OUR TOWN'S LINK WITH THE PAST - CHECK OUT BILLERICAY COMMUNITY ARCHIVE AND ALL THE NEW SUPERB ARTICLES THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

It's not often that you will see who actually volunteers for the above Community Archive covering the history of our town, but we were lucky in some of our team being snapped at a recent history gathering by the famous Photofold photographic experts, who have flourished in Billericay for more than forty years.  

More images will be added when a full complement of our members manage to get together later in the year. 

 

The Billericay Community Archive group was formed in 2010 in partnership with Essex County Council Libraries & the Essex Record Office, and funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is run by the people of Billericay.

The Billericay Community Archive takes the form of an internet site, so that its content can be accessed from home computers, the People’s Network in Libraries around the county, and from a computer anywhere in the world.

The Community Archive gathers memories as well as copying photographs and other documents that relate to the history of the area. Billericay residents are being asked to share their memories and photographs of life, the town and the surrounding areas. 

Do pay us a visit?   www.BillericayCommunityArchive

TOP OF MY READING LIST AT THE MOMENT IS ANDREA J MILES' 'FAMOUS OCCULTISTS AND WITCHES'

 

Famous Occultists and Witches - Their Biographies and Birth Charts by Andrea J Miles Green magic publishing

This quiet, studious study is an unexpected discovery, consist­ing of well-researched biogra­phies of famous and notorious witches and occultists with ‘birth-charts’ thrown in. Of astrologers, ‘Cheiro’, Linda Goodman and the witch Sybil Leek are numbered. Among the Wiccans are Gerald Gardner, Stewart Farrar, Doreen Valiente, Scott Cunningham and Alex Sanders. Representing the occultists is Dion Fortune, with Margaret Murray, Eric Maple and Cecil Williamson (founder of the Museum of Witchcraft) as folklorists of occult and witch lore. Helen Duncan (the last person to be imprisoned in Britain’s under the Witchcraft Act of 1735) joins them too; but the star of this strange constellation has to be the relatively little known George Pickingill (d.1909), believed to have tutored Crowley and Gard­ner among others. Although he was a farm labourer, he was feared by rural folk far beyond the Essex village of Canewdon as a powerful ‘Cunning Man’ and an ancient wizard. 

The life and works of each character have a detailed coverage, sup­plemented with rare photos, lists of relevant publications and material, and an astrologi­cal assessment. A delightful read as well as a useful and handy reference for writers and historians of the paranormal.

 

CURRENT STUDIES LINKED TO THE 1951 FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN - THE MUSEUM OF ENGLISH RURAL LIFE

Just lately, we have been watching a television programme sporting the symbol reminiscent of the Festival of Britain which many folk will remember took place in London in 1951

In 1948, the graphic designer Abram Games won a competition to create a logo for the Festival of Britain. His successful design featured Britannia, bunting, union jack colours, and a compass shape. It combined national pride and the idea of a seafaring superpower with the homely feel of a village fete. It has been reproduced here by another significant creative contributor to the Festival, the artist Michael O’Connell.

O’Connell produced a series of hangings for the Festival of Britain. It is not clear whether this piece was originally intended for use in the Festival or whether it was a test piece produced around the same time. O’Connell’s textile work was created using resist dye techniques and he worked with a studio team that included two young women, Betty and Iris Sheridan.

During the Second World War, Games completed many designs for the War Office. In contrast with his more jingoistic Festival logo, recurrent themes of labour, food security, and social justice run through his wider work. 

His iconic logo design has recently been re-imagined yet again, this time by graphic designer Richard Littler, in his ‘Festival of Brexit Britain’ poster.  Michael O’Connell, Festival of Britain logo wall-hanging, circa 1951.

Read a more detailed examination of this collection object by Associate Director – Curatorial and Public Engagement, Isabel Hughes, written as part of The MERL’s 70th anniversary project, 51 Voices.

THE FUTURE BROKERS - A FABULOUS READ BY AUTHORS DAWN KNOX & COLIN PAYN (AMAZON)

 THE FUTURE BROKERS 

A snap of our fabulous winning duo COLIN PAYN and DAWN KNOX 

https://mybook.to/TheFutureBrokers

“It kept me guessing to the last page…” “Gripping…” — Reviewer

Nothing can prepare you for a future where spies, governments and Artificial Intelligence vie for power and drive a love story like no other in The Future Brokers

t’s 2050 and George Williams considers himself a lucky man. It’s a year since he—like millions of others—was forced out of his job by Artificial Intelligence. And a year since his near-fatal accident. But now, George’s prospects are on the way up. With a state-of-the-art prosthetic arm and his sight restored, he’s head-hunted to join a secret Government department—George cannot believe his luck.
He is right not to believe it.

George’s attraction to his beautiful boss, Serena, falters when he discovers her role in his sudden good fortune, and her intention to exploit the newly-acquired abilities he’d feared were the start of a mental breakdown.
But, it turns out both George and Serena are being twitched by a greater puppet master and ultimately, they must decide whose side they’re on—those who want to combat Climate-Armageddon or the powerful leaders of the human race.

Buy The Future Brokers today and find out about tomorrow!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MIKE EDMONDS - ACTOR, SPEAKER AND A SUPERSONIC FRIEND

 

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE WOMEN'S LIBRARY IN LONDON?

 

L  S  E

The Women’s Library in Houghton Street, London, is the oldest and largest library in Britain devoted to the history of women’s campaigning and activism. It was officially inaugurated as the Library of the London Society for Women’s Service in 1926 and it had two aims: to preserve the history of the women’s suffrage movement and to provide a resource for newly-enfranchised women to take their part in public life.

The deposit of books and archives in the early decades bear witness to the activities of the London Society and to the interests of its members, both as participants in the campaigns of the women’s movement of their day, and as individuals following their own professional pursuits.  

The Women’s Library has had many homes and many names. It was renamed the Fawcett Library in 1953 in memory of Millicent Garrett Fawcett and then The Women’s Library in 2002. It moved to the London School of Economics in 2013 and is a fascinating place to visit for all writers and researchers involved in women's literature.

Located in: London School of Economics and Political Science

MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH OUR HIGH STREET BOOKSHOPS

Credit: Ross Earney, Waterstones Store Brentwood

It's not only keen readers you'll find lurking in bookshops these days, but often an author or two who wrote some of the books displayed, including me, who  enjoys visiting Waterstones, WH Smith and some independent bookshops in our High Street  to talk to the managers and friendly staff who often invite me to sign my books. 

Authors love seeing their books displayed in their relevant sections on the shelves. The only problem sometimes - only occasionally though - is that they are not filed in their appropriate genre.  For instance, I found my latest title 'Brentwood in 50 Buildings' (which is an historical tome all about the background of my favourite buildings in this town), was filed in the architectual section of one of the city's large bookshop.  Never mind - at least it's available there and I have signed said book.

Just a few of my 13 published books

HOMAGE TO FILM ACTOR GLYNIS JOHNS WHOM I MET MANY YEARS AGO IN LONDON

 

So sad to learn of the passing today of one of  my favourite film actors, Glynis Johns, who celebrated her 100th birthday on 5 October last year.  I met Glynis in London in the late 1950s when I worked for Colgate-Palmolive Inc (her husband (David Foster) was the president of the company) and I have now included her in the draft of my new book. 

Glynis was born in South Africa to another favourite actor of mine, her father, Mervyn Johns. Many films starring Glynis and Mervyn can be seen on  the Talking Pictures Archive film and Television Channel that celebrates classic British film and TV movies - Freeview 82