BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS: July / August 2012

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 200^th 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/)

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 90^th 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

 War Memorial unveiled at Ongar Medical Centre

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  

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - October 2011

Welcome to this month’s round-up of local history and heritage in and around Blackmore, Essex.  It’s little later than usual owing to the marvellous October heatwave which forced me away from the computer and out in the garden.

Changes in Ongar

A large building, which initially looked like a multi storey car park, is being built on the site of the former Ongar War Memorial Hospital.  The Ongar Health Centre will be completed soon with the anticipation that men from the Ongar district who fell in the First World War will be remembered with their names engraved on glass.  Meanwhile in the High Street itself HSBC bank closed its doors for the last time on 30 September 2011.  The media say it is another blow to the town which lost its connection to the Central Line back in 1994.

Under construction. Ongar Health Centre

Pubs For Sale

Two pubs in close proximity to one another are up for sale.  Kings Brasserie, formerly The Wheatsheaf, in Nine Ashes, High Ongar parish has recently gone on the market having been shut throughout the summer.  It has been trading under its new name for only about eighteen months.  The Bull, Blackmore, which has been closed for at least a year is also for sale. It is difficult to tell the fate of these pubs, and whether they will open again as going concerns.  Meanwhile in Blackmore End, near Wethersfield, the former pub bearing the same name, the Bull, has also closed and a controversial application has been made for conversion into a house.  Having two pubs in the county called The Bull, one at Blackmore and the other at Blackmore End several miles away, caused great confusion.  Having visited them both a few years ago the former landlords both told me how occasionally a small party turned up expecting their booking for Sunday lunch only to find they had rung the wrong establishment.  It’s sad also to note that the Dog and Partridge (many years ago called The Swan) in Kelvedon Hatch has also closed.

Kings Brasserie (The Wheatsheaf), King Street, High Ongar

Nine Ashes Farm, High Ongar

A planning application has been made to demolish derelict cattle sheds at Nine Ashes Farm and for a number of houses to be erected.  Until twenty years ago the farm kept cows for milking. Now the sight of a cow or sheep is extraordinarily rare in this part of the county.  When it comes to redundant buildings the whole question of preservation, or conservation or demolition has to be addressed.

Disused dairy farm barns, Nine Ashes Farm, High Ongar

Moreton Hanger

A former hanger from the North Weald airfield in the centre of Moreton village has finally been removed and the site to be allocated for house-building.  The fate of the rather tatty wooden structure is unknown but I learned a while ago that North Weald airfield as well as a new First World War museum on the site of an airfield at Stow Maries near Maldon was interested.  I hope that it has found a home.

Airfield Hanger (now demolished) at Moreton (photo taken 2007)

Treasures of the Essex Record Office

The Essex Record Office produces every year a series of short courses on a variety of topics, ranging from understanding parish registers, and house history through to understanding maps.  On 4 October I attended an afternoon session entitled ‘Treasures of the Essex Record Office’ in which the archivist had laid out around twenty documents which she thought were special.  She gave a short introductory talk on each item then allowed those attending time to view them.  Of course any selection like this has to be somewhat subjective, and there is no doubt that another member of staff would choose a different selection of twenty.  On display before our eyes was the oldest record held by the archive, dated 962; a household record of the Petre family; an original Parish Register commencing 1538; a plan of Epping workhouse; photographs by Spalding of Chelmsford; a record of aliens in the First World War; and, would you believe it, letters written to Revd Edward Henry Lisle Reeve by men of the parish serving on the Front during the First World War.  I have seen these whilst researching Reeve’s biography.

Gift Day at Stondon Massey

A display of books, letters and manuscripts of the Reeve family will be available to view for the first time in Stondon Massey on Saturday 15^th October.   The congregation of St Peter and St Paul Church, Stondon Massey have their Gift Day with the building open to visitors between 10.00am and 4.00pm.  Refreshments will be available.  Revd. Edward Henry Lisle Reeve died 75 years ago this year and was Rector of Stondon Massey from 1893 to 1935, succeeding his father, Edward James, who was Rector for 44 years from 1849.  The material was a generous gift of a distant descendent.  Among them are two commonplace books, one by Edward Reeve (1785 – 1867) written towards the end of his life at Ongar, and the other ‘Jottings’ (dating from 1881) by his grandson Edward Henry Lisle Reeve.  A trilogy of booklets will be available to coincide with the exhibition, entitled ‘After Dinner Anecdotes’, ‘Relatively Speaking’ and ‘Captain’s Reflections’, each priced £2.00 each and sold in aid of church funds.

Links

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

Area: "High Country History Group" Journal No. 38

The January 2011 edition of 'The Journal', the magazine of the High Country History Group, contains the following items:

- New Insights into Tree Ring Dating (featured on this blog)

- High Country Strays in the Stondon Massey Parish Register (featured on this blog)

- Not In Essex

- Help Wanted. Who was AW Gardner?

- The Workhouse. Notes from 1836

- Edward Smyth: The Boy on the Tomb. At Theydon Mount Church

- Some 17th Century House Improvements

- North Weald RAF Station "At Home"

- Witchcraft in Stanford Rivers

- John Barnard of Stanford Rivers

- Book Review. The Living Landscape: Animals in Parks and Gardens of Essex

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - February 2010

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


Winter in Blackmore

Fortunately the weather is warmer now than it was about a month ago. On Thursday 7 January I took the opportunity for a walk in the snowy cold weather to take some photographs. They can be found on the Church website on the Gallery page: http://www.stlaurenceblackmore.co.uk/gallery.htm. The picture here is of the icy moat which surrounds Jericho House, the site of the former Blackmore Priory.


Parish Registers Online
Blackmore
‘Essex Ancestors’ is a project under way by the Essex Record Office to digitise Baptism, Marriage and Burial Registers across the county. Early copies for Blackmore are now available.
SEAX http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/
ERO D/P 266/1/1. Baptisms : 1602-1712; Marriages : 1602-1749; Burials : 1602-1678: http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/result_details.asp?intOffSet=100&intThisRecordsOffSet=109
ERO D/P 266/1/2. Burials 1678 – 1749: http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/result_details.asp?intOffSet=100&intThisRecordsOffSet=110

Not covered on http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/parishregisters.html is the reference to Baptisms at Blackmore Baptist Church between 1841 (the date of inauguration) and 1908. It can be found at the Essex Record Office on microfilm under reference ERO T/B 324/1.


Essex Ancestors: Parishes beginning with S

The Essex Record Office ‘Essex Ancestors’ project continues. I spy with my little eye something (or parishes) beginning with S: http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/displayParishContents.asp?selAlphabet=S&selParish=0&selChurch=0
Follow this link to choose whatever parish letter you need.
At present none of the Stondon Massey registers have been digitised for viewing on line.


Electoral Registers Online

The 1918 and 1929 Electoral Registers were used to help identify the names of those recorded on the Blackmore War Memorial. Online copies are available through SEAX http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/
ERO C/E 2/1/1. 1918 Electoral Register: http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/result_details.asp?GDH=1&DocID=302555&Reference=C/E%202/1/1
ERO C/E 2/1/12. 1929 Electoral Register: http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/result_details.asp?GDH=1&DocID=442966&Reference=C/E%202/1/12
The ones referred to here cover the Chelmsford Division, i.e. the parishes of Abbess Roding, Beauchamp Roding, Berners Roding, Blackmore, Bobbingworth, Boreham, Brentwood, Broomfield, Buttsbury, Chelmsford, Chignall [Chignall St James and Chignall Smealey], Chipping Ongar (duplicated), Danbury, Doddinghurst, East Hanningfield, Fryerning, Fyfield, Good Easter, Great Baddow, Great Leighs, Great Waltham, Greensted-juxta-Ongar, High Laver, High Ongar, Hutton, Ingatestone, Ingrave, Kelvedon Hatch, Lambourne (duplicated), Little Baddow, Little Laver, Little Leighs, Little Waltham, Margaretting, Mashbury, Moreton, Mountnessing, Navestock, Norton Mandeville, Pleshey, Rettendon, Roxwell, Runwell, Sandon, Shelley, Shellow Bowells, Shenfield, South Hanningfield, South Weald, Springfield, Stanford Rivers, Stapleford Abbots, Stapleford Tawney, Stock, Stondon Massey, Theydon Mount, West Hanningfield, Widford, Willingale Doe, Willingale Spain, Woodham Ferrers and Writtle. Registers for Chelmsford are arranged by street, otherwise the names are in alphabetical order.
Other Registers for elsewhere in Essex are available.


Western Association Front “enlisted”

The Blackmore War Memorial Research Project Group has enlisted enthusiasts who form the Essex Branch of the Western Front Association to share research on the names of those commemorated who died or who served from the village during the First World War. I met representatives who had a stand at the grand reopening of the Essex Regiment Museum on 24 January. The Association meets (typically) twice a month at Hornchurch and Hatfield Peverel for talks. Our research will be shared with the WFA and online in due course but in the meantime if interested in WFA go to http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/


Family History Research

Does anyone out there agree with the theory of Praeto’s Principle: in this case that 80% of family history research is achieved in 20% of the time?


Chelmsford Museums

One cannot fail to be impressed with the new museum extension which has allowed more space for the display of artefacts plus new galleries devoted to the history of electronics in Chelmsford plus a brand new area devoted to the Essex Regiment Museum. For more information go to: http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=6779


Kings Brasserie, High Ongar

During the week commencing 11 January a brown tourism style sign appeared at the junction of King Street, High Ongar with the Chelmsford / Harlow A414 pointing to Kings Brasserie as a restaurant stop. The sign on the former public house changed from The Wheatsheaf on the Thursday evening. The property ceased to be a traditional public house in 2002 when it became a Brasserie and has now had a name change.
For a list of former publicans go to : http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/HighOngar/wheatsheaf.shtml


Black Horse, Paslow Common, High Ongar

The year 2002 was an annus horribilis for closing pubs. Just down the road from The Wheatsheaf the Black Horse closed its doors forever. For a list of former publicans go to: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/HighOngar/bhorse.shtml


White Horse, Norton Heath

Another closed public house is the White Horse at Norton Heath, formerly on the main A414 Harlow to Chelmsford road. William J Scudder, later landlord at The Leather Bottle in Blackmore, was publican there in 1898 and 1899. His son, William, who died during the First World War and commemorated on Blackmore’s War Memorial was baptised at Norton Mandeville Church on 13th August 1899. The place of residence given was High Ongar [ERO D/P 267/1/7]. For a list of former publicans go to: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/NortonHeath/whorse.shtml


Margaretting Fire Damaged Pub to be Demolished

The Spread Eagle at Margaretting, a Shepherd Neame public house on the main road (B1002), was badly damaged in a fire last summer. Heritage organisations have surveyed the 400 year old property and agree that it is totally beyond repair. It is to be demolished and the site rebuilt with houses. For a list of former publicans go to: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/Margaretting/seagmarg.shtml


Other Pubs Gone

Charles Napier, Brentwood – demolished 2009: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/Brentwood/napier.shtml
Queens Head, North Weald – fire damaged and demolished: http://deadpubs.co.uk/EssexPubs/NorthWeald/qhead.shtml


A Civilian in The Second World War: The Diaries of E J Rudsdale

Catherine Pearson wrote a note of appreciation for including Eric Rudsdale's WW2 Colchester diary blog in our News item in December 2009. “I believe I have gained several new readers as a result and I have now added a link to your website from Eric's blog and hope it will bring visitors to your site too. Congratulations on your … blog - it is a wonderful resource for the history of Blackmore and the surrounding area and I look forward to using it in the future.” Such kind words are worth another plug for this interesting site. Eric Rudsdale (1910 – 1951) was a curator at Colchester Castle Museum in Essex who during the Second World War decided to maintain regular entries about Colchester and its area. January 1940 was a jolly cold month with much snow. Eric Rudsdale wrote on 26th January: “I am told that at places only a couple of miles out of the town people have been snowbound for more than a week”. Follow this link for more: http://www.wwar2homefront.blogspot.com/


Morris Nichols, cricketer, born Stondon Massey

For more information go to: http://england.cricketworld4u.com/profile/morris-nichols.php


Family History Links

Adams. Ongar. http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=428913.msg2937426;topicseen
Taylor. Buttsbury, Fryerning, Ingatestone, Stock. http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=0u82sl5o6q0ngj20okqj0afhs6&topic=21352.0


BBC A History of the World

A major TV, radio and online project for 2010. For the page on Essex go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/essex/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8352000/8352992.stm


New Flicker Pictures

The Bell Tower interior at “St Lawrence”, Blackmore (Eric Hardy): http://www.flickr.com/photos/erichardyuk/4297301848/


Links

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

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.

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - September 2009

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

Railway Heritage

A celebration of Essex railways and rolling stock continues throughout this month on ‘Blackmore Area Local History’. This month’s picture is of a local L.N.E.R. steam engine at the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne in the early 1990s. To view the complete series (to date) go to http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/search/label/railway

Heritage Weekend

For the latest information about what is opening during the 2009 Heritage Weekend (which is on Saturday 12 September and Sunday 13 September) visit: http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/directory/search/?p=1&county=Essex&laa=Brentwood&town=All&type=All&period=All&thursday=on&friday=on&saturday=on&sunday=on

Ingatestone Hall

‘Early Modern History’ is the prolific work (which is an understatement!) of one blogger and academic historian, Christopher Thomson. Included recently were:
- pictures of the exterior of Ingatestone Hall: http://earlymodernhistory1.blogspot.com/2009/08/ingatestone-hall-mid-16th-century-home.html.
- the portrait of Sir William Petre: http://earlymodernhistory1.blogspot.com/2009/08/sir-william-petre.html
To see the latest posts click here: http://earlymodernhistory1.blogspot.com/

Mountnessing

The Mountnessing Parish Council website has created a link to http://www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/mountnessing.html but in return I draw your attention to their page ‘Tales of Old Mountnessing’ (http://www.essexinfo.net/mountnessingparishcouncil/tales-of-old-mountnessing/) which contains an edited version of my great uncle’s (W. W. Reed) speech entitled ‘Retrospect’, given in 1950. There is also a page of village photos worth a look: http://www.essexinfo.net/mountnessingparishcouncil/village-photos/

North Weald Airfield History

This is the title of an extensive website about the North Weald aerodrome, established in 1916 which became RAF North Weald and a major fighter base in both World Wars. The site is produced by W H Aitken and contains information about the airfield’s history, its museum and ‘Debt of Honour’. This blog covered the museum as part of its commemoration of the Great War (http://blackmorehistory.blogspot.com/2008/09/north-weald-airfield-museum.html). The site has a link to ‘Blackmore Area Local History’ on its own links page: http://www.northwealdairfieldhistory.org/content/links.

Weather

A subject of enormous debate in Britain is the weather and whether or not it has been a good summer. The ‘Independent on Sunday’ has tried to settle the matter by issuing two essays (‘The IoS weather lists’) charting extremes in the UK climate over the last 200 years. Writtle is mentioned twice. Read on … http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/the-iiosi-weather-lists-1766259.html and http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/the-iiosi-weather-lists-part-2-1769701.html

Rough Justice Victorian Style

Essex was one of three counties topping the league table of hangings. For more read the link to the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8181192.stm

Links

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

North Weald: Remembering ... William J. Dawes

William John Dawes, Lance Corporal, 1st Essex Regiment was my great-uncle. He served in the ‘failed’ eight month campaign in Gallipoli which was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war. Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery was created after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites and small burial grounds on the battlefields of April to August and December 1915. There are now 3,360 First World War servicemen buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 2,226 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate many casualties known or believed to be buried among them, including 142 officers and men of the 1st Essex who died on 6th August 1915. My great-uncle was one of those who fell on that day.

He is commemorated on the War Memorial at North Weald and is also remembered by his family on the grave of his brother, Henry, who died in 1929 and was buried in the village churchyard.

The ‘Commonwealth War Graves Commission’, who records his name as J. W. Dawes, includes the following citation:
http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=602877

North Weald: War Memorial

Names commemorated:

Leonard Bard
William J Burling
Robert Broad
George L Bridges
John P Chambers
John Crow
George E Day
William J Dawes
John R Eymon
Jacob J Foster
Thomas J Freshwater
William A Fry
Walter J Glasscock
Christopher King
Leonard L King
Charles H McLaren
Albert W Lowen
George Maynard
James Nash
Arthur Newman
Cecil A Oakley
William C Pomfrett
Eric L Powell
John Smith
A Stannard
William Stevens
Charles Thake
Charles Thompson
Peter Turner
Edmund C Turner
Montague Winch

Magdalen Laver: Blitz Of The Harvest Moon

‘The Blitz of the Harvest Moon’ (24 September to 1 October 1917) was the most intense period of German aid raids on London during the Great War. (see entry, ‘The First Blitz’, 12.9.08). Revd. Edward Reeve, Rector of Stondon Massey, wrote of his experience at the time dodging the shrapnel in Magdalen Laver. Knowing the places personally one can follow his footsteps that moonlit September evening. He wrote in his notes [ERO T/P 188/3]:

3rd October 1917

We have had a succession of nightly raids during the moonlit period.

The evening of Wed Sep 26 was cloudy. This kept off the Germans and we held a Harvest Thanksgiving Service at Stondon Church undisturbed by alarms!

On Saturday a number of the enemy appear to have got through to London and to have caused considerable damage. The loss of life and number of personal injuries is not perhaps so great as might have been expected, but the population has been instructed to take shelter, and numbers have been accommodated in underground shelters, and in the corridors of halls of our underground and “Tube” railways.

Guns have been greatly multiplied lately all round London, and here at Stondon we are nearly in the centre of a ring of fire, guns being placed at Epping, North Weald, Fyfield, Radley Green, Swallows Cross, Barretts Corner, Ingatestone, the nearer London suburbs and so round to Epping again. The danger for us is the dropping of our own shells.

On Sunday evening Sept 30 a Harvest Festival Service was held at Magdalen Laver Church and I was invited to preach the sermon. The moon was full, and there was a good congregation. I did not expect the probable Raid till past eight o’clock and most people elected to stay awhile in the building. I was to stay the night with Sir Godfrey Thomas at Wynters, and we had about 1½ mile to walk from the Church. We set out, and had reached the Rectory when the scream of the shells and the roar of the guns all round us suggested shelter there temporarily. A number of pedestrians followed our example. When, after half an hour or more we pursued our way we found in the solid granite highway a hole some 5 inches in diameter and a foot of more in depth made by a falling shell, and we were ready to admit that our delay has been dictated by prudence. Lady Thomas and the other ladies with us were not sorry I think when Wynters was safely reached at a little before nine o’clock. The bombardment lasted about an hour longer.

On Tuesday Oct 2nd we heard the heavy drone of German “Gothas” at mid-day, but understand that the raiders met a “warm reception” and returned without reaching London.

Ninety Years On. Remembering the First World War (9)

Extract from ‘Notes For A Parish History’ (ERO T/P 188/3) written by Revd. E. H. L Reeve of Stondon Massey (Essex).

26th September 1918

There are now some 25 aeroplanes at North Weald aerodrome. About 40 men are attached to each ‘plane for refitting etc: and some 1500 will probably be eventually at the station if it becomes a Flying School.

Over 400 Officers have passed through the Convalescent Hospital at Blake Hall since its inauguration in 1916 – 18 months ago.

Moreton: Aircraft Hangar

In the pretty village of Moreton, near Ongar, there is a tatty shed probably due for demolition soon. It is an old aircraft hangar from North Weald Airfield.

North Weald Airfield Museum

North Weald Airfield Museum is based at Ad Astra House, the former station office of RAF North Weald. The Flight Station was opened in 1916, two years before the designation of the Royal Air Force, and closed in 1964.

The Museum has five rooms. Room 1 covers the period 1916 to 1939; Room 2, the Battle of Britain; Room 3, the civilians at war; Room 4 is dedicated to the allies who were based at North Weald and Room 5, events post World War II including the Cold War.

The Flight Station opened in August 1916 and was manned by a wing of the 39 Squadron, part of the operation at Suttons Farm and Hainault. The Commanding Officer was Major T C R Higgins. Their objective was to prevent Zeppelin attacks on London by means of two hour patrols with small 80hp biplanes called BE2c’s. With no radio signal and rudimentary cockpit instruments this was dangerous work. (Remember that manned flight began only in 1903). It was in this craft that W Leefe Robinson, F Sowtrey and W J Tempest shot down three Zeppelins in flames (see entry, ‘Zeppelins Over Essex’, 29.8.08). Room 1 tells us that Tempest crash landed his plane at North Weald after shooting down the Zeppelin over Potters Bar.

Having lost air supremacy, the Germans responded the following summer with a more formidable force: the Gotha bi-planes attacked London in June and July 1917 (see entry, ‘First Blitz’, 12.9.08). The Gothas were able to fly at a much greater altitude which meant that the ‘planes North Weald had could not engage with the enemy. In September 1917 the airfield was equipped with Bristol Fighters but saw no action until the attack by Gothas on the night of 19 May 1918. Lieutenant Arkell flying a Bristol Fighter, and a Sopwith Camel flown by the 78 Squadron, engaged with a Gotha which was brought down at East Ham. That Whitsunday was the last air raid of the war over London. The Squadron moved to France that summer and was disbanded on 16 November 1918 following the Armistice.

The North Weald Airfield Memorial, is a Debt of Honour to the 250 people who died while stationed on the airfield. Visitors to the Museum are given a folded A3 card containing their names. Eight personnel died during the First World War.

The Museum is run by volunteers and is open at weekends during the summer. Follow this link for more information.
http://www.removablemedia.com/northweald/

Bibliography:
F W G Hitchcock. The History of the RAF at North Weald.

Book Review: Essex And Its Race For The Skies 1900-1939

Graham Smith charts the history of aviation, pre- and post World War One, from a local perspective devoting a chapter (entitled ‘When Death Rained From The Skies’) to the air raids by Zeppelins, and aeroplanes (the Gothas and Giants, otherwise known as ‘R-planes’).

Aviation was the hobby of gentlemen who became personalities. Britain lagged seriously behind the Germans in the development of craft and defence of the air. The opening of Flight Stations at Goldhanger, Suttons Farm (Hornchurch), North Weald, and Stow Maries came as a response to the fearful attacks by Zeppelins. Initially these airfields held a flight of six aeroplanes.

The book is illustrated with pictures of the aeroplanes, a Zeppelin, bomb damage at Braintree and reproduction postcard of Lieut. W Leefe Robinson, who brought down the Zeppelin at Cuffley.

‘Essex And Its Race For The Skies’ by Graham Smith (Countryside Books, 2007) is available in paperback. £10.99.

Revd Edward Reeve. Chronicler of The Great War

Edward Henry Lisle Reeve (1858 - 1936) was Rector of Stondon Massey in Essex from 1893 until 1935. In his spare time he researched and published from 1900 what many regard as a model parish history. His last volume was published in 1914, on the eve of the First World War.

While researching for an historical event at Stondon Church (‘Through Changing Scenes’ – see earlier entries on this blog), I discovered that Reeve did not stop recording events in his parish on publication of his work but kept notes through to 1929. (His notes are held in Essex Record Office: ERO T/P 188/3). We therefore have a fascinating and unique local insight to the First World War (1914 – 18) as events unfolded.

Reeve lived with his sisters at the Rectory (now Stondon Massey House) where he penned the local history. I understand that his father, whom he succeeded as Rector, forbade him and his sisters to marry. He died, a bachelor, in 1936.

On Tuesday, 4th August 1914 at 11pm Great Britain declared War on Germany. Very quickly soldiers were called to arms. With an invasion of England anticipated Reeve wrote in October that, “Artillery and Engineer Officers have been busily surveying the district during the past three weeks with the purpose, I believe, of deciding on the best method of obstructing a possible raid on London. An outer line of defence appears to run through Ongar, Stondon and Doddinghurst: and my little field has received attention. Field guns I think would, on necessity, be brought here, and would range eastward in the direction of Chelmsford”.

In November Reeve observed that, “It would hardly be too much to say that Stondon is becoming honeycombed with trenches, and the Church, owing to its being set upon a hill, is a prominent centre. The slopes declining from the Hall to the brook contain a network of passages, giving shelter to riflemen who will give, if necessary, a stern reception to the enemy coming down the opposite hill from Paslow Common. Flanking trenches face toward the Rectory, while others are taken southward along the course of the brook to the village. In adjacent parishes the same work is observable. On the slopes of High Ongar, and on the confines of Blackmore and Doddinghurst towards Swallows Cross bodies of men are busily engaged”.

Huge numbers of men were billeted in Stondon and the neighbourhood. “Some 600 navvies arrived on the morning of November 2nd, some by railway to Ongar, and some by road in motor omnibuses. The plan being somewhat unexpectedly adopted, little or no preparation had been made in the locality for the reception of the men. Some 400 were to commence work at once in Stondon. In the event, at the cost of considerable discomfort, the first few days were successfully surmounted and then tents were erected here and there for the accommodation of the men, or they contrived to find themselves temporary billets. A canteen was put up at Brook’s and Cannons Farm, which to some degree supplied the place of shops. This was afterward moved to a centre at Hooks End, Blackmore. The appearance of a canteen was hailed with delight by the villagers, publican, and all: for it was becoming a real difficulty to know how to meet the wants of the invaders”.

December’s rains caused the trenches to become saturated and caved in. A different strategy was adopted in early 1915 due to the changed nature of warfare in France. “A Guardsman whom I met lately told me that constantly our trenches in France had been no more than 30 or 40 paces distant to those of the enemy: and it had been possible to throw hand-grenades from one to the other. My Guardsman acquaintance told me that Germany is a beaten nation; and it is recognised that an invasion in force becomes daily less likely”.

We know the War to be far more protracted than thought at the time. Men up and down the country joined. Reeve comments in July 1915, when 44 year-old Ernest Baines signs up, that “he hopes that his example may lead some of the single men who are still holding back to come forward and enlist. So far the Government have procured the services of a vast army without conscription”.

Looking in retrospect, we know that conscription was introduced in 1916 and the events of the Somme caused a tremendous loss of life: the Government deliberately understating the number killed or wounded. Reeve describes the opening day of the Somme offensive (1st July 1916) thus: “As I write, the reverberation of the great guns and explosion of mines are shaking the windows of the Rectory and of all the other houses, I suppose, in the southern and south-eastern counties of England. There is evidently a very heavy bombardment in progress”.

In his privileged position as community leader Reeve learns of letters home to families. Reading his notes one wonders whether this was a cathartic release of all he had learnt. We learn the names and professions of the men of Stondon who went to War. For example, “Mr John White, lately serving as butler and valet at Stondon Place is with the Fusiliers and writing to his wife reports that he is well so far but that a party to which he belonged were lately all but “wiped out”, two officers being killed out of four, and two wounded. This is an astonishing experience for a man not fashioned for a soldier’s life either physically or in temperament”. The gardener at the Rectory, William Penson, was “drafted from Gosfield to Wendover where he will join a class for practice in “bombing and bayoneting”! Strange work for a peaceful citizen!” In all, six Stondon men were killed in the War including three Hasler brothers. Two of the men died after the end of hostilities from the effects of gas inhalation.

The “enemy” never made an assault on England on the ground, but carried out a number of air raids, firstly by Zeppelin and later by aeroplane. Reeve describes these in some detail.

“On August 17th [1915] at 10.15pm a Zeppelin was heard overhead, making its way from the coast in the direction of London. It passed apparently over that part of Stondon which lies nearest Paslow Common, and made its way over Stanford Rivers and Leytonstone. There a number of bombs were dropped, killing five persons, and doing extensive damage to property. On the return journey, about 11.45pm, a vessel with fuse, containing petrol, was dropped in the fields lying between Hallsford and High Ongar, not far from Castle Farm at Ongar. Expert opinion inclines to think that this was not a “bomb”, but a petrol can being dropped by accident from the Zeppelin. Under the supervision of experts the liquid contained in the vessel was burned on the spot.”

Reeve also saw the craters of bombs which were dropped over Blackmore on 31st March 1916. He provides the location of the dropped bombs: “between the Soap House and the corner of Blackmore between the Church and Miss Barrett’s house” (see entry ‘Bombs Over Blackmore’).

As allies gained air supremacy there was success in defence from attacks. Reeve, on 3rd September 1916, witnessed the end of the Zeppelin shot down over Cuffley as the “whole sky for miles around was illuminated with a pink glow which grew brighter and more brilliant as the vessel neared the earth in her fall of some 2½ miles”; and the aftermath of another at Great Burstead (23rd September 1916) when “the numbers of sight-seers was so great that it was difficult, even on foot, to get within distance”.

Reeve witnessed the daylight air raid of 13th June 1917 on London which killed 162 civilians, the highest death toll from a single air raid during the whole war. “They came over Stondon from the North East at a great height, so as to be practically out of view. Some, however, saw three, and some as many as ten, like little glittering silver fish against the blue sky. They filled the air with a rumbling as a huge traction engine. About ten minutes after their passing over our heads we heard the bombs dropping in the direction of London, and the visitors shaped a more southerly course, and the droning died away in the direction of Rochford and Southend. It was possible, however, as they swerved round on their return journey, to hear the quick firing of machine guns, indicating that a struggle was proceeding at great height between the invaders and our gallant airmen.

“The accounts tell us that many lives were lost through the raid, and many terrible injuries inflicted. A Stondon woman (Mrs Skinner) and her child were travelling to London that day, and, with other passengers, brought back word of sad scenes in the Great Eastern Company’s terminus at Liverpool Street. One or two trains narrowly escaped wreckage, and in one at least several persons were killed. It is felt that every effort must be made to give timely warning of such visits in the future, and to prevent the concourse of persons in the streets”.

Reeve also saw the aid raid over London on 7th July 1917 which official reports said killed 57 and injured 193 people. “A few minutes past ten (summer time) this morning a Fleet of hostile aeroplanes was heard approaching from the East, and at 10.30 they were in our near neighbourhood. I counted 24 myself, flying compactly, and very much remembering a body of rooks flying westward towards Kelvedon Hall on an autumn evening. The German aeroplanes appeared from the Rectory to extend from ourselves towards Kelvedon Hatch and Stanford Rivers. They flew unopposed till apparently over North Weald and Epping when firing commenced, and seemed to scatter the formation. They rallied however, and then appeared to make rapidly westward, over the Loughton and Chigwell district for N London. The firing and bomb-throwing circled more and more to the south until at last the fleet was again visible over the Romford quarter, and the sound of machine guns was plainly audible. The aeroplanes were now at a much greater distance. They were lost in the haze, in little over ¾ hour from their first appearance, as they vanished in the direction of the mouth of the river Thames and Southend.”

Eventually the might of the Americans was brought to bear and the War, which seemed “a draw” in 1917, according to sportsman Capt. Fred Fane, ceased with an Armistice on 11th November 1918. In days before radio, the village learnt of events by “the hooting of sirens and the noise of maroons. Some in Stondon heard the distinct bells at Brentwood. But it was not till the afternoon that definite tidings reached the villages and then it filtered through chiefly the form of private messages. News came to Stondon that flags were being hoisted on the Military Hospital at Ongar, and that the veteran Field-Marshall Sir Evelyn Wood VC had visited the place and communicated the splendid message to the wounded men. As soon as I had this official intelligence the Stondon Church bells were chimed with all the old vigour by Ernest Baines, our sometime sexton”. In one sense the War was over.

The book, 'Revd E H L Reeve: Chronicler of the Great War' (64 pages) may be purchased, price £1.50, from the bookstall at Priory Church of St Laurence, Blackmore; St Peter & St Paul Church, Stondon Massey (on open afternoons); and, Megarry's antique shop, The Green, Blackmore. Alternatively, to purchase via the website E mail the contact address.

Andrew Smith

North Weald: Stepping Back Into History

In October 2005 I took a train ride from Ongar on the “newly-formed” Epping and Ongar Railway and, alighting at North Weald for the first time, stepped back into history. It was here that my great grandfather, John Dawes, son of a tradesman in Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, became a railway porter in 1877. This was only a few years after the branch line from Epping to Ongar had opened. John spent the remainder of his working life working on the railway - but that’s a different story for another time.

The Eastern Counties Railway opened a line out of Shoreditch, from Stratford to Loughton in 1856, with the intention of reaching Epping. Later the company was taken over by the Great Eastern Railway (1862) who planned an extension to Ongar with ambitions to reach either Chelmsford or Great Dunmow.

The route opened in 1865, but the addition from Epping to Ongar remained only a branch line. When through trains ran from Liverpool Street, carriages were often left off at Epping. Had Ongar been the original objective, the line would have been easier to build up the Roding valley rather than over high ground. But Epping was a more attractive destination.

In 1935, the line became part of the London Transport Modernisation Plan and after the Second World War was “attached” to the Central Line. Tube trains began to operate as far as Epping in 1949 but it was to be a further eight years before the branch to Ongar was electrified. Push – pull steam trains worked the route. Never having high passenger numbers, its fate seems to have been doomed by a decision not to build an electricity sub-station at Blake Hall. This meant insufficient power so longer trains from the metropolis could not be used over the full distance. Passengers had to change at Epping. From then the branch was the only single-track section on the underground network, and at North Weald, the only place where there was a level crossing. With dwindling patronage the branch finally succumbed to closure on 30 September 1994, but not without several fights from rail users. Blake Hall Station, the most rural on the entire London Transport network, had closed some ten years before.

The architecture of the line is not without interest. The stations - Ongar, Blake Hall, North Weald and Epping – are all of the same style. Blake Hall is the most decorative country station in red and white brick. North Weald is the same as its neighbour but plainer. Ongar is a modest terminus and Epping has additional building on the east side, or London-bound platform. Just outside Ongar, a viaduct spans Cripsey brook.

Whether there was, and remains, anything romantic about this branch is a matter individuals’ will decide, but it forms part of my Essex roots. If the Eastern Countries Railway preferred Ongar as a destination to Epping, the High Country parishes would not have been so rural. Had the post war Abercrombie Plan for a new town at Ongar been approved – rather than Basildon – the line may have remained open today with fast electric trains to Chelmsford.


Bibliography:
Newens, Arthur Stanley. A History of North Weald Bassett and Its People (Nuclear Printing and Publishing Co Ltd, 1985)
Various writers. Aspects of the History of Ongar (Ongar Millennium History Project, 1999)
Letter to ‘Essex Countryside’. January 1962