the titles Earl of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset.   This placed Henry Fitzroy in an honoured position because the title held precedence over all other Dukes except potential legitimate sons of the King.   By doing so, Henry VIII had elevated his son’s position in society such that he would be a more eligible bachelor.   By the age of eight Henry Fitzroy was Admiral of England, Ireland and Normandy.

Early Marriage & Early Death

Thomas Howard was the 3^rd Duke of Norfolk, a very powerful and ambitious man in the court of Henry VIII.  He brought about the marriage to Henry VIII of his nieces, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and for good measure his daughter Mary was married to Henry Fitzroy.  Henry Fitzroy died in 1536 of tuberculosis.  He was 17 years old.  His body was buried at Thetford Priory but later transferred to Framlingham Church in Suffolk, where it lies in an ornate tomb alongside other members of the Norfolk family.  Had he survived the course of English history could have changed and Fitzroy crowned Henry IX.

Blackmore: Copyhold Farm. Reader's Request For Information

Hello  I am trying to find out some details of the Tucker family and Copyhold Farm, Blackmore.  The 1901 Census shows them as living in Cornwall.  The 1911 in Hertfordshire.  In 1903 there was a birth at Copyhold Farm, and two deaths one in 1905 and 1906.  I think that they may have leased the farm but any information that you may know would be greatly appreciated.  As I live in Western Australia, it is difficult for me to visit the Essex Records Office and I find their website unhelpful.

Many thanks

Kind Regards

Lyn Tucker

Ancestry DNA Result

The results are in. My wife bought me an Ancestry DNA kit for Christmas, perhaps to settle a query as to how much local heritage I have. Knowing that on all four sides of my family my relations were born within the last 200 years, probably, not further away from where I live in the Colchester area, Middlesex and Cambridgeshire there was always a question as to whether my family jumped the English Channel in 1066.  The results are as expected except an indication of Norwegian or Swedish heritage.

I don't usually share personal history on this blog, but know that family historians look by and might be interested in this topic.

Do please share any comments you have about DNA testing.  We are interested here to learn from those who have done the test, not the outcomes of paternity suits.

High Ongar: Wheatsheaf Pub Demolition

The public house formerly known as The Wheatsheaf, for some while derelict, is currently being demolished. This photograph taken just after 7.00am today.

High Country History Group: High Country History Group Programme 2019

High Country History Group: High Country History Group Programme 2019: The High County History Group meets on the fourth Thursday evening in the month at Toot Hill Village Hall, starting at 8pm. The programme for 2019 has just been published online.

Blackmore: Village Hall Golden Anniversary

Blackmore Village Hall is fifty years old.  It was officially opened on 22 January 1969.  These documents, from the archive of the then Vicar Revd. Montague Knott, show the agenda for the opening event and the prayers of dedication. The final document is a Newsletter of events coming up.