South Woodham Ferrers Local History Society

Christmas special

It has become a tradition each year that the South Woodham Ferrers Local History Society’s December meeting - being the society’s closest meeting to the Christmas break - takes on a less formal format compared with the usual meetings. This year the evening will commence with the first public showing of a 20-minute film “The Story of Steam Power” which is based around Beeleigh Mill near Maldon where restoration work on the steam mill is underway. The steam mill survived a disastrous fire that destroyed the original adjoining water mill in 1875, but has lain dormant ever since. The film is a product of South Essex Film Makers who are a group of active enthusiasts with a passion for film making; some of the group’s productions have already been enjoyed by the Local History Society on other occasions.

Following a break for festive fare including mince pies the rest of the evening will be occupied by another of the Society’s popular local history quizzes that will again draw on archive photographs to provide visual “teasers” from our town’s past. This quiz will cover South Woodham Ferrers and the wider Essex context and will feature multi-choice answers - thus giving even those with perhaps only a cursory knowledge of the subject, the opportunity to make a reasonable guess at the answer! Entrance may be individuals or teams of any size.

The meeting will be held on Wednesday 6^th of December at Champions Manor Hall, Hullbridge Road, CM3 5LJ and will start at 8.00pm. Visitors are welcome to attend (£3 admission). Why not take advantage of the informal nature of the evening to meet members, find out more about the society and perhaps even walk away with a prize at the end of the evening?