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Headquarters 74 High Street Billericay Essex CM12 9BS Affiliated to the Council for the Protection of Rural Essex |
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Number 169
August 2008
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
Billericay History Scrapbooks
The Society now has 18 scrapbooks, starting from the 1960s, recording local activities with which the Society has been involved in Billericay. Also recorded are other local activities within the town and area that affected the development of the town. These cuttings are those we considered worth recording for any future local studies about Billericay’s past. With the advent of so many published newspapers and magazine articles, we have difficulty keeping track of what is available. My request to you is that if you see an article about Billericay’s past, present or future development, would you be helpful and cut them out for the scrapbook. After mentioning this at the Wednesday Social evening Joan Philpot and Doreen Whitaker provided some old photographs of the town’s carnival and the mock-up of ”The Mayflower” estate agent’s office on the former isolation hospital site in Mountnessing Road. My sincere thanks go to them. These scrapbooks caused much interest during our Exhibition on 19th April 2008 in the Reading Rooms.Trees of special interest in Lake Meadows
Basildon Council who, perform a fine job, looking after our parks, foot pathways and roadside verges have now produced a mile long tree trail in Lake Meadows. Phil Turner, our local representative and Basildon Council’s cabinet member for resources, backed the publication of the trail information pack. To receive a free copy of the nine pages of interesting information about the 34 special trees and their location map in Lake Meadows go to the park office by the bowling green. There are only a limited number these fine notes available. I feel it would have been better to charge a nominal fee and make more copies available. I know our rates pay for these copies, but anything that helps children appreciate the wonders of nature should be encouraged.Triangle: War Memorial, trees, paved area
You may have observed on Saturday or Sunday mornings Cllr. Terrance Gandy weeding the flowerbeds, supplied by Basildon Council, of the High Street War Memorial. Cllr. Gandy has reported that the two lime trees have a fungus Ustulina Deusta. The spores of this fungus have a life cycle that comes and goes but the fungus is still active inside the tree. The parochial church council, as owners of the triangle, need to have the trees inspected as they have a duty of safety to consider.Ron Capes JP has proposed a better use of the area between the church and the Memorial. He would like it appropriately re-paved as an area with seating and planters to provide a tranquil rest area in the High Street. This area, because of the trees, must have the cleanest air in the High Street as indicated by growth of lichen on the memorial plaques. Lichen, only thrive in clean air areas. The use of this area, with a stall for promoting events in Billericay and charity collections, would be better than blocking the pavement. Ron, like the Society, considers the use of the area as a drop off parking area an expensive option and very dangerous for drivers exiting into Chapel Street. There are disabled parking bays close to the church.
Cllr. Gandy would like to see the black litterbin removed from the front of the memorial to the other side of the seat. This would reduce the cigarette butts and misplaced discarded rubbish around the front of the memorial. It will cost money I am sure to do this relocation. Do you think it is will be money well spent?
Cllr. Gandy has proposed to the BTC placing an additional plaque on the memorial site. A memorial: “In recognition of local residents killed as civilians as a result of military or terrorists’ actions”. BTC will form a project group to seek advice and consult with all interested parties.
The organisers of the Billericay Churches Together Flower Festival invited the Society and the BAHS to mount a historical display to support their theme of Billericay past, present and future. This we did with pleasure but I was surprised and disappointed at how many people expressed surprise at our existence. You must spread the word. We cannot afford expensive advertising.
Cater Museum
The re-opening of the Cater Museum and garden was scheduled for the 26th July 2008. The Curator, Christine Brewster, invited everyone to join in the celebrations between 12:00pm and 5:00pm. A Heritage Lottery Fund Grant of £41,000 matched by the museum enabled vital this renovation work to be carried out. Modern pebbledash was removed from the rear wall and, using appropriate materials, it has been returned to its original state. The two hundred-year old brick wall in the garden has been renovated and various remedial work carried out. A path allowing wheelchair access to the rear door has been laid. A display facility on the ground floor has been installed. This provides a virtual tour the museum and a selection of pictures of the collection.Protecting the future of the town
How much damage are heavy Lorries doing to our unique heritage buildings in the High Street as they pass through Billericay? I would still like to see a weight restriction put in place. This might also reduce some of our congestion in the town centre at the same time. The unwanted congestion must put people off shopping in the High Street. We need to encourage shopping in the High Street if we are not to become a ghost town during the daytime.My other concern is with the new container port at Thurrock. Newspapers report that there will be 50,000 container lorry movements around the area each day. If only one in a thousand come through Billericay, to avoid traffic jams, as a short cut, or to avoid delays elsewhere, that is still 50 lorries each day.
Advertising: Discover the Magic of Billericay
Trevor Draper, Chairman of the Billericay Chamber of Commerce, is directing an advertising campaign to encourage visitors to Billericay to appreciate its many fine features, such as shopping, Heritage trail in the High Street, nature reserves and walks in Norsey Wood, Mill Meadows, Lake Meadows and Queens Park. Trevor has asked the Society to organise extra Town History Walks for visitors during September 2008. These would be in addition to the annual Society’s Town History Walk on 17th August 2008. All the Sunday history walks will meet at Billericay Station at 10:00am. The Saturday walks in September will start at the station at 2:00pm. The Chamber of Commerce and Billericay Town Council have to agree the details of this new initiative with the Society. Are there any members who would volunteer to lead these walks, with me, if necessary? Our thanks to the BTC for buying a louder loud-hailer so that I can be more clearly heard above the traffic. One of the novelties featured in the Society’s Town History Walk was the very old Strawberry tree in Grey Lady Place. It was cut down recently as a safety precaution so this rare tree has gone. Cllr. Edgar Guest receives our thanks for trying to stop the cutting down of the trees on the railway embankment. Our e-mail system relies on Ian, the newsletter editor to monitor this mail. There can therefore be delays in responding to e-mails. The editor does a fine job for the Society with the Newsletter. I blame him for my editorial errors. I sit at my keyboard each quarter and wonder what am I going to write this time and am surprised at the erudite blether that I generate. You can replace me at the next AGM, please.The Society has made its annual contribution to the Billericay in Bloom funds. We also support the Lion Lane Campaign against the destruction of the ancient barn and the proposed flats in the Billericay Conservation Area. Our congratulations go to Frank Tomlin on becoming Chair of Basildon Council. He has supported the Society for many years and takes the trouble to phone me when I get confused on Council terminology or matters. I thank him for his attention to such detail and for putting the record straight.
The committee would like to receive more feedback from members. Are there any suggestion on how we could improve the Newsletter or the Wednesday Social evenings? We maintain an attendance on Wednesday at about 80 members but we need to attract the younger commuters. Quality paper and pictures would increase publication costs, but if that is what you would prefer let us know.
Essex County Council has erected a notice on Sun Corner to the effect that ‘People are allowed on this green by kind permission of ECC the owners who reserve the right to withdraw this permission at any time’. Be on your guard members. See Newsletter 168 for historical details about Sun Corner.
New Members
The Society and the Membership Secretaries are pleased to welcome the following new members who have joined during the yearJames Davis of Redwing Drive
Mrs J. Ingram of Meadow Way
Mr and Mrs Amanadivakara of Shalford Rd
P Tuhil of St Peter’s walk
Mrs J Harding of Frithwood Lane
Mrs M Popperwell of First Avenue
Margaret Dorrell of Pauline Gdns
Mr and Mrs R Staines of Deepdene Park
Terry Stenning of Earl Mountbatten Drive
Ms Phillippa Tuck of Highfield Rd
Mr andMrs Ruby of Stockwell Close
M Hart of West Croft
Mr Newton of Tylands
Mr and Mrs Beard of Perry Street
Smith family of Pilgrim’s Close
Mrs Beryl Key of Well Lane
Robin Knowles of Second Ave
Joy and Chris Kempson of Kennel Lane
Margaret and Leslie Smith of Outwood Farm Rd
Mr and Mrs Hudson of Burntwood Close
Lesley and John Humphries of Tensing Gdns
Mrs Oysten of Norsey Rd
Mrs V Desborough C/o Pauline Gds
Mr and Mrs Bambridge of Mons Ave
Ron Turner
Vice-President Alec McGregor, who now lives in Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has kindly supplied additional details about Ron Turner MBE who death was reported in the last Newsletter. He was a Society committee member from 1975, Vice Chairman for 5 years, Chairman for 6 years until Mr McGregor took over as Chairman in 1981, and has been a Vice-President for 21 years.2008 AGM Committee Members:
President: Norman Turner, 622981(Walks organiser.)
Chairman: David Bremner, 626674
(Takes social and committee meetings.)
Vice-Chairman:
(Vacant replacement required.)
Secretary: Betty Gardner, 656838
(Writes minutes, letters.)
Treasurer: John Bath 651890
(Financial controller and sales manager.)
Membership Secretaries Kate and Tony Gilbert 633007 (Maintains membership data base and passes the Newsletter to distributors)
Social Secretary: Marian Thilo 624502
(Arranges speakers for social evenings.)
Newsletter Editor: Ian Fuller 655564
(Liaises with committee to produce newsletter.)
Reception; Julie Smith 623560
(Welcomes and books in members.)
Fire Marshal: Doug Smith 623560
(Ensures fire exits are unobstructed.)
Publicity: Janet Warren 634912
(Contacts local newspapers about activities.)
We are pleased to welcome Mrs Dawn Hutchison who attended the May 2008 committee meeting and decided to join the committee.
John James one of our local historians has had to retire due to ill health. We thank him for his invaluable past services to the Society and wish him well again. We hope he will continue to act as a consultant on local history matters when we stump Ian Fuller, who usually has the answers.
David Bremner
Chairman