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East Mersea
East Mersea maps
Historic maps of East Mersea and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all East Mersea maps
East Mersea area books
Displaying 1 of 18 books about East Mersea and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of East Mersea
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of East Mersea.
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Family History
Most of my family were born in East and West Mersea, my great-grandfather Robert Percy Woods, born 1890, born in East Mersea and was a farmer ,my great-grandmother Emma French born 1891 West Mersea, her parents were also farmers. My great-grandfather's parents were Allen Woods and Emma Rose Halls and my great-grandmother's parents were John French and Mary Ann Harvey. My grandmother Katheleen Woods was born 1922 in West Mersea. Six years ago my family were looking at where to go on holiday and we found Mersea Island so we went to Coopers Beach Holiday Park and loved it there so much that we go every year now. About three weeks ago my husband and I got fed up of living in Thurrock and we now live in Lexden, another area where my family were born and raised along with most of Colchester.
Ferryman
My Great Grandfather was the Ferryman from East Mersea to Brightlingsea, he was Horatio Charles Mole. There are many family members on the Island but somehow the ones I am in touch with cannot find the house where he lived at the time he was running the Ferry. Please can anyone help? It would be good to find the house, so we can visit and take a photo.
Essex memories
MERSEA ISLAND Primary School 1950's-
Born on Mersea island- what a haven we school children had to live and grow in. Endless poppy fields and bluebell woods,golden beaches and primrose banks flanked the leafy lanes.
Greedy land grabbers have spoilt its original charm, but thankfully its still possible to take a walk down The Lane by the coast to step back in time. Sit on the beach, take in the salty breeze from the marshes,and hear the haunting call of the curlew.... calling us globe trotters home ?
The school friends of the 1950's friends and families now meet once a year to recapture the feel of 'the good day's' find us on the islands own websites in the forum.everyone welcome.
Where I was brought up
I was brought up at 110 High Street then at the top of Backwaterside Lane. My Grandparents were William and Louisa Barrenger. My Mum Mabel Barrenger (later Mabel Dutton) was born at 9 Hurst Green. Many of my family were all born there including my sister and two brothers. One of the things I can remember about the High Street is the fair arriving on Hurst Green and also watching the Carnival go along the High Street.
Brightlingsea holds many memories, the shops in the High Street, Bird's the newsagent, Phillip's the fruit and veg shop and further along there was the bakers at the top of Tower Street. On the opposite side there was the Chemist then the Grocery Shop.
My Mum worked at Jacobs Hall when Mrs Wholmes ( I think I've Spelt that right) and her daughter Celia were there. I left Brightlingsea in 1968 but Brightlingsea is where I spent a happy childhood and as I sit here I can see the High Street as I... Read more
A Brightlingsea Boy
I was born at 10 North Rd in 1936 My grandparents house[Harry & Maude Hammond. My mother Mabel Williams[nee Hammond] worked in James Shipyard during war then Telephone Exchange.remarried George Genever[who was buyer at Aldous Shipyard] in 1947.We lived at 15 Eastern rd then 2 Ladysmith Avenue.Brightlingsea was a great place to spend your childhood,either by the water or in the countryside, My best mates where Eric Woods,Jim Crosby and Colin Francis [Lost touch with all of them]. The pictures [all of them] brought back many happy memories,Since leaving Brightlingsea in 1957 I have travelled all over the world and now live in Morecambe Lancashire, I would like to hear from anyone who remembers me,
Daughter of A Shopkeeper
I spent most of my childhood in Brightlingsea. My father owned several businesses in the town, Relf's Fruiterers in New Street and Victoria Place and the Happy Shopper shop for a time. I have wonderful memories of sitting on potato sacks in the 'back room' whilst the beetroot cooker steamed away and running up and down Hall Cut on a barrow with my sister, and watching my dad waltz the ladies around the shop to Max Bygraves music! Maskells (the newsagent next door) was great for emergency sweets! Even when we moved away, due to the shops we were always in Brightlingsea, spending most of our summers at the beach hut and swimming pool. I don't have any reason to visit Brightlingsea now as Dad retired from the shop well over 12 years ago - but I often think fondly of it!
My Grandfather Fred Scales
I was born in Brightlingsea and spent most of my childhood growing up there, my grandfather was Fred Scales, who ran the Boating Lake for a number of years and looked after the chalets and caravans, he was also a coal merchant and lived in Colne Road. Jennifer Dance, nee Collins, nee Scales PS. Grandfather is the man in the picture.
