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Orsett Road, Grays, c.1955
Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection.
History of Grays Thurrock >> Grays Thurrock Snippets
When researching for this website we often find a little snippet of information on a location or subject which may be of interest. Some are quirky, some show that there is nothing new in this world, and some about the attitudes and morals of the time. [index to snippets] Here is one for Grays Thurrock about the police failing to get their men.
The Essex Standard 13 July 1864
An Irish Row at Grays
On the 28th ult. a faction fight took place between a number of Irish labourers, employed on the farm of Mr Cook of Grays Thurrock. After the fight one of the men obtained a warrant against four of the rival party, and inspector Rutledge and three police officers proceeded to Grays to execute it.
The moment, however, they got to the field where the men were at work they were assailed by about 150 of the gang, in order to prevent their companions being taken.
A desperate struggle took place between the police and the workmen, in which the former were much bruised and knocked about, but eventually succeeded in capturing one of the men, and the others, it is believed, have since absconded.
[End of article]
Newspapers could provide a wealth of information about your ancestors or where they lived. See our article on exploring newspaper archives.
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The Essex Record Office 'ERO' are custodians of the parish registers of Essex. Ancestry.co.uk have now transcribed the entire collection of Essex parish registers. Search now on Ancestry for your Essex ancestors. Then on the results page click on ‘request image’ and you will be taken to the ERO website where you can purchase an image of the relevant page.
Visit our Parish Registers of Essex page for more information.
Newspaper archives are now a very important source of information for researching your family tree.
Try our example search to help you discover if your ancestors are in the British Newspaper Archive.
Grays Thurrock - Cary's New and Correct English Atlas, 1798
Grays Thurrock - First Series Ordnance Survey Map 1805
Ebay is a good source of old images of Essex towns and villages. If you're looking for pictures to add to your family tree album, then try one of the auctions, or there are several 'Buy It Now' shops offering postcards which have been touched up and improved - so if you're unsure about bidding, try these.
Link below already formatted for Essex and Postcards.