Book Reviews: Zeppelins Centenary Marked

Familiar image of Zeppelin L33 at Little Wigborough
September 1916

Book Reviews

The Last Flight of the L32.  R. L. Rimmell.  Albatross Productions Ltd. 2016. 24 pages (A4 glossy format with appendices).  £10.00 (paperback)

Marking one of the major events of the First World War, this lavishly illustrated booklet tells the story of the enemy Zeppelin raids over Britain and, in particular from page 8, official and eye-witness accounts pertaining to the firing and destruction of the Zeppelin L32 which fell at Snails Hall Farm, Great Burstead, on the early morning of Sunday, 24 September 1916.  It had fallen victim to incendiary bullets fired by Lewis Gun from a small biplane flown out of Suttons Farm airfield Hornchurch to about 9000 feet by 2/Lt Frederick Sowrey.  All 22 on board captained by Werner Peterson perished as the 40 ton hydrogen-filled structure fell from 13000 feet to the ground burning for an hour.  The victims’ bodies were discovered in the immediate neighbouring fields and placed in a barn before burial at Great Burstead churchyard a few days later.  Farmhands were first on site in early morning collecting items strewn across the land.  Debris was found elsewhere.  The illustrations pinpoint the location of the Zeppelins fall; tell of the sightseers who came to the farm the following morning, and of the brisk trade in souvenirs including scraps of aluminium and portions of the crew’s clothing.  Those who had guarded the site – the Irish Guards, those from other regiments, policemen and fire officials – later turned many items into rings, discs and crosses and “were not short of cash for some while”.

The accounts of these Zeppelin raids over Essex have been of personal interest for some while and, in the course of research into the raid over Blackmore on 31 March 1916, I had the pleasure of meeting descendants of the Maryon family who farmed on the site of the L32.  I had expected that this pamphlet would add little to what I already knew but was proved wrong.  If there is one disappointment with the work it has to be the extremely small font size of the text which made it difficult to read.  The review copy will be added to our Library collection.

Zeppelin. Volume 2.  R. L. Rimmell.  Albatross Publications Ltd. 2008. 74 pages (A4 glossy format with appendices).  £25.00 (paperback)

Sent to us as a pair, this book details the German ‘R’ Class Zeppelins which attacked Britain beginning in the autumn of 1916.  L33’s one and only raid occurred on the night of 23/24 September 1916, and with the fall of L32 over Great Burstead the day became known as ‘Zepp Sunday’.  L33 was fired at from the biplane of Alfred de Bathe Brandon flown up from Hainault.  He managed to deflate but not ignite its airbags. The crew, led by Oberleutnant Bocker, landed their craft in a field at Little Wigborough.  The crew were picked up on the Peldon road and arrested by the local constabulary. The forced landing, and the fact that the crew were unable to successfully torch their craft, enabled the British to examine every part of the Zeppelin.

Andrew Smith

Book Review. Colchester Castle: 2000 Years of History

Colchester Museum’s new guide book was launched in December 2015 at a special evening for ‘Castle Pass’ (season ticket) holders.  The black cover is adorned by an Iron Age gold coin with barley ears and the letters CAMV for Camulodunum, the one adopted as the logo of this Society from 1985 to 2010.  Highly illustrated with objects both large and particularly small on display this 78 page one hour read tells the story of Colchester from its origin down to 1648.  The book complements rather than accompanies the visitor.  Although there is a fold out plan showing the location of key exhibits – including the Fenwick Treasure due to arrive in Spring 2016 – this book would be a difficult to follow case by case guide.  It includes an interesting account of the building of the Castle and its subsequent creation of a Museum, but does not mention the important role the Essex Archaeological Society had in its foundation.  All that said this is a fabulous book of a fabulous museum.  Tom Hodgson and Philip Wise have done a marvellous job in writing an accessible overview.  It is a must have for anyone interested in Colchester’s and Essex’s history.  Price: £6.

Mother and Son: Bessie Blount and Henry Fitzroy, of Blackmore

Two books closely related to the history of Blackmore have recently been purchased for the Library of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History. ‘Bessie Blount, Mistress of Henry VIII’ (told in the title of the book by Elizabeth Norton), a lady in the retinue of Catherine of Aragon, was sent in confinement to Blackmore Priory in 1519 where in the neighbouring house she bore his child, Henry Fitzroy (told in ‘Bastard Prince. Henry VIII’s Lost Son’ by Beverley A. Murphy).

This note unravels the research and establishes whether Henry VIII may have really “gone to Jericho”.

According to Beverley Murphy, the King’s affair with Elizabeth may have been brief and began following the pregnancy of Catherine in April 1518. “It is a sad irony that Katherine’s happy condition was probably the impetus for her husband to seek solace in the arms of Elizabeth Blount” (Murphy, 27).  Elizabeth Norton disagrees, because as early as autumn 1514 Bessie had met the King: “without the birth of Henry Fitzroy, Bessie’s own affair would have probably gone unrecorded” (Norton, 119).  The birth date of Henry Fitzroy is unclear other than he was six years of age in June 1525.  About the time that Bessie was to become visibly pregnant Thomas Wolsey discreetly dispatched her to Jericho House in Blackmore, the home of the prior Thomas Goodwyn (Murphy, 30).  “Bessie made her final appearance at court early in October 1518” (Norton, 131). 

Wolsey was charged with taking an active interest in Henry’s illegitimate child: Blackmore was “sufficiently quiet not to rouse unwelcome gossip” (Norton, 133). Henry VIII is alleged to have been a frequent visitor to Jericho House and is said to have given orders not to be disturbed hence the expression used in Court, “He has gone to Jericho”. This has entered into local folklore fuelled by Philip Morant who used these words in his ‘History of Essex’ (1768) adding that the Priory was one of the King’s “Houses of Pleasure”.  Subsequently historians have suggested that Blackmore Priory was dissolved in 1527 because of its immoral goings-on. From “the records of the dissolution … it does appear that the prior was somewhat more worldly than he should have been” (Norton, 134): its debts ran to one third of the annual income.  But then if a future King lived there perhaps the debts were with some justification? 

Henry VIII may have visited Elizabeth at Blackmore, contrary to the view expressed by Murphy. Bessie certainly did not resume her duties following the birth of Fitzroy (Murphy, 31) and there is no record of the King staying overnight (Norton, 134). But this should not suggest the King had nothing further to do with Bessie.  Blackmore is relatively close to Newhall, Chelmsford, which was renamed Beaulieu in 1523, from where the King “set out to visit her. This is once again evidence that Bessie’s departure from court was not the end of the affair between her and the King” (Norton, 134). It is possible that she later had a daughter by the King around 1520 (Norton, 139) perhaps conceived in Blackmore (Norton, 151). Fitzroy’s biographer disagrees (Murphy, 32).  

The King was delighted with the news of the birth of a son and whilst in Essex that summer might have held a formal celebration at the manor of Havering-atte-Bower (Murphy, 31).  Cardinal Wolsey was named the child’s godparent, as he had been for his half-sister Mary, the only surviving child born of Queen Catherine, some three and a half years earlier. Although no christening records survive Wolsey’s absence from Court from 19 June to 29 June 1519 may have been due to his attendance at Fitzroy’s baptism probably at Blackmore.  Could the font have been the place where the ceremony quietly took place?

Bessie Blount was married off to Gilbert Tailbois (or Tailboys), who hailed from a rich Lincolnshire family.  This may not have happened as quickly as historians have suggested: the first record of marriage is recorded in June 1522 (Murphy, 33; Norton, 139). They may have married in April 1522 because “the king began to be conspicuously generous to Gilbert Tailboys” (Norton, 141).

Historians are again divided as to whether Bessie had any involvement in Fitzroy’s upbringing. Her biographer suggests “it seems probable that she would have retained custody of her son … perhaps playing a part in raising both Henry Fitzroy and Elizabeth Tailboys until her marriage in 1522” (Norton, 151).

Much admired and spoilt by Henry VIII, Henry Fitzroy was, by the age of six, created Duke of Richmond with the titles Earl of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset. This placed Henry Fitzroy in an honoured position because the title held precedence over all other Dukes except potential legitimate sons of the King. By doing so, Henry VIII had elevated his son’s position in society such that he would be a more eligible bachelor. By the age of eight Henry Fitzroy was Admiral of England, Ireland and Normandy but died in 1536, aged seventeen of tuberculosis. He was buried at Thetford Priory.  Had he survived the course of English history could have changed and Fitzroy crowned Henry IX.

Andrew Smith

Principal Sources:

Murphy, Beverley. A.. Bastard Prince. Henry VIII’s Lost Son (Sutton Publishing, 2001)

Norton, Elizabeth. Bessie Blount. Mistress to Henry VIII (Amberley, 2011)

Book Review: 'England Arise' by Juliet Barker

England Arise. The People, The King & The Great Revolt of 1381. Juliet Barker. Little, Brown, 2014. ISBN 978-1-4087-0335-9. 506 pages, illustrated with references and index. £25 (hardback)

This is the first definitive history by a British writer of the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381.  But Juliet Barker does not refer to the events as being the Peasants’ Revolt, but more properly a Great Revolt or Rebellion which followed the imposition of an ever increasing Poll Tax which funded unsuccessful wars. Folklore figures which loom large such as Wat Tyler and John Balle are only part of the story.  This, of course, is a very Essex related book, being the county where the revolt perhaps originated. The author widens the story to give the full picture. 

New Book: Victoria County History of Essex - Newport

The parish of Newport lies in the valley of the River Cam in north-west Essex. It is about three and a half miles south west of the market town of Saffron Walden, and a short distance from the Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire borders. It probably originated in the early 10th century as a royal foundation, and it early developed some urban features such as a market.  Its position on an important through route between London and East Anglia gave it a more varied character than some of its neighbouring villages, and the coming of the railway in the 19th century led to the establishment of a gas works and maltings. Even so, it remained a largely agricultural community until the mid 20th century, but thereafter its position as a thoroughfare village tended to enhance its character as a dormitory village, with most of its adult population finding employment elsewhere, some in London.

This book explores the varying character of the village over eleven centuries. It looks at the pattern of landownership, the social structure and agricultural economy of the village, and its institutions, not least its 16th-century grammar school.  It also discusses the part played, especially in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, by the owners of Shortgrove Hall, within the parish, and Quendon Hall, a few miles to the south.

The Victoria County History of Essex has already covered much of the south-western and eastern parts of the county, including those parishes which are now part of Greater London. This is VCH's first venture into north-west Essex, and it is the third in the VCH's series of parish histories ('shorts') designed to bring local research to publication as soon as possible.

To: Victoria County History of Essex Trust, Pentlow Hall, Pentlow, Essex. CO10 7SP.

Please send me ..... copy / copies of Newport at £15.00 (including postage and packing (UK only)).

Please make cheques payable to 'Victoria County of Essex Trust'.

Name: 

Address: 

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Book Review: Colchester Memories

Colchester Memories.  Patrick Denney.  Amberley.  2014. ISBN 978 1 4456 1854 8.  96 pages, illustrated. £14.99 (paperback)

For over two decades Colcestrian Patrick Denney has interviewed local people, collecting memories and building up a formidable social history of the town.  This is a follow up to ‘Colchester Voices’ published a number of years ago.  Here people recall a world which is fast disappearing, if not gone forever.  They remember the trams, which ceased to run in 1929, and the times before the first bypass when traffic from London to Ipswich used to ply its way through the town with a police officer on point duty at the top of North Hill and Headgate.  In the early 1930s a light railway was built along the line of the construction site of the Colchester bypass.  Doris knew before the outbreak of the First World War how to skin a rabbit – her teacher did not know.  We learn of the interesting maths challenges too: 143 articles at two and three farthings each is a guinea.  In the 1950s the going rate for pawning a watch was 4s.6d. when it came to Markham’s for a second time.  David was docked 6d from his pay for lending five shillings. 

Patrick Denney writes: “Perhaps the most poignant memories recalled belong to those who both fought and lived during the turbulent years of war”.  Harry Salmon, a veteran of the Great War, spoke of “the barrage of shells [at Ypres], some got through, some didn’t”.  Second World War air raids on the town are recalled, for example, the eye witness account of Joan when a German plane was being chased it lightened its load by dropping bombs on South Street and Wellington Street.

This is a well organised and illustrated book.  A very interesting read whether or not you know this Essex town.

Book Review: The New English Landscape

The New English Landscape.  Jason Orton & Ken Worpole.  Field Station, London. 2013. ISBN 978 0 9926669 0 3.  86 pages, illustrated.  £17.50 (paperback).

This has to be one of the most curious books I have read for some while.  It has a plain green cover with bold orange title.  Its illustrations by photographer Jason Orton are hardly what you would describe as picturesque, although beauty has to be in the eye of the beholder.  It is a book about Essex, and seems to me to be a meditation on the way human beings have interacted and shaped the landscape around them particularly since 1945.  Ken Worpole, a writer on landscape, architecture, and public policy, has created a most thought provoking work, so much so that the Society had to wait for the reprint run in order to obtain a copy.

Focussing on Essex, Worpole considers how local writers and artists have perceived its landscape.  He considers, for example, C Henry Warren’s two works of 1944, “This Land Is Yours” and “Miles From Anywhere”, arguing that these were written as a response to the thought that Britain may have been invaded via Essex: “a reaction against the blasted terrain of the Flanders battlefield occasioned by the First World War”.  Warren to me evokes, to quote Betjeman, that “Edwardian erstwhile” to which we cannot return.  This is an interesting view from Worpole: that our land is precious.  It depends therefore whether the emphasis is on the words ‘our’ or ‘precious’.  The author then says “every new generation develops an attachment to the landscape close to where they live”.  Holidaying at the time in the Peak District I could see this affinity but perhaps in a wider context.  Then comes the curved ball.  Since the Second World War Essex has lost 95% of its hay meadows and 50% of its ancient woodland.  Citing the Lea Valley as “hallowed ground”, particularly to Londoners, Worpole argues that the area was “transformed [for the better] beyond recognition for the 2012 London Olympics”.  Somehow man has improved the natural landscape and therefore is redeemed.  But, in a book full of reflection, Worpole remarks that the Lea Valley has lost its industrial and cultural heritage.  What does regeneration do?  Worpole speaks of the coal mines elsewhere in the country which have gone.  Whilst on holiday we drove through Tibshelf in the north east corner of Derbyshire – a place which has recently lent its name to a service station on the M1 – described as a coal mining district in older guides, but today the car driver would be hard placed to find such a legacy.  There are no collieries.  Worpole seems to mourn that all has gone: “a ruin reawakens imagination. A monument”, in this case a bike trail, “closes the lid”.

The book draws a conclusion that Canvey Wick is now a haven for wildlife.  The industrial has changed to a natural, if somewhat reclaimed by nature or manmade landscape.  But is this a conclusion?  I think the book is one that you read but then keep returning to its ideas.  “We all live down river now” are its final words.

The book is something of a departure for a Library acquisition.  “Ducit amor Essexiae” is the motto of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History. Translated as “Led by a love of Essex” this book, because it is county focussed, is a worthy addition to our shelves.  I suggested that ‘The New English Landscape’ is a meditation, not of course in a religious sense.  It is this newness which causes us to reflect, where we have come from, where we are today, and where regeneration might take us in the future. 

Book Review: Under Another Sky

Under Another Sky: Journeys In Roman Britain.  Charlotte Higgins.  Vintage. 2014. ISBN 9780099552093.  282 pages (including appendices and index). £9.99 (paperback)

This is a travel book with an archaeological twist.  ‘Under Another Sky: Journeys in Roman Britain’ by journalist Charlotte Higgins, tours in country in a trusty old VW camper van to find evidence on the ground and in museums of the Roman occupation of Britain.  The book is written both by geographical area and chronologically.  The story begins with Kent and Essex with local interest in Colchester.  Charlotte Higgins meets up with Philip Crummy, “the authority on Colchester’s archaeology”, to see the site near the Victorian army garrison.  She was told that one day whilst digging two parallel lines which looked like roads were discovered.  “A press officer for the housing development made joke about the chances of their finding a chariot … that [was when], said Crummy, ‘the penny dropped’”.  (The Roman Circus discovery has been the story of the decade and is now featured in the remodelled Colchester Museum.)  Inside the museum the tombstones of the centurion the the 20^th Legion, Marcus Facilis and, officer, Longinus Stapeze are mentioned.  Coins from Camulodunum “tiny gold discs sitting alongside their original moulds, like jam tarts sprung from a baking tin”.

The author weaves into the narrative figures associated with Roman history, such as Boudicca, and eminent archaeologists such as Mortimer Wheeler and Charles Roach Smith.  Philip Morant is mentioned.  This is not a typical history book but one which seeks out the evidence of Roman Britain today through people and well as places. 

As a bonus ‘Under Roman Sky’ contains ample notes and a section at the end of ‘Places To Visit’.  This could easily by a glove-box companion for anyone following in the author’s footsteps.

Discovering Coggeshall

Discovering Coggeshall: Timbered-framed buildings in the town centre.  David Stenning with Richard Shackle. With a forward by Ronald Blythe.  John Lewis of Coggeshall.  ISBN 978-0-9539165-1-1. 133 pages.

Discovering Coggeshall 2: The 1575 rental survey and the dated buildings.  Edited by David Andrews.  John Lewis, Coggeshall. 2013.  ISBN 978-0-9539165-2-8.  230 pages.

These books have been given to the Essex Society for Archaeology and History and await review before accession to the Library at the University of Essex.  They form the reports of the ‘Discovering Coggeshall’ project, a small unspoilt medieval ‘wool market town’ in Essex.

Copies of the books are now available in the town at various retail outlets and from the Coggeshall Museum – Volume 1 at £7.00, and Volume 2 at £15.00.

The Library Committee meet at Hollytrees on Saturday 21 June 2014.

Book Review: The A - Z of Curious Essex, by Paul Wreyford

The A – Z of Curious Essex. Strange stories of mysteries, crimes and eccentrics. Paul Wreyford. The History Press. 2013. ISBN 978 0 7524 8986 5.  160 pages (illustrated). £12.99

Paul Wreyford, by his own admission, writes that that his “is unlikely to have a detrimental effect on your development of your intellect”.  Whilst the book is not highly academic, it is an interesting read.  Set out in alphabetical form by parish, short pieces of just a few paragraphs are each subtitled.  Audley End was “Too grand for a King”; Borley has “The most haunted house in England” and Cressing’s “Mysterious knights were the order of the day”.  This is a book for the magpies of Essex history.  I have previously read about the Colchester earthquake, with its epicentre at Abberton; William Byrd of Stondon Massey; the Zeppelin which was brought down at Great Wigborough during the First World War; William Webb Ellis, the rector of Magdalen Laver, who invested the sport of rugby; and smuggling at Paglesham.  But there was material which was unfamiliar too.  Tom Keating, the art forger is buried at Dedham, the place associated with landscape painter Constable.  Harwich’s misleading lights – the low and high lighthouses – became redundant in 1863 when the river silted up.  Charles Haddon Spurgeon, born at Kelvedon, preached to as many as 6000 at a time.  Sandon became the Gretna Green of Essex during the first half of the seventeenth century: Revd Gilbert Dillingham was willing to marry any couple.  Margaret Allingham is buried at Tolleshunt D’Arcy, a village whose physician, Dr John Henry Salter kept a diary for over 80 years from the early Victorian era.  Enjoyable.  This is a book which will have wide appeal.

Book Review: Byrd, by Kerry McCarthy

Book Review: Byrd, by Kerry McCarthy (Oxford University Press, 2013)

An eagerly anticipated biography of Essex composer William Byrd (c.1540-1623) has just been published by Oxford University Press in their ‘The Master Musicians’ series – Byrd, by American musicologist Kerry McCarthy.   Naturally it brings together all the latest thinking on the composer’s enigmatic life as a Catholic living in Elizabethan England at a time of persecution. Recent discoveries of the composer include the books he owned – some being tirades against Papists – and his age: he was 58 or thereabouts in 1598, so did not die at the age of eighty as previously (i.e. before the 1990s) thought.

The book presents, for me, a fresh emphasis on Byrd’s religious beliefs suggesting a gradual sympathy and conversion to Catholicism.  He married a Catholic, and as an artist was appalled by the treatment of Jesuits such as Robert Campion so as to be moved to write a lament.  We read again of the protection he received from Queen Elizabeth I through her personal intervention into a case brought before Byrd of non-attendance at his parish church before his move to Stondon Massey, perhaps in January 1595.  But it was the Stondon Massey years, in semi-retirement from the Chapel Royal, where he advanced further his Catholic beliefs through the writing of Latin set text for the clandestine Catholic worship of his friends, for example the powerful Petre family of Ingatestone Hall.

As an amateur local historian I approach the life of Byrd through his life not works.  So whilst I would agree with John Milsom who in an appreciation writes that Byrd’s music is centre stage, I find Dr McCarthy’s approach to mixing historic detail seamlessly with musical theoretic description a distraction. My preference in presentation is John Harley’s earlier biography of 1997.

Christopher’s Howse’s review for The Telegraph, 20 September 2013, can be found here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/10323301/The-secret-life-of-William-Byrd.htm

Andrew Smith

Book Preview: The Secrets of the Mound: Mersea Barrow 1912-2012 - Sue Howlett

Lead casket and urn. Bone content was examined
in 2013 with surprising results
(Illustration: from original report published in
Transactions of Essex Archaeological Society,
Volume 13 Part 2 (1913)

On the reading list: 

Mersea islander and member of the Essex Society for Archae- ology and History, Sue Howlett has written an interesting book on the centenary of the opening of the Mersea Barrow on behalf of Mersea Island Museum. 

"The Barrow may have given up its innermost secrets, but many questions still remained.  Who was the man or woman buried within this conspicuous monument ... To mark the centenary of the barrow's excavation, the lead casket and glass urn containing the cremated remains were returned to the island (from Colchester Museum) for the first time since their discovery.  Local interest was high, and funds were raised for the cremated bones to be analysed.  The unexpected and currently unique results of the osteoarchaeological investigation, which caused a stir in archaeological circles, are described in this revised edition of the booklet."

Follow link here to the Mersea Island Museum publications page. 

Book Review: A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Essex

The Conference and launch of the sub-group
was inspired by the book and the
enthusiasm of the author and others.

'A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of Essex' by Tony Crosby for the Association of Industrial Archaeology (AIA) 2012 68 pages, ISBN 978 0 9560251 1 1. £5.50 + P&P

This A5 booklet provides a gazetteer of industrial sites in Essex which was published to compliment the AIA's annual conference held at Writtle College, Chelmsford, in August 2012.  The introduction to the gazetteer emphasises the largely agricultural basis for many of the sites included and gives a brief summary of each category comprising mills; other agricultural industries; malting and brewing; engineering; textiles; extractive industries; transport; electronics; public utilities and industrial communities. 

The author draws upon his considerable knowledge of the industrial sites of Essex to include a range of sites that are now rare, unusual and or regional and national significance.  These sites are ordered in the gazetteer by the 12 Districts in the current administrative County of Essex and the 2 Unitary Authorities of Thurrock and Southend-on-Sea but that part of historic Essex now within Greater London is excluded.  For each district all gazetteer entries are listed alphabetically by town or village and have a letter and number reference which relates to the relevant District map, colour photographs and the index.  In addition to location information, including a NGR reference, there is a brief description of what there is to see at each site. 

In recent years there has been a growing appreciation of the quality of industrial heritage sites which survive outside of Britain's traditional industrial heartlands.  The wide range of sites detailed in the booklet demonstrates the extent to which this applies in Essex. It is a welcome introduction to the industrial sites of the county and provides a useful starting point for anyone wishing to carry out further research.  The Essex Society for Archaeology and History is acknowledged for its generous donation towards the production costs of the gazetteer.

David Buckley

This item appears in the Society's Newsletter, Spring 2013

Book Review: The 1953 Flood Disaster

The 1953 Essex Flood Disaster – The People’s Story.  Patricia Rennoldson Smith. (The History Press, 2012)

As a timely commemoration of the 60^th anniversary of the 1953 flood, Smith’s book offers an extensive collection of memories from survivors and victims, providing a graphic account of the impact of the flood along the Essex coast.  The chapter order follows the route of the storm surge, covering each town and village affected, starting with Harwich, Jaywick and Canvey Island and Benfleet, receiving greater attention, and the details of the night are presented chronologically.  The day or hours before the fateful night are sometimes mentioned, although most frequently Smith moves straight onto the moment the flood struck, and how the people reacted to it, providing a good balance of stories of heroic efforts, tragedies, and light hearted moments, all of which bring home the impact of the event on people’s lives.  Whilst the accounts are mainly limited to the initial rescue and recovery, this helps emphasise the scale of the disaster and enormous efforts carried out by the emergency services, such as the police and fire brigades, voluntary organisations, such as the British Red Cross and Women’s Royal Voluntary Service, and members of the public, often after being rescued themselves.

Smith uses many previously unpublished photographs and recorded memories to tell these stories effectively.  These normally include extended captions or quotations from the survivors in the body of the text, which help provide a strong picture of the impact of the flood on the individual residents.  When these accounts are collected, they truly present the people’s story, and show that whilst the impacts an rescue and recovery efforts varied between areas, the flood will never be forgotten in the towns affected. 

The use of photographs, cartoons and maps are also well placed, with captions which link them to specific incidents or memories mentioned in the text.  These help visualise the extent and scale of the disaster.  Also included, at the end, is a very powerful list of those who perished during the flood, listing their ages and the roads in which they died.  This helps demonstrate that all ages were vulnerable, although the young and elderly were particularly at risk. 

A well recorded bibliography is included for those who wish to pursue the subject further, and the captions for the photographs, cartoons and maps are accurately referenced.

To conclude, Smith’s well-constructed book is intended for those with a general interest, but it is also a brilliant stepping on point for those wishing to explore the 1953 flood further.

This review originally appeared in the Spring 2013 edition of the Newsletter of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History, and was written by a history student at the University of Essex.

Book Review: Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire. Dr Alfred Price. Ian Allen Publishing. 2010. ISBN 978 1 85780 324 2.  128 pages. £19.99

This nicely presented book in landscape form is all about the Spitfire, the iconic aircraft of the Second World War.  It contains many illustrations both historic and current, but is not a coffee table book.  Dr Alfred Price not only holds a PhD in History but also has extensive experience of flying so brings to the work both knowledge and feeling for the Spitfire.  This is a technical book which accessibly takes the reader through all 24 variations of this machine – the use of the Rolls Royce Merlin and Griffon engines for example - and their pilots.  It is arranged chronologically beginning with its predecessors.  The book has few Essex references: reference to RAF Hornchurch, Rochford and North Weald in connection with the Second World War, and the latter airfield listed as the location for two of the 23 surviving airworthy craft in the UK (47 worldwide).  This is a book for those interested in military history.  

Book Review: By Steamer to the Essex Coast

By Steamer to the Essex Coast.  Andrew Gladwell.  Amberley. 2012.  ISBN 978 1 4456 0376 6. 128 pages, illustrated (with an additional 16 pages in colour).  £14.99

Mention the ‘Waverley’ and the ‘Royal Daffodil’ to Essex folk of a certain age and they will wax lyrically about the golden age of the pleasure steamers which departed from Southend Pier for London or France.  This book taps into this nostalgia with an illustrated history since the 1820s, highlighting the heyday of the 1920s and 1930s, through to the present day.  “The evocative mix of sea air, polished brass, watching the Thames landmarks pass by, a walk along the pier and fish and chips and ice cream at Southend is still as popular as ever!”  The book is illustrated with contemporary photographs, posters and postcards of London and Essex resorts.  There are views aplenty of a raised Tower Bridge with steamers passing through (‘Royal Sovereign’ on pages 27 and 29; ‘Queen of The Channel’ (1963), page 31; ‘Queen of The South (1967), page 41) and of the same vessel (‘Medway Queen’, pages 84-87).  The scenes of Southend, the mention of a Rossi Ice Cream, the Pier through all its fires, the Peter Pan Playground will stir the timeless memories of all Essex people and visitors.

Books for Review: William Byrd

The Essex Society for Archaeology and History has purchased three books for accession to its Library at the University of Essex.  William Byrd (c1540-1623) was a composer who lived in Stondon Massey, Essex.  The books will form the framework to an article in a future edition of the Newsletter.

Turbet, Richard, 2012.  William Byrd: A Research and Information Guide. 300 pages.  Routledge Music Biographies.  £85.50

“This comprehensive research guide surveys the most significant published materials relating to William Byrd. This new edition includes research since the publication of the last edition.”  This is the third edition.  Quote from: http://www.amazon.co.uk/William-Byrd-Information-Routledge-Bibliographies/dp/0415875595/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348765748&sr=8-3-fkmr0

Harley, John, 1999. William Byrd. Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, 480 pages. Ashgate c£20.

William Byrd, famous composer, lived at Stondon Massey from c1595 until his death in 1623. The book is a major update on previous scholarly work, covering both a biography of Byrd and analysis of this music. 

Harley, John, 2010.  The World of William Byrd.  C£60

“In The World of William Byrd John Harley builds on his previous work, William Byrd: Gentleman of the Chapel Royal (Ashgate, 1997), in order to place the composer more clearly in his social context. He provides new information about Byrd's youthful musical training, and reveals how in his adult life his music emerged from a series of overlapping family, business and social networks. These networks and Byrd's navigation within and between them are examined, as are the lives of a number of the individuals comprising them.”  Quoted from http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9781409400882

Book for Review: Basildon Then and Now

'Basildon Then and Now. In Colour' by Jim Reeve.

The Essex Society for Archaeology has received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers - History Press - for review and onward accession to its Library at the Albert Sloman Library, University of Essex.  The following was received: 

"From its humble beginnings as the tiny village of ‘Behoter’ to the bustling commuter town of the modern day, Basildon  has developed very rapidly over the past century. This charming new title clearly shows how the town developed from the old areas of Laindon, Vange and Pitsea and celebrates the strong community spirit of its residents.

"From the Plotlands to Pitsea, Basildon Then & Now captures the essence of Basildon and its people, detailing the evolution of the town over the years in a comprehensive and unique manner.  With detailed and informative captions accompanying each pair of photographs, this evocative new volume will awaken nostalgic memories for all who know and love this ‘new town’.

·         Featuring streets and buildings, shops and businesses, and people at work, all aspects of town life are covered

·         Including 45 rare archive photographs, some of which have never before been published.

"A prominent local historian in Essex, his home county, Jim Reeve has won several writers’ awards, including the Jack Kendal Trophy (three times) and ‘Writer of the Year’. He is the author of two other books on Essex for The History Press: Wickford Memories and Basildon Memories."

Book for Review: Supermarine Spitfire

The Society has received 'Supermarine Spitfire' for review.  The publishers (Ian Allen) have sent the accompanying information. 

"It was in London during 2012 that Britain dazzling the world with Olympic and Paralympic achievements.

"But it was in the skies above London that within living memory Britain stood alone and saved that same world from a future in which tyranny and unsurpassed brutality would reign supreme. This fact is recounted in two books by Dr Alfred Price which reflect Britain’s proudest moment, the Battle of Britain, and the Spitfire, the plane that stood between an island nation and the might of the Luftwaffe, and won the day.

"Dr Price, a recognised and respected authority on the Battle of Britain, who lives in Uppingham, Rutland,  He served as an aircrew officer in the Royal Air Force where he flew with the V-Force and specialised in electronic warfare and air fighting tactics. In a military flying career spanning 15 years, he logged over 4,000 flying hours. Since 1974, he has been a full-time aviation author and has written more than 46 books. He holds a PhD in history from Loughborough University and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

"The Spitfire was one of the most - perhaps the most - successful fighter designs of all time and its service career linked the biplane era with the jet age. Yet the Spitfire is much more than just a superb flying machine.

"During World War 2, it occupied a unique place in the psyche of the British people and many believed it played a major part in saving the nation from defeat during the grim days of 1940. The wing design gave it a distinctive silhouette which led to its almost legendary status during the Battle of Britain, and its inimitable drone was imme­diately recognisable to those on the ground. Even now, those who lived through the Battle of Britain can instantly recognise the sound of a Spitfire in the sky.

"The Spitfire was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft and was the only Allied fighter in production through­out the war.

"Supermarine Spitfire, also written by Dr Price, (Ian Allan, 128pp, £19.99), looks in detail at the development of the Spitfire from its heroics in the Battle of Britain right through action in the European, Pacific Theatre and South-East Asian theatres when it was the backbone of RAF Fighter Command.

"Much loved by its pilots, the Spitfire saw service in several roles including interceptor, photo-reconnaissance, fighter-bomber, carrier-based fighter and trainer. It was built in many different variants with two different types of engine and several wing configurations.

"This striking landscape-format book is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest symbols of British wartime success and victory, and provides everything any aviation enthusiast or historian could wish to know about this irreplaceable British icon."

Book for Review: The 1953 Essex Flood Disaster

The Society Library Committee has just received this book for review: 'The 1953 Essex Flood Disaster - The People's Story' by Patricia Rennoldson Smith.  (History Press, 2012. £12.99.)

It is published to coincide with the Great Tide (as the title of another book by Hilda Grieve put it) in which 53 people died on low-lying Canvey Island when their homes were engulfed in the early hours of 1 February 1953.  The event is particularly remembered in Essex - the 40th and 50th anniversary of the disaster being commemorated with a Memorial Service at Chelmsford Cathedral, and documentaries on BBC Essex. The review of this book will follow in due course in our Newsletter.  

The Library Committee is always pleased to receive relevant books for review (in our 'Newsletter' or 'Transactions') and onward accession to the Society's Library at the Colchester campus of the University of Essex.