Leigh on Sea News - historicaleigh

Historicaleigh: Leigh Society and Leigh Heritage Centre

If you live in Leigh you cannot have failed to visit the Old Town – and we are right there in its midst in the Heritage Centre next to Strand Wharf.

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HistoricaLeigh: A Distressed Gentleman of Leigh

Carole Mulroney, founder of Leigh Lives, uncovers the history of John Osborne.

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Why I love Leigh: Carole Mulroney

Carole Mulroney loves all things Leigh and is very involved in local town life as a Borough and Town Councillor and Trustee of the Heritage Centre.

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HistoricaLeigh: The Right to Bear Arms

A recent clear out of old papers in the  Heritage Centre revealed some interesting snippets.......

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HistoricaLeigh: Elijah Risby - The Compassionate Shrimper

In October 1876 Elijah Risby was out shrimping near the Red Buoy off Leigh when he picked up an object. The object turned out to be a dead body which was very badly decomposed and partially devoid of flesh.

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HistoricaLeigh: Deeds Not Words

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HistoricaLeigh: The Man from the Manse

In 1911 the Manse in Elm Road next to Wesley Methodist Church had just been built and was first  occupied by the Rev William John Gregory Bestall. He was the second minister of Wesley Church joining the congregation in 1910.

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HistoricaLeigh: The Man from the Manse

In 1911 the Manse in Elm Road next to Wesley Methodist Church had just been built and was first  occupied by the Rev William John Gregory Bestall. He was the second minister of Wesley Church joining the congregation in 1910.

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HistoricaLeigh: "Dreadful SOUTHEND hurricane—Loss of thirteen lives by shipwreck"

......From The Times - 16 March 1842 comes a terrifying report 

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HistoricaLeigh: The Smack - a pub by any other name

Many of you will have lamented the change of name of the Carlton Hotel to The Broadway a few years ago—the loss of tradition and the concession to the modern world which seems in many instances to be change for change’s sake.

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HistoricaLeigh: Kentish invasion

In September 1724 100 smacks with 500 men  from Queenborough and Faversham, led by the Mayor of Queenborough and their local MP (an oyster dredger) made a raid on the leigh oyster beds. 

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HistoricaLeigh: A tragic family of Elm Road

In 1911, No 181 Elm Road was inhabited by Gladys Lanser and her son and daughter. Her husband was not present but Gladys had married William Gilbert Lanser, a Mariner.

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HistoricaLeigh: Missing The Carlton

The Southend Telegraph of 1 March 1913 reported on a meeting to be held at the Séance Hall in the Broadway which had had to be abandoned. A speaker was to have travelled from Scotland but instead a letter arrived to explain the situation....

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HistoricaLeigh: The Leigh Mob

The Southend Telegraph of 1 March 1913 reported on a meeting to be held at the Séance Hall in the Broadway which had had to be abandoned. A speaker was to have travelled from Scotland but instead a letter arrived to explain the situation....

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HistoricaLeigh: The Chester Cup

The Richard Chester Cup is made of silver gilt with a London hallmark of 1625-6 and a maker’s mark of F Terry. It bears an inscription around the lip ‘Mr Richard Chester his gift being Mayor of Ye Corporation in Anno 1615’.

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HistoricaLeigh: Leigh - A Sportsmans Haven

It is well known that some of our greatest sports personalities over the years have come to Leigh to train or play.

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HistoricaLeigh|:1066 and all that...

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HistoricaLeigh: The Young's Connection

In 1805 a lady called Elizabeth Martha started selling fish caught in the River Thames. She married a local fisherman, Timothy Young and together they formed a business which prospered in the early 1800s and is still with us today.

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HistoricaLeigh; Eva Annie

Just clear of the end of the marsh, at low tide, you can see the bottom boards and stem or stern post of a sailing barge.

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HistoricaLeigh: Brubs Bridge

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