Bygones and Essex Tales Archives - Phoenix FM

Now usually on a Tuesday I’m joined by local historian, Margaret Mills, who I’m pleased to say was persuaded to come in today.

Her topic today concerned a notorious novelist, Elinor Glyn, who for a time lived with her husband not far from Harlow.

It seems that whilst many of her books were of a “saucy nature” certainly for the period of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, things really took off with her 1907 book – THREE WEEKS – which turned out to be a favourite of King Edward VII, who it seems couldn’t put it down.

Perhaps I should see if it’s still available!

You can listen again here to what Margaret had to say on this subject: –

I very much hope you will be able to join me once more next week,

The post The tale of a notorious novelist appeared first on Phoenix FM.

This week, Margaret Mills turned her attention to the funeral of Queen Caroline, the estranged wife of King George IV, which took place in August 1821.

It seems that Queen Caroline was not warmly received in Britain, so she had expressly requested that upon her death she wished to be buried in the land of her birth in Brunswick, Germany.

This resulted in her funeral procession having to proceed from London through Essex to Harwich where her body was loaded aboard a ship to take her remains across the North Sea.

Sadly the cortege missed travelling close to her favourite Essex resort, Southend!

Apparently there were clashes en route across the county between her supporters and others who sided with the King.

Anyway you can listen again here to Margaret’s description of the event: –

I look forward to the pleasure of your company once again next week,

The post The Funeral of Queen Caroline appeared first on Phoenix FM.

The subject chosen by Margaret Mills, this week involved the Essex connections, of a renowned sculptor – Sir Jacob Epstein – who was best known for his works such as the tombstone of Oscar Wild and the statue of St Michael vanquishing the Devil, at Coventry Cathedral.

His connection with Essex involved 2 addresses he lived in at different times, in Loughton, allowing him to enjoy the benefits provided by Epping Forest.

If you missed what Margaret had to say you can catch it all again here: –

I very much hope you’ll be able to join me once again next week,

The post The Essex connection with SIR JACOB EPSTEIN appeared first on Phoenix FM.

For a second week in a row, Margaret Mills took us back to the seaside.

By the early and mid 1960’s many people had more money in their pockets and were increasingly being enticed to sunnier climes, which with the availability of low cost flights and package deals, were becoming increasingly affordable.

Whilst although not completely out of the picture, holiday camps, were beginning to come to the end of their days.

However being so close to London, Essex resorts were well placed to continue attracting day trippers, but even so it was clear that thought had to be given to the introduction of new attractions.

One such innovation involved Airshows, which could be staged over a couple of days or a weekend, so although unlikely to attract many people staying in the boarding houses, so popular in earlier times, such events would attract day-trippers, who would of course spend money thereby helping the local economy.

You can listen again here to what Margaret had to say on this subject today: –

I very much hope you’ll be able to join me again next week for more of the same,

The post It’s back to the seaside! appeared first on Phoenix FM.

Our resident local historian, Margaret Mills, chose to take us back to see how seaside holidays were traditionally taken until about 1960.

You can listen again here to what Margaret had to say on this subject: –

I very much hope to have the pleasure of your company once again at the same time next week,

The post A trip to the seaside in earlier days! appeared first on Phoenix FM.

The subject chosen today by Margaret Mills involved the life of a somewhat notorious woman, born in what was then a part of our fair county and who also returned here for a later period after having spent some time in prison.

The lady was Mary Anne Clark, who was born in what was then simply known as HAM in 1776 and became an actress at the age of 18.

You can listen again here to what Margaret told me today, but briefly after marrying a stone mason, Joseph Clark, she became the mistress of Frederick, the second son of King George III: –

Now Frederick, also known as THE GRAND OLD DUKE OF YORK happened to be Commander in Chief of the army.

In those days if you wanted to be anything in the army you had to buy your way in, in the shape of a commission. So Mary Anne and Frederick set up a scam to sell these commissions but they got found out and whilst Frederick was acquitted, Mary Anne found herself behind bars.

Once released from prison, Mary Anne lived for a time with another of her admirers who lived in Loughton. But bored with Essex she moved to France but not before arranging with Frederick a commission for her son, Henry and an annual income of £10,000!

Oh and by the way Mary Anne was the Great Great Grandmother of the novelist  Daphne DuMaurier.

I very much hope that you will be able to join me for another outing next week,

The post A somewhat notorious woman appeared first on Phoenix FM.

For her regular foray into the past, Margaret Mills explained the links between Colchester and Humpty Dumpty.

Now in reality the original Humpty Dumpty was actually a gun dating back to the English Civil War back in 1645, whilst the origins of the nursery rhyme actually date back to 1810.

If you missed what Margaret Mills told me you can listen again here: –

I very much hope to have the pleasure of your company once again next week,

The post Is the real Humpty Dumpty, really in for a big fall? appeared first on Phoenix FM.

Being a Tuesday I was once again joined by our very own local historian, Margaret Mills who for a second consecutive week, turned her attention to the suffragette movement and its connections with Essex and furthermore Sylvia Pankhurst was once again the subject of today’s episode.

If you missed what Margaret told me today, you can listen again here: –

I very much hope to have the pleasure of your company once again next week,

The post More about Sylvia Pankhurst appeared first on Phoenix FM.

Being a Tuesday I was once again joined by our very own local historian, Margaret Mills , who this week turned her attention to the suffragette movement, and in particular at the Essex connections with one of the movement’s major figures, Sylvia Pankhurst, daughter of the more famous Emmeline Pankhurst.

If you missed what Margaret told me, you can listen again here: –

I very much look forward to having your company again next week,

The post The Essex connection to the world of suffragettes re-visited appeared first on Phoenix FM.

Pretty much forgotten and overlooked today, his name was William Edmund Ironside.

Listen here to what Margaret had to say about this man: –

I’ll see you again next week,

The post The man who protected our coastline during WWII appeared first on Phoenix FM.