Essex Record Office events
Essex Record Office, Wharf Road, Chelmsford CM2 6YT
The ERO run a series of lectures/presentations throughout the year. Book online in advance. Head to John Lewis afterwards!
ERO Presents: Rosemary Rutherford – stained glass, frescos and war artistry
Tuesday 3rd October 2023, 10:30am to midday
Rosemary Rutherford (1912-72) showed artistic promise from an early age. She attended Chelmsford Art School in the early 1930s, and went on to study at the Slade School of Art and Westminster School of Art. From the 1930s onwards, Rosemary was invited to exhibit her paintings alongside important contemporary artists such as Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and John Piper.
Dr. Catherine Pearson looks at this little known, mid-twentieth century artist working in glass, paint and a one-off unique fresco.
ERO Presents: The Battle of Assandun 1016
Saturday 14th October 2023, 10.30am to 12.30pm
The Battle of Assandun took place on 18th October 1016 in Essex.
The Danish army under Cnut defeated the English army of Edmund Ironside, ultimately resulting in Cnut becoming King of England.
The impact of the battle was much greater than just a change in ruling house, the conclusion of the Danish Conquest of England. The battle, the events leading up to it, and its consequences set the scene for what would happen 50 years later at Hastings, and the Norman Conquest of England.
However, little is known about the actual battle. Its location is disputed (the two main contending areas are Ashdon/Hadstock in north-west Essex and Ashingdon/Canewdon in south-east Essex), and most people in England have never even heard of it.
The talks during this event are all delivered by members of the Battlefields Trust sponsored project team who are currently investigating the battle and trying to find where it took place.
ERO Presents: Dick Turpin – Fact and Fiction
Tuesday 31st October 2023, 10.30am to midday
Speaker: Dr Jonathan Oates
Dick Turpin is a name well known to many people as the most famous highwayman in British history. There have been many plays, poems, songs, films and TV dramas about him and his exploits. But how true to life are these stories? Even when attempts are made to demythologise him, these versions are often at fault, based on limited research. This talk attempts to separate history from myth.
Dr Jonathan Oates is a prolific author specialising in the history of Jacobitism and historical crime and has had over 40 books published. His day job is Borough Archivist for Ealing.
ERO Presents: A round-up of archaeology in Essex
Tuesday 28th November-2023, 10.30am to midday
An overview of some of the most interesting and important archaeological digs that have recently been undertaken or are still being dug!