DENNIS said this would be his last talk, his first talk being in 1940 about what he learned as a St John Ambulance cadet. He grew up in Grays and started work at the age of 14 as an office boy for an insurance company for £1 a week.
HELLO to all our friends and supporters. It seems ages ago that I last wrote but it was in March. I spoke the about enjoying the longer evenings and now we are faced with the shorter ones and dusk being upon us before we know it.
ON FRIDAY, the funeral took place of Graham Carey, who died after a short illness.
Exhibition THE PHONEY WAR Presented by Thurrock Museum Volunteers The early months of World War II Bata Local Defence Volunteers Home Guard (Dad’s Army) at Thurrock Museum Monday 14 October – Friday 1 November (closing at 11am on Friday 1 November)
‘HOCKY’ Hockets, who was based at the original fire station in Orsett Road Grays in what was then the National Fire Service, was greeted by family members in a special surprise three days after reaching her 100th birthday.
AS you may know, every year we publish our tribute to Tilbury’s Neil Robin Wright, who died in the North Tower on September 11th, 2001.
IN A FAR corner of a cemetery in Chadwell St Mary lies the grave of Neil Robin Wright.
REMEMBER World War II’ a free exhibition researched and presented by Thurrock Museum Volunteers will be in the ground floor exhibition space of the Thameside Complex from Monday 2 September to Friday 20 September (closing at 11am on 20 September).
PURFLEET Heritage and Military Centre are holding their annual Gurkha Day on Sunday 4th May 10am till 3:30pm.
FIND out what World War Two was really like for people living in the borough at a free exhibition in Grays.
IN a change from our advertised programme, at our last meeting Susan Yates and Scott Sullivan, directors of the Tilbury on Thames Trust, gave us an illustrated talk on the history and future of Tilbury Riverside.
‘WWII Memories of Thurrock’ a free exhibition researched and presented by Thurrock Museum Volunteers will be in the ground floor exhibition space of the Thameside Complex from Monday 22 July to Friday 9 August (closing at 11am on 9 August).
A WORLD War One British prisoner of war from West Thurrock has been honoured in a special memorial service 101 years after his death.
Purfleet Heritage Centre to host Armned Forces Day. Full details on poster.
A FREE exhibition focusing on peace in Britain and Europe after World War One will be held at the Thameside Complex later this month.
TRIBUTES have been made to soldiers at a special ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.
The Land of the Fanns team is delighted to be hosting a pop-up display, curated by MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology),
THIS walk is part of the Land of the Fanns ‘Community Mapping – 100 Stories project’ led by Kinetika, which, with local communities, will identify and celebrate 100 stories gathered in response to the Land of the Fanns landscape areas, and make 100 silk flags using Kinetika’s batik silk painting process.
PEACE – Making a New Europe’ a free exhibition researched and presented by Thurrock Museum Volunteers will be in the ground floor exhibition space of the Thameside Complex from Monday 24 June to Friday 5 July (closing at 11am on 5 July).
AFTER the AGM at our April meeting our webmaster John Matthews gave us a detailed and enlightening illustrated talk on DNA. It is the basis of inheritance, all living things having DNA, a double helix.
IRON Age minted coins, a clock and medal, and women’s war uniform have been named Thurrock’s favourite artefacts in a public vote.
AS Women’s History Month draws to a close it’s an important time to recognise how unequal the female sex are still treated. During the month of March, we give a little extra attention to all of the amazing accomplishments of strong, determined and inspirational women. Let us not forget to appreciate and honour the magnificent ladies, that grace our planet.
A DAY of remembrance was held on Sunday 31st March at Purfleet to acknowledge the Purfleet gunners who on 31st March 1916 shot down the first Zeppelin L15.
AT our March meeting society chairman Susan Yates gave a detailed and interesting lecture on the history of Belhus and the Barrett-Lennards. When she moved to the area in 1956 she was fascinated by the ‘castle’ and determined to find out more about it.