Saturday 13th July 2013, saw the third of Hadleigh & Thundersley Community Archive’s outreach/visit activities in this All Our Stories project when we thoroughly enjoyed the Daws Heath Village Fayre. We were welcomed by Ken and Ruth Jones and quickly assembled the Team Hadleigh banners and our H&TCA banner, which we put up outside the hall … Continue reading
The Joy of Essex – an architectural dimension
This 2016 postscript / extension of the subject occurred when journalist and presenter Gavin Haynes was in conversation with writer, journalist, essayist and film-maker Jonathan Meades during ESSEX Architecture Weekend; see:
http://www.radicalessex.uk/event/the-joy-of-essex/
This followed a screening of the BBC4 programme The Joy of Essex (2013) which saw Meades exploring the county’s radical and nonconformist past.
The relevant YouTube location for the conversation is:
The original programme is now viewable, too at:
Joy is – as ever in Essex – unconfined, certainly a lot more fun than one might expect from the Jonathan Meades film, which nevertheless opens up some corners and pockets of history not generally seen or appreciated. There is some good stuff in here!
Whatever licences were engaged for posting to YouTube are gratefully acknowledged and reflected here.
Fresh news – – Chris Worpole’s book used in German Club
Copies of the highly acclaimed and accessible Tales out of School have been spotted at the Book Inn, famous book shop in Leigh-on-Sea opposite the Library.
However, a recent presentation in German at the IGC freshened the use of the Schools and Educational Pack and introduced this subject to a wider audience.
Postscript to the All Our Stories project
After the project was successfully concluded in the middle of 2013, we continued to build on the work done. One example of this was that – in March 2014 – we helped create an event for the Essex Book Festival.
A major advantage of being part of the festival is the centralised box-office. The booklet publicises all the events, which brought the fruits of the project back into public view.
One of the editors knew how to get us on the programme, and then we could debate what the format could be.
It became a group of four authors, two of them and their books having been past of the All Our Stories project.
Two other expert local authors were added to create a rounded experience; one of them being interviewed, three presented their works themselves. Would we attract any sort of audience for this experimental format? Would we be able to stage it successfully in the Hadleigh Old Fire Station? Our previous experiences helped us to achieve an event well received by a capacity audience of around 100, far more than can be accommodated in the Library.
The event was made possible and expertly facilitated by Brian Hickey who runs the HOFS for ACAVA.
A big thanks to all who helped.
THE BIG DAY OUT: Bringing People Together
Graham’s retrospective evaluation as a participant at the Hadleigh Farm event.
The first of our visits into the community and local churches was on the 1st June when the Archive Group, as part of ‘All Our Stories’ programme, visited the Salvation Army Training Centre in Hadleigh for their fun-packed day combining all the elements of a country fair.
Their aim of the day was to bring together people from all the Salvation Army centres in this east London division and to engage with the local community. Whether it was Messy Church amongst the livestock, a tractor ride to view the Olympic Mountain Bike track, a wander round the fair trade and craft stall, getting involved in races or competitions or simply enjoying the various live music from the band stands, there was something for everyone.
The archive group was given a very generous space in the barn along with other craft stalls and were able to put on a good display of the Farm Colony history, local history with posters, using material prepared by Chis Worpole, one of the editorial team and erecting the Team Hadleigh banners which were produced for the Olympics in 2012. Our Community Archive banner was used to good effect too and we took the opportunity to launch our History Map and to take advance orders for our first publication ‘HADLEIGH Postcard Memories’ by Robert Nichols.
Highlight of the day included the birth of a goat, duly named ‘Titus’ after the Salvation Army Territorial Leader, Commissioner Clive Adams, who was visiting Hadleigh for the first time with his wife Marianne. Rare Breeds Centre Manager Emma Sayer introduced Guernsey goat kid ‘Titus’ to the leader – this being his middle name.
The weather was kind and a good day of celebration ended with a BBQ.
Graham Cook