-  Image Collection

Ship Ahoy, Tollesbury. Gowers Postcard No.243 posted before 1910.
The 17th Century inn was formerly named 'The Crooked Billet', then variously as 'The Hoy' and the 'Ship Ahoy'. It was closed after the First World War. Once part of the Guisnes Court estate, it was a rendezvous for smugglers with their illicit cargoes. 
The building, along with Old Hall marshes, is now owned by RSPB, bought as a result of the Eric Morecambe Memorial Appeal in 1985.
Old Hall, Tollesbury. 
Ann Jones wrote (May 2014):
This was the home where my Great Grandfather Richard Banyard grew up. He was born in 1865. His parents were Richard Banyard and mother Sarah maiden name Walford, who also lived in Tollesbury. Young Richard was 8 when his mother died, and 14 when his father died in 1879 so we have not yet checked the census as to whether his father had already left the pub when he died. We do know that young Richard went to live with his uncle John Banyard who we think was a grocer in Tollesbury.
Photograph used in Tollesbury Past by Keith Lovell, plate 62.
</p><p><b>Read More</b>
<a href=mmresdetails.php?col=MM&ba=cke&typ=ID&pid=FGD_102&rhit=1 ID=1>Recollections from Fred Garrod </a></p> Before 1910. Photo: Cedric Gurton Tollesbury
Jack Botham aerial photograph 3205. Decoy Point. Early days at Waldegraves Caravan site. c1962. Photo: Botham Aerial Views
The Old City with the Victory centre left and Cornerways on the right at the bottom of the Lane. Cornerways was later reduced in height. Carriage at the bottom of the lane. The boat on the left is BEATRICE.
The signwriting on the front of the Victory is Colchester Brewing Company, Fine ales and stout, wines and spirits. W. Trim proprietor.
Owen Fletcher names the men in foregraound as B. French and Mr Mole. He says: The parked carriage brought a party from Colchester for an Oyster Tea at the Victory.
Lorna Mills' grandfather James french was born in Cornerways.
<a href=mmphoto.php?typ=ID&hit=1&tot=1&ba=cke&rhit=1&bid=CBR_001 ID=1>CBR_001 </a> was taken at the same time.
A Cleghorn photograph. Another copy of this postcard was mailed 16 November 1905. Before November 1905. Photo: Hardy Weaver Collection
The Station Road. View on the North Side of the Queen's Estate, West Mersea.
Station Road is the present-day East Road. Garden Farm is on the right.
One of the photographs used in Queen's Estates Souvenir brochure, advertising the sale on 24 August 1907 of a number of building plots in West Mersea. The brochure is in Mersea Museum archives. Before August 1907.
Victoria Esplanade and beach, West Mersea, looking to the Two Sugars Cafe --- formerly a World War 2 gun emplacement. c1955.
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Mersea Museum has a large collection of images, mainly of Mersea Island and the surrounding area. Those shown here are a small sample.
The images are divided into categories - click on a Category to view a selection.
Each year, a selection of the images with an accompanying audiocommentary form an audio-visual display that is run when the Museum is open.
If you can add to the information we have about an image, such as the names of the people, the place or the date, please Email us.
The collection is always increasing thanks to the kindness of may individuals. If you have photographs that are suitable for our collection, we would be pleased to hear from you. We can just take a digital copy of a photograph and return the original to you.
The images above are copyright Mersea Island Museum unless otherwise stated.


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