Blackmore: Remembrance Sunday 2009

Blackmore: War Memorial

Received
25 August 2009

Dear Andrew
Found your site very interesting. Many thanks!

We recently visited the Gunpowder Mills in Waltham Abbey and came across lots of WW1 information. It made me think about our War Memorial in Blackmore as I often see some of the gravestones at the church, which records a few of the deaths, whilst walking the dog, e.g. Pte. Sutton etc. So I started to compile my spreadsheet but could not really read all the names on the Roll of Honour. Thanks to you I have their names and a lot more.

Before I had discovered your site I had done some research and have submitted an article for the Parish [Council] Magazine, [The Herald].

Therefore I am sending it to you to see if it is correct?

I would like to plot where those who were living in Blackmore and also see if it is possible to find any pictures?

Roger thinks he is related to the Suttons so there could be a possibility

Question
Have you gone to Kew to look at the soldiers’ war records?
Did Ellis enrol in another name?
Why was Larke not included if the family still lived in the village?
Why does your list have so many other names, have you used the local paper to discover them?

Regards

Diana Bateman


Replied
29 August 2009

Hello Diana

Thanks for your E mail. You may be interested to know that I published information on the Great War – to commemorate the 90th anniversary of cessation of hostilities - on http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com last year (there is a link from http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk on the Great War Gateway page: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/blackmoreww1gateway.html ) and produced a booklet entitled 'Blackmore Remembers' which is on sale, price £1.50, at the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore. You may wish to compare your notes to mine. The ‘blog’ has a search box so you will be able to access fairly quickly the names I have recorded.

I have not been to the National Archives at Kew to check any war records. A lot of information is available online I understand so sites like http://www.ancestry.co.uk might be a first port of call. My research was confined to recording a transcript of all the names on the Parish War Memorial on The Green; the memorial window in the vestry of the Church; using what information was previously readily available and; a thorough search of the ‘commonwealth war graves commission website’, http://www.cwgc.gov.uk. I did not read through local newspapers: the Essex Chronicle and Essex Weekly News are available to view on microfilm at Chelmsford Library. The Brentwood Gazette was first published after the First World War.

You will find, if you have not already, that tracing information is not quite as simple as the ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ programme might lead you to believe. But attempting to solve these puzzles is challenging, absorbing and rewarding. Separately I have tried to trace my grandfather’s service: his service record is missing but we get glimpses into his First World War service, for example, shell shock and being taken prisoner of war. We have no photographs of him at the time – I suspect these would be rare survivals of a period these men would rather forget (read Harry Patch’s autobiography) – but have the odd postcard.

I have Ernest Martin’s photograph and a copy of Gerald Piggot’s photograph published after his death from the Essex Chronicle.

Since last November – when I closed my research - the 1911 census has become available online: http://www.1911census.co.uk. It is possible to purchase credits to view household transcripts and original census documents.

I do not know whether Alfred Ellis enrolled under another name. All I had was reference that he died during the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign in June 1915. He is commemorated on the church window but not the war memorial which made tracing more information difficult. Having compared the new 1911 census with the cwgc site I found that an Essex regiment man by the name of Alfred George Ellis died on 28 June 1915 in Gallipoli aged 24 (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=695719). His parents were Walter and Emma Ellis of Hornchurch, and he himself was married. Typing Arthur Ellis, Walter Ellis and Emma Ellis separately with the parish of Blackmore onto the home page of the 1911 census we find all three names revealed. It was worth spending 10 credits to establish the household. This reads:

Walter Ellis. Head. Married. M. 54. Farm Labourer. Born Stondon, Essex.
Emma Ellis. Wife. F. 43. Born Havering, Essex
Harry Ellis. Son. Single. M. 21. Bricklayer Labourer. Born Blackmore
Alfred Ellis. Son. Single. M. 18. Bricklayer Labourer. Born Blackmore
Walter Ellis. Son. Single. M. 15. Stable Lad. Born Blackmore
Eliza Ellis. Daughter. F. 13. Home. Born Blackmore
Louisa Ellis. Daughter. F. 12. School. Born Blackmore
William Ellis. Son. M. 10. School. Born Blackmore
Jack Ellis. Son. M. 3. Home. Born Blackmore

The strong possibility here is that Walter and Emma moved away from Blackmore, as did Alfred when he married, and therefore did not ‘qualify’ (I will come back to this later) to be remembered on the parish War Memorial. Perhaps though his parents were church-goers or Alfred sang in the choir (I am just guessing) so the congregation decided to honour his name on the church window.

I should mention that I have not consulted Baptism Registers which would, if recorded, link the names of children to parents. These are held at the Essex Record Office. A transcript of the 1910 electoral roll is given on my website but it includes householders only so will be of limited use.

I do not know where Herbert Larke’s home was at the time of death and find that his name does not occur on the 1911 census for Blackmore. Whether he is honoured on a war memorial in another village I do not know. His family lived near Copyhold Farm.

War memorials, it seems to me, were local responses for a need to remember those who had died – and if not uniquely to Blackmore those who had served too. So the decisions to include or otherwise a name appears to have been a local matter. If you look at the Stondon page of the website (see http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/stondonwwone.html ) you will see Revd. Reeve’s words about the decision about whose names to commemorate on the war memorial tablet in Stondon church. You may be interested to know also that four names on the Blackmore War memorial also appear on the war memorial tablet inside Doddinghurst Church: Gerald Pigott, James Roast, Harry Riglin and Herbert Miller.

Finally, as I have said, the additional names were gleaned from the cwgc database but also the original transcript of local historian and Rector for Stondon Massey, Revd. Edward Reeve. I also produced a book last year entitled ‘Revd. E H L Reeve: Chronicler of the Great War’. The original transcripts are all held at the Essex Record Office and may be consulted, with an easily obtainable Reader’s ticket, in the search room. I recently discovered lurking in an acquisition box some original documents originally owned by the Rector. These include correspondence with those at the Front and, sadly, a black edged letter from J. H Maynard, living in Fingrith Hall Road Blackmore, advising that “our dear brother” Ernest Maynard was killed in action on 27 June 1917. Ernest Maynard lived in Blackmore but worked as a gardener for Reeve at Stondon Rectory. Even at a distance of nearly 100 years and even though one does not know the family, to read these documents is a moving experience. I need to write up those notes because if these stories are not brought to public attention the grim lessons of war will be forgotten.

I hope all this is of interest.

Regards
Andrew

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - November 2009

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

November: a time to remember

There is no special anniversary of the First World War this year other than the fact the ninety years ago the first Armistice commemoration was hurriedly decreed. Since then people have paused for two minutes to remember those who gave their lives. Just before the anniversary day I will be making my first ever visit to the battlefields and cemeteries around Ypres. It will be a quick tour lasting one day. It will be a journey in more ways than one. Locally we remember as one of the fallen Private William White who was killed just days before hostilities ceased (on 5th November 1918). I found his grave at Downham Church this summer. It is this month’s photograph.

1911 Census

Family historians received a fantastic New Year present in January this year with the launch of the 1911 census. This has opened new doors into the lives of our ancestors.

‘Find My Past’ (http://www.findmypast.com/), the commercial family history website which has the rights to the 1911 census has launched the archive on their main site creating a complete and unique sequence of census data from 1841 to 1911. With the England and Wales census completely transcribed (Scotland will follow later) this had to be the next step in their marketing strategy. Subscribers to the 1911 census website (http://www.1911census.co.uk/) were given opportunity to sign up at a special introductory rate.

“1911 is the most recent available England and Wales census - it holds the key to your nineteenth and twentieth-century ancestors. The 1911 census contains information you simply can’t find elsewhere and without it your family history is incomplete.

“For the first time you’ll see scans of the actual forms filled in by your ancestors which can reveal the quirks of your ancestors’ handwriting, as well as any mistakes or extra comments they made, in crisp high-quality colour.

“The 1911 census holds more information on your ancestors than any census before it. You can discover:
· how long a couple had been married
· how many children were born to that marriage (and how many of them had died)
· details of nationality
· more detailed occupational information”

Findmypast made the 1911 census RG14 household forms available at the earliest opportunity and will be adding the accompanying enumerators’ summary book (RG78) images.

Essex Record Office Closure

The Essex Record Office will close for stocktaking from Monday 9th to Saturday 21st November 2009.

The 261 Bus Route

Blackmore’s hourly bus service to Brentwood (except Sundays) via Doddinghurst is featured in three ‘You Tube’ videos.
Part 1 shows the journey from the ‘Bus Terminus’ to Doddinghurst: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AhHyevPVM
Part 2 takes us through the countryside from Doddinghurst to the Brentwood Centre at Bishops Hall:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkEMAWJqTYI&feature=related
Finally Part 3 completes the journey to Brentwood High Street:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWVzQGCONNE&feature=related
It gives readers a good idea about the area in which we live. Enjoy the trip!

Stately Homes of Essex

The following link gives details of opening times etc of three stately homes: Hylands House, Audley End and Ingatestone Hall. Go to: http://www.essexportal.co.uk/essex-information/stately-homes-of-essex

Chigwell Link

Other than its link with Samuel Harsnett and Charles Dickens, who loved the place, (see the following http://www.authorama.com/what-to-see-in-england-6.html) I have to confess that I do not know much about the village of Chigwell on the edge of the London Boroughs but still close to Blackmore. But the latest news is that Blackmore’s new Vicar (and Stondon Massey’s new Rector) has just been appointed to take on the role from February 2010. She is Revd. Toni Smith, currently priest at St Winifred’s Church, Grange Hill, Chigwell. My visit to Dicken’s Maypole pub (The King’s Head) is long overdue!

Ingatestone

The Bell public house, an ancient coaching inn in Ingatestone High Street has just had a change of ownership. ‘Shepherd Neame’, the Kent brewers, is the new name on the pub sign. Another opportunity for investigation!

RAF Chipping Ongar

During the Second World War there was an operational American Air Base at Willingale by the name of ‘RAF Chipping Ongar’. Older residents in the area remember when the Americans (387th Bomb Group) came over, spent money in the pubs, handed out goodies and wooed the girls. They carried out a dangerous job, and some did not make it. “We will remember them” is the caption at the bottom of a set of photographs – by Richard Flagg - showing the surviving buildings on the base and of St Andrew’s Church, Willingale Spain: the group’s church for the short time they were over here. http://airfields.fotopic.net/c1772044.html

Railways

Newly posted onto Flicker by ‘sink plunger’ is a photograph of a Class 90 electric engine taken at Shenfield station. It is one of the more modern rolling stock – taken May 2009 - which was not featured in our railway series recently. See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinkplunger/4042335184/

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

Mountnessing: Postcards

A selection of postcards of Mountnessing dating from the early twentieth century are now available to view on the main website. Visit http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/mountnessing.html .

The illustration here is of The Plough public house before it was rebuilt.

Roxwell: The Bridges Family of Cooksmill Green (1)

Maureen-Garnham Lopez is the daughter of Frederick Wilfred Garnham who was born in 1914 at Radley Green. In this story she recalls family life in nearby Cooksmill Green where her father grew up living with his own mother and grandparents.

She writes:

I always loved going to Cooksey, when the weather was nice. Mum would put the youngest children in a pram and we would all walk from Chelmsford. When it was spring time, we would stop and pick primroses along the way. Our trip started by walking down Melbourne Road, Chignal Road, to Roxwell Road and then taking the back roads to Grandma's.

Dad [Frederick Wilfred Garnham] loved his childhood home. You could tell by his mannerism that Cooksey had his heart. My mother was not so keen on ever moving out to the country but she knew that the time was coming.

Grandad [Percy Bridges, who married by grandmother following Fred Garnham's death in WW1] had given dad some land next to Uncle Ron [Bridges] and we knew that a house would be built there one day. At that time there was an old wooden house on the property. I believe that it was empty, as kids we never went to look or even ask about it.

[Percy Bridges was born in this house in 1895 and lived there until he died in 1974.]

I always thought Cooksey had it own smells. There were many flowers, roses (my dad's favourite plant), grass, baking and even the outhouse. The outhouse was out back, the path ran alongside the chicken coop, its seat was made of wooden boards with a hole in the middle. There was a smell to it, a very pleasant clean smell.

You could always hear the chickens, especially the roosters early in the mornings letting us know a new day has started. Grandma would collect the eggs in a basket and my sister Muriel [Garnham] said that she got served many an egg when she stayed there.

The large gardens were kept immaculately. There was a large green apple tree in the middle of the two houses. Grandma would make apple sauce with them. Grandad Bridges was always pondering around the garden dressed in or they looked like to me, woollen army beige colour pants with suspenders, a long sleeve shirt rolled up and boots. He was a very big man with full lips, but not much hair.

Outside the back door of grandma's house was a silver colour metal thing. I thought it was so neat, it was used to clean the mud or dirt off your boots, shoes, or whatever you were wearing. When you entered through the back door - it was the only one we used - there was a very small room, much like a closet only it was square shaped. Inside this was a sink and a draining board. You would turn left, go through the dining, living room into the so-called kitchen. A table sat in front of the window, when Grandad came in for tea or a meal, he always sat on the right side. I remember him smacking those big lips as he was enjoying whatever he was drinking or eating.

Grandma was always walking back and forth, back and forth to the sink from the kitchen. The floor was wooden with linoleum on top but the boards were loose, you could always hear her footsteps. The walls and ceiling had beautiful wooden beams running down and across them. There was a fireplace to warm you on a cold day. Upstairs in one of the bedrooms, the floor was slanted, so Grandma had placed wooden blocks behind the feet of the bed so it wouldn't move.

Uncle Ron [Bridges] lived next door with his wife Betty and baby daughter Sandra. I would go during the summer holidays and spend time with them. I would help my aunt sweep and clean her house. We would set the table at night for my uncle's breakfast in the morning. Beside the table, in the wall was an aquarium you could see the fish from the living and dining room.

I would take my cousin [Sandra] for a ride in her pram. I would take a left at the end of the lane and go towards the road to Ongar, never making it to the end. We'd passed the red post box, the little old store that sold everything, but I remember the sweets most. There was a farm that had huge pigs, sometimes I would go the other way past the farm that had ducks. Several times I would stop to watch the mama duck cross the road with all her family, following single file behind her to go for a swim in the pond. At the end of the road was a cottage facing the road where it veered off to the left to Roxwell, right "back roads" as my dad said to Chelmsford. Granddad Bridges Grandfather lived with his family there at one time.

In the bedroom that I slept in, the window was low to the floor, maybe six inches above it. Aunt Betty would always make homemade muffins, were they good, the smell would fill the air, wow!

Just a few years ago, I visited Uncle Ron with [my husband] Adolfo, camera in hand and asked if we could film him while I asked questions about the family, especially about my mum and dad. I wanted to know if he knew how they met, he obliged with our wishes and it was great, we got new information.

Uncle Ron was living in Grandma's Bridge’s (his mother's) house at the time. Colin, my youngest brother and I went over to his house. Uncle Ron offered to show us around the house. Colin was so pleased as he had not been inside the house in years. He did not remember how it looked. He was too young to remember. I took a few photos of the inside and I am glad I have them to share them with my family.

Colin and I have been working on the family tree with our brother Dennis and my daughter Amanda for a number of years now. Dennis also lives in Cooksey. All our family was at Dennis' for a B.B.Q. as I was visiting from the States. I went over to Uncle Ron's. He was sitting outside with his second wife. I asked him if he had any pictures of grandma when she was younger. I had only one of her by herself, middle aged, standing by the pond, it was taken in their yard. Uncle Ron told me he had taken the picture himself. Uncle Ron's wife left the table and went inside, when she returned she had something that was worth a million dollars to me. In her hand was a picture of Fred Garnham and wife Rosa, I had never seen are heard anything about this picture. The family had known of only one other picture of him. I was so excited, overjoyed, how could this be, before my dad died, did he know this photo existed? I didn't think so. She also had other picture of grandma. I asked if I could take them to show to my brothers and sister, she said yes. They were overjoyed. I returned them back to her and asked if she could get copies of the photos. She did and now all my family now have copies of their own.

Last year, 2008, we met some people on the Internet that were family. It was a couple of days before we were due to leave to England. My daughter Amanda was trying to teach me how to get on the Internet to find somebody. She said pick a name, it is so easy, I said Percy Bridges. The next morning, we had six hits. Of these we made contact with a Dennis Bridges.

We arranged to meet at Cooksey later on. Uncle Ron was no longer living but his wife was so gracious enough to have us all meet there. It was a grand meeting with all kinds of information and photos exchanged between each other. We learnt a lot more about the Bridges family.

My uncle's wife has given me copies of other documents and photos and I am forever grateful. She told me once "only you would ask". That is true.

Stondon Massey: Family Secrets. The Smith / Garnham family

Maureen Garnham-Lopez writes:

During 2005, Adolfo and I made several visits to the Essex Record Office (ERO) in Chelmsford [to look at the Census and Parish records held there on microfiche]. This was always an exciting time for us as we always liked looking for our family members. We find this very rewarding.

When looking for family in Stondon Massey, we came across a burial of a Joseph Smith long known as George Garnham. Who is he, is he our George? He was the right age, right place, everything matched up to our George.

It all then added up. That was why we could not find a birth certificate of George or a marriage to (Great-Grandma) Harriet Garnham.

Something must have happened to Harriet or James Garnham (her second husband) before 1881 since their oldest daughter Alice was placed in a workhouse and Rosa Emily was placed with family members.

In 1891, Harriet appears in Romford, Essex with someone calling himself George Garnham with a son Frederick Garnham. They moved to Stondon Massey before 1901 and lived at the Soaphouse Farm.

Harriet Lewis first married a George Smith. Her second marriage was to James Garnham. Did Joseph Smith steal those two names? In the 1911 censes they were still living together at the Soaphouse Farm. George and Harriet lived at least ten or more years at the farm. I believe until they became too sick to take care of themselves, Harriet was living in Radley Green at the time of her death, while George was in the Stanford Rivers Poor House [Ongar Union Workhouse] at the time of his death. Both passed away in the same year 1916: Harriet in April, George in November, and are buried at Stondon Massey.

I started thinking of my father Frederick Wilfred Garnham losing his father, Frederick Garnham at 4 days old, and his grandparents George and Harriet at the age of 2. All he knew was his mother. [Frederick Garnham was killed in the Retreat from Mons at the beginning of the First World War.]

Most of all, who was this man calling himself George Garnham? Then this meant, who are we? Have we been Garnham by name all these years but are Smith's by blood. What secret was Stondon Massey holding about all of us and why?

In my heart, I believe that Joseph Smith became George Garnham when he got involved with Great-Grandma Harriet Garnham.

It saddens me greatly to think our family tree ends here on the Garnham side, it is our namesake. Why the lies and for what reason did this information come out at the burial at Stondon Massey. What did Revd Reeve know, and if anything, what did he think. Did he really know George Garnham?

In the 1901 Census

Harriet and George Garnham lived in Stondon Massey at the Soaphouse Farm. They had a boarder named Arthur Bolt, 9 years old, birthplace unknown.

Revd Reeve mentioned an Arthur Bolt, 11th November 1918. At this time I have no idea whom this person is, maybe family somehow, another mystery person. Other family members mentioned with Arthur are Alec Shuttleworth and a Arthur H. Watts, both are relatives of mine.

For more information visit: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/garnham_family.html

Roxwell: Remembering Fred Garnham of Radley Green

As part of the commemoration of the Great War, 'Blackmore Area Local History' remembered Fred Garnham who died in the retreat from Mons in 1914. I was delighted when family members made contact, kindly giving more information and feel priviliged to be able to publish a copy of the '1914 Star' (or 'Mons Star') given posthumously to his widow, Rosa, in 1917. Fred Garnham was baptised at Stondon Massey, he later moved to Radley Green. He is commorated on the memorials at Highwood and Roxwell. For more pictures visit http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/garnham_family.html

Fryerning: Footpath Find

This piece of stone was lying on a public track en route to Blackmore. It known as 'pudding stone' because of its plum pudding appearance.

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - October 2009

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.

A Farming and Family Centenary Celebration

Descendents of Arthur Henry Smith had a party recently to celebrate one hundred years of farming at Jordans Farm in Mountnessing. It was to there, in 1909, that my grandfather became a tenant farmer on land owned by Lord Petre. My cousin still farms the same land which is a great achievement and cause for celebration. The gathering, attended by many family and friends, provided an opportunity to view photographs and other memorabilia. Those into family history displayed their research and in preparation for the occasion I researched Arthur’s ancestors.

Researching a Smith family line at first sight sounds a daunting task given the fact that the name is common so I went with an open mind to the Essex Record Office one Monday morning. I had already obtained the census record for 1901 (when Arthur, aged 16, was living with his family) and the free listing of the 1881 census (obtainable from Ancestry.co.uk). But within the space of three hours I had established the name of my gt gt gt gt grandfather, Henry, through using census records back to 1841 and parish registers copied onto microfiche. Why? It quickly became apparent that my family had lived throughout the nineteenth century in the parishes of Stock and Buttsbury.

I will be posting my findings shortly on http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/smith.html.

This month’s photo is of Jordans Farm, taken in 1954, with thraves (known as stooks elsewhere) of corn in the foreground.

Early Essex Parish Registers Online

In April 2009 ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ reported that the Essex Record Office had embarked on a project, called ‘Essex Ancestors’, to digitise and put on-line through SEAX (the catalogue of archives) colour images of original Anglican Parish Registers (except marriage registers less than 50 years old). Early Parish Registers for local parishes are now available to view through SEAX (http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/default.asp). ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ will monitor progress and hopefully provide links this autumn to images through the ‘Parish Registers’ page of the main website. In the meantime Registers can be viewed on microfiche at the Searchroom.

The major advantage is that wherever you are in the world you can look up ancestors from the comfort of your armchair without going to Chelmsford. Those American friends, for example, looking for the Smyth family in Blackmore can see the original register entries for the first time and no doubt copy extracts. In this respect this is a marvellous innovation.

But is there a downside? If all Registers and Census material goes online will this mean a reduction in the footfall of visitors to archive searchrooms. As someone said to me when I visited the Record Office recently, this can be no substitute for talking with others during your coffee break as often other ideas come to the fore through networking. At a time when the National Archives (at Kew) is likely to close to the public every Monday, in order to make cuts, I am quietly concerned that access to original documents – e.g. church records, wills, inventories, house sales – could become more restricted. I can see the dilemma: an attempt to increase access to records and make cuts to the front line service. Taken to its extreme there must be a danger that these vast store houses of history and local interest become the preserve of academics, frightening off casual visitors and enthusiastic amateur historians. I trust that those responsible for our heritage have a policy which ensures that these records continue to be available for all, and attract people from all walks of life to learn about the past.

This is not a criticism, just an observation. At present I have found most archivists to be very approachable and only too willing to point people in the right direction.

Historic Villages advertised by Beresfords Estate Agents

An innovative way of advertising local properties, amenities and, for this site, history has been created by Beresfords, a local estate agent. Local villages are covered in short ‘You Tube’ presentations.
For Writtle, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRSN99s1fJk
For Ingatestone (and a quick mention of Mountnessing, Stock, Fryerning and Blackmore) go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUnoKY2fivU&feature=related
For Shenfield, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_xswZXg0G4&feature=related
For Brentwood, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qg0fnqTAB4&feature=related

Runwell

David Mallinson, from Denver Colorado USA, wrote on 13th September 2009: “I read with great interest your blog entry (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2009/07/runwell-revd-suckling-memorials-1845.html) with respect to Fleming's (or Flemyngs's) Hall [Runwell] as my family owned the property from 1908 to 1986, and I myself lived there from 1967 until the property was sold in 1986.

“I note the source for the excellent rendering of the front of the house is the Rev Alfred Suckling's work 'Memorials of the antiquities and architecture, family history and heraldry of the County of Essex’ (John Weale, London, 1845). I would imagine that copies of the above work are hard to find nowadays, having said that do you know the whereabouts of any copies?”

The book itself is very rare but available through the Essex Libraries Network. The Essex Record Office has a copy. I purchased a very tatty copy, minus cover and all plates, from E bay a couple of years ago for about £20. I believe that in the book business this copy is called a "breaker" - all the good bits removed and sold on as framed pictures, unless, of course, one is interested as much in the text. Either that or I have just invented a new word for the Oxford English Dictionary.

London Underground

A sightseeing site in Botswana has been quick to pick up the reference in the Mangapps Farm Railway Museum item to the London Underground. It has added it to the numerous links on its history. See http://www.sightseeing.co.bw/search/History_Of_The_London_Underground_.html

Links

For an extensive list of links to other sites go to: http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/externallinks.html

Book Review: Lost Railways of Essex

Railways hold a massive social legacy in this county as elsewhere. Robin Jones has produced a book which charts the demise and fate of some lines which fell even before the Beeching Axe in the 1960s as well as afterwards. The first Chapter shows how the railway has changed in the Docklands area of old Essex (London) and how some lines have recently become mothballed to facilitate regeneration in the early twenty-first century. A whole Chapter is then devoted to the Epping to Ongar branch of the Central Line (formerly Great Eastern Railway) which closed on 30 September 1994, but has since become the ground of the fledgling Epping to Ongar Railway Preservation Society. Many of the lines which were extant in the north of the County have now gone: the line from Bishops Stortford to Witham was severed at Braintree and is now the Flitch Way, and routes to Maldon from Witham and Woodham Ferrers long defunct, though the station architecture of Maldon East remains on the town’s industrial estate. It is a good book, liberally illustrated with archive and well as modern photos of buildings and rolling stock. ‘The Lost Railways of Essex’ (Countryside Books, 2008) by Robin Jones is available, price £10.99.

Railways (20): Mangapps Railway Museum

Mangapps Farm Railway Museum at Burnham-on-Crouch (on the Dengie peninsula) celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year. The collection is that of farmer and enthusiast, Mr Jolly. It tells of the story of railways predominantly in Essex and East Anglia and occupies the site where steam or diesel never ran but now has a single track of ¾ mile linking Mangapps station with Old Heath (previously Horham and Laxfield stations respectively on the long-time closed Mid Suffolk Railway). This was my second visit to the museum, my first being soon after it opened. I was quite surprised to see how much had been acquired, how well it was laid out, and how well the story was told. It was a pleasant afternoon out.

Mangapps Station

Old Heath Station

The museum’s website (http://www.mangapps.co.uk/) says that it has one of the largest signalling collections in the country. There are acquisitions of station furniture which were replaced, I suppose, in the 1980s.

Two Class 302 carriages are in preservation, acquired from the London Tilbury and Fenchurch Street line in the late 1990s. These, I believe, are the only survivals, alas kitted out in the horrid refurbished look of the 1980s. There was a romance of individual compartments, though nicknamed ‘cattle trucks’. A ride on one pulled by a Class 47 diesel engine was a trip into nostalgia. Part of a diesel multiple unit which operated the line from Wickford to Southminster, post steam and pre electrification, is also in Mr Jolly’s collection.

A Northern Line Underground train of ancient days which ceased service in the late 1990s tells the story of the expansion of the London Underground network beyond the city into the country.

The museum has a substantial collection of rolling stock on view plus posters and other material telling of the social history of the railway in Essex and beyond.

… and also refreshments. A great afternoon out.

For more about local railways, click on the label, left.

Area: "High Country History Group" Journal No 33

The Quarterly Journal of the High Country History Group has recently been issued to members. It contains a number of items about and beyond the local area including:

- The Rectors and Patrons of Stapleford Tawney & Theydon Mount
- The East End Maternity Hospital at Theydon Mount – Part 1
- The Suckling Papers – Greensted (previously published on this blog)
- Life as an Essex Agricultural Labourer: 1840 – 1920. Part 2 (the whole work is available in booklet form from the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore, price £1.50)
- Greensted – The Truth (previously published on this blog)
- A Centurian
- Book Review: Essex and its Race For The Skies
- A Forced Marriage
- Daring Burglary and Attempt to Murder
- White’s Directory of Navestock
- The Essex Way

For membership and further information go to http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/hchg.html

Railways (19): Train Operating Companies

Railway companies which operated the route from London Liverpool Street to Colchester (through Brentwood and Ingatestone) and Southend Victoria (from Shenfield) are listed below with links to Wikipedia.

1839. Eastern Counties Railway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Counties_Railway
1862. Great Eastern Railway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Eastern_Railway
1923. London and North Eastern Railway: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_and_North_Eastern_Railway
1948. Eastern Region of British Railways: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Region_of_British_Railways
(Network South-East was a passenger section created by British Rail, launched in 1986: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_SouthEast)
1997. First Great Eastern: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Great_Eastern
2004. National Express East Anglia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Express_East_Anglia

Railways (18): LNER Days

Extracts from ‘Modern Locomotives of the L.N.E.R.’ published in 1938

There is but little doubt the steam locomotive cab still claim first place in meeting the varying conditions which arise in ordinary railway working, and is almost unassailable against the challenge of its competitors, electric power and internal combustion engines, and entitled to priority in the alluring influence which railways have over so many of us.

Whilst the union of the British Railways into four large groups under the Railway Act of 1921 has necessarily reduced by standardisation the number of different types of locomotives, as well as their numerical strength, it has also led to the introduction of many new and interesting designs and has imparted a gratifying stimulus to locomotive building and performance.

As the second largest of the four British Railway systems, the London & North Eastern, with a total route mileage of 6590, serves the whole of the east of Great Britain from the Thames to the Moray Firth, in addition to the extensive areas in the centre and west of both England and Scotland. It covers the amalgamation of the following companies: Great Central, Great Eastern, Great Northern, Hull & Barnsley, North Eastern, Great North of Scotland and North British, as well as many small railways. Over 60 per cent of the towns with a population of over 50,000 are directly served by the L.N.E.R., or by other lines in which it has a share. The L.N.E.R. owns 2500 stations and goods depots. Last year (1937) the number of passengers carried exclusive of season ticket holders totalled 165,537,972, also 135,831,123 tons of goods and 3,880,816 head of live stock.

The locomotive policy of the chief engineer, Sir Nigel Gresley, C.B.E., D.Sc., may be briefly summed up – that the engines are to be as far as possible well ahead of requirements in power, efficiency and ease of maintenance; to have as few types as possible to operate the various services, and to be considered as standard locomotives in the construction of which many of the details are interchangeable, wherever possible.

The “Sandringham” Class of 4-6-0 Express Engines – “B17” Class.

To cope with the increased traffic requirements of East Anglia, in 1928, Sir Nigel Gresley introduced a special design of three-cylinder 4-6-0 engine (“B17” class). It is a compact looking machine, and powerful for its size and weight, and well suited for the heavy gradients on the main lines of the Great Eastern section. Later more engines of this class have been built and allocated to the main line trains of the former Great Central Railway. The first engine of the series bears the name of “Sandringham”, by special permission of His late Majesty King George V, this being followed by a long list of names from famous country seats on the L.N.E.R.; three are named after East Anglian regiments, while the latest series are named after famous football clubs, such as the “Tottenham Hotspur”.

There are now 73 engines in the class.

The “Sandringham” class engine and tender in working order weigh 116 tons, and are 58 ft. 4 in. long over buffers, but the later “Football Club” class weigh 129 tons 15 cwt., and are 62 ft. 2 in. long.

Two engines of the “Sandringham” class have been streamlined for working the high-speed “East Anglian” train between Norwich and London, Liverpool Street, and have been named “East Anglian” (No. 2859) [see photograph], and “City of London” (No. 2870). They are painted the standard L.N.E.R. green.

4-6-0 Express Engine, Great Eastern Section.

Known as the “B12” class this represents a modernisation of the old Great Eastern “1500” class engine, originally built in 1911, and is fitted with a larger boiler, carrying a working pressure of 180 lb. per sq. inch. The result of this re-building is that these engines are now capable of working any passenger train on the Great Eastern section.
The weight of the engine and tender in working order is 108 tons 16 cwt., and the tender capacity is 3,670 gallons of water and 4 tons of coal.

4-4-0 Type Passenger Engines – Great Eastern Section.

For many years the Great Eastern main line services were worked by the generally useful engines of the “1900” class, the first of which, named “Claud Hamilton”, in honour of the Chairman of the Great Eastern Railway, was exhibited at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. They are of the 4-4-0 type, with 7 ft. diameter coupled wheels, and cylinders 19in. by 26in.; they have always done excellent work, often of a very exacting nature. During recent years they have been supplied with the new L.N.E.R. standard boilers. In their rebuilt form these engines continue to render good service on other than the heaviest duties. They are known as the “D16” class.

The “East Anglian” Train

In September 1937 a fast service was introduced between Norwich and London (Liverpool Street) and an entirely new six-coach train was built for this purpose at the York works. The train, which has been named the “East Anglian,” runs daily from Monday to Friday in each direction, leaving Norwich at 11.55a.m., and Liverpool Street at 6.40p.m., completing the journey between the two cities in 2 hours and 10 minutes, including a four minute stop at Ipswich; the distance is 114 miles 77 chains. Owing to the difficult nature of the route between London and Norwich, it has not been possible for the train to be timed to such high speeds as to justify streamlining the whole train, the locomotives only are so arranged. The train weighs 219 tons, and accommodates 54 first and 144 third class passengers. As the journey time is comparatively short and it is essential meals should be taken as rapidly as possible, no separate restaurant car accommodation is provided, the passengers taking meals at the seat which is allotted for the journey.


For more information go to the following:
B12 class: http://www.lner.info/locos/B/b12.shtml
B17 class: http://www.lner.info/locos/B/b17.shtml
D16 class: http://www.lner.info/locos/D/d14d15d16.shtml
East Anglian: http://www.geocities.com/fredpipes/trains/anglian.html

Railways (17): Durrant's Handbook for Essex

The following is taken from ‘Durrant’s Handbook For Essex’ written by Miller Christy (Durrant & Co., Chelmsford, 1887).

The principal line running through the county is that of the Great Eastern Railway Company, which was formed in 1862 by the amalgamation of the Eastern Counties, the Eastern Union, the East Anglian, and other subsidiary lines. This company now has in Essex 179 miles of line and 82 stations. Its termini in London are Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street stations. From these, one main line runs through Stratford, Romford, Brentwood, Ingatestone, Chelmsford, Witham, Kelvedon, Marks Tey, and Colchester, to Manningtree (59½ miles), where it enters Suffolk. Another main line runs (partly in Hertfordshire) through Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford (Herts), Stanstead, Elsenham, Newport, and Audley End, to Great Chesterford (45¾ miles) where it enters Cambridgeshire. Between these lines a branch, largely patronised by London business men, also runs from Liverpool Street, through Stratford, Leyton, Woodford, Buckhurst Hill, Loughton, and Epping, to Ongar (22¾ miles). Third-class Excursion return tickets for Epping Forest (available to any station as far as Loughton and back) are issued daily over this line for the very low price of 1/-, and are largely patronised during summer. There are also cross branch lines between Bishop’s Stortford and Witham (24¼ miles), through Dunmow and Braintree; between Witham and Maldon (5¾ miles); between Audley End and Bartlow (7¼ miles), through Saffron Walden; between Bartlow and Marks Tey (34¼ miles), through Haverhill, Stoke, Long Melford, Sudbury (all in Suffolk), and Chappel; between Manningtree and Harwich (11¼ miles), through Mistley; between Colchester and Walton (19¾ miles), through Wivenhoe and Thorpe; between Wivenhoe and Brightlingsea (5 miles); and between Thorpe and Clacton-on-Sea (4½ miles). Another line, which will be completed about 1888, is now under construction, to run from Hutton (2 m. N. from Brentwood), through Billericay, Wickford, Rayleigh, and Rochford, to Southend; through Woodham Ferris to Maldon; and through Althon and Burnham to Southminster (46 miles). The Great Eastern Company was once justly famed fro uncomfortable carriages, slow speed, frequent accidents, and high fares. This character, however, no longer belongs to it. Its Board of Directors are notably enterprising and liberal; its trains, in point of speed, comfort, safety, and cheapness, will compete with those of almost any other railway; while few lines offer greater facilities to the excursionist. In addition to the excursion rickets to Epping Forest (already mentioned), other return tickets for the Forest are issued daily from Fenchurch St. to Chingford for 1/- (3rd class), and correspondingly low fares for all other classes. First-class return tickets, available for 3 days (including day of issue and return), are issued daily from any station on the G.E.R. to Harwich and back, including apartments and board at the Harwich Hotel and conveyance of luggage between the station and the Hotel, at an inclusive charge of 30/- each person. Twenty-four hours’ notice of an application for these tickets must be given at all stations except Liverpool St. Cheap Friday or Saturday or Tuesday, or fortnightly tickets, available by all trains from or to London, are issued to the following seaside watering-places on the G.E.R. [Walton-on-the-Naze, Clacton-on-Sea, Harwich or Dovercourt]. During the summer there are also frequent special excursions to Harwich, Dovercourt, Walton, Clacton, &c.

The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway Company has in Essex 21 stations and 54 miles of line. Its main line runs from Fenchurch Street, through Plaistow, Barking, Rainham, Purfleet, Grays Thurrock, Tilbury, Pitsea, Leigh, and Southend, to Shoeburyness. A branch, which will be completed about the end of the present year (1887), runs from Barking, through Dagenham and Hornchurch, to Upminster, whence it will continue to Pitsea, forming a shorter route to Southend and Shoeburyness. There are frequent special excursions to Southend during summer.

The Colne Valley and Halstead Railway has 9 stations and about 20 miles of line in this county. It runs from Haverhill to Chappel through the Yeldhams, the Hedinghams, Halstead, and the Colnes. The line traverses the valley of the Colne which is unusually pleasant and picturesque.

Railways (16)

The other route operating within our area was that from Epping to Ongar, previously part of LNER but became part of London Transport’s central Line. The following is a review of the stations serving the branch.

Epping
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epping_Station
North Weald
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Weald_tube_station
Blake Hall
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Hall_tube_station
Ongar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ongar_tube_station

Finally, Epping and Ongar Railway now own the route. For information on this preservation society visit http://www.eorailway.co.uk/

Photographed here in October 2005 is North Weald Station.

Railways (15)

The Beeching axe closed all goods yards at railway stations. In the 1970s Porter and Hughes, coal merchants, used the goods yard at Ingatestone Station and KP Nuts used the goods shed near the station entrance to Station Lane. The photograph was taken in October 1988 just before its demolition.

More information about local railway stations can be found in Wikipedia. Visit as follows:

Brentwood
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brentwood_railway_station
Shenfield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenfield_railway_station
Ingatestone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingatestone_railway_station
Chelmsford
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelmsford_railway_station

Great Eastern main line
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Eastern_Main_Line

Railways (14)

Class 312 – four car slam door - replaced class 306, c1975/76, with the extension of the off peak service to Colchester North from Ingatestone. The photograph, at Ingatestone Station, was taken in October 1985.

For more information about Class 312 see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_312

Blackmore: Mullucks Family

Received
5 August 2009
Question:

I am researching my family history and recently came across my 3x Great Grandfather Henry Mullucks was a publican at the Royal Oak in Fryerning 1851-1862? (all my Mullucks family are born in this area: Blackmore etc). Would you or anyone else know where the Royal Oak may have been or where I could find out any more information on this and my Mullucks family.

Many Thanks.
Terry Hamlyn.


Reply
7 August 2009

“Fryerning”, says Kelly’s Directory 1890, “is a parish, forming three-fourths of the town of Ingatestone” … was amalgamated in 1889 to form one civil parish of Ingatestone and Fryerning.

“The civil parish was formed in 1889 by merging the ancient parishes of Ingatestone and Fryerning. The two parishes were oddly shaped, with the parish of Fryerning running from the north-west to the south-east of Ingatestone, bisecting the other parish.

“Unusually, most of the village of Ingatestone was in the parish of Fryerning, and therefore not in the parish of Ingatestone.

“In 1950 some land around Handley Green was moved to the parish of Margaretting, and at the same time an area to the south-west of Margaretting Hall was added to Ingatestone and Fryerning.” (source: http://www.answers.com/topic/ingatestone-and-fryerning)

So Census records between 1841 and 1881 show the majority of The Street, Ingatestone, within Fryerning.

I have received a number of queries trying to locate family ancestors in Fryerning who actually lived in Ingatestone High Street.

I will post more on this topic on the Fryerning page of ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ in due course (http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/fryerning.html).

The Royal Oak was actually on the west side of Ingatestone High Street where Budgens (built c1975) is now. For a picture of Budgens, as seen from the top of the church tower go to http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/ingatestone.html. I do not remember the public house but the large gap and high fence near to George Staines, ironmongers, in the early 1970s. From the High Street you could see through to Haslers Mill (the newer one of the two) which was itself demolished in the late 1970s to make way for Haslers Court. I suspect that the Royal Oak and neighbouring cottages were demolished in the late 1960s. Ian Yearsley, in his book, ‘Ingatestone and Fryerning – a history’ (Ian Henry Publications, 1997) writes, “The Royal Oak lost its licence before the Great War, but its demolition was delayed somewhat longer than its compatriots and survived long enough to see service as housing until its eventual demolition in the 1970s” (p104).

The cover of the book ‘Ingatestone and District in old picture postcards’, compiled by the late Kenneth Langford in 1985, shows a postcard dated 1894 which includes the ‘Royal Oak’ slightly to the distance.

Ingatestone High Street, situated on the main London to Colchester road, was once a major route for coach and horses. Before the coming of the railways there were numerous pubs and inns serving travellers. The town was about one days’ journey from London. Ian Yearsley says there were once 27 pubs in Ingatestone and Fryerning. Now there are only seven: Stocks (formerly The Anchor), Star, Bell (an ancient coaching inn) and Crown, all in Ingatestone High Street and, Woolpack (a restaurant near Fryerning Church), Cricketers (at Mill Green) and Viper (a little further along the road towards Highwood).

Henry Mullocks was a schoolmaster in Blackmore in 1841. (See cross reference to http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/around_blackmore.html). He was 30 years old. His wife was Miriam (aged 25). They had three children: Augusta (9), Sarah (7) and Henrietta (7 months).

Henry Mullocks was a letter carrier in 1851 and publican in 1861. To confirm whether he was the landlord of The Royal Oak, “Fryerning”, I suggest you consult Kelly’s Directory for the target period. In 1890 the publican and tailor was Henry King.

Moving forward to 1881 the only name of someone either residing in Blackmore or born in Blackmore was a Mary Ann Mullucks (born c1832 in High Ongar). This may be a relation.

Elsewhere I discovered the following by means of a ‘Google Alert’. This helped me to build the picture. (Source: http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?p=308821).

1851
Civil parish: Blackmore
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Registration district: Ongar
Sub-registration district: Bobbingworth
HO107; Piece: 1771; Folio: 216; Page: 39

Address: Church St

Henry Mullucks, Head, Mar, 39, Letter carrier, Norton Mandeville? Essex
Miriam Mullucks, Wife, Mar, 39, Letter carriers wife, Blackmore, Essex
Augustin? Mullucks, Son, U, 19, Blackmore, Essex
Sarah Mullucks, Daur, U, 17, High Lower, Essex
Henrietta Mullucks, Daur, U, 9, Schoilar, Blackmore, Essex
William Mullucks, Son, U, 5, Scholar, Blackmore, Essex
Louisa Mullucks, Daur, U, 3, Blackmore, Essex
Julia Mullucks, Daur, U, 5mo, Blackmore, Essex

1861

Henry Mullucks 48
Mirian Mullucks 46
Sarah Mullucks 25
Luesia Mullucks 13
Julia Mullucks 10
Fredrick Mullucks 6
Sarah Wood 42 Visitor
George Ardly 18 Lodger
Thomas Ardly 14 "
George Clark 18 "

Class: RG9; Piece: 1078; Folio: 168; Page: 9;

Henry is a publican at the Royal Oak.


Received
8 August 2009

Hi Andrew,

Thanks so much for the information and the time you must have put in to find all this! I found confirmation of Henry being publican in the post office directory for 1855. I will now be able to take a drive out to Ingatestone to have a look at the old site. I live in Benfleet, Essex so not too far away. I also found out that Henry's son Frederick on early census records and Percy on later records was also a publican/butcher in Castle Hedingham at the Butchers Arms. I guess a lot of the family must have been buried around the Ingatestone area so will also get out to check church records.

Thanks again Andrew.
Terry Hamlyn.


Reply
9 August 2009

Hello Terry
For a list of church registers held at the Essex Record Office consult http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/parishregisters.html

Andrew

Railways (13)

Class 47 photographed at Peak Rail, Derbyshire in May 2009. This Class of Diesel engine was regularly seen on the main line from London to Norwich.