Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Smyth Hall

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Smyth Hall: Replied 10 April 2010 (to earlier correspondence, published on this blog on 7 January 2010) Hello Scott We exchanged numerous E mails earl...

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Thomas Smyth (died 1592)

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Thomas Smyth (died 1592): In the south east corner of the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore, is the tomb of Thomas Smyth and his wife, Margaret (later Powle). I...

Blackmore Area Local History: Book Review: Stephen Powle

Blackmore Area Local History: Book Review: Stephen Powle: By the author’s own admission, Sir Stephen Powle (pronounced ‘Pole’) is “almost unknown today”. Virginia F. Stern though draws from numerous...

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Smyth Family, Lords of the Manor

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Smyth Family, Lords of the Manor: Received 15 May 2009 Hello- I recently came upon you as a contact for the Priory at Blackmore. I am a descendent of Sir Thomas Smyth (Smit...

Blackmore: Smyth Family - more American Connections

Drawing of tomb commemorating Margaret Smyth.
Thomas Smyth, first husband, buried 1592.

Received 26 December 2012

Smythe family history at the Church of St. Laurence, Blakemore Co., Essex

Hello!

I am writing to try and find out some information about my ancestors from Essex. A historical book I am reading titled, "Smith of Scotland Neck, Planters of the Roanoke" (the state of Virginia in the U.S.) recalls the history of the Smith (Smythe) family, to whom I related. The information goes all the way back to the 1500's with the family of Thomas Smythe of Rivenhall in Essex. It goes on to mention John Smith and another Thomas Smythe (of Smythe's Hall in Blakemore), and his wife, Margaret, who were entombed in alabaster in the Church of St. Laurence in Blakemore County, Essex.

Later descendants of these Smythe's were granted land in Virginia, where eventually their name was changed to Smith and this is from where my great-grandmother's lineage comes.

I have no idea if perhaps you know of this church or the effigies, if yours is the church, or if I'm not on the right path at all! But, I am hoping you have some information or can point me in the right direction in learning more of my family's history in England. Perhaps one day some of us here can take a trip and see the land and sights of Essex!

Thank you so much, and I wish you a blessed Christmas season!

Megan Clark

North Carolina, USA

Replied 27 December 2012

Dear Megan

Thank you for your e mail.  Blackmore Area Local History contains a large amount of correspondence on the Smyth family and their links with the United States.  See http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Smyth%20family . In addition there are a number of pages on the main website: www.blackmorehistory.co.uk which are best viewed by following the links from the blog.  I will post this entry in due course in order to add to the story.

With best wishes

Andrew Smith (no relation)

Willingale: Bells Ring Out This Christmas

“We are all ringing the church bells at Willingale for the first time this Christmas since World War II as we have just finished the restitution”, Chris Evans announced on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show last Friday (21 December 7.29am).  This was a text message to the show by the dedicated group of local people at Willingale who had, during 2011/12, constructed a new mezzanine ringing floor, new bell frame, and increased the number of bells from four to six.  A new bell was cast at Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 2011, the other five – four from Willingale and a fifth from Prittlewell – were retuned.  The Dedication Service was on 27 May and the first showing of a video showing the work involved in construction, casting the bell, making bell-wheels and lifting all in position, was first shown at the end of October.  If there are any doubts that Britain does not make anything any more, watch this video.  ‘Willingale Bells: Made In Britain’.

The short film above was made on Sunday 23 December 2012, as bells rang out ahead of a Nine Lessons and Carols Service.  To hear the bells rung for the last time prior to the work go to http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/willingale-bells-of-st-christopher.html

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Garnham family

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Garnham family: Relatives of the late George Garnham made a trip across the pond this summer to visit family and find out more about this elusive man – see...

Blackmore Area Local History: Roxwell: Remembering Fred Garnham of Radley Green

Blackmore Area Local History: 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 ...

Blackmore Area Local History: Highwood: Remembering ... Fred Garnham

Blackmore Area Local History: Highwood: Remembering ... Fred Garnham: Frederick Garnham was killed on 8th September 1914 in the retreat from Mons. His name appears on the War Memorial at Highwood. Revd Reeve w...

ESAH160: News from Essex Record Office: Parish Registers On...

ESAH160: News from Essex Record Office: Parish Registers On...: The Essex Record Office blog has announced the completion of the availability for subscription of Parish Registers online – held at Essex ...

ESAH160: Essex Society for Archaeology and History - 160th ...

ESAH160: Essex Society for Archaeology and History - 160th ...: The Essex Archaeological Society (since 1985 called the Essex Society for Archaeology and History), was formed in Colchester on 14 Decem...

Blackmore Area Local History: Ingatestone: Revd. A. Suckling. Memorials (1845)

Blackmore Area Local History: Ingatestone: Revd. A. Suckling. Memorials (1845): The following is taken from Revd. Alfred Suckling’s book, ‘Memorials of the antiquities and architecture, family history and heraldry of the...

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Crickitt and Disney family link

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Crickitt and Disney family link: Received 22 August 2012 Hello I left a comment re Crickitt family just now on you blog? I hope it was yours anyway. When I ch...

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Disney family

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Disney family: The Disney memorial inside St Edmund & St Mary Church, Ingatestone. In the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore, on the north wall is ...

Blackmore Area Local History: Book: Revd. Edward Henry Lisle Reeve. The Last Gen...

Blackmore Area Local History: Book: Revd. Edward Henry Lisle Reeve. The Last Gen...: A new booklet goes on sale on Sunday (1 May) at Stondon Church in aid of church funds and as a launch to the 'William Byrd Festival' which i...

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Reeve. Extraordinary Connection (2...

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Reeve. Extraordinary Connection (2...: The story continues … Received 2 March 2011 Dear Andrew, I don't know much about the legal system in England, but Master and then Chie...

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Reeve. Extraordinary Connection (1...

Blackmore Area Local History: Stondon Massey: Reeve. Extraordinary Connection (1...: When Jane Fitzgibbon recently left a comment regarding ‘Revd Reeve’s Nephew (see http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2011/01/stondon-massey...

Blackmore Area Local History: Zeppelins Over Essex (1)

Blackmore Area Local History: Zeppelins Over Essex (1): Much is written elsewhere on the Internet about the Zeppelin raids during the First World War. As mentioned in ‘Bombs Over Blackmore’ (22.8...

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Bombs Over Blackmore

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Bombs Over Blackmore: Memorials are a common feature in church stained glass windows. At the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore, many of the windows date fr...

ESAH160: ESAH Forum: 'Tallis, Byrd & The Tudors' on TV agai...

ESAH160: ESAH Forum: 'Tallis, Byrd & The Tudors' on TV agai...: 'Tallis, Byrd and The Tudors' in the BBC TV series 'Sacred Music' is a programme I would never tire of seeing.  It is on BBC FOUR at 7.3...

William Byrd @ Stondon: AV: William Byrd, Stondon Massey and the Authorise...

William Byrd @ Stondon: AV: William Byrd, Stondon Massey and the Authorise...: When Kerry McCarthy gave a lecture last week to guests at Sidney Sussex College in Cambridge she said, according to an Internet source ( ht...

William Byrd @ Stondon: New Recording of 'Great Service' by The Cardinall'...

William Byrd @ Stondon: New Recording of 'Great Service' by The Cardinall'...: In July 1923, as part of the London celebrations commemorating the Tercentenary of the death of William Byrd, an audience heard the firs...

Blackmore Area Local History: Vaughan Williams and Essex

Blackmore Area Local History: Vaughan Williams and Essex: Fifty years ago, on 26th August 1958, the famous British composer Ralph Vaughan Williams died. Whilst he never lived in Essex we can claim t...

Blackmore Area Local History: Area: The Essex Storm of 1897 (2)

Blackmore Area Local History: Area: The Essex Storm of 1897 (2): Recently the High Country History Group heard about two catastrophic weather events of the late nineteenth century. In a double-bill of spea...

Blackmore Area Local History: Area: The Essex Storm of 1897

Blackmore Area Local History: Area: The Essex Storm of 1897: The following is an extract from the book ‘Black Thursday: The Essex Storm of 1897’, available from the church bookstall or Megarrys Antique...

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Mothers' Union

Blackmore Area Local History: Blackmore: Mothers' Union: The closing of the local branch of the Mothers’ Union at the end of 2006 marked the end of an era of meetings which took place, perhaps cont...

ESAH160: Ancient Wills No 2 (John Smyth, Blackmore): Transa...

ESAH160: Ancient Wills No 2 (John Smyth, Blackmore): Transa...: Thomas Smyth (d. 1592) A plan of the tomb which is situated in the south east corner of the Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore ...

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - November / December 2012

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

Blackmore Area Local History – 5 years’ old

On 1 December 2007 the first post was entered on http://www.blackmorehistory.blogspot.com .  The blog was supplemented by http://blackmorehistory.co.uk in 2008.  Since then this blog has brought you the latest history news as well as new insights into family and social history, thanks to the readers who have contributed.  But it’s thanks to Google that this has become possible.  Blogging is a simple and straightforward way of connecting non-technically minded people to the worldwide web.  Blogs too have come a long way over the last five years. 

I would encourage everyone who is interested in history to get blogging as well as researching, because amazing things happen.  Without a web presence it would not have been possible to pay tribute in such a tangible way to those men who died in the First World War.  For example, it was good to link with a family in Texas who are related to Frederick Garnham.  The increased recognition of William Byrd and his links with Stondon Massey would not have been possible and the William Byrd Festival would not have happened.  The Maryon collection of photographs and a family remembrance of the night a Zeppelin came down on land at Snails Hall Farm, Billericay, would not have been published.  The connections with the Disney and Crickett familes would not have been made.  Contact from descendants of Rev E H L Reeve, of whom I wrote a biography, would not have happened.

Over the next month I will be looking back and repeating some of the more important posts of the last five years, either from this site or other blogs on my blog roll.

I'm inspired by Sir Tim Berners-Lee who gave the internet to us all.  What a fitting tribute to him at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games!  "This is for everyone".

ESAH160 launched

The Essex Society for Archaeology and History has launched an interim blog under my editorship.  http://www.esah160.blogspot.com contains information relating to this countywide historical group and items of heritage interest relating to the historic county of Essex.  Some posts of relevance to the local area will be referenced on this site.

Blackmore History News

This will be the last post in this form.  In order to be more responsive, news items will be posted as soon as convenient rather than saved up and published en masse.

Links

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