Chelmsford Industrial Trail. Originally devised and written by Stanley Wood in 1987. Revised and up-dated by Tony Crosby and Dave Buckley in 2018

Members of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History will have receive a 54-page book, in colour, produced by Messrs Crosby and Buckley to mark 30 years since the production of the original work 'Chelmsford Industrial Trail'.  It has been produced on behalf of the Essex Industrial Heritage Group.

Much has changed since 1987.  Many Chelmsford residents once worked in important local industries such as Christy, Crompton, Hoffmann and Marconi.  Chelmsford City hails itself as the 'Birthplace of Radio': 2020 sees the centenary of experimental broadcasts from the Marconi site.

"This new edition includes the industrial sites from Stanley Wood's original guide which survive, albeit in altered state, and describes what changes have taken place. It also highlights those sites which have been totally lost and redeveloped"

Essex Industrial Archaeology Group AGM & Study Day. Saturday 10 November 2018

ESSEX INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP

A Sub-Group of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History          

Email address: essexiag@gmail.com

ESSEX INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP ANNUAL MEETING AND STUDY DAY

Saturday 10^th November 2018

from: 11 am to 3.30pm

at: Colne Valley Railway, Yeldham Road,

Castle Hedingham CO9 3DZ

FREE ADMISSION

Programme for the day

10.30 to 10.50am: Arrival and booking in.

11 am: Welcome by Tony Crosby, Chairman of Essex                                                     Industrial Archaeology Group followed by Annual Meeting

11.30am: A talk about the historical context of the former Colne Valley and Halstead Railway by Paul Lemon

11.50am: A talk about the various industries along the route of the former Colne Valley and Halstead Railway during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by Adrian Corder-Birch

12.10pm: The history of the preserved Colne Valley Railway by Nick Ellis

12.30pm: The vision for the future of the Colne Valley Railway Preservation site and museum by Paul Lemon and Nick Ellis

1 to 2pm: Lunch – Light refreshments are available on site including tea, coffee, soft drinks and biscuits, but otherwise members are invited to bring picnics.

2 to 3.15pm: Tour of the site to be led by Nick Ellis with train ride on Diesel Multiple Unit by Paul Lemon

3.30pm: Members are requested to leave the site by 3.30pm please

The Essex Industrial Archaeology Group (EIAG) is a sub-group of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History (ESAH) and was established to provide a way forward for industrial archaeology in Essex, which previously lacked a society dedicated to Essex Industrial Heritage.  The aims of the group are to research and record industries in Essex and their sites; publish reports on the work of the Group; Initiate and support the preservation of important industrial sites, buildings, artefacts and records; organise talks and visits to the many archaeology and heritage sites in Essex, and to work in partnership with Essex County Council, Chelmsford City Council, Unitary, Borough and District Councils, amenity groups and others with an interest in Essex’s industrial past.

Essex Industrial Heritage Group. AGM. Saturday 11 November 2017

EIAG Annual Meeting, plus lecture on Railways and Industry – Chelmsford Museum – 11^th November, 2:00pm. Free to members, £2.00 for non-members

EIAG: AGM reminder and time confirmation

Time: Saturday 11 November 2017, starting 14.00h.   Note that there had been a time error on the website which has now been corrected.

Place: Chelmsford Museum    Suggestion: get there early to ensure you have a parking space.

Programme:

1.    A short AGM with:

           Reports looking back at the past year and looking forward to the future.

           Election of officers.  The committee is always looking for new members.  We will not twist your arms but if you would like to contribute to the running of EIAG we would appreciate your company. Involvement in the committee is 4 meetings a year along with plenty of email discussion. Involvement is as much as little as you would like to offer but can include planning for the next Industrial Heritage Fair and working on projects.  Those who are interested and would like to discuss prior to the meeting do contact us on the EIAG email, essexiag@gmail.com or arrive early to have a chat with committee members.

2.    The main part of the meeting:    

A lecture by Tony Kirby on Railways and Industry.

This looks very interesting.

Attendance for ESAH/EIAG members is free.  Do bring along your non-member friends for a mere £2 per person.  It should be worth it for the lecture.

We look forward to seeing you at Chelmsford Museum on Saturday 11 November 2017 by 14.00h.

Jane Giffould

Membership secretary

Essex Industrial Heritage Fair. 7 October 2017. Exhibitors Invited

Essex Industrial Archaeology Group, Industrial Heritage Fair 2017

We are inviting you to participate or visit the 2017 event that will take place on:

Saturday 7th October 2017 between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm

at the Wat Tyler Country Park, Pitsea, SS16 4UH

The event is organised to raise the profile of the diverse industrial heritage of Essex and will also have benefits and advantages for your group or organisation.

The Fair will allow you to:

Promote and market your museum/site/society to other exhibitors and the public

Generate interest in your subject

Attract new and repeat visitors

Recruit volunteers

Network with other exhibitors to share experience, knowledge and expertise

The Fair will feature:

Local museums, industrial heritage sites and society stands

Short talks throughout the day on aspects of Essex industrial history

The Country Park Trail - a walk around the site that was once the Nobel Explosives factory

Family activities

The Wat Tyler Country Park offers:

Free on-site parking

125 acres of stunning parkland

A comfortable café offering a wide range of refreshments

Amenities for a great family day out

To book a stand at the Fair costs £15—email essexiag@gmail.com

For visitors it is a free event

Essex Industrial Heritage Fair. Saturday 7 October 2017. Poster

The Essex Industrial Archaeology Group (EIAG) is part of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History

The Fair will be held at Wat Tyler Country Park, Saturday 7 October 2017 from 10am to 4pm

Essex Industrial Archaeology Fair. Wat Tyler Country Park. Saturday 7 October 2017

The Industrial Archaeology Group of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History holds its second Industrial Archaeology Fair this autumn:

                                   
 THE ESSEX INDUSTRIAL ARCHEAOLOGY GROUP PRESENT

Celebrating the County’s rich and diverse industrial history with stalls and/or demonstrations on bricks and brickmaking, joinery works, maltings, mills, railways, explosives, shoe making, water supply and more. Also 5 x 30 minute talks on Bata shoes, Plotlands, EKCO Radios and the two Essex explosive factories Wat Tyler Country Park Near Pitsea Station, SS16 4UH To be opened by Sir Bob Russell Saturday 7th October 10am to 4pm Free Admission and Parking For further info email essexiag@gmail.com          009B

 

Next meeting. 3 August 2016

ESAH/EIAG Industrial Events 2016

The next visit of industrial interest is on Wednesday 3^rd August at 10:00 to the Essex Fire Museum, Grays.

A guided tour of the museum will be followed by refreshments. The museum provides a fascinating look at the history of the Essex Fire Service through historic fire engines, firefighting equipment, uniforms and photographs. Those of you who attended the Industrial Heritage Fair last October will recall their very popular stand at the event.

London Museum of Water and Steam, Brentford

This item may be of interest to members of the Essex Industrial Archaeology Group:

"I am contacting you from the London Museum of Water and Steam in Brentford, home to the largest collection of water pumping engines in the world. With a collection of seven working water pumping engines including the world largest steam powered engine in operation we are a truly unique site.

"The London Museum of Water and Steam welcomes groups every year from all over Britain and indeed the world. We are able to offer a discounted rate to visiting groups, and in order to qualify for our discounted rate groups must consist of 10 visitors or more.

"Self-led group visit:  £7.50 per person

"Guided tour:  £8.50 per person

"Anna Chrystal

Education and Outreach Officer

London Museum of Water and Steam

Green Dragon Lane

Brentford

TW8 0EN

Building the Wireless Age. Major Marconi Exhibition this Spring in Chelmsford

Building the Wireless

A Unique Marconi Exhibition at The Original Marconi Wireless and Telegraphy Works in Hall Street, Chelmsford, the World's first wireless factory which Marconi established in 1898. 

Marconi Science WorX: Chelmsford Civic Society in collaboration with BBC Essex.

Open 11th March to 29th May 2016

Every Sat. & Sun. 11.00am - 3.00pm

Free entry

LATEST UPDATE! Oyez Oyez - Tony Appleton, the Town Crier, will open the Marconi Exhibition to the public on Friday 11th March at 11.00 and Peter Turret Chairman of Marconi Veterans Association, will be there to show visitors around until midday and to answer any questions.

Tim Wander, curator. Marconi historian and author, will speak on 'Hall Street and Marconi: Building the Wireless Age' on Friday 18th March at 7pm - tickets £5. Tim's book 'Marconi's Hall Street Works: The World’s First Wireless Factory' is made possible by a grant from Essex Heritage Trust with proceeds from book sales going towards the exhibition.

Dave Monk. BBC Essex well-known broadcaster, will speak on ‘The BBC and Me and his life behind the Mike!' on Fri 25th March at 7pm - FREE but please book on Eventbrite.

Ray Clark. broadcaster and author - Friday 1st April at 7.00 – ‘All at Sea' - the exiling story of offshore Radio Caroline the true story of the boat that rocked - FREE but please book on Eventbrite.

ADVANCE NOTICE: In May there will be a BIG BBC ESSEX WEEKEND and a double event by Prof. Danielle George with permanent static displays throughout March, April and May courtesy of The International Marconi Museum, Bologna, Essex Record Office, Tim Wander and much more.

To book tickets please visit www.chelmsfordcivicsociety.eventbrite.com - proceeds from tickets and books will pay for setting up the exhibition.

www.facebook.com/marconiscienceworx

info@chelmsfordcivicsociety.co.uk 

Next Event: The Association for Industrial Archaeology - a Very British affair!: Chelmsford Museum. Saturday 14 November 2015

EIAG Annual Meeting and Lecture

Our next major event is the Annual Meeting and Lecture on Saturday 14th November at Chelmsford Museum, starting at 12:30pm. We will begin with a short business session, looking back over the last year and forward to 2016, plus electing the Committee for the coming year. This year’s lecture will be given by Keith Falconer, formerly Head of Industrial Archaeology at (the former) English Heritage and currently Chairman of the Association for Industrial Archaeology. His lecture is entitled:

The Association for Industrial Archaeology – a very British affair!

This talk will trace the pioneer development of industrial archaeology from its tentative beginnings in the late 1950, through its burgeoning in the 1960s, to the formation of the AIA itself in 1973 and the AIA’s involvement in the national and international scene thereafter.

The Essex Industrial Archaeology Group is part of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History.  The event is free to Members, £2 for non-members. Bookings can be made with Dr Graham Gould: e mail DrGEGould [at] aol.com

BATA Heritage Centre Open Day, Wednesday 14 October 2015

The Essex Society has received news of the Bata Heritage Centre Open Day which may interest members of the Essex Industrial Archaeology Group. 

Mike Tarbard writes: "I am writing to let you know that our next Open Day will be on Wednesday 14 October at East Tilbury library.   Details of how to find the library are on our website (http://www.batamemories.org.uk/MAIN/ENG/00-EN-Pages/18-Contact.html).  Our opening hours for this event will be from 11.00am to 2.00pm and then from 4.00pm to 7.00pm.   I do hope that many of you will be able to come along to one or both of these sessions and catch up with 'old friends' and see what we are doing to try and continue to raise the profile of the Bata name and this organisation.   We are expecting a small number of the Year 6 children from East Tilbury Primary School to come and visit during the morning session.   We are also expecting a small group of students from the Bartlett School of Architecture (connected with University College in London).

"We held the Special General Meeting in August and agreed to change our name to the Bata Heritage Centre.  We intend using this Open Day to officially launch and announce this change.

"The new email address of brrcatbatamemories [at] hotmail.com seems to be working well.   In addition Paul Addington, our Treasurer, is working on a new website.  This will take a while before we can launch it." 

Best wishes

Mike Tarbard

Chairman - Bata Heritage Centre (formerly The Bata Reminiscence & Resource Centre)"

Essex Industrial Heritage Fair. Braintree Museum. Saturday 10 October 2015.

Final details of this special event are now available.  This promises to be an interesting day.

ESSEX INDUSTRIAL ARCHAEOLOGY GROUP

A Sub-Group of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History

Email address: essexiag [at] gmail.com

INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE FAIR

Saturday 10th October 2015

from: 10 am to 4 pm

at: Braintree District Museum, Manor Street, Braintree, Essex CM7 3HW

Programme for the day

11am Welcome by Tony Crosby, Chairman of Essex Industrial Archaeology Group

followed by: The Official opening of the Industrial Heritage Fair by The Lord Petre, J.P., H.M. Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Patron of Essex Society for Archaeology and History

A series of 20 minute talks will take place today in the Courtauld Gallery at the Town Hall (directly opposite the Museum). These talks will start promptly at the times listed below and visitors are requested to make their way to the Town Hall where they will be directed to the Courtauld Gallery.

11.30am Bays and Says by David Morgans

12.00pm Silk Industry of Braintree by Charlotte Harding

12.30pm Public Supply Industry, Colchester by Brian Light

1.00pm 'Not just Flora' unusual industrial aspects of Thurrock by Jonathan Catton

1.30pm European Route for Industrial Heritage by Jonathan Lloyd

Organisations at the Industrial Heritage Fair

Association for Industrial Archaeology

Braintree and Bocking Civic Society

Balkerne Tower Trust, Colchester

Brightlingsea Museum

British Water Tower Appreciation Society

Bulmer Brick and Tile Company Limited

Colne Valley Railway Preservation Society

East Anglian Railway Museum

Epping Ongar Railway Volunteer Society

Essex Fire Museum

Essex Industrial Archaeology Group

Essex Society for Archaeology and History

European Route for Industrial Heritage

Friends of Alderford Mill, Sible Hedingham

Friends of Upminster Windmill

Great Dunmow Maltings Preservation Trust Limited

Halstead and District Local History Society and Halstead Heritage Museum

Halstead 21st Century Group

Marconi Heritage Group

Rippers Limited, former Joinery Manufacturers of Castle and Sible Hedingham

Sandford Mill Museum, Chelmsford Museums

Silver End Heritage Society

(Several of the above organisations will have publications for sale).

Braintree District Museum is open to the public, but please note, access to the Museum is through their main door and there will be an entrance fee. Refreshments are available at R & T's Café adjoining the Museum.

If you wish to visit local Industrial Heritage sites today 'Braintree Town Trail' maps are available, free of charge, from the EIAG stand.

The Essex Industrial Archaeology Group (EIAG) is a sub-group of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History (ESAH) and was established to provide a way forward for industrial archaeology in Essex, which previously lacked a society dedicated to Essex Industrial Heritage. The aims of the group are to research and record industries in Essex and their sites; publish reports on the work of the Group; Initiate and support the preservation of important industrial sites, buildings, artefacts and records; organise talks and visits to the many archaeology and heritage sites in Essex, and to work in partnership with Essex County Council, District Councils, amenity groups and others with an interest in Essex's industrial past.

'The History of the Hoffmann Company, 1898-1989': 23 July 2015

The High Country History Group meet on Thursday 23 July 2015 at 8pm when their speaker will be Stephen Norris, author of the recently published book 'From A Borough To A City. A History of Chelmsford, 1888-2012'. His topic will be about one of the world leader's in the supply of ball bearings: 'The History of the Hoffmann Company, 1898-1989'.

The talk will be of interest to members of the Essex Industrial Archaeology Group.

Everyone welcome. Members of HCHG: £1, Visitors: £3. Including refreshments.

Venue: Toot Hill Village Hall, Toot Hill, Stanford Rivers. CM5 9LR 

Essex Industrial Heritage Fair: Braintree Museum: Saturday 10 October 2015

There are already 15 societies and organisations signed up to have stands at the Fair and more are available. These include local groups such as Alderford water mill, Upminster Windmill and the Bulmer Brick and Tile Company, plus national organisations such as the Association for Industrial Archaeology and the European Route for Industrial Heritage (ERIH), which has a route covering Essex and the rest of East Anglia.

There will be five short talks given on the textile industries of Essex, the public water supply in Colchester, industry of the Tilbury area and ERIH.

Visitors will also be able to see the displays on local industry in the Braintree District Museum (for which an admission fee is payable) and there will be Braintree Town Trail leaflets available should visitors wish to follow a self-guided trail of industrial heritage sites in Braintree.

It all promises to be a very exciting, interesting and stimulating day, so please put the date in your diaries, tell your family and friends all about it and encourage any local heritage groups to which you belong to take part in the day.

Essex Industrial Archaeology Group - Information

The Essex Industrial Archaeology Group is a part of the Essex Society for Archaeology and History.  

For information relating to the group follow this link.

The Group has a dedicated e mail address for you to contact. 

Important Update on Marconi's Hall Street Factory Project

News from the Essex Industrial Heritage Group:

A partnership which includes the Marconi Heritage Group and Chelmsford Civic Society are seeking to buy the lease on half of the ground floor of the Marconi Hall Street factory – the first wireless factory in the world – to create a community and heritage asset. They have launched a national and international appeal for the funds to purchase a 99 year lease, after which they will be applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund for equipping and fitting it out as an educational and heritage resource. Pledges are already mounting up, but much more is needed. To read more about the appeal and pledge money to this very worthwhile project go to: https://spacehive.com/marconiscienceworX

Essex Society for Archaeology and History with the Essex Industrial Archaeology Group: Visit to Langford

 The next visit in the ESAH programme of industrial interest is a guided tour of

Beeleigh Mill on Saturday 25^th April at 2:00 pm

Beeleigh Steam Mill, at Langford near Maldon, is a highly significant surviving example of 1840s milling technology. The virtually complete Wentworth compound beam engine remains attached to the unique iron-riveted elephant boiler. In the adjoining room is a cast iron corn mill on the circular principle favoured by millers into the C19th. Alongside the mill are the remains of the docks in which barges from the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation could be loaded and unloaded. 

There will also be a guided tour of the C12th St Giles Church, Langford where refreshments will be served. The church is unusual in that it has a western apse. For more information about the church click here for the article which was produced when the Society visited Langford in 1906.

Bookings can be made with Dr Graham Gould

Essex Industrial Archaeology Group: Early Notice of Industrial Heritage Fair at Braintree District Museum, 10 October 2015

Marconi Heritage in Hall Street, Chelmsford

Note on status of campaign to save Marconi Hall Street factory

There is very good news in the ongoing campaign to get a sustainable and viable presentation of Marconi Heritage content in the original Marconi factory in Hall Street in Chelmsford. As the first wireless factory in the world it is of international significance and can therefore justify support as a site of special heritage interest. Many of you will be aware of the recent considerable media interest in this initiative.

Although the whole building has been subject to a successful planning application for residential development negotiations with the owners are underway with a view to acquiring the ground floor for the creation of a community/heritage asset, and the Marconi Heritage Group is working with the Moulsham and Central Chelmsford Community Trust to get this underway and to raise finance for this opportunity. We are convinced that a successful application can be made to the Heritage Lottery Fund but we have to find matching funding and initially pay the costs to set up a trust body to carry out the necessary work - the full amount required for purchase and fitting-out is of the order of £1.5 million. To start us off we need a fighting fund of a few thousand, and then go after substantial contributions to the full amount.

The Marconi Heritage Group is therefore planning on launching both national and worldwide appeals for support, as from the earliest days the Marconi companies traded in an international market, and setting up an online crowd-funding site to collect donations. We are a currently a small group and will need additional help with the back-office work in running the appeals and the trust, so both those local boots-on-the-ground and those able to use the internet are invited to contact us through our website <www.marconiheritage.org> or by personal means to give us an idea of what support we can get.

With your help we can be confident of gaining a facility to ensure the deserved and continued recognition of the work of our founder coupled with that of the many thousands who served in the companies as researchers, skilled tradesmen, professional engineers and operators, which laid the foundations of the modern world.

'From a Borough to A City: A History of Chelmsford 1888-2012' by Stephen Norris

New Publication

The Latest Chelmsford Publication

The new book titled “From a Borough to a City: A History of Chelmsford 1888-2012” was launched at Chelmsford Museum on 19^th November.  The event was organised by the author, Stephen Norris, supported by the Friends of Chelmsford Museums.  It took place in the presence of Lord Petre, President of the Friends, and the mayor of Chelmsford who received a copy of the book from the author.

This book is the outcome of nine years dedicated research into the ways in which Chelmsford has changed over the past 125 years.  During this period the town evolved from a small county town dependent upon the local agricultural economy into a noted industrial centre, but more recently has become a rapidly expanding de-industrialised city.  There are 28 chapters organised by topics which cover individual economic, social and political themes.  Central to the story is the development of industry and technology as represented by a number of specific companies i.e. Christy (engineering), Crompton (electrical engineering), Marconi (telecommunications), and Hoffmann (precision bearing manufacture).  Surprisingly publications about these companies have been relatively limited which makes the individual chapters devoted to each of particular importance to industrial heritage researchers.  There is also a chapter about EEV, Britvic and other post-war industries.  Throughout the book the influence of the big firms on all aspects of the lives of the town’s population is made clear, extending even to their participation in and enjoyment of sport and entertainment.

The book is not a light-weight read at 553 pages, excluding the index, and the author in his launch speech said that it was no cover to cover read.  However, with so much new information about the industrial history of Chelmsford firms it will be an essential reference for researchers and also of general interest to anyone wanting to know more about their town.  It is published by Authors Online Ltd., but can be obtained direct from Stephen Norris for £14 (fromaboroughtoacity@outlook.com).

Taken from the Newsletter No. 2 of the 'Essex Industrial Archaeology Group', just sent to members.