Sunday 15 February 2015

1000th Post on Blackmore History Blog

This is a milestone for this blog. With 165000 page views that means an average 165 hits per item.  Blackmore Area Local History is about the history and heritage of the local area - and has reflected changes which inevitably happen. We have covered all aspects of life in the past in this area of Essex, and an eye on the future too. 

Brentwood Borough Council Development Plan

Received by e mail

Blackmore Village and our Green Belt.

Did you know:-
•    That Brentwood Council’s Development Plan has identified land within Blackmore Village, sufficient for well in excess of one hundred new homes to be constructed?
•    Two, well known, Housebuilding Companies have already acquired Options to purchase two fields in Blackmore? One of these is between Redrose Lane and Woollard Way, the second  being the other side of Fingrith Hall Road, linking with Orchard Piece.
The two Builders have indicated to the Council that c.90 homes can be built on one field and c.40 homes on the other. If the smaller scheme finds its way into the final Development Plan, it will increase the number of homes in Blackmore by almost 10%, and obviously much more if the larger scheme happens….or both of them…..The infrastructure of the Village will struggle to cope and the look and feel of the Village would change forever.
If you like Blackmore ‘the way it is’ and if you are interested in helping to protect our Green Belt,  then please do not wait and see what happens, rather make sure that: 
1.    You read the recent note circulated by our Parish Council
2.    You spend proper time on the Brentwood Council web-site and read the Development Plan in full…..yes, it’s dull, but they promised to consult with residents and this is our opportunity to help shape the future.
3.    And don’t delay in sending back your Consultation Feedback Forms.
Yes, a resounding ‘vote’ in favour of a large scale development at Dunton Garden Suburb will help alleviate the pressure to ‘grow’ the Villages, but it’s important that we do all that we can to take care of OUR destiny here in Blackmore.

THE CLOSING DATE IS 17th FEBRUARY, so please don’t delay. Your views will count.

Friday 13 February 2015

British Newspapers Online

10 million pages now searchable at The British Newspaper Archive
The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) hit a major digitisation milestone this month: it’s added its 10 millionth historic newspaper page.
The website launched with 4 million pages in November 2011, so you’ll now find 150% more to explore. If you’ve not used the collection for a while, it’s definitely time to come back and take another look.

Much more to search and a great-value subscription
It’s not just The British Newspaper Archive’s coverage that has improved in the last few years. Back in 2011, a 30 day package was £29.95. Today, a 1 month subscription is just £9.95.
A subscription will give you access to the whole collection of historic newspapers and you can keep the pages you view forever by saving them to your computer or printing them out.
View the full list of subscription options at www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/payments

Thousands of pages are digitised every week and some fantastic content has been added in the last few months. Here are just some of the highlights:
1)      The Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror

Copies of the Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror from 1914-1918 are now available to search online. These national newspapers provide fascinating daily news, photographs and illustrations from World War One.

2)      58 new Irish newspapers

The collection of newspapers from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland has grown substantially in the last few months. At launch, seven newspaper titles were available, but you can now search a total of 65.

3)      Newspapers from World War Two

More than 350,000 pages from 1939-1945 are currently available to search at The British Newspaper Archive. 60 newspaper titles are already online, including the Aberdeen Weekly Journal, Lancashire Evening Post and Kent & Sussex Courier.



ENDS