A Village Year 2009
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A Village Year 2009 – Spring

This exhibition is set out in the four seasons of the year…

Hounds
The East Essex Hunt, based at the kennels on the western edge of the village, was photographed outside The Lion on a Spring morning in 1959.

One unusual photograph, taken during World War I, shows the Hunt greeting wounded soldiers outside the Village Hall, then in use as a Military Hospital.

Women’s Groups

A local branch of the Women’s Institute was formed in the Spring of 1919. The Branch celebrated its 75th anniversary with a party in 1994. Nettie Hood, its long standing President, stands by the right-hand corner of the table.

Shortly before the branch closed in 2004, members were photographed to mark the 85th anniversary of its founding.

The Earls Colne Co-operative Society was formed in 1884 and, as well as opening its first grocery shop on the corner of Queen’s Road, women members of the Society met regularly for social and educational activities, as the Co-op Women’s Guild.

The Baptist Women’s League branch was formed in 1925 by the Minister, the Revd Sawday.
This photograph shows many of the founder-members.

Men’s Fireside

Male members of the Baptist Church and ‘guests’ met regularly for talks and discussions as a Men’s Fireside group in the schoolroom behind the chapel.

Twinning Association

Earls Colne became ‘twinned’ with Nonancourt, France, in 1975. Visits take place each year, one year in Nonancourt and the next year in Earls Colne. Visitors to Nonancourt will see a fully operational British telephone sited in the main street and presented to Nonancourt in 1995 to celebrate 20 years of Twinning. In 2004 a new road near the Earls Colne Heritage Museum was named ‘Nonancourt Way’.

Election Address 1894

The election of the first Parish Council in 1894 caused great excitement.
There were 27 candidates for the 9 seats.
The barber, James Barry, chose a light-hearted approach to his election address to the voters.

Parish Councillors 1894

Charles Frederick Arthy, far left picture, was one of those elected, together with the grocer, William Marchant, near left picture.

As Mr Marchant also provided the village with its first banking service, he was appointed as the Council’s treasurer.

Parish Council 1988

Recent elections to the Parish Council may not have generated as much interest as the inaugural contest, but the members photographed in 1988 included William Marchant’s grandson, Christopher Holmes, continuing a family tradition.