The new Project was officially launched at the Parade Hotel, Clacton, on 12th July 2005, with a buffet lunch, and a series of displays and short. The exciting day was started by a warm welcoming speech from Cllr. Terry Allen, Leader of Tendring District Council, who gave their wholehearted support to the project.
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Audience of veterans gathers for the project's launch |
Cllr. Mary Bragg, Chairman of the Council, was also in attendance as well as some teachers, local librarians and museum staff from the area. Above all, the audience of about 70 people included a great many Clacton veterans who came along to share their wartime memories and to provide information and contacts useful to the Clacton VCH group.
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Cann Hall school pupils meet wartime veterans |
A party of schoolchildren from the Local history club at Cann Hall County Primary School also attended in the afternoon. They mingled with the veterans and happily investigated the wartime memorabilia, uniforms, ration books etc. provided by the Group and the Essex Aviation Museum. One room was devoted to a display of wartime rations and veterans and schoolchildren eagerly demolished the wartime cake!
Using information and contacts gathered at the event the Group are now undertaking the research stage of the project, gathering interviews, images, documents and text for the creation of the educational website.
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Group member Cindy Rowland interviews a veteran |
A series of short talks was given by members of the Group, of which brief summaries can be read using the links below (links open into new windows):
- Holiday time and wartime
- Women's part in it all
- Food and rationing during the war
- The Women's Land Army
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Cann Hall pupils investigate wartime memorabilia |
For further details of our new project please contact: Roger Kennell, Chairman, Clacton VCH Group. 01473 823299; RogerBKennell@aol.com or
Chris Thornton, Editor, VCH Essex, 01206 873761; ccthorn@essex.ac.ukFor information on the original Clacton at War Project and the Victoria County History of Essex please visit: www.essexpast.net.
