Canvey
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© Geoff Barsby 2001-4
PREVIOUS PICTURES:
FLOOD 1953: Flood Damage
Mr
Liddiard Hindles Road
Denham
Road Rescue The stuffed bear
Move
to safety
OTHER PICTURES: 1950 Fire Crew
Canvey Life Boys The Nutshell
Cafe Knightswick Road The
Wireless Hospital
Uncle Sam's Canvey Minstrels Ferry
Bus Advancing Tide
The Colvin Bridge Jones' Stores
Fire Station First Motor Bus
Village Pump
Island Farm The
Kynoch Hotel Lighthouse Powell's
Stores Crossing St
Katherine's Church Coastguard Station
Leigh Beck Farm
Stackie in the Creek Wilberforce Bungalow
Cherry Stores Ye Olde Red
Cow Lobster Smack
Inn Hester's mono-rail Hester's
Tower
Girls' Bungalow Bohemia
Hall
CANVEY'S HISTORY
The Five Isles of Cana's People
Like many of the place-names in the area, the name of Canvey can be traced
back to the Anglo-Saxons, and carries the meaning "The Island of
Cana's People".
Originally the island was made up of five separate islands
and maps exist which show this. Moreover, there are archaeological theories
that suggest Canvey was once part of the mainland. Its coarse marshlands
were known for the excellence of their pasture and large flocks of sheep
they were able to sustain - the fat-tailed variety being the favoured
breed.
Long before Canvey became an ecclesiastical parish in
1881, it came under the possession of a man called Swein. It is unclear
how the division of Canvey into separate parishes came about, though it
is likely that it occurred during the reign of Henry II. Swein's grandson,
Henry de Essex, was accused of cowardice, and all his land was confiscated
by the crown. Swein had also acquired 55 other manors in Essex, including
Thundersley, Benfleet, Hadleigh, Rayleigh, Rochford and Prittlewell. The
land was subsequently redistributed by the king, much of it being bestowed
as gifts to those in the king's favour. This was possibly the beginning
of the parish ownership. The island's nine parishes belonged to Bowers
Gifford, Hadleigh, Laindon, Leigh, North and South Benfleet, Pitsea, Prittlewell,
Southchurch and Vange. The parishes were not divided into uniform shapes
as the boundaries were natural barriers such as the curves of drainage
channels, rather than fences.
Canvey Island is not mentioned in the Doomsday Book,
although much stress is laid upon the coastal marshes south of Essex,
which are estimated to have provided grazing for 18,000 sheep. Numerous
references were made to the marshes held by several manors situated near
the coast as detached portions of inland manors.
Sheep farming was a thriving industry. Not only were
the wool and meat important but the ewe's milk was made into cheese. London,
so easily reached by sea and river, presented a ready market for such
produce. Until the first sea defences were erected, the shepherds were
only inhabitants on the island, and they must have led a hard and lonely
existence. It would appear that their only shelters were the wicks where
the cheese-making took place. With the constant flooding from frequent
high tides it would seem that the shepherds safeguarded their flocks and
wicks by building earth hillocks on which to protect them. They may have
taken the idea for this directly from watching the sheep on the south
of the island, for they would always climb to the safety of the Red Hills
as the flood tides threatened. It was these sites which later became the
areas upon which farmhouses were built, hence the appropriately named
Hill Hall Farm.
Much of the Thames-side marshlands suffered from gradual
subsidence, and there is evidence that, from the 14th century onwards,
owners of the coastal areas were forced to build barriers around their
property in order to protect it from the tides. The new enclosures were
of horseshoe shape and generally added to existing walls or mainland.
They were built periodically, to form part of the island's first sea-defence.
When new enclosures were needed they were often placed in front of the
existing wall, materials from the older structure frequently being used
for the new. This was eventually forbidden, since it came to be realised
that the old, or 'counter walls', as they were known, formed a useful
second line of defence should the outer wall be breached. Thus a fairly
uniform type of enclosure fronting the River Thames was formed, which
was mistakenly thought to have been constructed by the Romans in a single
building operation.
Landholdings on the island gradually changed hands,
and in the reign of Edward II the acquisition of land by John de Apeton
(thought to be an ancestor of Sir Roger Appleton) occurred. The marshes
of Northwick-cum-Wykes, Chaffleet and Fatherwick subsequently came under
his ownership. By 1557 the marshes of Northwick and Westwick had also
come into the family's possession, making it one of the principal landowners
on the island. The other major landowning family was the Bakers, who held
Knightswyke, Southwyke and Attenmarsh.
Although frequent attempts had been made by the islanders
to overcome the constant invasion by sea, It was Sir Henry Appleton who
enlisted the help of the Dutch. The reclamation of Canvey may have been
due to the suggestion of Joas Croppenburg, a wealthy Dutch haberdasher
of Cheapside and an acquaintance of Appleton. There were certain similarities
between Canvey's problems and those of the Netherlands.
A Dutch engineer, Cornelius Vermuyden, commissioned
to drain the Fens, was related by marriage to Croppenburg. Vermuyden is
first mentioned in England as being employed to repair a breach in the
sea wall at Dagenham. It seems unlikely that he travelled to England solely
to complete such a minor task, and his work at Dagenham was more probably
a stop-gap to his negotiations for the more involved work to come.
His payment for the work is interesting, since the Havering
Commission, which had been his employer at Dagenham, paid not in cash
but by a grant of land. This method of payment would have appealed greatly
to the Dutch , for it allowed them to enjoy a standing within the community
which they would have not achieved so easily in their homeland. The Dutch
were already taking an interest in settling in southern England, and were
particularly prevalent around the marshland areas. Julius Sludder was
a Dutchman who by 1622 already owned part of Canvey, and may have been
responsible for the building of the Dutch cottage in 1618.
When it was proposed that Canvey be reclaimed from the
encroachments of the sea, an agreement was made between the island's landowners
- Sir Henry Appleton, Julius Sludder, John, William and Mary Blackmore,
Abigail Baker and Thomas Binckers and his wife - and Joas Croppenburg.
Croppenburg would be responsible for financing the project and, in return
for a fee, one-third of all lands recovered and made safe would go to
him. This agreement was made a decree of the Court of Chancery on 27 February
1623, with the stipulation that the agreement be made void should any
breaches in the sea walls remain unrepaired within a year of their being
built. The name of Cornelius Vermuydem did not appear on the agreement,
even though he was instrumental in the work. There is no indication of
how 300 workmen brought over from Holland were paid, though it may be
supposed that some at least in part were given a land grant. Here we may
have the reason for the existence of the early Dutch community.
Though the scheme was financed by Joas Croppenburg,
it is clear that he borrowed on the security of the Third Acre Lands,
as they became known. This capital probably came from Holland, for in
1637 Heinrick Brouwer wrote from Amsterdam of his claim to a sixteenth
share in Canvey Island, acquired through his acquaintance in 1622 with
Croppenburg.
The Dutch were responsible for the maintenance of the
sea walls on the Third Acre Lands, and it must have been an expense that
was difficult to cover. It was also a bone of contention between them
and the private landowners on the island. Whilst the Dutch ploughed their
profits into repair work, as surety against losing their land, the Freelanders
were not bound to maintain their property in a similar way. It may have
been this that led the Dutch gradually to move away from the area, some
returning to the Netherlands and others selling their property in exchange
for other property that did not require as much work. Whatever the cause,
the wall was left to deteriorate.
In 1791 came 'outrageous tides', where the damage to
the defences was so severe that landowners had to advance money for immediate
repairs, for fear of losing the whole island. It was this that led the
landowners to petition Parliament in 1792 with an act for 'effectively
embanking, draining and otherwise improving the Island of Canvey in the
County of Essex'. The act established a board of 24 Commissioners of Sewers
for the island. Like many similar bodies of commissioners they had special
powers and responsibilities of their own. The commissioners recognised
that, although the maintenance to the walls of the Third Acre Lands legally
fell upon the owners, the task was beyond their capabilities. The commissioners
made provision for new insets behind the existing wall, where the breaches
had occurred. In this way, the old wall and the marshlands between would
serve as an extra defence against the tides. This protection was added
to the south of the island, where a considerable amount of the old Dutch
was 'flung to sea'.
During 1792 and 1812 wall rates were levied on both
the owners of Freelands and Third Acre properties and, at such times that
repairs could not be met, a loan was arranged from the Freelands tax to
Third Acre. In subsequent years, when profit would arise after outlay
from Third Acre land, the loan would be repaid.
On 18 January 1881 a flood caused immense damage to
a stretch of wall from Scarhouse to Leigh Beck. Five hundred men, including
150 soldiers, were employed to repair the wall before the danger of Spring
tides. Under the provisions of the 1792 act it was exceedingly difficult
to raise enough money for repair work, and so a further act was passed,
which included a tax on Outsands (privately reclaimed lands standing outside
the old Dutch wall). This in no way changed the original historical implications
of the Third Acre Lands.
More flooding occurred in November 1897. Lasting for
a number of weeks it caused severe damage to farmers' crops. On top of
an already severe agricultural depression, the increase in sea-wall taxes
caused many of the islands' farmers to sell out, often at a very low price.
The commissioners were always concerned about the deterioration
of the wall. one of the first actions to be taken by the newly formed
body of commissioners was to order a notice to be given publicly, 'that
all persons who shall take away the cockle shells from off the banks,
saltings, or any part of the Island... be prosecuted'. The shells, found
in great quantity, particularly around the Leigh Beck area were used in
cement, and could be found in the walls of Hadleigh Castle and Canvey's
Dutch cottages, as well as forming the linings of ditches and the surfacing
of paths.
Roman Connection
Canvey's history goes back much further than the Dutch, to Roman and possibly
even Celtic occupation.
Many pieces of pre-Roman and Roman pottery have been
uncovered during building works on Canvey. However, the fragments of late-Celtic
pottery have been discovered near the surface and in the sand on parts
of the seashore, so it is difficult to ascertain whether the Celts actually
lived here. It is more likely that these pieces were washed ashore during
the constant flooding of the time. As it would seem that no other evidence
exists to connect the Celts with the island, any occupation that took
place was for a brief period only. Not so vague, however, is the evidence
of the Romans and their interest in the island's natural resources.
Numerous pieces of crude red pottery have been discovered
on the island, consistent wit the type of soil found on the island's Red
Hills. These mounds, found in all parts of Essex, consist of a type of
burnt earth, loose in texture and of varying shades of red. There is little
to distinguish them to the eye, as they are often similar to the marsh
mounds nearby, but excavation yields their varying colour and composition.
The possibility that pottery was the main reason for
Roman activity on Canvey is remote, since no major kiln workings have
been discovered. It is reasonable to believe, therefore, that the pottery
was not so much an industry but a purely domestic feature of Roman habitation.
It is more likely that the Romans' main interest was
in the production of salt, which was a vital and necessary commodity of
the time. A great deal of importance was placed in the curing of fish
and meat; this idea is supported by the findings of salt water evaporation
vessels. When studied by the eminent Dr. Sorby, the coastline and creeks
of Essex were pronounced to be very suitable in salt content, and of considerable
value for salt evaporation, particularly during he summer time.
The discovery of vessels for storage and for carrying
brine to other encampments, along with evaporation pots, lends evidence
to the theory that pottery was a secondary trade. Fragments of pottery
can still be unearthed today, the cruder type supposedly manufactured
locally, while the more refined pieces, not having the same connection
with the industry, are thought to have been made elsewhere. The suggestion
has been made that these finer pieces, particularly those fund around
Dead Man's Point, may have been made for burial purposes. That area of
Canvey was once raised above sea-level and could well have been used as
a Roman burial ground. This theory would help to explain why fragments
were washed up in this area and found at low tide.
Traces of the Past
We know with certainty that Roman occupation left its mark. Amateur archaeologists
are often to be seen at the eastern end of the island, arousing fresh
interest with their finds. Fragments of pottery have been pieced together
to create an entire bowl, which the Keeper of Antiquities at Southend
has identified as Samian-ware. Other digs have uncovered several urns,
one of which appeared to be cremation urn, complete with bones inside,
more than 2,000 years old. This discovery furthered the idea that there
could be a burial site on the island, a theory which had never occurred
before.
One never knows what could be discovered next on the
island, and perhaps we should not be too hasty in throwing away what appears
to be an old piece of metal protruding between our lines of cabbages!
In 1989 a local archaeologist uncovered a 2,000 year old bronze bracelet.
Its design was crude, but its discovery momentus, and what a conversation
piece!
Canvey's Cheese Industry
In its early days Canvey, sometimes referred to as Canwaie Iles, had a
thriving diary industry. It has been recorded that in 1592 some 4,000
sheep were on the island. It is also significant that Canvey's coat of
arms includes a fat-tailed sheep. Areas such as Northwick, Southwick,
and Furtherswick were quite possibly sitings for diary sheds, as the suffix
'wick' means dairy farm.
A fringe industry of diary farming, which became a main
source of income for the island for a brief period, was cheesemaking.
Cheeses made from ewes' milk were sold for 6d, if they were 'huge cheeses',
2d, if smaller. There is some evidence that payment or collection of debt
was recovered by the use of 'great cheese'. An example of this payment
in kind is recorded in the reign of Henry III, when one of the cheeses
was sent to London on behalf of the lord of the manor of Bowers Gifford,
and received by the Prior of St Mary's church, Southwark in lieu of outstanding
rent.
Although the island was inhabited at this time, it is
thought that much of the population was male, since reports mention that
milking was done by young lads, when in normal circumstances this type
of work would have been undertaken by women.
Nutritional though it was, ewes' milk cheese was considered
strong in flavour and fairly unpalatable. For this reason it eventually
ceased to exist, and it was thought that the industry only lasted as long
as it had because of the 'keeping' quality of the cheese. Its use was
favoured particularly amongst the provision of stores on ships in the
estuary.
As it became more common in the south to mix cows' milk
with that of the ewes, in order to provide a milder and tastier popular
cheese, so cheesemaking became a fading industry on Canvey. One reason
for this, perhaps, is that the islands' marshes were considered far too
dangerous and unsuitable for the grazing of cattle, since they were under
constant threat from flooding.
18th Century Hazard
There are many men today who might claim that one wife is certainly enough
for any man in his right senses. But it was not so long ago that men on
Canvey were reported to have many wives during their lifetime. Numbers
ranging from 14 and 15 to as many as 35 have been mentiond as commonplace
for the time. The answer to this remarkable fact appears to be found in
the great sickness found in Canvey. A form of malaria, the intermittent
fever appeared to be the cause of early death among the female population.
It is not clear, however, why more women than men were struck down. Perhaps
the menial tasks and long hours of the age helped the fever to overcome
the victim, but it was not dwelt on by the spouse who might even have
argued that variety be the spice of life, and readily set to the mainland
to fetch another.
The author, Daniel Defoe, writing in the 18th century,
made reference to Canvey (Candy Island) and its fever, saying that he
frequently met with men who had taken repeatedly and in quick succession
a huge number of brides.
The unhealthy atmosphere of the marshlands, with its
dampness and fog, was blamed for the change in complexion of the womenfolk
(those born on the island were thought to be immune), and seldom did they
live for more than a year in the new surroundings.
Advice to stay away from stagnant water and marshland
areas was given to sufferers but this was a little late in the day for
those taken from their wholesome fresh air in the uplands and brought
to a markedly different terrain. It is possible that this local disease
was eradicated with the introduction of quinine as a preventative and
curative for such complaints. Medical books at the time noted that western
Europe had a use for quinine as early as 1640, although it was many years
before it was widely used in England.
The Dutch Cottages
The occupation by the Dutch in the 17th century has left two cottages
on the island as a legacy. Dated 1618 and 1621, these quaint octagonal
structures were built a few years before the land reclamation.
Over the years, and due mainly to discoveries made during
periods of renovation, speculation and theory have combined to provide
an alternative reason for their curious shape and modest sized interior.
At a time when almost all English dwellings were made
of wood, the exterior walls of the cottages were constructed of small
bricks. These bricks were typical of those used on industrial buildings
in the Netherlands, and were probably shipped over specially for the purpose.
Metal struts, unusual in living accomodation, were found
in the roof of one cottage, and a number of cartwheels were uncovered
embedded in the floor. These were laid in such a way that the middle wheel
touched against each of the others like a central cog. When measured,
the dimensions were found to be exactly the same as Flemish horsemills
and the base of some types of water and wind mills.
Dutch living accomodation was of an entirely different
shape and structure to that found on Canvey Island. Bearing in mind that
the Dutch were superb engineers as well as farmers, could it be that these
buidings were intended to be something entirely different?
Castle Point Council undertook all necessary renovations,
spending £50,000 on the project. Today the cottage on Canvey Road
stands as an architectural monument to the past and acts as a museum for
both residents and tourists. The other cottage remains as a private house.
St Katherine's Church
Between the early 17th and the late 19th centuries no less than four churches
stod on the site of the present St Katherine's.
It was the Dutch who brought religion to the island,
petitioning Charles I to allow them to worship in their own tongue. Dom
Cornelius Jacobson was elected as the first paster and overseer to their
morals. The first church was little more than a small wooden structure,
but it was to become a bone of contention between the Dutch and the English,
for the English had to travel to St Mary's, Benfleet, to attend their
services. The two factions met in conflict, on Whit Monday 1656, with
the English demanding the keys to the church. Fighting broke out, but
the Dutch retained possession of the church, until it fell into disrepair
some years later. It was finally demolished in 1712, by which time many
of the Dutch had returned to their homeland. In its place was built another
church to cater solely for the people of Canvey. This church, St Catherine's,
had no resident minister, but was to last until another church was built
in 1845. The church of 1845 was renamed St Peter's, and it formed a place
of worship for an ever-increasing population. In 1872 the Rev. Henry Hayes
was appointed curate in charge for the island. He was responsible for
organising a more substantial church, siting it about 20 ft. back into
the churchyard. Building work started in 1875. Once again the church was
known as St Katherine's (this time spelt differently). In order to incorporate
some of the old church in the new, some furniture, the stained glass and
old porch were re-used. The church remained in service until its closure
in the 1960s. Nowadays it is used as a heritage centre, housing a museum
and arts and crafts exhibits.
The Village School
Canvey's first village school was built in 1874, opposite St Katherine's
church. It owed its existence to the efforts of the Rev. Hayes, who was
keen to improve the conditions for his parishioners. The simple timber-framed
building was closed when Long Road school (now the William Read infant
and junior school) was opened as a secondary school. The school was then
used as a village hall, and social events and church meetings regularly
took place there, until a fire almost completely gutted the building.
The fire appears to have started in the chair store, easily taking hold
of the rest of the structure; strong winds helped to fan the blaze, which
reputedly could be seen at the top of Essex Way.
Canvey fireman were able to save the hall from complete
destruction, although damage valued at £2,000 had been done. An
appeal was launched to raise this money, since it had not been fully insured.
Sadly the hall has been demolished.
The Village Pump
Both the village pump and school owe their existence to the efforts of
the Rev. Henry Hayes. The costs of the pump were met largely by voluntary
public subscription, aided by a contribution from the Corporation of the
City of London. The sinking of the 312 ft. well was the responsibility
of a Mr. Furlong, who was not to be envied the task of boring down through
layer upon layer of mixed beds of sand and thick, stodegy clay. The pump
was simple in design and sheltered by a thatched roof, under which an
inscription read: 'Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him
shall never thirst'. It became the focal point of the community and stood
at the centre of the road at the junction of Hole Haven Road and Ye
Olde Red Cow public house (rechristened the King Canute after
the floods of 1953).
The pump was opened at a ceremony on 5 December 1889,
when crowds gathered to witness the drawing of the first bucket.
After it was dismantled, a simple inscribed metal plate
was set into the middle road, the only indication that it had ever stood
on that site. This was later removed when the road was widened, and placed
in the Dutch cottage museum to stand alongside the old water-trough.
In and around the Lobster Smack Inn
By far the oldest, and certainly the first fully-licensed, premises on
the island was the Lobster Smack Inn. It nestles conveniently close
to the sea wall on the south coast at the furthest end of Haven Road.
Indeed this position has been very favourable for passing trade in its
time since the waters in the Hole Haven creek are deep, providing a suitable
shelter for vessels.
The inn has also been known as the Sluice House
and the World's End. The wooden structure boasts a lip-tile dating
from 1510, although this in itself does not give conclusive proof of age.
It is thought that a more reasonable date for its construction would be
around the 17th century.
The hostelry claims a licence dating from the time of
Elizabeth I. It has been described as an unobstrusive but comfortable
inn with comparatively lofty rooms, supported by oak beams. A boatman
could expect to get very reasonable bed and board accomodation here, including
large four poster beds. The inn was referred to by Dickens in Great
Expectations.
The Lobster Smack was once the watering hole for unlicensed pilots,
patronised by captains who objected to the higher charges requested by
the Trinity House men at Gravesend.
It was not uncommon to hear only Dutch spoken in the
Smack during the evenings, since most of the guests came off the Dutch
fishing vesels laden with eels from the Texel. Pieces of clay from the
pipes that the sailors smoked can still be found in the soil surrounding
the area.
The activity of smugglers was notorious throughout the
country at this time, and Canvey was believed to have no less a share
of this action than anywhere else. Preventative men were employed by the
government, and it must be assumed that theirs was a thankless task, often
being sent on fool's errands while the deed took place in areas they usually
frequented. At Hole Haven, however, the strength of the coastguard station
resulted in the employment of a Chief Officer, a chief boatman, two commissioned
boatmen and four other boatmen. A watchtower was built close to the inn,
overlooking the sea wall. Not surprisingly corruption occurred from time
to time, and it was rumoured that coins changed hands for the lookout
to turn a blind eye at the appointed time. He was persuaded to develop
an incredible thirst and subsequently to vacate his post when the contraband
came ashore.
Apart from its connections with smuggling, the Lobster
Smack Inn was well-known as a site of an annual fair, which took place
on 25th June. Records show that it was well established by the year 1767.
This would have been a pleasant distraction from the usual mundane course
of the island's agricultural life. Here one could expect to buy quantities
of home produce such as gingerbread. Toys, ribbons, fruits and items of
similar importance made this event popular with all the family. The fair
continued to operate until at least 1848, although in governmental documents
published in 1889 covering Market Rights and Tolls there is no further
mention of it.
What must surely have been another source of entertainment,
particularly to the men, were the regular bare-knuckle prize fights, staged
outside the inn during the 1800s. Just what modern-day boxing officials
would say about the lengthy and often arduous bouts that took place can
only be guessed at, for some only just fell short of 90 rounds.
One Man's Vision of an Island Resort
Eccentric or entrepreneur, Frederick Hester was a gentleman of great imagination,
and must be recognised as the first person to develop Canvey as a holiday
resort. He took advantage of the agricultural depression, buying up farming
properties at a time when prices were falling, and subsequently divided
them into plots, which he then sold to people of moderate means. Hester
saw no reason why the ordinary man should not own a holiday home or small
shop. Due to Canvey's proximity to London, he envisaged the island becoming
an extra 'lung', one that would breathe new life into smog ridden inhabitants
of the capital and surrounding areas.
Hester used many sales techniques that have become common
today: in order to attract the attention of prospective buyers, posters
were pasted to hoardings in the City and circulars were sent by post to
addresses obtained from various trade and telephone directories. The circulars,
received by shopkeepers and publicans in and around the London area, would
include the promise of a free meal, and a free rail ticket to all genuine
purchasers of plots of land at £5 and a Christmas turkey added to
the deal.
These techniques proved sucessful for private buyers,
and small firms began to flock to Canvey. Hester would meet prospective
buyers, showing them every courtesy, before taking them to his tower-bungalow
at the entrance to his famous Winter Gardens; they were frequently impressed
with the panoramic views, not only of the whole island but also over to
Southend. As Hester mapped out his vision of a grand promenade adjacent
to a pier, bandstands and a Kursaal to match that at Southend, customers
must frequently have fallen under his spell.
To his credit, he had built the most spectacular of
Winter Gardens on Canvey, intended to cover an area of six square miles
when it was completed. The glass conservatories not only housed exotic
plants and fruits - peacocks strutted amongst other birds, whilst gold
and silver-coloured fish swam in ponds and under fountains.
Hester also laid a metal mono-rail tramway to carry
trippers through the gardens: past the colourful foliage, the full-size
statuettes, the refreshment area, Dutch bazaar and the shopping alcoves.
He took every advantage of the Dutch heritage of the area, encouraging
the wearing of the Dutch national costume in many of his schemes. Hester
also made up, and took full responsibility for the Dutch names given to
many of the older roads on the island.
'Nothing ventured, nothing gained', was a maxim Hester
appeared to live by. His idea for the project extended to a Venetian canal,
with gondolas making their way through the interior waters of the island.
So convinced was Hester that Canvey would boom under his patronage, that
he allowed his enthusiasm for new schemes to overstretch his pocket, which
led to his bankruptcy in 1905.
The Great Divide
There can be no doubt that the construction of the first real bridge to
the mainland was of enormous importance to the future development of Canvey.
The Colvin Bridge was named after the Lord Lieutenant of Essex. Brigadier-General
R.B. Colvin, C.B., who performed the pile driving ceremony on 21 May 1930.
The bridge was officially opened exactly a year later, on 21 May 1931,
by Alderman J.H. Burrows.
The provision of a swing bridge had frequently been
requested by the Rev. Hayes before his death in 1900. The idea was not
taken up again seriously until December 1929, and it was sanctioned by
the Ministry of Transport in March 1930. It was estimated to have cost
£15,000; since the population of the island was quite small it was
agreed that the Treasury should meet a significant part of the cost, and
they contributed £9,623 towards it.
Before the building of the bridge, the only means of
crossing to or from the mainland was by ferry, or stepping stones at low
tide. Whenever possible visits were arranged around the tide-tables and
these were published by local papers and council guidebooks.
Two punts and two row-boats represented the ferry, being
on duty all hours of the day and night. If an emergency presented itself
at an awkward hour, there was a bell which, if rung loud enough, caused
the ferryman to come running from his nearby cottage. Passengers paid
1½d. For 2d. passengers could take their bicycles across.
Crossing the creek posed a problem for animals and large
vehicles; cows and horses had a tendency to be swept away from their drivers
in unguarded moments whilst making the crossing. Cars, coal waggons and
carts were sometimes abandoned when the journey had been left too late
and the incoming tide had caught the drivers unawares. It was not surprising,
then, that there were parties all over the island when the bridge was
opened - the day was even declared a local holiday. Foot passengers and
cars lined up to follow Alderman Burrows and his entourage from the Canvey
Chamber of Trade over the bridge.
The Colvin swing bridge continued to give preference
to river traffic, mainly fully-loaded sailing barges. It was for the last
time on 26 November 1968, and was demolished in February 1973, when the
present bridge replaced it.
The Chapman Lighthouse
After more than a century of use, a short ceremony was held to say 'goodbye'
to the Chapman lighthouse before it was demolished in 1957. The lighthouse
with its clockwork mechanism came into operation in 1851, four years after
a lightship had been moored in the area.
For centuries the perilous off-shore mud-flats had claimed
many victims. The Romans are thought to have devised some form of beacon
as a warning in the area. It was not until the 19th century that pressure
was brought to bear on Trinity House by a group of shipowners, registering
the need for a permanent signal. Taking into account the unstable condition
of the river bed, James Walker, the consultant lighthouse engineer to
Trinity House at that time, drew up the unique design for a pile lighthouse
made entirely of iron. Walker aso supervised its construction.
The hexagonal-shaped living accomodation for the lighthouse
keeper and his assistant was somewhat spartan, comprising a living room,
bedroom, kitchen-cum-washroom and storeroom. For the purpose of going
ashore a rowing boat was suspended from the side of the lighthouse.
The salt water eventually took its toll and the lighthouse
became in danger of collapse. Today in its place, bobbing 800 yards off-shore,
is a single bell-buoy. No doubt it does the job, but is considered by
many to be a far less attractive guardian.
The Floods of 1953... They believed it would never happen
again
Though the Dutch reclamation work of the 17th century brought some security
from the ravages of the sea, the sea walls were frequently breached. In
1883 the Canvey Sea Defences Act was passed, which updated an earlier
act of Parliament. The act of 1883 empowered a body of commissioners to
levy rates from owners of the outsands in the same way as their neighbours.
The money gathered was not only spent on the upkeep of the walls, but
also on their improvement - the commissioning body had the walls raised
and levelled, extending them on the Thames front to a height of 2ft. above
the highest tide level. In January 1888, however, valuable land slipped
into the sea. Nine years later, on 29th November 1897, a high tide submerged
part of Canvey. This led to research by the Meteorological Office and
other institutes into the possibility of accurately predicting floods.
The highest recorded levels of the 1938 tides indicated
that the defences were still too low, athough fortunately no serious floods
occurred.
New-found confidence in the defences inspired an entry
in the Canvey Island Official Guide of 1949: 'The valuable and
arduous work of the Canvey Island Sea Wall Commission, who keeps a vigilant
eye on the present works, render such a thing very, very unlikely now'.
Then came the storms of 1953. Due to the effects of the unrelenting and
violent force 12 northerly winds a surge of water began driving southward
when nothing more than the usual Spring tide had been predicted. Flood
alert warnings were sent out by Scotland Yard to the City of London police,
in accordance with plans formulated after the floods of 1928. All coastal
areas were on stand-by, although no-one could have guessed the full extent
of the sea's fury. Messages were relayed as to the worsening conditions,
and at about 1 a.m. on 1 February the island's walls were breached, with
disastrous results. Under a plan termed Operation King Canute the fire
brigade were sent out to alert the people of Canvey. At the same time
the siren and fore maroons were sounded in such a way that it was hoped
islanders would become curious enough to get out of bed to look outside.
Fortunately some did and were evacuated, others were too deep in sleep
to hear anything above the howling winds. They either woke up much later
when the icy water lapped over them, or sadly never woke at all. Although
lives were lost all along the coast that night, Canvey suffered the worst,
with 58 people dying in the floods. For the survivors, cold, bleak houses,
huddled in a loft, or worse perhaps on a roof, barely above sea-level,
ensured that it was a night not to be forgotten.
The rescued became refugees, transported to hastily
set-up rest centers, mostly in schools and church halls in the area. Benfleet
primary school was the first to open its doors, though it was grossly
inadequate to cope with the enormous numbers; nevertheless it bore the
brunt of the early hours admirably. An appeal for aid brought kindhearted
responses from around the country, with great quantities of clothes, food
and sweets being donated. A visit by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother,
and the young Princess Margaret provided sympathy and encouragement.
Back on the island, a mobile dispensary took care of
animal casualties, with three animal organizations, the R.S.P.C.A., O.D.F.L.
and the P.D.S.A. giving assistance. At the same time Civil Defence workers
and volunteers joined with the Army and Royal Air Force to make temporary
repairs to the walls. The Women's Voluntary Service took care of the food
for the crews working on the walls. The repairs were urgent, since the
next wave of tides was due within a fortnight.
Victims of the floods stayed with friends and relatives,
or in some cases accepted the hospitality of complete strangers, until
it was time to go back to the island. On return every tenant was supplied
with a public health leaflet on general hygiene and precautions regarding
food, water supply, gas and electricity services and drainage. An information
center was set up in Long Road, where those returning home could obtain
vouchers entitling them to free coal, bedding, furniture, disinfectant
and cleaning materials.
No-one envied the people their task of 'getting back
to normal'. No Lord Mayor's Fund could replace what the islanders had
lost.
Fortunately, the island is now in a better position
than it has ever been, for an advance warning system, with a network of
communications, will go into action should there be any evidence of abnormal
wind forecasts or freak tidal surges. Alarms from the central office (based
in Norfolk) would go out to alert the services, county police, and coastal
protection authorities. Ultimately the decision to alert the public to
the danger of flooding in each area likely to be affected would be determined
at a local level by the police and river board. The responsibility for,
and method of, warning would, however, lie with the police.
The new wall which has been built around Canvey is a
vast improvement on the design of the old stone-pitching; blockwork, steel
sheet piling and concrete cap were used in the construction, and it was
raised sufficiently high to prevent any overspill from the sea.
Regular observations and reports are made on the condition
of the wall, and its relation to the slowly increasing sea level, with
improvements recommended and acted upon periodically. However, vigilance
against the elements must be continued, lest complacency sets in. A question
which obviously arises from this is, 'Will it happen again?' In answer,
all that anyone can really say is that, given the same set of circumstances
again, it is highly unlikely that the same scale of devastation would
occur. A quote taken from the speech by the Home Secretary at a debate
following the 1953 floods sums this up. 'We have had a sharp lesson, and
we shall have only ourselves to blame if we fail to profit from it'.
The First Coat of Arms
Armorial bearings were granted to the council on 5 January 1971. The arms
were designed by the College of Arms, and depict symbols of local significance.
Wavy white lines on a blue background signify the River
Thames that constantly laps the island's shores, whilst the snow white
droplets allude to the early salt extraction. The island itself is fashioned
as a green diamond lozenge, with the fat-tailed sheep that provided for
the cheesemaking industry in the center. Oyster shells stand at the four
corners, referring to another past industry.
The sea walls are represented by the inner golden escutcheon;
the inside is embattled to show the reinforcement of them. They are divided
into seven equal parts, referring to the seven main drainage sluices that
had originally been present.
Finally on the crest stands the Dutch cottage, today
a museum, and the motto Ex Mare Dei Gratia meaning, 'From the sea
by the Grace of God'.
Amusements and Recreation
It must be admitted that Canvey is no longer a paradise for the wildfowl
shooters and weekend shrimpers. The days of clambering over the rocks
at low tide searching for a good harvest of mussels and winkles for Sunday
tea are long gone.
Gone too are the boating-pool, the donkey rides and
the many old-fashioned but idyllic tea-rooms. No more joyrides in an open
plane as it winged its way high above Andrew's Grand Amusement Arcade.
Gone too are the corrugated iron beach-huts and the black and white minstrel
entertainers. However it is not all bad, for the community of islanders
today are still keen on social life and are able to enjoy the kind of
facilities of which our predecessors would have been jealous. There are
cricket, rugby, and football clubs for all ages, yachting, small boat
sailing and angling, a golf course, swimming pool and running track, tennis,
badminton and squash courts, weight training and fitness clubs.
There are clubs: theatrical, dance, political, disabled
and musical to cater for all sections of the community, in addition to
various hobby and self-help groups. Canvey is thus able to offer a community
spirit which is second to none. B. A. Cave's Official Guide to Canvey
Island of 1933 offers a quote on which to finish: 'A week in Canvey
will do you more good than a fortnight elsewhere … Come to Canvey
Island'.
Introduction from Geoff Barsby's book "Canvey Island"
