-  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
Ice piled up on the beach at West Mersea, in the hard winter of 1962-63. There was a lot of ice in the river and the creeks round Mersea were all frozen, except for a patch west of the Packing Shed. It was possible to walk from the causeway across to Feldy. cJanuary 1963.
Fire Brigade before they had uniforms, on Horry Martin's lorry in front of West Mersea Church. 
L-R 1. Horry Martin, 2. Arthur Mills, 3. Edgar Jopson, 4. Ivan Mole, 5. Herbert Burgess, 6. Horry Whiting, 7. Mr Cathercole, 8. Alec C. Green, 9. Bob Key (Island barber Johnny Hart's old shop), 10. Leonard Mills, 11. Oscar Whiting.
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Front left Horace Martin, builder, owner of the 'Dennis' lorry VW5608. His yard was where Fred's DIY now (2018) is. The yard and lorry were later owned by Clifford White. It was used for pill box work, and was driven by a Mr Waller. A. Tredget the builder bought it after WW2. (This lorry was fierce on the clutch - ask Ted Atkins). [Ron Green]
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Herbert Burgess spent many years working for William Wyatt, the boat builders. He was also an officer in the Sea Cadets and taught us boys to play various instruments [Owen Fletcher].
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The photograph appeared in the Daily Mirror 26 February 1929 with the caption Soon got very busy, - The fire brigade which has just been formed at West Mersea, Essex. It received several calls during the first few days of its existance.
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Photograph taken the same time as <a href=mmphoto.php?typ=ID&hit=1&tot=1&ba=cke&rhit=1&bid=MMC_P669_011 ID=1>MMC_669_011 </a>. 1929.
The LORD WARDEN at Church Wharf Salcot unloading flints, c1920. Her skipper at this time was Jack Spitty. 
Used in Down Tops'l page 65 - caption is:
LORD WARDEN after a stack at Salcot, where the creek is now dammed. On this trip the LORD WARDEN's skipper met his future wife, and they were married in the church hard by. Their son has been named after the barge. Page 123 names the skipper as Jack Spitty and his son as Victa Warden Spitty.
LORD WARDEN was built Sandwich 1891 for William Jas. Hughes, Official No. 97705. She was later owned by Clem Parker at Bradwell and Wakeley Bros of Rainham. c1920.
West Mersesa Fire Engine. Gary Mussett. 2017 Carnival. 17 June 2017. Photo: Tony Millatt
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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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