-  Image Collection

Repton Dixon's Stores in Church Road, West Mersea. All the shop staff.
1. Bessie Dixon (with her tongue out), 2. Pat Franklin, 3. Susan Hales, 4. Carol Dixon, 5. Percy Bacon.
<b>Pat Franklin</b> and her husband Gil (Gilbert) Franklin lived in Kingsland House in Kingsland Road which used to be a school. It was such a huge house and the upkeep was mind blowing. In the end they sold it up on condition it was kept intact as it was such a wonderful old house. Their wishes were not upheld and it was levelled and re-developed very soon after. 
<b>Susan Hales</b> she married Danny Williamson in 1967, He used to ride huge motor-bikes. Susan was a lovely bubbly girl.
<b>Carol Dixon</b> - little old me in the brown overall and then my beloved Percy Bacon, my we had some fun in those days but we worked hard and the days were long.
In the evening after the shop shut at 6pm we had a meal and then I had to cash up all the tills, agree them and put the float back for the next day. Then all the duplicate invoices had to be entered into the ledger for every sale that day 'on-tick' which would be put on the customers monthly accounts at the end of every month. All this was done by hand entry, no machines in those days and the till roll was folded into lengths of about 10 inches and each section added up using mental arithmetic. In the summer days when holiday makers were down the till roll could easily be 10 to 15 foot long and if the cash did not agreee with the pencilled entries on the till roll it was a long night! The off-licence had a separate till and ledger so I was rarely finished before 8pm and we opened at 8am.
Part of CW3_105. c1965. Photo: Carol Wyatt
Tom Marriage 26 June 1896 to 5 May 1896.
Wounded Arras April 3rd 1917. Left leg amputated 19th April. Died May 5th 1917.
Laid to rest May 6th in the Military Cemetery, Etaples, France.
There is more detail in Not Just a Name, page 101. In it, a letter refers to Tom being wounded 3rd April, but Roger Bullen says that there was confusion over the date Tom was wounded. On the 3rd the Battalion was in camp. 9th April the Battle of Arras commenced. c1916. Photo: Gene and Tony Clifton
Birch School House and School. The photograph shows the old central front entrance to the school, which was removed in 1911. The porch of School House does not have the wisteria that appears on Photo 36.
Photo 37 B.S. c1900. Photo: Birch School
Birch Church c1905. <b>This church is about to be demolished! Feb 2014</b> 
The back of the card is divided, saying this space may now be used for communication - a change introduced in 1902.
The church is now [2013] derelict.
</p>
<p>
February 2014 the church is likely to be demolished. There is a petition to try and save it. Colchester & NE Essex Building Preservation Trust have written:

St Peter's Church, Birch has stood empty for more than 24 years.

It is now derelict and the Diocese of Chelmsford wish to demolish it.

The Trust is campaigning to save the building and has recently completed a viability study. This has identified a proposal to convert most of the building into a family home.

Regrettably, despite having found a willing buyer for the church who is prepared to spend £1,200,000 restoring this iconic landmark, the Church Commissioners in consultation with the Diocese of Chelmsford, have decided to proceed with their plans to demolish.

In our opinion, this is unnecessary destruction of local heritage. The resultant harm will not only be in the loss of this Grade II listed building but also the detrimental impact of the loss on the Birch Conservation Area and the surrounding landscape.
</p>
<p>Sign a petition to save the church:
<a href=http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-birch-church.html target=_new>
www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-birch-church.html</a> (Opens in a new window) c1905.
Early bus, taxi and charabanc outside the White Hart in Mersea. The landlord is A.H. Went - Arthur Went was landlord from 1895 to about 1931. 
The card was addressed My Dear Mildred and continues: 

Many thanks for your P.O. and also your letter. I am just about to pack up your Plimsoles. No news only we are still very busy. Heaps of love from all, Mother.
PS Madge has gone to Frinton with Aunt Emma ... Mrs Spatchat ...
[Mildred Went is in the 1901 census living at the White Hart, born about 1892. Arthur Went had a sister Emma, born c1860. Mother would be Arthur's wife Emilie born c1866]
</p><p>Another photograph taken the same time was posted 1914.</p> c1914. Photo: Vivian D'Wit
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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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