A Riverside Country Town

Posted on December 14, 2012 by admin

We recently unearthed this film made by Essex County Council in 1981 to promote the largescale new development of South Woodham Ferrers.

A Riverside Country Town – click to be taken to the video on YouTube

The five minute film is a shortened version of the full 23 minute promotional film released to attract families to the then newly developed town.The short film positioned South Woodham Ferrers as the ideal country town, providing a rural lifestyle yet with all the amenities and transport links sought after by the industrious family in the booming early 1980s.

The film also includes a song written especially to promote the town, including the lyrics, ‘South Woodham Ferrers, it’s a whole new place to be … now’s the time to be here, there’s all you’ll ever need’.

Anyone interested in viewing the full version order it in our Searchroom (reference VA 3/8/9/1).

Also available are the original pamphlets promoting the town, which are advertised at the end of the film. The brochures promote the town’s ‘Very attractive buildings to delight the eye and rest the mind’, and asks ‘Where are the shops?… the housewife’s inevitable and very important question.’ (Have a look in pamphlet box W9 in the ERO library).

It’s well worth a watch, but be warned, the song is dangerously catchy…

What have we been up to? Stocktaking 2012

Posted on December 11, 2012 by admin

We have just re-opened after our two week annual stocktaking closure where we take the opportunity to do all the jobs which we cannot do while we are open to the public.

Stocktaking gives us an opportunity to sort out large accessions, carry out large re-boxing projects, and reorganise shelving to make the most of our storage space.

Hard at work in the Conservation Studio re-storing medieval deeds

One of the big projects undertaken during stocktaking was begining the re-storing of hundreds of medieval deeds. The deeds were stored in boxes arranged a bit like filing cabinets, hanging in plastic folders. A huge amount of effort must have been put into storing them like this a few decades ago, but the boxes had deteriorated and the ‘filing cabinet’ system had collapsed in most of the boxes.

Medieval deeds stored in a ‘filing cabinet’ box. The plastic folders collapse, and damage the deeds inside.

The deeds have now been stored in custom designed ‘Harris folders’ (named after one of our archive assistants!) which are wedge shaped to allow space for the seals at the bottom of the documents. The deeds are held in place on a board using thin strips of melinex (a special acid-free plastic), and then placed in the wedge folders, before being placed in acid free archival boxes. This means that the documents are going to be much happier in their new storage, and they are easier for the staff to find and produce.

Storing deeds in ‘Harris’ folders. These are wedge shaped to protect the seals attached to the documents.

Much of the work that we do during stocktaking involves re-boxing documents. This means removing documents from old cardboard boxes, which over time become acidic and eat away at the documents inside, and placing them in new, acid-free cardboard boxes made especially for archives. These boxes are also designed to fit perfectly on our shelves, making the best use of the available space. The boxes arrive flat packed, and we have made up around 500 of them!

Look how many boxes we made!

Putting documents into special acid free boxes

Some outgoing old storage containers, replaced with specialist archival materials

This year’s stocktaking also saw the exciting replacement of one of our Searchroom windows. Regular users have probably noticed that a crack in one of the large glass panels had grown much more serious recently, and before it became a hazard the window has been replaced. Installing the new window was quite a feat to watch!

Installing the new window in the Searchroom

We have also made some minor alterations to the Searchroom, and given everything a good clean and tidy up.

Thankyou all for bearing with us while we get these important jobs done.

How to Speak Essex: 20th Century Voices from the Essex Sound and Video Archive

Posted on December 6, 2012 by admin

Martin Astell, our Sound and Video Archivist, blogs for us about one of the things Essex is most famous for – its accent…

Are you looking for a Christmas gift with a difference? Our CD called How to Speak Essex: 20^th Century Voices from the Essex Sound and Video Archive may be just the thing for that awkward relative or friend who seemingly has everything.

The CD includes examples of Essex accents and dialect recorded in the twentieth century. The earliest example dates from 1906, while the majority are recordings of people born between 1900 and 1940. The CD includes both speech and song, with examples from across the county.

I wanted to produce the CD both as a way of promoting the Essex Sound and Video Archive – not everybody is aware that the Essex Record Office collects and preserves sound recordings and videos – and in order to present genuine examples of the way ordinary people in Essex spoke in the twentieth century.

The decline of the Essex dialect and accent, and the seemingly unstoppable spread of theLondonaccent, has been discussed and mourned a great deal in recent times. When people think of the language of Essex they are most likely these days to think of ‘Estuary English’ rather than a soft and lyrical rural accent akin to that heard still in other parts of East Anglia. On the other hand, someEssexresidents can, perhaps, have a nostalgic or exaggerated view of the accents used by former generations. Our CD should provide enough genuine examples to enable a realistic understanding of the language of Essex people born prior to the Second World War.

The recordings should also demonstrate the diversity of accents in Essex. I have split the county into ten geographical areas so that the listener can compare, for instance, the accents of villages in the north of the county borderingSuffolkwith areas of historic Essex now deemed to be part of Greater London. However, even within these relatively small areas a good deal of variety can be heard.

The extracts cover a range of topics and will hopefully provide some insight into life inEssexduring the twentieth century. I have tried to group them in ways which provide a degree of narrative, thus helping to make the CD enjoyable as well as instructive. However, the main effect should be to bring alive the speakers and their use of language.

The CD is available direct from the Essex Record Office priced at £10.20, including postage and packing. You can order your copy by telephoning 01245 244644, or writing to: Essex Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6YT, enclosing a cheque made payable to Essex County Council.

To make minc’d Pye meat without meat

Posted on December 3, 2012 by admin

A little while ago we brought you some recipes from the kitchen of Mary Rooke of Langham Hall, and today we see the sort of things that she got up to at Christmas.

You can view images of Mary’s entire recipe book on Seax here (D/DU 818/1).

To make minc’d Pye meat without meat (image 25)

3 pounds of apples grated 2 pounds of Beef Suet chop’d very fine 2 pounds of Currants wash’d well & pick’d clean, 2 pound of raisins chop’d, the Rind & pulp of 2 Lemons boil’d very tender, and pounded in a marble mortar, half a Pint of Brandy the same of Port Wine, the juice of 4 Lemons, Sugar to your taste, half a pound of almonds blanch’d & sliced thin, mix these ingredients very well together put them into small jars covered with Bladder to be tied close down that the air may not get into it, when open make your Pyes have Citron Orange & Lemon / candy’d / cut in small slices put in them more on top as you like, & have in a bottle ready mix’d Brandy and Port Wine put a little of it in them it makes them moist & just as of fresh made.

Orange Cakes (page 45 image 24) (in a different hand)

Take fresh seville oranges weigh them and take their weight in sugar beat small, cut the oranges in two, cross way take the pulp out free from strings and pippins and the strings from the insides of the skins then cut the skins into thin pieces and shred it very fine beat it as while in a marble morter you may by degrees put in the sugar and pulp beating it till it is very fine then drop it upon a pewter dish in cakes the size of a Crown and dry them in a stove or any warm place to a pound of orange put two very large spoonfulls of Lemon juice.

Movember: Miscellaneous moustaches

Posted on November 30, 2012 by admin

We hope that you have had a happy Movember, and that you are now in a position to be able to consider how to style your carefully cultivated moustache.

Here is the final instalment of moustache inspiration from the archives, including everything that didn’t fit elsewhere. Remember you can also view inspiration from Essex’s historic sportsmen, firemen the military, and even the Victorian County Council.

Remember, our own ERO chaps are taking part in Movember themselves to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, and you can find their Just Giving page here.

Movember: Military moustaches

Posted on November 26, 2012 by admin

We are taking part in this year’s Movember campaign, which raises money for and awareness of men’s health issues.

Throughout November, we are providing you with daily moustache inspiration from the archives on our Twitter account, with weekly round-ups here on the blog, showing you the photographs which the individual moustaches posted on Twitter were taken from, plus a few extras.

Having looked previously at sportsmen and firemen, this week we turned to the military for your dose of archival moustache inspiration.

Remember, our own ERO chaps are taking part in Movember themselves to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, and you can find their Just Giving page here.

Christmas concert at Ingatestone Hall

Posted on November 22, 2012 by admin

Since 1953, the Essex Record Office has been kindly supported by the Friends of Historic Essex. The Friends are hosting their Christmas concert at Ingatestone Hall at 7pm on Saturday 1st December…

Before the frantic run up to Christmas, spend a relaxing musical evening with the acclaimed male voice quartet SongCycle in the wonderful surroundings of Ingatestone Hall. There will be a mixture of music ranging from Bach to the Beatles, and Christmas music of all kinds in the second half.

Festive refreshments will be served in the interval.

Tickets cost £10 each. To book tickets please contact Maureen Scollan on 01376 517863 or mjscollan[at]macace.net.

Alternatively, send a Stamped Addressed Envelope to Maureen Scollan at 22 Abercorn Way, Witham, Cm8 2UF enclosing a cheque for £10 per person may payable to The Friends of Historic Essex.

Please note that parking directly outside Ingatestone Hall is restricted, although Lord Petre will allow cars to drop people with mobility difficulties outside the house, before parking in the car park at the end of the drive.

Ingatestone Hall, John S. Turner

Names not to call the bailiff

Posted on November 21, 2012 by admin

One of our searchers, Tom Johnson, recently spotted this passage in the court book for Maldon from 1457-1543 (D/B 3/1/2) and kindly forwarded us a transcription and a translation.

The passage lists a series of insults not allowed to be used against any of the Borough’s officials – the bailiff, his friends, the wardens, ‘or any other man inside the walls’. Anyone caught using any of these insults was liable to a fine of 6 shillings and 8 pence (this does of course leave open the question of any insults not included on the list).

Maldon court book extract (D/B 3/1/2)

[margin: knave] Et compotus est in prima curia ann’ ultima revolut’ quod ex antiqua consuetudinem non licet alicui’ infra Burgum predictum comoranti vocare in violencia aliquem ballivem nec ballivi socij neque aliquem alium hominem infra murum wardemannorum existentem per aliquod tle? agnomen agnominorum vel terminorum sequ’ videlicet Thyff . nec. horesson . ffals. nec foresworn . cokewold . nec knave Bakbyter nec Baude. Ad eius pub[li]cani rep[ro]bacionem nisi in fore iudic’ iucdicialit’ act’ casu’ cogente neque p[ro]ditorem nisi ad opus domini regis hos iudilate p[ro]bauit’ sub pena forum ad opus burgi predicti tenens quotiens contigat vjs viij d quod p[re]ceptum est de incepis firmit’ custodir’

And it is computed in the first court of the year last past that from ancient custom it is not allowed to anyone coming within the borough aforesaid to say violently to any bailiff, or bailiff’s friends, or any other man inside the walls, or of the wardmen there living by any means[?], the names or [lit.] endings following, that is to say, thief, nor whoreson, false, nor forsworn, cuckold, nor knave, backbiter, nor bawd [pimp], to their public reprobation neither in judicial fora, acts, cases (nor [even] traitors, unless to the use of the lord king, these [words] judicially licensed) under the pain of the court, to the use of the borough aforesaid, as often as it [the court] is held, being 6 shillings 8 pence [half a mark]. This is made at the beginning [of the court], firmly guarded.

Movember: Firemen’s moustaches

Posted on November 19, 2012 by admin

We are taking part in this year’s Movember campaign, which raises money for and awareness of men’s health issues.

This week’s theme was firemen’s moustaches, and Essex’s historic firemen sport some fine examples.

Remember, our own ERO chaps are taking part in Movember themselves to raise money for Prostate CancerUK, and you can find their Just Giving page here. They’re all doing really well (although the blonde ones have been bemoaning their disadvantage).

Next week, we are taking our inspiration from the military photographs in our collections.

Mary Rooke of Langham Hall

Posted on November 16, 2012 by admin

We thought we’d take a little break from historic moustaches today to have a look at some more historic recipes.

Our next recipe book from the archives belonged to Mary Rooke, nee Marriott (D/DU 818/1). Mary was the daughter of Joshua Marriott and his wife Mary Edge. Joshua was a Manchester entrepreneur involved in the cloth industry, and Mary married in Manchester in 1774 to Captain George Rooke.

She began keeping her recipe book in 1770 before her marriage, when she was living in Ardwick House in Lancashire. At some point before 1777, Mary and George took up residency at Langham Hall in north east Essex.

As with the other recipe books we have looked at so far, this one contains a mixture of culinary and medicinal recipes, carefully entered and indexed. The book is mostly in Mary’s hand, although the indexes were largely entered by a second hand. The second hand must have belonged to an assistant of some kind, as Mary has gone back and corrected some of its work; she has commented on the second hand’s instructions for ‘Marseilles vinegar against the plague’ that they were a ‘disgrace to the person who began & left the receipt in such an unfinished state’.

You can view images of the whole of Mary’s book on Seax here, but we have picked out a few of our favourites to share with you, including Langham Biscuits, named after her home.

Lemon Cake (image 10)

Take fiveteen eggs leave out half the whites ten ounces of sugar beat and sifted whisk the eggs sugar and the rinds of two lemons grated half a pound of rice flour for half an hour butter your mug that it is bak’d in put it into a quick oven half an hour will bake it dozen bitter almonds will add to the cake.

Waffles (image 10)

A pint of new milk half a pound of fresh butter four eggs a little mace or nutmeg a spoonful of brandy & as much flour as will make it as thick as a pancake make your tongs hot fill them & turn them quick make your sauce of melted butter wine & sugar

A Rice Pudding (image 13)

Two ounces of ground rice a pint of cream set ‘em over the fire when it’s thick add half a pound of butter five eggs a quarter of a pint of sack sugar to your taste then put it on a dish with a pastry round it & bake it add to it a quarter of a pound of blanch’d almonds

Langham Biscuits (image 16)

A pound of flour two ounces of butter a few carraway seeds knead it with warm milk roll it into thin cakes bake them two ounces of sugar