NOTICES FOR MEMBERS

Recent and Forthcoming Events

You will be aware that the Society does not hold any evening meetings in January.

However, this year we are trying an experiment with an afternoon talk.

Eddie Veckranges and Gary Sanders will be talking on the history and operation of the Epping & Ongar  Railway.  Eddie and Gary are members of the Society that raises the funds to ensure that this historic railway remains available for public  use and enjoyment –  no small undertaking.
Ingatestone Parish Room, Stock Lane will be open on Tuesday afternoon the 20th January from 2.30pm when tea etc will be available followed by the illustrated talk at 3.00pm for an hour or so. Eddie and Gary will be happy to stay on for questions.

There is no charge for this talk the cost of which will be covered by the annual membership fee. You are welcome to bring Guests in which case a donation to funds would be appreciated.

Chairman’s report
for the
61st Annual General Meeting of
IFHAS
5th May 2026

Membership
Numbers remain strong and we have had several new members join the society in the past few months. Membership now stands at 77 at the end of March — compared with 70 for the same mont the previous year.

2) Finances
Covered in detail in the financial report. As Darryl Sankey has explained, because the accounts are made up on a cash basis, we appear to have had a fractionally less cash-generative year in 25/26.. But the previous year was flattered because it contained a substantial unexpended balance for the Stow Maries visit.
The strong financial position has enabled us to hold the annual subscription at £20 pa.

3) Events
Events this year have included visits to

Visit to Stow Maries Airfield in May
Shad Thames and Bermondsey Walk in June
Visit to The Mill at Fryerning in July
The Ranges at Shoeburyness in July
Copped Hall, Epping in September
Crossness pumping station to see the Victorian building and machinery in the course of renovation— November

Southend Museum to see the Exhibition about the Wreck of The London — March ’26

4) Talks
The society continues to offer a full schedule of talks throughout the year — with the exception of January and the May AGM.. A list of forthcoming talks is available on the website and is updated frequently.

4) Anglo European Essay competition
Unfortunately we were not able to run the essay competition this year but we anticipate being able to do so again in the 26/27 membership year with the prize s now running at £100 for the winner and £50 each for the runners up.

Research award
The research award was not made this year as no proposals were received in time but an indication of interest in making a proposal for research has been received for the 26/27 membership year.
To recap — the award is for £250 to defray the costs of researching a topic of historical interest concerning Ingatestone, or the county of Essex. The intention would be for the research results to be presented to the society in the form of an evening talk.
Applications are invited from members and particularly from younger researchers — sixth formers perhaps — with an Ingatestone association. Members would be welcome to encourage younger members of their families to make an application. Assistance with the choice of research subject and how to pursue the research is available.

5) Website
The website contains details of forthcoming talks, events, membership and a brief history of Ingatestone. It is to be regarded as very much ‘in the course of construction’ rather than as a finished entity.
We are keen to incorporate into the website photos of Ingatestone which might be of future historical interest to residents or researchers, given that local newspaper coverage — especially photographic coverage — is now scant.
In the forthcoming year we hope to compile a photographic survey of the High Street which could be up-dated as required to record changes in the shops and offices that occupy various premises over time.
During the past year we also asked Douglas Place to act as photographer for the society to record significant events. In time Douglas’s photos will find their way to the website.
Running the Society
The society is currently run by a committee of six, meeting roughly quarterly with various responsibilities parcelled out between them. The principal functions are chair, secretary, speakers organisation, finance, membership, webpages responsibility and the editorship of the Transactions journal.
In recognition of the extra work involved, we have begun to organise walks and visits on the basis of interested parties taking the lead in making the arrangements. This has been very successful.The society’s insurance cover facilitates this.
While the administration is not particularly burdensome it would be a good idea to refresh the membership of the committee, as several of the members have now served on the committee for many years.
In particular Tony Collins would like to withdraw from sole responsibility for compiling the speakers schedule and I would like to revert to the secretaryship rather than being chairman, secretary and in charge of the webpages. It might also be helpful to separate the functions of both membership and finance which are currently undertaken solely by Darryl Sankey.
In short, we are looking to attract some new members to the committee in the current year to help run the Society. Jane Winter, a long-standing member of the Society has agreed to join the committee but we would welcome one or two additional members — to take over the roles of chair, talks organiser and possibly membership secretary in due course— so that the society can continue into a successful future.

Stephen Bloomfield
April 2026

INGATESTONE & FRYERNING HISTORICAL & ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

For purposes of booking places on walks and visits which are organised by the Society the bank details are as follows:

Barclays 

Sort.Code 20-12-21

Account Number 60516074

Wednesday 18th June Shad Thames and Bermondsey Walk with Richard Pusey

The walk explores the ancient Pool of London which was the original Port of London and then explores the Bermondsey sites of the Leather Industry where nearly half of English leather was produced in the 19^th century.

8th July A history of the Garrison and Ranges at Shoeburyness — A Guided Walk

Copped Hall 23^rd September 2025
 There has been an extensive house on this site well before Elizabethan times but the house fell into disrepair in the early twentieth century. It is visible from the M25 near the Bell Common underpass

25th November 2025

CROSSNESS PUMPING STATION 25th November 2025

A key element in the extensive Victorian sewerage system, largely preserved and now undergoing extensive renovation by volunteers

ESSEX RECORD OFFICE

Further details from the ERO website.

ESSEX HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

CHELMSFORD & DISTRICT NATIONAL TRUST SUPPORTERS GROUP PROGRAMME

please contact Chrisallenbellamy@btinternet.com