Meetings are held at Thurrock Adult Community College, Richmond Road, Grays Thurrock, Essex, RM17 6DN.
All meetings begin at 8.00 pm unless indicated otherwise. The AGM will begin at 7.30 pm.
Most talks are illustrated.

Visitors are very welcome at all meetings.
Membership Subscriptions: Adults £10.00 Students £4.00 Under age 16 Free
Visitors (per meeting) £2.00

Reports of our outings in 2007/08 and in June 2008

PROGRAMME OF WINTER MEETINGS 2009 - 2010

Friday, 22nd January, 2010            Your Town at War (illustrated) by David Young

FrIday, 26th February, 2010           Scenes of Essex Folklore by William Tyler

Friday, 19th March, 2010                Postcards, an entertaining source of Local History (illustrated) by Peter Lawrence

Friday, 23rd April, 2010                 The Annual General Meeting at 7.30 pm (Speaker after the AGM to be announced)

Friday, 21st May, 2010                    Trees, Hedges and Man  by Randal Bingley

Friday, 18th September, 2009        London’s Curiosities

Ron Cook introduced us to a clock with six faces and much more - click here

Friday, 16th October, 2009             Anglo-Saxon Landscape of Thurrock

John Matthews talked about Roman roads, Saxon churches and place names - click here

Friday, 20th November, 2009         Living and Working at Bata

Joan James talked about the people, buildings and working conditions in the Bata factory at East tilbury - click here

Friday, 11th December, 2009        The Christmas Meeting and Party

War time evacuation, poetry, a quiz and lots more - click here

Information about previous years society meetings: 2008-2009, 2007-2008, 2006-2007, 2005-2006, 2004-2005, 2003-2004, 2002-2003, 2001-2002

Previous outings - Waltham Abbey and Eltham Palace.

See the society at the Orsett Show and learn about our 50th Anniversary celebrations.

The society supports the Essex History - see us in 2004.

Thurrock Heritage Forum

The Forum's basic aims and objectives:

- To inform and assist Thurrock Council on heritage matters.

- To encourage the safeguarding and preservation of Thurrock Heritage for the public benefit.

- To facilitate communication and involvement for all on local heritage projects.

- To promote the wider understanding of Thurrock's Heritage.

- To uphold and maintain accuracy of information of Thurrock's local History.

The Forum welcomes new members.

HERITAGE RAMBLES

For further information contact: Jonathan Catton, Heritage and Museum Officer on 01375 382555 or by e-mail to jcatton@thurrock.gov.uk

OTHER LOCAL EVENTS

COALHOUSE FORT:

Admission charges for normal open days

Adults (aged 16 to 60) £3.00

Adults aged 60 or over £2.50

Children under 16 years (must be accompanied by an adult) - No charge

Public admission to certain parts of the fort is only possible as part of a guided tour, the cost of which is included in the admission charge.

There is no reduction in admission charge for visitors not wanting to join a guided tour.

For more information see:

Website: www.coalhousefort.co.uk

ALL SAINTS SOCIETY - EAST HORNDON CHURCH

The church of All Saints stands on rising ground overlooking the Thames plain at the junction of the London to Southend and Brentwood to Tilbury roads. The chancel, nave, tower, north and south transepts and north chapel date from the last quarter of the 15th century built almost entirely of red brick. The south chapel and porch were added during the first quarter of the succeeding century. An interesting and possibly unique feature of the church is the pair of two-storeyed transepts supposed to have been the living quarters of chantry priests. The church has been associated with the Tyrell family since the 14th century.

The structure of the church is maintained by the Redundant Churches Fund and the members of the All Saints Society support the church and keep it open to the public by arranging services, concerts and open days as listed below.

Membership of the All Saints Society is open to all those interested in maintaining this lovely 15th century church. The subscription is £1 and donations are gratefully received. Enquiries to:

Secretary – John Bohling
‘Chaffinches’ North End
Little Yeldham, Halstead
Essex CO9 4LG

Telephone: 01787 237132

Or e-mail Tlhsjournals.deben@btopenworld.com

SUMMER CONCERTS

Concerts are held on Saturday evenings in June and July at 7.30 pm.  Entrance is free.  The musicians perform without fee or expenses.  The retiring collection plate is in aid of The Churches Conservation Trust.

6th JUNE 
Totally Telemann . The Kaylain Ensemble and friends present a selection of chamber music by Telemann, with pieces for flutes, recorders, oboes, violin and continuo.

13th JUNE
Tennyson and the Victorians. The Vesper Singers
This year marks the birth of Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) two hundred years ago, with songs and poems including ‘Sweet and Low’, ‘Sir Patrick Spell’, ‘Crossing the Bar’.

20th JUNE
Music In The Evening. Col Canto Music Group.
Lindsey Wyman - soprano. Charles Church - piano.
Piano music and songs by Schubert, Schumman and Debussy - including Ariettes Oubliées and a selection of the Preludes for piano.

27th JUNE
Musical Togetherness. Col Canto Music Group.
Hilary Barkwith and Charles Church piano duets, including Ravel ‘Mother Goose’ Suite, with Eileen Davey - soprano, and Tamsin O’Hagan - recorder, also ‘Seascapes’ by
William Alwyn and songs by Moeran.

4th JULY
The Doppler Trio. 2 flutes and piano.
Anne Skinner, Isobel Liebman, Malcolm Swan.
The late 19th Century was an exciting period for flautists and this programme includes some of the best pieces written for 2 flutes and piano at that time, including “Duettino on American Themes” by Franz Doppler.

11th JULY
The Whirlwind Quintet.
Arrangements for wind instruments of Overture from The Magic Flute (Mozart), 6 Bagatelles
(Legeti), Quintet (Beethoven), Suite ’Mother Goose’ (Ravel), and Sea Shanties (Arnold).

18th JULY
Helios Ensemble. Programme includes the Brahms Clarinet Quintet, with Andrew Smith and Friends.

25th JULY 
Catherine Leonard. Piano Recital.
English Suite No.2 (Bach). Liebestraum No.3 (Liszt).
Sonata Op.2 No.2 (Beethoven). Works by Schumann including last Movement. of
Fantasie in C, opus 17.

Heritage Open Days

All Saints is of national architectural importance and during the Heritage Open Days 2009 will be manned by volunteers from 10.00 am - 6 pm on Saturday 12th September and 11.00 am - 5.00 pm on Sunday, 13th September.

TILBURY FORT

Tilbury Fort is open daily, 10 am-5 pm 1st April to 31st October.
Thursday to Monday, 10.00 am - 4 pm through the winter.
Admission: Adults £3.50, Concessions: £2.60, Child £1.80, Family £8.80.

For more information ring 01375 858489

DAVY DOWN INFORMATION CENTRE & COUNTRY PARK

Davy Down is situated in Pilgrims Lane, North Stifford. Grid Ref. 803588 - OS Landranger sheet 177

The information centre is housed in the Pumping Station Buildings built in 1928 to house large diesel engines which provided the power to extract water from a 150 ft borehole in the chalk below.

Davy Down acts as the gateway to the Mardyke Way, part of the Thames Chase Community Forest.
The Mardyke Way is a10 km multi-user path that runs from Ship Lane Aveley up to Bulphan.

For more information click here: www.davydown.org.uk

PURFLEET HERITAGE & MILITARY CENTRE

The centre is open from 10 am to 4.30 pm on the first Saturday of the month and every Sunday from April to November 11th.

Admission: Adult £2.00, Child 75p (under 5 Free)
Further information ring 01708 523409 or 01708 402498 or www.purfleet-heritage.com

THAMESIDE FAMILY HISTORY GROUP

The Group meets on Friday, once a month at Grays Adult Community College, Bridge Rd., Grays at 8 pm. Annual subscription £7.

Further information ring 01375 850881 or 01375 672973 or click here for programme

THAMESIDE AVIATION MUSEUM

A world war II aircraft reclamation group located at Coalhouse Fort.

Website: www.aviationmuseum.co.uk