Clacton volunteer group update

Clacton on the Tendring coast is home to one of our three volunteer groups. In this blog, chairman Roger Kennell introduces the group and their current project. The volunteer members of the Group, founded as a collaboration with the VCH Essex in 2002, have met monthly ever since to research on a range of localContinue reading “Clacton volunteer group update”

Exploring Essex History: Crime and Society

Trustee Ben Cowell, Director General of Historic Houses, has provided this report about our annual symposium, which took place at the Galleywood Heritage Centre on Saturday 4 October 2025. The Essex VCH Trust was very grateful to all who joined in our 2025 study day, held at the Galleywood Heritage Centre on Saturday 4 October.Continue reading “Exploring Essex History: Crime and Society”

Interwar Harwich – new draft history available!

To mark the upload of a draft chapter on Harwich 1919-1939, VCH Essex researcher Dr Andrew Senter has written a post about the growth of motor traffic, and attempts to accommodate it, as Harwich and Dovercourt went through a period of considerable modernisation between the wars. The increased use of the roads by private motorContinue reading “Interwar Harwich – new draft history available!”

Religion, Reformation and Society

As we continue planning for this year’s annual symposium at the Galleywood Heritage Centre on Saturday 4th October, a look back at last year’s event! We were grateful to three of our trustees, Lord Petre, Dr Amanda Flather and Sir Graham Hart for giving talks, alongside our long-term friend the architectural historian Dr James Bettley.Continue reading “Religion, Reformation and Society”

New volume on Southend published!

We’re delighted to announce the publication of our latest short-form volume, which was launched at the Civic Centre in Southend on Friday 11th April. In this blog, editor Ken Crowe introduces the book. With so many histories of Southend having been produced over the years, and many still in print, the aim of the VCHContinue reading “New volume on Southend published!”