ID: ML2022_004_060 / Ron Green

TitleMemory Lane: Hove Creek
AbstractMention Hove Creek to many people on Mersea these days and the question will be Where's that? Tell them it's by the Board Walk and they will often know. The creek was probably formed by water flowing away from St Peters Well and other springs in the area. In living memory, my memory, it was quite a deep creek and it was said smacks would lay up in the creek.

A postcard published by Cleghorn around 1904 shows it very deep. Fishermen working are seen repairing their nets and the man dressed in white is my Great Uncle Jim Cook. Besom creek lays beyond then Cobmarsh and smacks can be seen heading out of Mersea Quarters for their day's work beyond.

In the 1940s, 50s and into the sixties the smacks PHANTOM, Arthur Vince and sons, IDA, Bill Mussett and sons, PRISCILLA, Bobby Stoker and the little GIRL BARBARA, Billy Vince and son Peter. were moored in Besom (Buzzen) and they used trade bikes which could usually be seen leaning on the small elm trees by the road. There was a stand pipe there handy for washing boots.

The boardwalk which runs off to the left of the picture was built in 2006 and is now in need of major repairs.

The postcard above is from the early 1930s and shows punts in Hove Creek. It is looking towards Coast Road at the bottom of Hove Hill. The hill was also known as Rosebank Hill as Rosebank House was off to the right as you came down the hill.

Article published in Mersea Life April 2022 page 60.

AuthorRon Green
PublishedApril 2022
SourceMersea Museum
IDML2022_004_060