Southend & South Essex History with Chris

Southend & South Essex History with Chris Historian specialising in Southend and South Essex History (ancient to modern). Talks and tours.

A delightful Edwardian postcard of ‘The Broadway’, featuring the Hotel Victoria.
16/06/2026

A delightful Edwardian postcard of ‘The Broadway’, featuring the Hotel Victoria.

Today in 1944 the first V1 rocket was launched against the UK. In all, approximately 6,725 were launched, killing 5,475 ...
13/06/2026

Today in 1944 the first V1 rocket was launched against the UK. In all, approximately 6,725 were launched, killing 5,475 deaths and wounding 16,000.

Below is a map of V1 impacts in the Essex and Thames estuary area. Of note are the number of impacts in the estuary between Foulness Island and the Blackwater.

This is partly due to the Maunsell Forts operating anti-aircraft guns in the estuary area, namely Nore (U5), Red Sands (U6), and Shivering Sands (U7). These forts shot down no fewer than 30 V1 rockets!

In Southend on 5th June 1944 residents saw an estuary full of ships and barrage balloons filling the skies. Some recount...
06/06/2026

In Southend on 5th June 1944 residents saw an estuary full of ships and barrage balloons filling the skies. Some recounted how there was no space between the vessels there were so many of them. The next day, they were gone. Operation Neptune (D-Day) had begun.

Among the vessels was the Sambut (below), a liberty ship ferrying 1,000 troops, ammunition, 137 vehicles and fuel to Normandy on D-Day, when she was hit by a long range battery. Two shells landed amidship. She sank at Goodwin Sands. Three crew and some troops were killed.

After D-Day approximately 130 ships per day left HMS Leigh (Southend pier, below) bound for the landing zone, sending troops and matériel for the Allied armies liberating German occupied Europe. By the wars end 3,367 convoys and 84,000 ships embarked from HMS Leigh.

82 years on from the Normandy Landings it’s important to remember the role played by the area and how it contributed to D-Day and the Normandy Campaign.

On 10 May (yesterday) 1915 Southend was subjected to its first air raid, conducted by zeppelin LZ38 (under Hauptmann Eri...
11/05/2026

On 10 May (yesterday) 1915 Southend was subjected to its first air raid, conducted by zeppelin LZ38 (under Hauptmann Eric Linnarz). One person, Agnes Whitwell (aged 60), was killed in her bed by a falling incendiary bomb.

LZ38 approached Southend from the estuary, hovering over the prison ships moored off the pier. It then passed over the high street where it hovered over Cobweb Corner, dropping a high explosive bomb bomb.

On duty was Special Constable William Ledicott at a quarter to three in the morning when he saw the zeppelin above Cobweb Corner. He said, […] A moment later the Zeppelin restarted her engines and immediately a bomb was dropped. It fell in the centre of the road, where it made a large hole, but failed to explode. Then another fell on London Road. It was of the incendiary type, and I ran up and put it out. […]”

Some 80 bombs were dropped over the Southend area. All told the raid caused some £5,000 in damage and destruction, including Mr. Flaxman’s timber yard, Cromwell House, as well as the Technical College.

There were no anti-aircraft measures in place, and the events of 10 May led to local demonstrations and rioting against German businesses.

However, Hauptmann Linnarz dropped a note, that read, “You English. We have come and will come again soon. Kill or cure. German.”

He did indeed return, sixteen days later…

📷 Cromwell House & interior (Manchester Guardian)

For eight months in 1940 the Luftwaffe hit targets across the UK, killing over 40,000 people and destroying/damaging 2,0...
07/05/2026

For eight months in 1940 the Luftwaffe hit targets across the UK, killing over 40,000 people and destroying/damaging 2,000,000 homes (60% in London).

One thing I often hear is that at this time Southend was often bombed by returning German aircraft who failed to locate their targets. This, however, could not be farther from the truth!

There are many Flugplatz folders and maps that can be accessed online that highlight Southend as a designated target by the Luftwaffe. The one below is dated August 1943 (however the are 1940-dated maps as well). This particular one highlights a specific area in red: RAF Rochford.

RAF Rochford was in D Sector, 11 Group RAF (alongside RAF Hornchurch and RAF Manston) and formed a key part of of the Dowding System in the defence of the southeast during the Battle of Britain. The aerodrome and surrounding area was attacked continuously during this period.

There were two other key targets in the area noted by the Luftwaffe:

The HQ of Thames Naval Control Centre was on HMS Leigh (Southend pier). NCC Thames oversaw the embarkation and arrival of 3,367 convoys (84,000 vessels) in the estuary between 1939-1945. The vital importance of the convoy system can not be understated.

Secondly, Shoeburyness Garrison was located 3 miles east of Southend. The garrison was a much larger establishment than its current remains indicate, and included the RA School of Gunnery, the Garrison, and the crucial Proof & Experimental Establishment. Because of the garrison German media often referred to Southend as a “garrison town”.

With these key features alone the Luftwaffe considered Southend as a legitimate target to strike. During the Battle of Britain the area had been attacked and bombed approximately 64 times!

In September 1940 alone Southend was attacked 13 times; including attacks on convoy shipping/sea mining and raids on RAF Rochford. Air raids continued until 11 May 1941; approximately 34 more raids were conducted over the town.

📷 RA Jones shop (bombed 28 October 1940)
📷 Chadwick Road (bombed 10 October 1940)
📷 Luftwaffe Flugplatz Map (IWM IWM LBY LUFT 92

Guess where I found myself yesterday afternoon…? 🤠
09/04/2026

Guess where I found myself yesterday afternoon…? 🤠

An ancient coin hoard in Southend:Here is an interesting example of a gold stater found in Southend in c.1986. It is spe...
03/04/2026

An ancient coin hoard in Southend:

Here is an interesting example of a gold stater found in Southend in c.1986. It is specifically a Gallo-Belgic E (class II (Scheers)), and was part of a hoard of 33 gold staters discovered within a - broken - black pottery jar. It was found, perhaps surprisingly, opposite Chichester House.

Dating to c.60BC-50BC Gallo-Belgic coins enter circulation in Britain between 200/150BC and cease by 60AD. The minting of these coins on the continent ended with the Roman Conquest of Gaul in 58-50BC, however it is unknown if these coins were minted domestically.

Distribution, interestingly, is largely found in the Home Counties; it’s most concentrated distribution within the boundaries of the Atrebates, the Trinovantes, and the Catuvellauni Tribes (all found within the immediate area).

Circulation of Gallo-Belgic coinage in the region largely ended following the collapse of the Boudican revolt in 60-61AD.

The circumstances of the depositing of this 33-coin hoard is unknown, but a tantalising glimpse into pre-Roman life in the Southend area.

📷 British Museum

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