ID: ML2021_008_077 / Ron Green

TitleThe Laneys
AbstractMemory Lane - the Laneys

Around 120 years ago there were little groups of cottages on Mersea. One such group was around the area known as 'the City' in the The Lane. People from around this area were known as Laneys and it extended from The Coast up The Lane to it's junction with Firs Chase, an area known as Spite Corner. The name came about because a cottage was built on the opposite of side the road to three cottages blocking the view of the sea. The cottage owners claimed the cottage, called The Rosary, was built out of spite.

The area had two pubs, the Victory which became the 'Old Victory' when the the new one was built up The Coast about 1907, and The Ship further up The Lane, with landlord 'Spooney' Aldous. The late Bill Clarry speaking on a Lions Talking Magazine recalled a German band used to visit The Ship each summer before the WW1. Bill was not old enough to go in and had to listen from out side. The Ship was demolished in the 1920s and has been replaced by a chapel 'City Hall' The little cottage The Nutshell was a sweet shop owned by widow Martha Shepherd. She was 74 years old in 1901 and widow of John who she married in 1861.

Young Laneys enjoyed Messing about in boats and a photograph shows them doing just that in Wyatt's old hack boat. The group includes Joyce Stoker (Keene), Syd Milgate, Sid Burgess and Johnny Hempstead. Another group is seen in front of the boat shed which later became the Dabchicks Sailing Club. Herbert Burgess and Wm Wyatt stand to the side The third picture shows a group of young and old Laneys in front of Sadlers Cottages on Spite Corner. At the back are 'Gunner' Burgess, and Bob Burgess with white beard. In the front are Dorothy Greenleaf, Johnny Hempstead, Pam Greenleaf, Rose Burgess and Violet Burgess.

Sadlers Cottages got their name from William Sadler who ran a school there. In the tithe awards of 1839, the house is known as School House and the strip of land adjoining is listed as School Pightle.

Article published in Mersea Life August 2021

AuthorRon Green
PublishedAugust 2021
SourceMersea Museum
IDML2021_008_077