ID: MFM / Mary French

TitleMersea Island by Mary French edited by Alec Grant
AbstractDescription of Mersea Island by Mary French (who grew up on the Island) in 1942 and edited edited by Alec Grant in 1973. he says "With her permission I have omitted the more technical parts and altered some parts in the light of more recent knowledge.

Complete book is available as images online, scanned from copy loaned by Rose Harvey. Other accessioned copies of it are 2006-06-004A and 2008-07-004G.

AuthorMary French
Published1973
SourceMersea Museum
IDMFM
Page21
Related Images:
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Front cover. MFM_C001
ImageID:   MFM_C001
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Front cover.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Title page. This essay was written by Mary French (now Mrs Jardine) in 1942. With her permission I have omitted the more technical parts, altered some parts in the light of more recent knowledge, and tried to bring it up to date. S.A.G. MFM_C003
ImageID:   MFM_C003
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Title page.
This essay was written by Mary French (now Mrs Jardine) in 1942. With her permission I have omitted the more technical parts, altered some parts in the light of more recent knowledge, and tried to bring it up to date. S.A.G.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Bibliography and other sources. MFM_C004
ImageID:   MFM_C004
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Bibliography and other sources.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 1. I. Position and Relief. MFM_P001
ImageID:   MFM_P001
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 1.
I. Position and Relief.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 2. MFM_P002
ImageID:   MFM_P002
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 2.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 3. Profile of beach at East Mersea. MFM_P003
ImageID:   MFM_P003
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 3.
Profile of beach at East Mersea.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 4. April 1942 exceptionally high tide flooded ground floors of some of the old cottages. MFM_P004
ImageID:   MFM_P004
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 4.
April 1942 exceptionally high tide flooded ground floors of some of the old cottages.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 5. Drift Geology and Relief. MFM_P005
ImageID:   MFM_P005
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 5.
Drift Geology and Relief.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 6. Section through marshes and sea wall. MFM_P006
ImageID:   MFM_P006
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 6.
Section through marshes and sea wall.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 7. II. History. Mersea as a Fortress. MFM_P007
ImageID:   MFM_P007
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 7.
II. History. Mersea as a Fortress.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 8. Roman Roads in Essex MFM_P008
ImageID:   MFM_P008
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 8.
Roman Roads in Essex
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 9. Remains found in Beach Road [the wheel tomb] of a circular building 65 feet in diameter. Now covered in soil. Remains taken from this building, now in Colchester Museum, suggest it may have been a burial monument. Mersea Barrow - excavated in 1912. Lead plates fixed together by a blow-pipe without solder. MFM_P009
ImageID:   MFM_P009
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 9.
Remains found in Beach Road [the wheel tomb] of a circular building 65 feet in diameter. Now covered in soil. Remains taken from this building, now in Colchester Museum, suggest it may have been a burial monument.
Mersea Barrow - excavated in 1912. Lead plates fixed together by a blow-pipe without solder.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 10. Saxons gave Mersea its present name, emerging from the old forms Meresige or Meresaia, meaning The island of the sea or pool. Structure of Mersea Barrow. MFM_P010
ImageID:   MFM_P010
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 10.
Saxons gave Mersea its present name, emerging from the old forms Meresige or Meresaia, meaning "The island of the sea or pool".
Structure of Mersea Barrow.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 11. 1046 The Manors of West Mersea, Peete and Bower Hall wre given by Edward the Confessor to the Priory of St. Ouen at Rouen in Normandy; and Roger Fitz-Ranulph founded a priory near the wet end of West Mersea Church as a cell to the parent institution. MFM_P011
ImageID:   MFM_P011
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 11.
1046 The Manors of West Mersea, Peete and Bower Hall wre given by Edward the Confessor to the Priory of St. Ouen at Rouen in Normandy; and Roger Fitz-Ranulph founded a priory near the wet end of West Mersea Church as a cell to the parent institution.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 12. East Mersea blockhouse fort. MFM_P012
ImageID:   MFM_P012
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 12.
East Mersea blockhouse fort.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 13. During the 1914-18 war trenches were dug and wire behind the cliffs near Waldegraves Decoy. During the 1939-45 war the whole island was fortified, a sentry-post being stationed on the Strood, the sea-wall was protected with barbed wire and concrete block houses and patrolled by sentries, and guns located at points along the coast. MFM_P013
ImageID:   MFM_P013
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 13.
During the 1914-18 war trenches were dug and wire behind the cliffs near Waldegraves Decoy. During the 1939-45 war the whole island was fortified, a sentry-post being stationed on the Strood, the sea-wall was protected with barbed wire and concrete block houses and patrolled by sentries, and guns located at points along the coast.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 14. III. Fishing. MFM_P014
ImageID:   MFM_P014
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 14.
III. Fishing.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 15. Oyster cultivation. MFM_P015
ImageID:   MFM_P015
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 15.
Oyster cultivation.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 16. 1877 the Tollesbury and Mersea Blackwater Oyster Fishery Company was formed. MFM_P016
ImageID:   MFM_P016
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 16.
1877 the Tollesbury and Mersea Blackwater Oyster Fishery Company was formed.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 17. Oysters sold to Whitstable - loaded in smacks SPEEDWELL, ROSE, ADA, and sold as Whistable Natives. In 1973 there are 6 dredging boats, open boats for oysters, and 6 larger boats, decked with a wheelhouse, which go outside the estuary to catch whiting, plaice, soles, skate and herring. MFM_P017
ImageID:   MFM_P017
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 17.
Oysters sold to Whitstable - loaded in smacks SPEEDWELL, ROSE, ADA, and sold as Whistable Natives.
In 1973 there are 6 dredging boats, open boats for oysters, and 6 larger boats, decked with a wheelhouse, which go outside the estuary to catch whiting, plaice, soles, skate and herring.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 18. IV. Growth of East and west Mersea (written in 1942). MFM_P018
ImageID:   MFM_P018
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 18.
IV. Growth of East and west Mersea (written in 1942).
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 19. MFM_P019
ImageID:   MFM_P019
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 19.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 20. 1914 there are only 39 beach huts along beach by Seaview Avenue. 1924 Sewage system laid down. 1936 there were 852 houses in West Mersea. <b>Changes on the Island since 1942 (written in 1973)</b>. The present population figures are West Mersea 4,230 and East Mersea about 350. There are 2,400 houses in West Mersea. MFM_P020
ImageID:   MFM_P020
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 20.
1914 there are only 39 beach huts along beach by Seaview Avenue.
1924 Sewage system laid down.
1936 there were 852 houses in West Mersea.
Changes on the Island since 1942 (written in 1973).
The present population figures are West Mersea 4,230 and East Mersea about 350. There are 2,400 houses in West Mersea.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection
Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 21. The sewage system has been overhauled, a new trunk sewer has been laid from the junction of Kingsland and Barfield Roads to the sewarge works. A new sewage works is awaiting approval. A new County Primary School is to be built in Uplands Road. MFM_P021
ImageID:   MFM_P021
Title: Mersea Island by Mary French, edited by Alec Grant 1973. Page 21.
The sewage system has been overhauled, a new trunk sewer has been laid from the junction of Kingsland and Barfield Roads to the sewarge works. A new sewage works is awaiting approval.
A new County Primary School is to be built in Uplands Road.
Date:1973
Source:Mersea Museum / Rose and Len Harvey Collection