Curated Collections

Curated collection

For King and Country: Blackmore During the First World War

Curated by Andrew Smith

For King and Country: Blackmore During the First World War Being asked by the congregation to give a talk on the First World War to mark the centenary of its ending has been a privilege. The topic is immense and distilling the…

Curated collection

Kelly’s Directory of Essex

Kelly's Directory (or more formally, the Kelly's, Post Office and Harrod & Co Directory) was a trade directory in Britain that listed all businesses and tradespeople in a particular city or town, as well as a general directory of postal addresses of…

Curated collection

On the Buses, Trains and Parish Lanes

Curated collection

Parish Registers

Parish registers are one of the most important sources for researching local and family history. Traditionally maintained by the parish church, they record key events in the lives of local people, principally baptisms, marriages and burials. As well as providing names and…

Curated collection

Post Office Directory of Essex 1855

The Post Office Directory of Essex 1855 provides a valuable snapshot of the county in the mid-nineteenth century. Published as a practical reference work, it contains descriptions of towns and villages together with details of local officials, clergy, landowners, tradespeople and businesses.…

Curated collection

Rev. Henry Soames, Rector of Stapleford Tawney

Henry Soames (1785–1860) was an English clergyman and ecclesiastical historian who spent the later part of his life closely associated with Stapleford Tawney and Theydon Mount. Educated at St Paul’s School and Wadham College, Oxford, he entered the Church and held a…

Curated collection

Stanford Rivers by H. M. Scott

This history of the Manors of Stanford Rivers, Traceys and Bellhouse illustrates very clearly the deep roots of both Stanford Rivers Church and Parish. It is worth remembering that "Stanford" goes right back to Anglo-Saxon times, and when we add "Rivers" we…

Curated collection

Theydon Mount: Wills during the Reign of ….

Wills provide a fascinating insight into the lives of the people of Theydon Mount and the community in which they lived. As well as recording how property, land, money and personal possessions were to be distributed after death, they frequently name relatives,…

Curated collection

White’s Directory of Essex 1848

White’s Directory of Essex 1848 is the commonly used name for William White’s book: History, Gazetteer, and Directory of the County of Essex, published in 1848. It is a large Victorian reference book of more than 700 pages, combining three things: i)…