ROBERT HALLMANN, of Castle Road, Hadleigh, on why a new history website is ensuring Canvey's rich past is preserved for future generations at the library MAYBE it's because it is an island, but Canvey people seem to have an edge when it comes to remembering and cherishing their place of birth or abode. We hear a lot about hooliganism, boy racers and antisocial despoilers, that it almost comes as a surprise that there is another side to the town. Yet two weeks ago, the inauguration of a new history website drew the crowds at Canvey Library, where people could deposit photos and, memories or anything to do with Canvey in a historical connection. Canvey folk spoke about their island and studied the images on exhibit. I noticed quite a few younger people, too. The surprise was the many visitors, even from London, people who have family connections to the island, or remember it from their childhood because of the holidays they spent there. Because Canvey's development started and grew at the height of the popularity of postcards, there is a lot of visual memory about. Just like neighbouring Benfleet, with St Mary's Church and the Downs, there were photographers and artists who captured the images for us. Of course, such a website does not grow in a vacuum, it was first conceived when the wanton destruction of the concrete barge at Canvey Point upset a lot of people - even ex-pats around the world. One in particular, Dave Bullock, born on the island but not living there, turned that disgust into a website for others to release steam and give their opinions. The site outgrew its original intention and extended into a very active and well visited history site. Then it became a forum that was visited and got contributions from all around the world. So hopefully the success of the new site is assured. The councils and organisations would like to encourage similar sites in South Benfleet and Hadleigh, but are there the people of dedication to put time and effort into such a worthwhile project? With so much destruction and altering and additions, South Benfleet deserves to have all its history kept alive, and so does Hadleigh and Thundersley. Family photos and histories welcomed, people remembered. But the sites would not be open to just anyone. Every contribution has to be vetted by local editors for suitability, to sort out spam and advertising (and all those adverts for Viagra) The website can be found at www.canveyisland.org
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