ID: UPA

TitleGranville Leonard Chambers
AbstractIn May 2022 an unexpected large parcel was delivered to Mersea Museum. It contained a photograph album - some photographs mounted in the album but many more loose. They were nearly all Mersea views, but the back of each photograph just had information about type of film, exposure etc. Only 3 photographs had anything useful written on the back and just one had pencilled on it 'G.L. Chambers West Mersea'.

There were few portraits there, but Ron Green with his eye for faces recognised two - Colonel Buckle's second wife, and Harry Banks. One of Harry Banks daughters confirmed that it was indeed her father, and with the Chambers clue, we found a similar glass plate negative of Harry Banks - one of a group of eight donated to the Museum by Betty Chambers in 1982.
Of the 100 photographs in this photo album, just 6 were already in the Museum collection (Accession No. P1005) but the donor of that collection, from 1993, is unknown.

Derek Gay came and looked at the collection, and he was fairly sure that most, with the photographic details on the back, were from Granville Chambers, who was known to be a keen photographer and did his own developing. Derek had bought his house from the Chambers family, complete with dark room - and Derek found Granville's signature which confirmed the hand writing on the photographs belonged to Granville.

The conclusion after a lot of interesting discussion was that the vast majority of the photographs were taken by Granville Chambers and the album once belonged to the Chambers family.

The source of the album: Roe and Moore, art and antiquarian book sellers in Blackheath in London, had acquired a large lot of books at auction. The album was included - it was not something in their 'world' and looking inside, they concluded the main theme was Mersea. They thought it should have a good home and very kindly sent it to Mersea Museum.

Granville Leonard Chambers
Granville first appears in our records in 1939. The 1939 Electoral Roll, compiled autumn 1938, shows him at Galiots, Coast Road. The 1939 Register, a little later, shows him at 'Sunrays' Coast Road. He is recorded as a Colliery Deputy Overman Retired, born 31 December 1898.


Granville Chambers - Royal Observer Corps
Photograph from Derek Gay

Granville very much wanted to serve in the forces but was unable to. He joined the Royal Observer Corps on the Island and it is thought he served with them through the war. Granville sold Galiots to Colonel Buckle and bought Greenstorth, a little further up Coast Road. The 1939 Register tells us that living in Colonel Buckle's former household at East Mersea Hall was Betty Capon, born 1917, and employed as Chauffeur and Private Secretary. Granville clearly made contact with Betty while he was selling Galiots to Colonel Buckle, and went on to marry her - July to September 1942 in Surrey.

1951 Granville and Betty D. Chambers were living at Greenstorth, Coast Road, and a number of photographs in this area were in the photo album. Granville died around 1980 and Betty November 1981.


Betty - 1942

Keywordsgreen storth
SourceMersea Museum / Roe and Moore
IDUPA
Related Images:
 The Beach by Seaview Avenue. Clifford White - valuable freehold building land for sale. Lyons ... UPA_001_001
ImageID:   UPA_001_001
Title: The Beach by Seaview Avenue. Clifford White - valuable freehold building land for sale. Lyons ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Victoria Esplanade. Fairhaven Cafe is in distance and closer are the four bungalows Mersea, ... UPA_001_003
ImageID:   UPA_001_003
Title: Victoria Esplanade. Fairhaven Cafe is in distance and closer are the four bungalows Mersea, ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Valuable Freehold Building Land For Sale. 
 Facing Sea with uninterrupted view
 Apply ... UPA_002_001
ImageID:   UPA_002_001
Title: Valuable Freehold Building Land For Sale.
Facing Sea with uninterrupted view
Apply ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Beach Huts and cafe at the bottom of Fairhaven Avenue, looking towards Seaview Avenue.  UPA_002_003
ImageID:   UPA_002_003
Title: Beach Huts and cafe at the bottom of Fairhaven Avenue, looking towards Seaview Avenue.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Entrance gates under construction. Timber stored in yard. Location not known. A puzzle picture...  UPA_003_001
ImageID:   UPA_003_001
Title: Entrance gates under construction. Timber stored in yard. Location not known. A puzzle picture...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Bungalows on Fairhaven Avenue. Whitehaven on Seaview Avenue visible distant right.  UPA_004_001
ImageID:   UPA_004_001
Title: Bungalows on Fairhaven Avenue. Whitehaven on Seaview Avenue visible distant right.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Whitehaven, Seaview Avenue, West Mersea  UPA_004_003
ImageID:   UPA_004_003
Title: Whitehaven, Seaview Avenue, West Mersea
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Fairhaven Cafe on the corner of Fairhaven Avenue and Victoria Esplanade.  UPA_005_001
ImageID:   UPA_005_001
Title: Fairhaven Cafe on the corner of Fairhaven Avenue and Victoria Esplanade.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Fairhaven Cafe on the corner of Fairhaven Avenue and Victoria Esplanade.  UPA_005_003
ImageID:   UPA_005_003
Title: Fairhaven Cafe on the corner of Fairhaven Avenue and Victoria Esplanade.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Walnut Cottage on corner of Captains Road and High Street, West Mersea.  UPA_006_001
ImageID:   UPA_006_001
Title: Walnut Cottage on corner of Captains Road and High Street, West Mersea.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Electricity distribution poles  UPA_006_003
ImageID:   UPA_006_003
Title: Electricity distribution poles
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Beach huts at West Mersea. The picture is probably pre-war, when there were many flat-roofed huts. ... UPA_007_001
ImageID:   UPA_007_001
Title: Beach huts at West Mersea. The picture is probably pre-war, when there were many flat-roofed huts. ...
Date:1930s
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Icy creeks at West Mersea.  UPA_008_001
ImageID:   UPA_008_001
Title: Icy creeks at West Mersea.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Icy creeks at West Mersea. There are two Packing Sheds, so the picture is before 1953. 
</p><p>The ... UPA_009_001
ImageID:   UPA_009_001
Title: Icy creeks at West Mersea. There are two Packing Sheds, so the picture is before 1953.

The ...

Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Icy creeks at West Mersea.  UPA_010_001
ImageID:   UPA_010_001
Title: Icy creeks at West Mersea.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Icy creeks at West Mersea. The Causeway runs across the picture.  UPA_012_001
ImageID:   UPA_012_001
Title: Icy creeks at West Mersea. The Causeway runs across the picture.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Hove Creek and in the distance Coast Road at the bottom of Hove Hill. Snow and ice. On the left is ... UPA_013_001
ImageID:   UPA_013_001
Title: Hove Creek and in the distance Coast Road at the bottom of Hove Hill. Snow and ice. On the left is ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Hove Creek and Coast Road. Snow and ice.  UPA_013_003
ImageID:   UPA_013_003
Title: Hove Creek and Coast Road. Snow and ice.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Smugglers Way, Coast Road, West Mersea. The lane is now Carriers Close.  UPA_022_001
ImageID:   UPA_022_001
Title: Smugglers Way, Coast Road, West Mersea. The lane is now Carriers Close.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Waterside, the Nothe, Coast Road, West Mersea  UPA_022_003
ImageID:   UPA_022_003
Title: Waterside, the Nothe, Coast Road, West Mersea
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 A wildfowler's cottage ? There are two strong baulks of timber at the front holding the cottage up, ... UPA_023_001
ImageID:   UPA_023_001
Title: A wildfowler's cottage ? There are two strong baulks of timber at the front holding the cottage up, ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 A lady  UPA_031_001
ImageID:   UPA_031_001
Title: A lady
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Harry Banks. Oysterman and yacthsman. West Mersea Yacht Club cap badge.
 A similar glass ... UPA_032_001
ImageID:   UPA_032_001
Title: Harry Banks. Oysterman and yacthsman. West Mersea Yacht Club cap badge.
A similar glass ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Inside an old house. Photograph originally from a book or magazine.  UPA_033_001
ImageID:   UPA_033_001
Title: Inside an old house. Photograph originally from a book or magazine.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Gaff Sloop. Photo is from The Bierthon Boat Co. Ltd., The Shipyard, Lymington, Hants.  UPA_034_001
ImageID:   UPA_034_001
Title: Gaff Sloop. Photo is from The Bierthon Boat Co. Ltd., The Shipyard, Lymington, Hants.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Unidentified Bermudan Sloop  UPA_034_003
ImageID:   UPA_034_003
Title: Unidentified Bermudan Sloop
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 A good fall of snow along the Coast Road on Hove Hill.  UPA_042_001
ImageID:   UPA_042_001
Title: A good fall of snow along the Coast Road on Hove Hill.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Hove Hill on Coast Road in the snow.  UPA_044_001
ImageID:   UPA_044_001
Title: Hove Hill on Coast Road in the snow.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Sailing dinghy SAGA in Hove Creek in the snow. Coast Road and the bottom of Hove Hill in the ... UPA_044_003
ImageID:   UPA_044_003
Title: Sailing dinghy SAGA in Hove Creek in the snow. Coast Road and the bottom of Hove Hill in the ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 St Peter's Meadow (the Cricket Field) looking up to Coast Road in the snow.  UPA_045_001
ImageID:   UPA_045_001
Title: St Peter's Meadow (the Cricket Field) looking up to Coast Road in the snow.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Sunset at the Hard.  UPA_049_001
ImageID:   UPA_049_001
Title: Sunset at the Hard.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 1939-40 ice and houseboat RAVEN owned by Whelpton family. Looking across Victory Dock to the ... UPA_049_003
ImageID:   UPA_049_003
Title: 1939-40 ice and houseboat RAVEN owned by Whelpton family. Looking across Victory Dock to the ...
Date:cJanuary 1940
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 West Mersea Hard  UPA_049_005
ImageID:   UPA_049_005
Title: West Mersea Hard
Date:October 1965
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View across the cricket field below Coast Road, to the Blackwater. Sailing barge making its way ... UPA_051_001
ImageID:   UPA_051_001
Title: View across the cricket field below Coast Road, to the Blackwater. Sailing barge making its way ...
Date:c1948
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View across the cricket field below Coast Road, to the Blackwater.  UPA_051_011
ImageID:   UPA_051_011
Title: View across the cricket field below Coast Road, to the Blackwater.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View from Hove Creek looking across cricket field to River Blackwater. Laid up Shell tanker HYALINA ... UPA_051_013
ImageID:   UPA_051_013
Title: View from Hove Creek looking across cricket field to River Blackwater. Laid up Shell tanker HYALINA ...
Date:c1959
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View from Coast Road across 'cricket field' to River Blackwater.
 Laid up Ships in river L-R 1. ... UPA_051_015
ImageID:   UPA_051_015
Title: View from Coast Road across 'cricket field' to River Blackwater.
Laid up Ships in river L-R 1. ...
Date:c15 September 1962
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Hove Hill, Coast Road, before it was widened and given a pavement.  UPA_051_021
ImageID:   UPA_051_021
Title: Hove Hill, Coast Road, before it was widened and given a pavement.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Oyster pits, West Mersea  UPA_052_001
ImageID:   UPA_052_001
Title: Oyster pits, West Mersea
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Bentley's Oyster Fishery Co. Ltd. Coast Road. The shed was formerly the Stags Head Oyster Company.  UPA_052_011
ImageID:   UPA_052_011
Title: Bentley's Oyster Fishery Co. Ltd. Coast Road. The shed was formerly the Stags Head Oyster Company.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Oyster pits, Coast Road, West Mersea  UPA_052_017
ImageID:   UPA_052_017
Title: Oyster pits, Coast Road, West Mersea
Date:c1960
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Oyster baskets. Native oysters.  UPA_052_031
ImageID:   UPA_052_031
Title: Oyster baskets. Native oysters.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Houseboats at West Mersea. In foreground is GREY GULL in Hove Creek.
 Centre is DOLPHIN - an ex ... UPA_061_001
ImageID:   UPA_061_001
Title: Houseboats at West Mersea. In foreground is GREY GULL in Hove Creek.
Centre is DOLPHIN - an ex ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Houseboats at West Mersea  UPA_061_007
ImageID:   UPA_061_007
Title: Houseboats at West Mersea
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Flat bottomed boat in creek.  UPA_062_003
ImageID:   UPA_062_003
Title: Flat bottomed boat in creek.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View out to Packing Shed. Ships laid up in River Blackwater.  UPA_062_005
ImageID:   UPA_062_005
Title: View out to Packing Shed. Ships laid up in River Blackwater.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Yachts on slipway at Clarke & Carter's boatyard. The slipway track continue across the road into ... UPA_063_003
ImageID:   UPA_063_003
Title: Yachts on slipway at Clarke & Carter's boatyard. The slipway track continue across the road into ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea.
 Coast Road - Old Victory in the distance.  UPA_064_001
ImageID:   UPA_064_001
Title: William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea.
Coast Road - Old Victory in the distance.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway.  UPA_064_003
ImageID:   UPA_064_003
Title: William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway - ERIDANI II WMYC.  UPA_064_007
ImageID:   UPA_064_007
Title: William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway - ERIDANI II WMYC.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway - looking towards the Nothe.  UPA_064_009
ImageID:   UPA_064_009
Title: William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway - looking towards the Nothe.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway with Old Victory, Smugglers Way in ... UPA_064_015
ImageID:   UPA_064_015
Title: William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea. Slipway with Old Victory, Smugglers Way in ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea.  UPA_064_017
ImageID:   UPA_064_017
Title: William Wyatt Yacht and Boat Builders, West Mersea.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View from the Nothe across the Strood Channel towards Wigborough.  UPA_065_001
ImageID:   UPA_065_001
Title: View from the Nothe across the Strood Channel towards Wigborough.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View across Strood Channel towards Wigborough.  UPA_065_003
ImageID:   UPA_065_003
Title: View across Strood Channel towards Wigborough.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View from Nothe across Strood Channel. Hulk of PIONEER.  UPA_065_011
ImageID:   UPA_065_011
Title: View from Nothe across Strood Channel. Hulk of PIONEER.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View from Nothe across Strood Channel to Wigborough. Hulk of PIONEER.  UPA_065_015
ImageID:   UPA_065_015
Title: View from Nothe across Strood Channel to Wigborough. Hulk of PIONEER.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 View across Strood Channel to Wigborough.  UPA_065_021
ImageID:   UPA_065_021
Title: View across Strood Channel to Wigborough.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 PORT ERROLL in the ice. The hard winter of 1963 ?  UPA_066_001
ImageID:   UPA_066_001
Title: PORT ERROLL in the ice. The hard winter of 1963 ?
Date:cFebruary 1963
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Icy creeks. The hard winter of 1963 ?  UPA_066_003
ImageID:   UPA_066_003
Title: Icy creeks. The hard winter of 1963 ?
Date:cFebruary 1963
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Sailing barge VICTA at the Strood, West Meresa.
 VICTA built 1874, Official No. 67085, formerly ... UPA_067_001
ImageID:   UPA_067_001
Title: Sailing barge VICTA at the Strood, West Meresa.
VICTA built 1874, Official No. 67085, formerly ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Galiots on Coast Road, West Mersea. Granville Chambers was living there 1939. She was then the home ... UPA_068_001
ImageID:   UPA_068_001
Title: Galiots on Coast Road, West Mersea. Granville Chambers was living there 1939. She was then the home ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Buckle family perhaps ... Colonel Buckle's second wife.  UPA_069_001
ImageID:   UPA_069_001
Title: Buckle family perhaps ... Colonel Buckle's second wife.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Colonel Buckle ?  UPA_069_003
ImageID:   UPA_069_003
Title: Colonel Buckle ?
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Buckle family perhaps ... It is mounted on a West Mersea Yacht Club card.  UPA_069_005
ImageID:   UPA_069_005
Title: Buckle family perhaps ... It is mounted on a West Mersea Yacht Club card.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Buckle family perhaps ...  UPA_069_009
ImageID:   UPA_069_009
Title: Buckle family perhaps ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Buckle family perhaps ...  UPA_069_013
ImageID:   UPA_069_013
Title: Buckle family perhaps ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Thought to be in West Mersea Yacht Club  UPA_070_001
ImageID:   UPA_070_001
Title: Thought to be in West Mersea Yacht Club
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Decoy Point  UPA_071_001
ImageID:   UPA_071_001
Title: Decoy Point
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Seawall and wartime pontoon.  UPA_071_003
ImageID:   UPA_071_003
Title: Seawall and wartime pontoon.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 The road to Osea Island  UPA_072_003
ImageID:   UPA_072_003
Title: The road to Osea Island
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 River Blackwater below Heybridge Basin  UPA_072_011
ImageID:   UPA_072_011
Title: River Blackwater below Heybridge Basin
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 A derelict farmhouse, location unknown. There is a large farmyard in the distance to the left.  UPA_073_001
ImageID:   UPA_073_001
Title: A derelict farmhouse, location unknown. There is a large farmyard in the distance to the left.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 A derelict farmhouse, location unknown.  UPA_073_003
ImageID:   UPA_073_003
Title: A derelict farmhouse, location unknown.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Derelict windmill, location not known. Post mill.  UPA_073_011
ImageID:   UPA_073_011
Title: Derelict windmill, location not known. Post mill.
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Culver Street, Colchester looking east towards Trinity Street. Holy Trinity Church tower and Lion ... UPA_074_001
ImageID:   UPA_074_001
Title: Culver Street, Colchester looking east towards Trinity Street. Holy Trinity Church tower and Lion ...
Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Elephant and keepers. No location given.
</p><p>The real interest in this photo is that written on ... UPA_075_001
ImageID:   UPA_075_001
Title: Elephant and keepers. No location given.

The real interest in this photo is that written on ...

Source:Mersea Museum / Granville Chambers
 Granville L. Chambers, Royal Observer Corps, West Mersea. Photograph loaned by Derek Gay.  UPA_101_001
ImageID:   UPA_101_001
Title: Granville L. Chambers, Royal Observer Corps, West Mersea. Photograph loaned by Derek Gay.
Date:c1940
Source:Mersea Museum
 Betty Dorothy Capon. Photograph by Granville Chambers in 1942.
 Betty was born 4 Dec 1917 ... UPA_102_001
ImageID:   UPA_102_001
Title: Betty Dorothy Capon. Photograph by Granville Chambers in 1942.
Betty was born 4 Dec 1917 ...
Date:1942
Source:Mersea Museum / Derek Gay