Thursday 1 April 2010

BLACKMORE HISTORY NEWS - April 2010

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


Aerial Photograph of Blackmore

This was a wonderful opportunity to take an aerial photograph of the village. See picture this month.


War Memorial Research Project Group

Work continues to identify and tell the stories of those from Blackmore who died and of those who survived the First World War. Some interesting contacts have been received from descendents.


Walk and Talks

The Essex Society for Archaeology and History visited Blackmore on 27 March to hear a presentation by me on the village’s history and its church. The occasion took the form of a walk around the historic green, highlighting points of interest, and a guided tour of the church and bell tower. Photographs, booklets and other items of interest were placed on a ‘show and tell’ table. A fellow local historian, Bruno Giordan, also made a large contribution to the afternoon’s proceedings. Members’ tea followed.

Two days’ previously I gave a 20-minute presentation at the AGM of the High Country History Group entitled ‘1911 and all that’ which covered family, local and social history derived from the recent census release. Other topics covered by speakers included the 1841 census in Greensted and the redundant church at Berners Roding. Cheese and wine concluded the evening. Spot the connection between the two events!


On the Wireless

At the beginning of the month Tim Wander was the speaker at the annual lecture given by the Chelmsford Museums. The audience – many of who were ex-employees of the great electronics firms which operated in the county town, and amateur radio fanatics – heard this Marconi man speak about the development of radio and of ‘Two Emma Tock’ Writtle. The month of March also saw the death of Dennis Rookard, a local and hospital radio presenter, whose specialist field was folk music. He produced a number of documentaries including one I came across on the web devoted to Capt. Eckersley’s pioneering antics in 1922. Go to: http://www.travelingsounds.com/Title.aspx?titleId=392


Grim Story: Death leap from aeroplane 75 years ago

The story of how two young women jumped to their deaths from a Hillman Airways ‘plane which took off from Stapleford Tawney aerodrome is recalled here: http://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/content/havering/recorder/news/story.aspx?brand=RECOnline&category=newsRomford&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsromford&itemid=WeED26%20Feb%202010%2009%3A56%3A59%3A430


Greensted Church

An article from the Guardian series of newspapers: http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/5045265.ONGAR__Spotlight_on_Greensted_Church/


Oliver Cromwell

‘Oliver Cromwell’ is the only surving steam engine of the Britannia class of locomotives which operated in the days of British Rail along the main railway line through Ingatestone. The following item gives news of it being back in steam again in Norfolk. Go to: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/eveningnews24/norwich-news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=xNews&itemid=NOED12%20Mar%202010%2007%3A46%3A26%3A453


New Flicker Pictures

Puddingstone by ancient church at Buttsbury, taken on 1 March 2010 by Peter Herring: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hornbeam/4397863540/
Man of Straw at Stapleford Tawney, taken on 17 February 2010 by Barry Slemmings: http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/4373479245/
Writtle Village Sign, taken on 18 February 2010 by “terryjoyce2155”: http://www.flickr.com/photos/boxster986/4368507287/


Links

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

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