Bygones and Essex Tales Archives - Phoenix FM

The subject chosen by Margaret Mills today was Latton Priory near Harlow, where a number of surveys took place to try and find out more of the history of the Priory and what had occupied the land where the priory once stood.

Listen again here to what Margaret told me today: –

See you again next week,

See you again next week,

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For her historical feature today, Margaret Mills took a gander at how the lottery was run in Tudor times.

Yes, believe it or not a lottery was arranged at that time to help pay for military adventures abroad, but Margaret looked today specifically at the entry made by the Parish of Chadwell St Mary, which by the way, was sadly not a winner.

If you missed what Margaret had to say on this subject, you can listen again here: –

I hope to see you once again next week,

The post Lottery Tudor Style appeared first on Phoenix FM.

For this week’s “BYGONES” feature, Margaret Mills looked back at the life and works of a Lady Olivia Sparrow.

Although Irish by birth, during the mid 1800’s, Lady Olivia Sparrow,  became deeply involved in improving the lives of the residents of Leigh-on-Sea and Hadleigh, by among other things, establishing a church run day school for poorer children, arranging for a well to be dug to supply clean drinking water.

It seems, however she is not well commemorated locally, possibly due to her falling out with the local vicar and subsequently refusing to attend the church where said vicar was preaching!

Anyway if you missed what Margaret said, you can catch it all again here: –

I very much hope to have your company again next week, and in the meantime wish you a very happy, prosperous and most of all, healthy 2025,

The post Lady Olivia Sparrow a benefactress of Leigh-on-Sea and Hadleigh appeared first on Phoenix FM.

For this week’s historical feature, Margaret Mills, took us back to watch a cricket match of old.

The match was between THE MEN OF ESSEX and THE MEN OF KENT and took place in two halves.

The first half was staged at THE CROWN INN in Billericay in 1761 with the return match staged two years later at Tilbury Fort.

It seems that this was not a particularly friendly event so perhaps the teams did not buy drinks for one another after the first get together at The Crown Inn.

Certainly the return match turned into a real horror story after one of the team members from Kent was disqualified.

When we talk about a horror story, we’re not joking as the this second half ended with a number of deaths including that of an Essex player and the commander of Tilbury Fort!

If you missed this story you can listen to it again here:-

I very much hope you will be able to join me once again next week but in the meantime may I wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope you will enjoy your holiday break and that it will not turn into any kind of horror story!

The post How about a relaxing cricket match? appeared first on Phoenix FM.

This week Margaret Mills took as her subject a woman from Colchester who rejoiced in the name of IONA OPIE.

Unsurprisingly this was not the name she was born with. Her original name was Iona Archibald but changed to OPIE after her marriage.

She went on to research the history of nursery rhymes and folklore, becoming a writer in her own right.

Listen here to what Margaret had to told me this afternoon:-

Hope to see you again next week

The post There’s a Rhyme and Reason for everything appeared first on Phoenix FM.

For her weekly historical feature, Margaret Mills looked at a local connection with the sinking of ‘TITANIC”.

This involves St Helen’s Roman Catholic Church in Ongar, and especially Father Byles, a former clergyman from St Helens, who was aboard “TITANIC” on his way to officiate at his younger brother’s wedding in the USA.

Sadly Father Byles did not survive this tragedy.

He was however commended for giving absolution and comfort to fellow passengers as the ship went down, and subsequently many parishioners contributed towards the installation of the so-called “TITANIC WINDOW” at St Helens.

If you missed what Margaret had to say on this subject you can listen again here: –

I very much hopre to have the pleasure of your company once more next Monday,

The post The “TITANIC” window at St Helens, Ongar appeared first on Phoenix FM.

Of course being a Tuesday I was once again joined by MARGARET MILLS for her regular look at items linked to local history and today Margaret took us the short distance to St Mary’s Church Widford, which for those unfamiliar with the area, is very close to HYLANDS HOUSE, Chelmsford.

St Mary’s church has very strong connections with Hylands House, and the owners of that property, many of whom were ultimately buried in the church yard.

There is also a connection with the artist JOHN CONSTABLE, whose painting of St Mary’s is held at the National Gallery in London.

You can listen again here to what Margaret told me about this church: –

I hope to have the pleasure of your company once more next week,

The post A visit to St Mary’s Church, Widford appeared first on Phoenix FM.

For her historical feature this week, Margaret Mills looked at DANIEL DEFOE, the renowned author of such books as ROBINSON CRUSOE and MOLL FLANDERS, and his Essex connections.

You can listen here to what Margaret told me about this author and his Essex connections: –

In addition to the works of fiction and many other writings, he also penned a book about a tour he undertook in 1724 of the whole of the UK, much of which describes what our county was like at that time.

Although Margaret mentions that Daniel Defoe was not keen on Tilbury, she did not mention that he had actually established a brickworks there, and indeed lived in the area for a while.

Prolific writer, he may have been, but in the world of business, he was less successful, and was often in serious debt, thereby consequently ending up behind bars.

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

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