Our Online presence
In the last Newsletter mention
was made of a new interim blog for the Society: www.esah160.blogspot.co.uk. It has been created to raise our profile,
ahead of a major re-launch of our website, with clear links to the catalogue of
books held at the Essex University (including those in the ESAH Library), the
Essex Places Names Project, our online bookshop (at www.blackmorehistory.co.uk/esah.html)
and the new twitter account (https://twitter.com/esah160). There are also links to the Society’s 2013
Programme of Events and membership application form.
Content on the blogspot is
varied with the most popular posts being news of history related events coming
up across the county. We have listed for
the first time online the complete contents of the Society’s transactions from
the earliest volume (in 1858) to the present day, providing links to articles
which have been published elsewhere on the Internet (for example by the
Colchester Archaeological Trust) as well as reproducing some items ourselves,
especially from early volumes no longer available for sale from the Society
because of their rarity.
A blog allows us to produce items
which cannot be produced elsewhere. For
example, a short video of the six bells ringing out from St Christopher’s
Church, Willingale, following its augmentation (see Newsletter, Winter 2011)
and, more information on the Probert scrapbook collection of Essex churches
(see Newsletter, Spring & Summer 2011), now deposited at the Essex Record
Office. ERO A13366 is described as an
“Album of cuttings, prints, photographs and drawings relating to Essex churches
and especially to their restoration, compiled in the 1850s perhaps by T J
Griffinhoofe, and formerly in the possession of Charles K Probert of Newport
(bookplate). [Revd Thomas J Griffinhoofe
was Vicar of Arkesden from 1859 until his death in 1869, having previously
served there as curate under his father.
When proving his father’s will in 1859 he was described as being ‘of
Newport’]”. A recently discovered index
of items has been transcribed and uploaded onto the blog.
Another deposit to the Essex
Record Office is “A13490. – Catalogue
Ref; D/Z 183 addl. ‘An Act for Inclosing
Lands in the Parishes of Farnham in the County of Essex, and of Bishop’s
Stortford in the County of Hertford’, 1820; ‘An Act for Vesting the Estate of
Sir James Lumley, Bart. In Trustees, for raising Monies by Sale or Mortgage
thereof, for the Payment of his Debts’ [Great Bardfield], 1730; ‘The Case of
the Respondent, Thomas Smee. To be heard at the House of Lords on 6 November
1745’ [Great Chishall]”. These papers
were discovered at the bottom of one of many boxes during book sorting in the
cellar storeroom.
The blog and ‘Online Bookshop’
are able to give latest updates on the availability for sale of surplus books
not required by the Society. The recent
book sales at the Morant Lecture and Colchester are an extension of this aspect
of work.
The Twitter account, run by
John Hayward, provides additional links both to the blog as well as news from
other archaeological and heritage organisations.
The blog provides a new window
to the world for our Society and we would encourage members to view it
regularly, and to contribute by commenting online or sending any relevant
material for uploading to me.
Andrew Smith
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