With the demolition of Holly Lodge in High Street North, another landmark is disappearing from this part of West Mersea. Built by local builder Maurice Mark Thorp for his own use over one hundred years ago, it has been the home of the Whiting family in recent years and can be seen quite clearly in the centre of the attached picture.

In this view from Jack Botham around 1963, we are looking to the northwest. High Street North is across the centre of the picture, Barfield Road is lower left.

I can remember when I was a boy living in the Council Houses in Barfield Road in the 1930s, hearing the familiar clang of hammer on anvil as blacksmith Joe Munson worked the forge in the yard there when it still belonged to the Thorp family. In this picture some of John Whiting's lorries are parked around the yard.

The Griffon Garage lower left has given way to Tescos Store. The boats, many with outboard motors attached, parked around the garage, suggest Bryan Parkinson was proprietor at the time. On the large area of grass lower centre, the fire station, Vince Close and the clinic have yet to be built. Cresta Stores stands prominent on the corner of Mersea Avenue. Coronation Cottages seen towards the top right hand corner of the picture have given way to Mersea Court. The higher centre section of the cottages was the home of the District Nurse.