South Woodham Ferrers Local History Society

The town of Rayleigh has probably come a long way since its late-eighteenth century description as ‘a desolate den of iniquity’ was applicable. Come and find out just how much at the South Woodham Ferrers Local History Society’s next monthly meeting.

‘Rayleigh Through the Looking Glass’ is an organisation with an archive of over 5000 images that depict the town of Rayleigh through the past 150 years. The organisation’s chairman Mike Davies regularly shares parts of this archive with local organisations and will be visiting the Local History Society on 6th April to give what can be guaranteed to be a profusely illustrated talk that he has entitled ‘ Rayleigh Through Time’.

When one considers that Rayleigh boasts a church dating from the fourteenth century and an eighteenth century windmill that stands on the remains of an outer bailey of former Norman castle, it is clear that the town provides a rich source of material for this valued photographic archive. As co-author of two books on the town including ‘Rayleigh – the Postcard Collection’ published just last year, as well as being chairman of the shortly to be opened Rayleigh Town Museum, Mike is very well placed to bring these pictures to life and the evening promises to provide an evocative pictorial tour of the town.