Southend-on-Sea

"Southend" redirects here. For other uses, see Southend (disambiguation) and Southend-on-Sea (disambiguation).

Southend-on-Sea (/ˌsaʊθɛndɒnˈsiː/ ^ⓘ), commonly referred to as Southend (/saʊˈθɛnd/), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in south-eastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, 40 miles (64 km) east of central London. It is bordered to the north by Rochford and to the west by Castle Point. The city is one of the most densely populated places in the country outside of London. It is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world, Southend Pier,^[2] while London Southend Airport is located to the north of the city centre.

Southend-on-Sea
City, unitary authority area and borough
The High Street Southend Pier St Mary’s Church Western Esplanade
Southend-on-Sea City Council (Civic arms of Southend-on-Sea)
Motto(s):  Per Mare Per Ecclesiam (By Sea, By Church)
Shown within Essex
Coordinates: 51.55°N 0.71°E / 51.55; 0.71
Country	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	East of England
Ceremonial county	Essex
Admin HQ	Southend-on-Sea
Areas of the city	List Chalkwell City Centre Eastwood Leigh-on-Sea (Town) North Shoebury Prittle Brook Prittlewell Shoeburyness Southchurch Thorpe Bay Westcliff-on-Sea
Government
• Type	Unitary authority
• Leadership	Leader & Cabinet (Labour)
• Governing Body	Southend-on-Sea City Council
• Executive	No overall control
• MPs	Bayo Alaba (L) David Burton-Sampson (L)
Area
• Total	16.12 sq mi (41.76 km2)
Population
• Total	Ranked by District 116th 180,915
• Density	11,240/sq mi (4,341/km2)
Ethnicity (2021) [1]
• Ethnic groups	List 87.5% White 5.5% Asian 3.1% Mixed 2.9% Black 1.1% other
Religion (2021) [1]
• Religion	List 44.9% no religion 42.6% Christianity 9.5% other 3% Islam
Time zone	UTC+0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
Postcode	SS0-SS3
Post town	southend-on-sea
Dialling code	01702
Grid reference	TQ883856
ONS code	00KF (ONS) E06000033 (GSS)
Website	southend.gov.uk

Southend-on-Sea originally consisted of a few poor fishermen's huts and farm at the southern end of the village of Prittlewell. In the 1790s, the first buildings around what was to become the High Street of Southend were completed. In the 19th century, Southend's status as a seaside resort grew after a visit from the Princess of Wales, Caroline of Brunswick, and the construction of both the pier and railway, allowing easier access from London. From the 1960s onwards, the city declined as a holiday destination. After the 1960s, much of the city centre was developed for commerce and retail, and many original structures were lost to redevelopment. As part of its reinvention, Southend became the home of the Access credit card, due to its having one of the UK's first electronic telephone exchanges. An annual seafront airshow, which started in 1986 and featured a flypast by Concorde, used to take place each May until 2012.

On 18 October 2021, it was announced that Southend would be granted city status, in memorial to the Conservative Member of Parliament for Southend West, Sir David Amess, a long-time supporter of city status for the borough, who was murdered on 15 October 2021.^[3][4] Southend was granted city status by letters patent dated 26 January 2022. On 1 March 2022, the letters patent were presented to Southend Borough Council by Charles, Prince of Wales.^[5][6]

History

Early history

Southend was first recorded in 1309 as Stratende, a small piece of land in the Manor of Milton (now known as Westcliff-on-Sea), within the Parish of Prittlewell.^[7][8] Its next recorded mention was in a will from 1408, where the area south of Prittlewell was called Sowthende.^[9] In March 1665, the British naval ship, The London, blew up while moored just of South-end on its was to fight in the Second Anglo-Dutch War.^[10] The hamlet of South-end, a few fishermen's huts and Thames Farm farmhouse stayed this way until the mid 18th century, when in 1758 a large house was built, which by 1764 had become the Ship Inn.^[8] The area was further developed by the building of oystermen cottages called Pleasant Row in 1767, and a year later the settlement was recorded in the parishes records for taxation purposes for the first time. The records also recorded a salt works and a lime kiln.^[8] A visitor to the settlement in 1780 said "not anything in the worth place notice", but a year later the first bathing machine was brought to the hamlet.^[8] By 1785, the Chelmsford Chronicle were reporting that plans were being contemplated to build a hotel with the plan to make South-end,

equal, if not rival any of the watering places to which the genteelest company usually resort; there being nothing wanted but a place of accommodation, where the agreeable distance from the metropolis, and the excellence of the roads, added to the incomparable fineness of the water, have induced so much polite company down these last two summers^[8]

Nothing came of the subscription but the Chronicle reported in 1787, "Southend is likely to become a place of fashionable resort, and that there are a greater number of genteel families there this season than was ever known before".^[8] By the end of the decade, the number of bathing machines had increased, the hamlet was recorded as containing the Ship Inn and 25 houses and cottages, and reported visitors such as Lord Cholmondley.^[11]

The start and fail of New South-End

Southend by John Constable

In 1790, the local lord of the Manor of both Prittlewell and Milton (now Westcliff-on-Sea) and landowner Daniel Scratton set aside 35-acres of land at the top of the cliffs to the west of South-end called Grove Field and the Grove.^[12] The site was split into three leasehold sites with 99 year leases, with the development called New South-End, and the original settlement being renamed Old South-end. A new road was created that cut through the development, which would later become the High Street.^[12] The Chelmsford Chronicle wrote at the time,

There seems but little doubt of its becoming a place of fashionable resort, and answering the expectations of the proprietors, being only 42 miles from London and two coaches, and the post passes through it three times a week; water carriage is also convenient, being only eight hours sail, with a fair wind, from London^[12]

Scratton leased the parcels of land to building firm Pratt, Watt & Louden and John Sanderson, an architect, both of Lambeth. Another site was leased from Scratton by Pratt, Watt & Louden for a brick works for the development.^[12] The first house in Grove Terrace was completed by January 1792 and it was reported that the hotel had been roofed and 60 dwellings had been started on. By the summer two public houses, the Duke of York and the Duke of Clarence had opened.^[12] However, by September that year The Times was reporting that the resort was likely to attract the lower and middle classes, not the wealthy clientele that was being aimed at.^[12] At this time, Pratt, Watt & Louden transferred the lease to Thomas Holland, a builder and solicitor from Grays Inn, however his finances were not sound and he was soon selling off building materials.^[12] By December 1792, the operators of the Duke of York, brewers Sea and Woollet closed the public house, but by September 1793 it was still in their ownership.^[12] The Grand Hotel, now known as The Royal Hotel opened on the 1st July 1793, and most of Grove Terrace was available to let.^[13] Later that year New South-End was listed for the first time by the parish for the annual rate, and by the summer of 1794 the Terrace, Grove Terrace, the Mews and Library had finally been completed.^[12] However, by February 1795, Thomas Holland had been declared bankrupt, and the property he owned was not sold by auction until 1797, with the Heygate family purchasing the buildings. John Sanderson, the other developer was also declared bankrupt, with only Grove House built, and his estate was not sold until 1802, with much of the site still open land.^[12][14] In contrast, Old South-end doubled in size during the same period including two public houses, the Ship Inn and the Anchor and Hope Inn, five shops and the Caroline baths.^[15] A large house was built by Abraham Vandervord in 1792 in Old South-end which would later become the Minerva public house.^[16]

Growth of the town

Due to the bad transportation links between Southend and London, there was not rapid development during the Georgian Era as there was in Brighton. Margate, although further away from London than Southend, offered cheaper boat and stagecoach fares and had more to offer the visitor.^[17] Development was piecemeal in the early 19th century, with a Theatre being built in Old South-end by Thomas Trotter in 1804.^[16] Southend was however mentioned in Jane Austen's novel Emma of 1815. The resort first received Royal patronage in 1801 when Princess Charlotte of Wales visited to sea bathe on the order of her physician.^[18][19] Her mother, Princess Caroline of Brunswick stayed at 7-9 The Terrace during 1803, and in 1805 Lady Hamilton held a ball in the hotel assembly room in honour of Lord Nelson.^[13] The visit of Princess Caroline boosted Southend's popularity with tourists.^[9][20] Travellers would often arrive by sailing boat or later by Thames steamer, which presented problems as boats could only dock during high tide.^[21] The Southend coast consists of mudflats that extend far from the shore, with a high tide depth that seldom exceeds 5.5 metres (18 ft). Large boats were unable to port near to the beach and no boats could approach at low tide.^[22] Many potential visitors would travel beyond Southend on to Margate or other resorts with better docking facilities.^[23] Due to this, local dignitaries led by the former Lord Mayor of the City of London Sir William Heygate, campaigned in the early 1820s to gain permission from parliament to build a pier.^[23] On the 7 May 1829, the House of Lords passed the Bill and it received Royal Assent on the 14 May.^[24][25] By July, Lord Mayor of London, Sir William Thompson laid the foundation stone, and the first section of the pier opened a year later.^[24] However, Southend was still a quiet health resort, as the pier did not extend far enough out and visitors had issues disembarking.^[26]

In June 1852, after several attempts at building a railway to Southend, Royal Assent was given to build the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway^[27] with the line finally opening at Southend in 1856. The line had been planned to terminate opposite the pier, however residents in The Royal Terrace opposed this, and the station was built further back.^[27] In 1859, the Grove Field area was leased to Sir Morton Peto, and with a consortium which included Thomas Brassey, the contractors for the railway construction, hired architects Banks & Barry to design Clifftown.^[9] The first houses were made available for sale in 1871, with even the smaller properties offering a glimpse of the sea, and eventually the development would include the Clifftown Congregational Church, the Nelson Road shopping parade and Prittlewell Square, Southend's first park.^[9] The arrival of the railway did not at first greatly increase visitor numbers, with Southend still being seen as quiet resort and not a noisy fashionable seaside town, with Benjamin Disraeli visiting regularly between 1833 and 1884,^[28] Prince Arthur visiting in 1868, while the Empress of France, Eugénie and her son, Louis-Napoléon, Prince Imperial also came to the town.^[26][19] However the growth of Southend saw a Local Board of Health be created in 1866,^[29] and the large steam powered Middleton brewery was opened by Henry Luker & Co in 1869 to serve a growing population.^[30][31] Southend's development as a resort however seem to stall, until the Bank Holidays Act of 1871 with holidays becoming available to more of the population.^[26] The growth in visitor numbers due to the new bill saw the Local Board purchase the pier in 1873, construct Marine Parade in 1878, while the cliffs west of the pier were purchased and transformed into tree lined walkways during 1886.^[32] In 1889, the Great Eastern Railway opened its station at Southend Victoria, and a new iron built replacement for the pier opened.^[9][33] The town was officially incorporated in 1892, with the Local Board of Health being replaced by a municipal corporation,^[29] and a year later added the on-sea to the town's name.^[9] During 1892, the famous Southend department store Keddies opened its doors for the first time.^[34] Between 1871 and 1901 the towns population grew 100 fold from 2,800 to 29,000.^[9] Marine Park & Gardens opened during 1894, which in 1901 was redeveloped into The Kursaal amusement park.^[35][36][37] In the same year, the Metropole Hotel opened on Pier Hill, which would later be renamed the Palace Hotel,^[38] while the town first received both electric street lighting and trams,^[39] and had fitted an electric staircase fitted by Jesse W. Reno on the site of where the current Cliff lift is.^[40][41] To celebrate Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee, a statue of her pointing out to sea was placed at the top of Pier Hill, although the locals stated she was pointing at the gents toilets!^[42] A foundation stone was laid by Lord Avebury in 1901 for the new Day Technical School, School of Art and Evening Class Institute with the completed building being opened by the Countess of Warwick a year later.^{[43][44][45][46]} The site had previously been planned to be home to a new joint town hall, library and school but spiraling costs had seen the town hall and library being dropped.^[47] In 1903, it was reported that around 1 million people had paid admission to use the pier, while 250,000 passengers had alighted from pleasure steamboats.^[33] Further facilities were built for the growing visitor numbers, including extending the esplanade to Chalkwell in 1903,^[32] and in 1909 adding the "wedding cake" bandstand at the top of the cliffs, opposite Prittlewell Square, which was one of six bandstands that stood in Southend.^[48]

Southend-on-Sea Pier, c. 1904

In 1909, an indoor roller-skating rink was opened in Warrior Square.^[43] The new facilities were not only serving the growing visitor numbers, but also the residents, with the inhabitants having grown by 1911 to 62,723, the fastest growing population in England,^[49] and was being regarded an Eastern suburb of London.^[50] During 1913, the Day Technical School split, with the girls moving to the new Southend High School for Girls at Boston Avenue, while the day technical school was renamed Southend High School for Boys.^[51][52] In 1914, the town gained county borough status, and the corporation formed the first police force.^[53]

Southend during World War I

Shortly after the declaration of war, the British government began the internment of German citizens and several thousand were held on three ships, the Royal Edward, Saxonia and the Ivernia which were moored off the pier until May 1915.^[54][55] The War Office selected a piece of land north of the town in 1914 for a new aerodrome, with Squadron no. 37 of the Royal Flying Corps moving in a year later.^[56] Many soldiers passed through Southend en route to the Western Front. The pier was frequently used to reach troop ships, with the Admiralty stationing a war signal station at the pierhead, and Southchurch Park was taken over as an army training ground.^[57][58] During the war, the public could still walk the length of the pier.^[58] As the war drew on, Southend also became an evacuation point for casualties and several hotels were converted to hospitals, including the Metropole into the Queen Mary Naval Hospital.^[59] Arthur Maitland Keddie, from the Keddies department store organised day trips for wounded soldiers from the Queen Mary Naval Hospital to Thundersley and Runwell.^[60] The town was first bombed by German Zeppelins on 10 May 1915 with the death of one woman, while a second attack happened on the 26 May again with one death.^[61][62] Another bombing raid by Gothas took place in 1917 with a further 33 deaths.^[63] When peace was confirmed in 1919, official celebrations were organised by the town. A large Naval review off the Southend shore took place, with a twenty-one gun salute being fired on Peace Day on the 23 July. The town organised a carnival, fetes and a firework display.^[64]

Between the wars

After the war Southend continued to grow in both residents and visitors, with many moving out of London to live in better conditions.^[65] Its population in 1921 was recorded as 106,050, but as the census was postponed to the summer months due to a planned general strike, it was greatly inflated by holidaymakers.^[66][67] The Corporation purchased three former German U-boat engines to generate power for the tram network, siting them at Leigh, London Road and Thorpe Bay.^[68] During 1924, the Sunken Gardens at the side of the pier became Peter Pan Playground, a children's pleasure garden.^[69] The pier head was enlarged in 1929 with the Prince George extension, at a cost of £58,000, to manage the increasing number of visitors arriving by paddle steamer.^[70] A Southend icon, EKCO, opened their large factory at Priory Crescent on the site of a former cabbage patch in 1930.^[71] To cope with the increase demand for housing, estates like Earls Hall were built during 1930, with the Manners Way estate joining it just north along with a new road towards in Rochford in 1937.^[72] The London Taxi Drivers Charity for Children completed their first taxi drive to Southend in 1931, with 40 Hackney Carriages bringing children to the town, who were given 6d to spend on the seafront.^[73] At the 1931 Census the population of Southend was recorded at 110,790,^[74] however the town would grow further by absorbing South Shoebury district and parts of Rochford district in 1933. Southend tried their first autumn illuminations during 1935, following the example set in 1913 by Blackpool.^[43] The town became a favourite with motorcycle riders during the 1930s, with the phase, Promenade Percy, coming from this pastime.^[75] In the same year, the council purchased land on the Cliffs at Westcliff to build a 500 seater theatre and concert venue to be called Shorefield Pavilion with working starting four years later only to be suspended by the start of the war.^[76][77]

Southend during World War II

Southend became an essential part of the British war machine.^[78][79] In 1939, the Royal Navy had commandeered Southend Pier, renaming it HMS Leigh,^[80] with the army building a concrete platform on the Prince George extension to house anti-aircraft guns. The navy also took over the Royal Terrace for its personnel.^[81] The pier was used by the navy to help control the River Thames, along with the Thames Estuary boom that was built at Shoebury Garrison during 1939, and organised over 3,000 East Coast convoys by the end of the war.^[82][83][84] HMS Leigh was attacked by the Germans on the 22 November when they dropped magnetic mines and machine gunned the pier, but none of the mines caused any damage and the navy's anti-aircraft guns destroyed one of the German planes. It was the last time there was a concentrated attack on the pier.^[85] Southend Airport was requisitioned by the RAF at the outbreak of war, becoming a satellite of Hornchurch and being renamed RAF Rochford.^[86] The town was believed to be the most heavily defended place in Essex, ranging from three and half miles of anti-tank cubes on the seafront, machine gun and anti-aircraft posts, road blocks and barrage balloons.^[79][87]

A Pickett-Hamilton fort at Southend Airport

On 31 May 1940, six cockle fishing boats: the Endeavour, Letitia, Defender, Reliance, Renown and the Resolute were joined by the Southend lifeboat Greater London at the pier on their way to assist at the Dunkirk evacuation.^[88][89] The town itself was first hit by German bombing in May 1940, when the Nore Yacht club was hit while 10 soldiers were killed near the airport.^[90] Southend High School for Boys was hit in a raid in June 1940.^[90] By June 1940, much of the town was sealed off, with all bar 10% of the population that were engaged in essential services, evacuated and only military personnel remaining.^[91] A cordon of 20 miles was set up, with the town being designated part of the coastal defence area, but with the risk of invasion dropping, in 1941 it was reduced to 10 miles.^[87][92] By 28 October 1940, RAF Rochford had been renamed RAF Southend, no longer being a satellite of Hornchurch, although they still had Fighter Control at the base. A day later 264 Squadron arrived for night fighter duties equipped with the Boulton Paul Defiant.^[93] In the same month, a bombing raid damaged houses in the Fleetwood Avenue in Westcliff.^[90] During 1941, Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Shoebury Garrison twice for weapon demonstrations, with the Experimental Establishment carrying out numerous trials of weird and wonderful weapons.^[94] An air raid in February 1941 destroyed the London Hotel in the High Street,^[95] while the foreshore was often used by German bomber aircraft as a dumping ground for their bomb loads during the war if their primary target was not possible to hit.^[96]

In 1942, the area along the seafront from the Pier to Chalkwell was transformed into HMS Westcliff, a huge naval transit and training camp run by Combined Operations.^[97][98] The police helped the Combined Operations Service find the owners of the empty properties so they could requisition properties to billet their staff.^[97] HMS Westcliff was officially opened, in secret, by Lord Mountbatten in 1943.^[98] The well known jeweller R.A. Jones store was damaged by bombing in October 1942.^[99] An amusing moment during the war was Lord Haw-Haw announcing in his radio broadcasts that German forces had sunk the British ships HMS Westcliff and HMS Leigh.^[97] The town started to fall under constant V1 and V2 rocket attacks until December 1944, with one hitting the Pavilion on the pier.^[100][101] In 1944, while towing a Mulberry harbour caisson to Goole in Hampshire, it was found to be leaking so it was brought into the Thames Estuary off Thorpe Bay to be checked, but after being left by the tugs, it moved partially into the channel, and without support of the mudflat snapped in half and remains there to this day.^[102] Further disaster happened when in August 1944, the liberty ship SS Richard Montgomery, with over 6,000 tonnes of explosive on board, lost its mooring off the Isle of Sheppey, opposite Southend, in strong winds and wedged itself onto the mudflat, breaking its back.^[103] Prior to this, HMS Leigh had been the mustering point for 576 ships in June 1944 before they headed for Normandy and D-Day.^[104] Force L, the follow up forces that were to follow the initial D-Day invasion force were located at Southend.^[105]

Decline and regeneration

After the war Southend soon opened up to visitors again, with pier officially being given permission to open by the Home Office in March 1945, although the Prince George Extension was still out of bounds to the public. The Chelmsford Chronicle reported that the public returned in their droves, with 79,000 visitors turning up in the first nineteen days, though it wasn't until 30 September that the pier was officially derequisitioned by the Navy.^[106] The town, which had been heavily fortified, slowly started to remove the defences during 1945, however the dust and noise attracted unhappiness with the holidaymakers, with two elderly ladies complaining to the police that it should be stopped while they were on their vacation for the week. Many of the fairground attractions only opened at weekend due many of the men who worked them still being enlisted.^[107] It wasn't until 1946 that the town started to return to normal,^[106] and by 1949-50 visitor numbers had returned with over 5.75 million visiting the pier alone.^[108] The visitors would have used the replaced pier railway, newly installed in 1949,^[109] or may have visited the newly opened Golden Hind replica containing waxworks by Louis Tussaud next to the pier.^[110][106] These numbers grew to a peak of 7 million the following year.^[111]

Southend would use the Kursaal and Pier as nodal attractions to promote the town to tourists during the 50s and 60s.^[112] On 31 January 1953, Southend seafront was affected by the North Sea flood, with Peter Pan's Playground left underwater. However the town was not affected as badly as other parts of Essex.^[113] The town however was more joyous in June, with the town holding a week of celebrations to commemorate the Coronation of Elizabeth II. This included an air race at the airport featuring aerobatic displays by supersonic jets, a military tattoo, a coronation ball at the Kursaal featuring Ted Heath and his Music and a grand fireworks display on the seafront.^[114] In 1956, the Great Eastern line was electrified^[115] which encouraged more Londoners move to the town, further making it into a dormitory town for the capital.^[116] On 14 April 1955, Air Charter inaugurated its first vehicle ferry service between Southend and Calais using a Bristol 170 Mark 32 Super Freighter.^[117] It was the sign of the future for tourism in the town, with the British public moving from UK holidays to foreign vacations that saw the start of the downturn on for the British seaside towns,^[118] though Southend still had strong numbers visiting.^[119]

Between 1948 and 1962, it was recorded that 22% of the town's population were working in holiday related industries.^[120] The council were concerned that the town was to reliant on tourism and being a dormitory town, that they decided to try and grow the commercial industry in the town, which coincided with plans in central government to de-centralise services.^[121][122] The Miles Report of 1944 had already identified Victoria Avenue as the perfect location for office development,^[123] and the council in 1960 finally started work on a new Civic Centre on land previously purchased to build a new further education college.^[124] The Civic Centre would encompass a new police station that opened in 1962, a courthouse in 1966, council offices and chamber in 1967, a new College in 1971 and a Library in 1974. The planned fire station was dropped and was eventually built in Sutton Road. These replaced cramped facilities located in Alexandra Road and Clarence Street.^[125] The council in 1960 put forward a redevelopment plan, called Prospect of Southend to central government, to improve both the commercial and retail growth in the town, but the original plan and an amendment, which requested compulsory purchase orders, were both rejected by the Minister for Housing Development and Local Government.^{[126][127][128][129]} Part of the plans included redeveloping the area north of the High Street, which included the Talza and Victoria Arcades, had been discussed with developer Hammerson. Although the plans were rejected by central government, Hammerson started a programme of buying property in the area, and in 1964 the council accepted Hammerson's plans for the site. Hammerson had by this point had purchased 93% of the freeholds, with the council using Section 4 of the Town and Country Act 1962 to compulsory purchase the remaining properties.^[128] The development, which became Victoria Circus Shopping Centre, opened in 1970 and saw a large area of much loved Southend demolished.^[128][130]

Further developments put forward by the council included building a ring road around the town centre. First discussed by the council in 1955,^[131] plans were started to be developed in 1961, with the electrification of the London, Tilbury and Southend railway line acting as impetus as bridges over the line which were on the route of the planned ring road needed replacing.^[131][132] In 1965, the Ministry of Transport gave the council a grant of £869,986 to the planned cost of £1.2 million to build the North and East sections of the ring road.^[133] The council used compulsory purchase orders to buy up many of the properties along the planned route and work started in 1966,^[132] with the first section opening in 1967 with the first high pressure sodium street lamps in Britain.^[134] The West snd South sections of the ring road were never completed.^[135] In the same year, work was started on dualing Victoria Avenue to Carnarvon Road,^[136] while part of the High Street was pedestrianised by 1968.^[137] By this point Victoria Avenue had seen further development, with offices opening along the section opposite the Civic Centre including Portcullis House in 1966, the first offices opened by HM Customs and Excise in the town.^[138][139]

In 1969, Southend-on-Sea Borough Police amalgamated with Essex Constabulary to become the Essex and Southend-on-Sea Joint Constabulary. This merger was campaigned against by the council and the local MPs.^[140] The town's decline as a holiday resort continued, with the visitor numbers on the pier falling to a million during 1969-70 and the attraction lost £45,000.^[108] The town saw the number of visitors had fallen from the 1950s by 73%, which was against the backdrop of more Brits travelling abroad, growing from just 1.5 million holidays in 1951, to 4.2 million by 1971.^[141][142] The pier slowly began to decline and with it the structure began to deteriorate. In 1971, a child's injury prompted a survey, leading to repairs and replacement to much of the pier railway throughout the decade.^[143] In response, the council allocated £370,000 over two years, starting in 1972, to ensure the pier remained maintained,^[144] however the pier head burnt down in 1976 and in 1978 the pier railway was closed due to its poor condition.^[145] Prior to the pier railway closure, the Kursaal closed the majority of the amusement park in 1973.^[146]

The town became one of the earliest to receive an electronic telephone exchange in 1971,^[147] and by 1972 Access, Britain's second credit card, opened their offices in the former EKCO site in Priory Crescent.^[148][149] A year later HM Customs and Excise opened the central offices for the collection of VAT.^[150] In 1972, Southend Air Museum opened its doors for the first time at Aviation Way.^[151] This was against the backdrop of the government planning to build a new airport on Maplin Sands at Foulness Island, which the council purchased a share in the consortium of developers hoping to shape the benefits for the town,^[152] but the airport plans were pulled by the new Labour government in 1974.^[153] During 1976, plans called Prospects 1976 was released to improve the town's ability to attract holidaymakers, including bastions with facilities at Chalkwell and Westcliff, but tgey never got off the drawing board.^[154]

In 1980, the town's reinvention as a commercial centre had seen it shrug off its tag as a dormitory town for London,^[155] however the future of the pier was in doubt and a campaign, which included Sir John Betjeman, pushed the council to keep the pier open.^[156][157] The pier may have been saved, now run by Lecorgne Amusements,^[158] but the town lost another attraction in 1983, when the Southend Aircraft Museum closed for the final time.^[159] However in the same year the council put up £800,000 with the Historic Buildings Fund investing £200,000 in restoring the pier.^[158] Further invest saw a new narrow gauge railway fitted to the pier, which was reopened by Princess Anne on 2 May 1986.^[160] A contract was given to Brent Walker to run the pier in 1986,^[161] but in September of that year it was damaged by the ship Kings Abbey, destroying the lifeboat station.^[158] Two years later, management of the pier returned to the council.^[162] The seafront would see several plans put forward in the late 70s and the 1980s to build a marina on the seafront by numerous developers including Brent Walker, including an artificial island alongside the pier, though the council ended the plans after they were objected to by the RSPB due to loss of intertidal areas for wildlife was deemed to much.^{[163][164][165][166]} Plans were resurrected again in 2020 for a marina off the coast at Shoeburyness.^[167] In May 1986, the Southend Airshow was started, featuring a fly past by Concorde, and after the first year where entry was charged by the council, it would grow to become Europe's biggest free airshow.^[168] The final show took place on 2012, with the council announcing in January 2013 it could no longer afford to run the show.^[169] An attempt to revive the show for September 2015, as the Southend Airshow and Military Festival, failed.^[170]

Victoria Avenue, Circus and Queensway pre-1989

The town started to regenerate its visitor attractions, with the Sealife Centre opening in 1993.^[171] In 1995, the owners of Peter Pan's Playground purchased the land East of the pier and started to expand, creating Adventure Island,^[172] being rated best-value amusement park in Britain in 2024.^[173] The Kursaal, was purchased by Brent Walker in 1988 with plans to redevelop the site as a water theme park, but the company entered liquidation and the site remained empty.^[174] The council purchased the Kursaal, and after a multimillion-pound redevelopment by the Rowallan Group, the main Kursaal building was reopened in 1998 with a bowling alley, a casino and other amusements.^[175][174] In 2003, during excavations for a road widening scheme at Priory Crescent, an Anglo-Saxon royal burial was found dating from the 6th century, with a display of the finds displayed at Southend Central Museum since 2019.^[176][177] The road widening was cancelled after a campaign known as Camp Bling. A year earlier there was a slippage on the Cliffs, which saw the bandstand close. The cliffs were stabilised in 2013, with the council planning to build a new museum at the location to host the Anglo Saxon discoveries, as well as the Central Museum and Beecroft Art Gallery, but in 2018 it was abandoned due to rising costs.^[178] The town's commercial growth during the 60s and 70s, declined with the departure of many of their former tenants, including HM Revenue and Customs in 2022, and many of the former offices have been converted to apartments.^{[179][180][181][182]}

The formation of the city

On 15 October 2021, the Member of Parliament for Southend West, Sir David Amess, was fatally stabbed during a constituency meeting in Leigh-on-Sea. On 18 October 2021, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that the Queen had agreed to grant Southend-on-Sea with city status as a memorial to Amess, who had long campaigned for this status to be granted.^[3] Preparations, led by Amess, for Southend to enter a competition for city status in 2022 as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee were underway at the time of his death.^[183][184] A "City Week" was held throughout the town between 13 and 20 February 2022,^[185] beginning with the inaugural "He Built This City" concert named in honour of Amess.^[186][187] The concert was held at the Cliffs Pavilion and included performers such as Digby Fairweather, Lee Mead, and Leanne Jarvis.^[188] Other events such as a city ceremony and the Southend LuminoCity Festival of Light were held during the week. Sam Duckworth, who knew Amess personally, performed at some of the events.^[187] On 1 March, Southend Borough Council was presented letters patent from the Queen, by Charles, Prince of Wales, officially granting the borough city status.^[5] Southend became the second city in the ceremonial county of Essex, after Chelmsford, which was granted city status in 2012.^[189]

Geology

The seven kilometres of cliffs from Hadleigh Castle to Southend Pier consist of London Clay overlaid in the Ice age by sand, gravel and river alluvium.^[190] The cliffs have been affected by slip planes affected by groundwater, with major slips having occurred in 1956, 1962, 1964 and 1969.^[191] In 2001, a small slippage occurred, which was followed by a major slippage in November 2002, which irreparably damaged the cliffs bandstand and restaurant. At a later date, a report came to light from a month before the slip which showed there was already signs of a slippage.^[191] A £2.8 million cliffs stabilisation programme was completed in 2013.^[192] In May 2023, work started to investigate further slippage at Belton Hills in Leigh-on-Sea, with remedy work said to cost £500,000.^[193][194]

The British Geological Survey provided a summary in 1986 of the geology of the country around Southend and Foulness:^[195]

Geological succession

Recent and Pleistocene	Description
Made Ground	Urban refuse, rock debris etc
Blown sand	Sands with shell debris overlying beach gravels
Alluvium and tidal flat deposits	Soft greyish brown clays and silty sands with subordinate peat. Shell banks north of the River Crouch
River Terrace Deposits: Loam and Sand and Gravel	Yellow-brown sandy silts, locally calcareous in the lower part and sandy gravels with seams of silt and clay
Head	Firm brown sandy clay or loam with clayey gravel intercalations
Brickearth	Yellow-brown clayey silts, locally calcareous in the lower part
Sand and gravel of unknown age	Sand and gravel with variable clay content
Boulder Clay	Unsorted stony clays
Glacial Sand and Gravel	Sand and gravel with seams of silt and clay
Buried Channel Deposits––(not exposed at surface)	Grey laminated clays with subordinate sands, overlying silty sands with gravels

Solid Formations

Palaeocene and Eocene	Description	Thickness
Bagshot Pebble Bed	Rounded black flint pebbles in a sandy matrix	up to 4
Bagshot Beds	Orange-brown fine-grained sands with subordinate silt and clay beds	up to 23
Claygate Beds	Brown and orange-brown interbedded fine-grained sands, sandy silts, clayey silts and silty clays	17 to 23
London Clay	Grey (unweathered) and brown (weathered) fine-grained sandy clays, and silty clays	125 to 135
Woolwich Beds including Oldhaven Beds	Yellowish orange fine- and medium-grained sands with subordinate grey clays and pebble beds	up to 15
Thanet Beds	Buff fine-grained sands	up to 40

Cretaceous	Description	Thickness
Upper Chalk	White chalk with abundant flint horizons	about 85
Middle Chalk	White chalk with occasional flint horizons	about 70
Lower Chalk	Grey chalk with marls	about 50
Upper Greensand	Calcareous sandstone	4 to 9
Gault	Dark greenish grey calcareous mudstones (with local basal white sand)	34 to 56

Governance

Current administration

Main article: Southend-on-Sea City Council

See also: Southend-on-Sea local elections

Southend is governed by Southend-on-Sea City Council, which is a unitary authority, performing the functions of both a county and district council. There is one civil parish within the city at Leigh-on-Sea, which has a Town Council that was established in 1996.^[196] The rest of the city is an unparished area.^[197][198] The city is split into seventeen wards, with each ward returning three councillors. The 51 councillors serve four years and one third of the council is elected each year, followed by one year without election.^[199] As of the 2024 local elections a coalition led by Labour run the council.^[200]

Administrative history

See also: County Borough of Southend on Sea

Southend's first elected council was a local board, which held its first meeting on 29 August 1866.^[201] Prior to that the town was administered by the vestry for the wider parish of Prittlewell. The local board district was enlarged in 1877 to cover the whole parish of Prittlewell.^[202]

The town was made a municipal borough in 1892. In 1897 the borough was enlarged to also include the neighbouring parish of Southchurch,^[203] with further enlargement in 1913 by taking over the area formerly controlled by Leigh-on-Sea Urban District Council. In 1914 the enlarged Southend became a county borough making it independent from Essex County Council and a single-tier of local government.^[53] The county borough was enlarged in 1933 by the former area of Shoeburyness Urban District and part of Rochford Rural District.^[204]

Southend Civic Centre was designed by borough architect, Patrick Burridge, and officially opened by the Queen Mother on 31 October 1967.^[205]

Southend Civic Centre, autumn 2007

On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Southend became a district of Essex, with the county council once more providing county-level services to the town. In 1990, Southend was the first local authority to outsource its municipal waste collection to a commercial provider.^[206] However, in 1998 it again became the single tier of local government when it became a unitary authority.^[207]

Upon receiving city status on 1 March 2022, the council voted to rename itself 'Southend-on-Sea City Council'.^[5]

Coat of Arms and Twinning

The Latin motto, 'Per Mare Per Ecclesiam', emblazoned on the municipal coat of arms, translates as 'By [the] Sea, By [the] Church', reflecting Southend's position between the church at Prittlewell and the sea as in the Thames estuary. The city has been twinned with the resort of Sopot in Poland since 1999^[208] and has been developing three-way associations with Lake Worth Beach, Florida.

Members of Parliament

Main articles: Southend East and Rochford (UK Parliament constituency) and Southend West and Leigh (UK Parliament constituency)

Current MPs

Due to boundary changes, the seats in Southend changed at the 2024 election to Southend East and Rochford^[209] and Southend West and Leigh.^[210]

In the 2024 United Kingdom general election, Bayo Alaba of Labour won 38.8% of the vote to win the seat of Southend East and Rochford, with a 57% turnout.^[211] The new MP for Southend West and Leigh is David Burton-Sampson of Labour, who won 35.6% of the vote on a turnover of 63%.^[212] This was the first time since the initial seat in parliament was created in 1918, that Labour have been elected, as the city had previously been held by the Conservatives.^[213]

Former MPs

From the creation of the first Member of Parliament seat for Southend in 1918, there has been a history of long serving MPs. Rupert Guinness of the Guinness family was Southend's first MP, and only stepped down when he was given a peerage. His wife, Gwendolen Guinness replaced him in 1927, until she retired and her son-in-law Henry Channon replaced her in 1935, serving until his death in 1958.^[214] Because of the Guinness connection, the seat became known in the media as "Guinness-on-Sea".^[215]

In 1950, the one seat was split into two, Southend East and Southend West due to the growth in the town.

Sir Stephen McAdden served as the MP for Southend East from 1950 until his death in 1979.^[216] His replacement Sir Teddy Taylor served Southend East, then its replacement seat Rochford and Southend East from 1980 until he retired in 2005.^[217] James Duddridge served as Sir Teddy's replacement from 2005 until stepping down at the 2024 election.^[218]

Paul Channon, son of Henry replaced his father as the MP for Southend West from 1959 until he stepped down in 1997.^[219] He was replaced by Sir David Amess, who served from 1997 until his murder in 2021. Anna Firth of the Conservatives had replaced Amess at the by-election in January 2022 with 86% of the vote but lost her seat at the 2024 election.^{[220][221][222][223]}

Demography

Population density

Southend is the seventh most densely populated area in the United Kingdom outside of the London Boroughs, with 38.8 people per hectare compared to a national average of 3.77.^[224]

Greater Urban Area

Map of the Southend Urban Area with subdivisions

The greater urban area of Southend spills outside of the borough boundaries into the neighbouring Castle Point and Rochford districts, including the towns of Hadleigh, Benfleet, Rayleigh and Rochford, as well as the villages of Hockley and Hullbridge. According to the 2011 census, it had a population of 295,310.^[225]

Deprivation

Save the Children's research data shows that for 2008–09, Southend had 4,000 children living in poverty, a rate of 12%, the same as Thurrock, but above the 11% child poverty rate of Essex as a whole.^[226]

The Department for Communities and Local Government's 2010 Indices of Multiple Deprivation Deprivation Indices data showed that Southend is one of Essex's most deprived areas. Out of 32,482 Lower Super Output Areas in England, area 014D in the Kursaal ward is 99th, area 015B in Milton ward is 108th, area 010A in Victoria ward is 542nd, and area 009D in Southchurch ward is 995th, as well as an additional 5 areas all within the top 10% most deprived areas in England (with the most deprived area having a rank of 1 and the least deprived a rank of 32,482).^[227] Victoria and Milton wards have the highest proportion of ethnic minority residents – at the 2011 Census these figures were 24.2% and 26.5% respectively. Southend has the highest percentage of residents receiving housing benefits (19%) and the third highest percentage of residents receiving council tax benefits in Essex.

Employment and unemployment

As of May 2024, The Office of National Statistics have recorded the following employment, unemployment and economic inactivity in Southend-on-Sea.^[228]

Area Recorded	Southend - Current (%)	East of England Rate - Current (%)	Southend - Previous Year (%)
				Employment rate (16-64 year olds)	75.6 (December 2023)	78.3	75.7
Unemployment rate (16 years +)	5.2 (December 2023)	3.6	2.9
Claimant Count (16-64 year olds)	4.5 (March 2024)	Not provided	4.3
Economic inactivity (16-64 year olds)	21 (December 2023)	19.4	23

In the 2021 census, it was reported that 69.1% of the working population work in full-time employment, with 10.9% working more than 48 hours a week.^[1]

Population statistics

As of the 2021 census, the population was recorded as 180,686, with 51.3% of the population being female, and 48.7% recorded as male.^[1]

The following table shows the breakdown of the population by age:^[1]

Age Group	No.	% of the population.
			Aged 4 years and under	10,242	5.7
Aged 5 to 9 years	10,899	6.0
Aged 10 to 15 years	13,135	7.3
Aged 16 to 19 years	7,201	4.0
Aged 20 to 24 years	9,356	5.2
Aged 25 to 34 years	23,158	12.8
Aged 35 to 49 years	36,681	20.3
Aged 50 to 64 years	35,453	19.6
Aged 65 to 74 years	18,023	10.0
Aged 75 to 84 years	11,560	6.4
Aged 85 years and over	11,560	2.8

In the census it was reported that 87.5% of the population were born in the UK, while for those who were born outside of the country, most were born in Europe, and most had lived in the UK for more than 10 years. The census reported that nearly 33,000 of the population were retired.^[1]

A fifth of the working population commutes to London daily. Wages for jobs based in Southend were the second lowest among UK cities in 2015. It also has the fourth-highest proportion of people aged over 65. This creates considerable pressure on the housing market. It is the 11th most expensive place to live in Britain.^[229]

Economy

Current industry

Tourism is still a key industry in Southend, with over 7,500 employed people in the sector, which counts as 15.9% of jobs in the city.^[230] In 2019, it was reported that 253,900 people had stayed, generating £53.4 million while over 7.3 million day visitors had contributed over £308 million to the economy.^[230] Rossi's Ice-cream is a famous Southend institution, having existed since 1932.^[231]

Aerospace is another key industry.^[232] Southend is one of EasyJet's 10 bases in the UK.^[233] In addition to flights, Southend has several aircraft maintenance firms including Inflite MRO Services,^[234] and in Ipeco, have a former London Stock Exchange listed international aircraft seat and airframe manufacturer headquartered in the city since 1960.^{[235][236][237]} In 2024, Ipeco was awarded The King's Awards for Enterprise for promoting opportunity.^[238]

Other manufacturing companies based in Southend include MK Electric, who relocated there in 1961 and in 2014 had seen the 100 millionth socket made at the factory,^[239] and Olympus UK & Ireland (formerly Keymed), who specialise in medical equipment and have been in Southend since 1969.^{[240][241][242]}

Another major employment area in Southend is Financial Services, with NatWest's credit card operations located in Thanet Grange.^{[232][243][244]} In 2006, travel insurance company InsureandGo relocated its offices from Braintree to Maitland House in Southend-on-Sea. The company brought 120 existing jobs from Braintree and announced the intention to create more in the future.^[245] However the business announced the plan to relocate to Bristol in 2016.^[246] The company however as of 2021 is still located in Southend.^[247] The building is now also home to Ventrica, a customer service outsourcing company.^[248][249]

Southend has industrial parks located at Progress Road, Comet and Aviation Way in Eastwood and Stock Road in Sutton. Firms located in Southend include Hi-Tec Sports.^[250]

As of 2023, large employers (those employing more than 250 people) made up only 0.4% of companies within the city, while micro employers (9 or less employees) make up 90.8%, which is 1.2% greater than the East of England average.^[251]

Former notable industry

• 
  Former EcoMold factory
• 
  Former HMRC office at Alexandra House
• 
  British Air Ferries Carvair at Southend Airport

EKCO was an electronics manufacturer formed by local, Eric Kirkham Cole in 1926.^[252] The business started at factory in Leigh-on-Sea, before opening a larger site at Priory Crescent in 1930.^[71] The company expanded from radio production into televisions, radar and plastics, and employed over 8,000 people in Southend at its height.^[71] In 1960, EKCO merged with Pye to form British Electronic Industries Ltd, but due to several financial issues, the television and radio manufacturing on the site was closed in 1966 with the loss of 800 jobs.^[148] British Electronic Industries was purchased by Philips in 1967. The offices and radio factory was sold to the Joint Credit Card Company in 1972, however EKCO Plastics continued to operate from the site.^[148] EKCO Plastics had been a separate subsidiary, and had won awards from the Design Council and the Duke of Edinburgh for their products.^[253] Pye sold Ekco Plastics to National Plastics, a subsidiary of Courtaulds, in 1978.^{[254][255] [256]} In 2008, Ecomold of Southend was formed from Linpac Automotive Limited which was established at the site in 2001.^[257] After the Ecomold factory closed, the whole site was converted into Ekco Park, a 231 home estate.^[258] A statue of Eric Cole was placed in his honour on the estate during 2020.^[259]

The Joint Credit Card Company was created by Lloyds Bank, Midland Bank and National Westminster Bank, and operated as the Access credit card.^[149] It was the second credit card company launched in the UK, becoming available during 1972. The company purchased the former EKCO television and radio factory on Priory Crescent from owners Philips to operate from.^[148] The company would expand by opening further offices across the city. In 1989, the company was renamed as Signet Ltd in 1989, along with a change to allow member banks to process their own customers as part of a Competition and Monopolies Commission review into credit cards.^[260] In the same year, processing was transferred to a new site in Basildon,^[261][262] while offices across Southend were transferred to the member banks. This included Esplanade House to NatWest,^[263] Chartwell House to Midland Bank/HSBC^[264] and Essex House to Lloyds Bank.^[265] In 1991, the business was sold to First Data Resources,^[266] and the Priory Crescent site was sold to Royal Bank of Scotland. The credit card industry in Southend declined with HSBC closing their operations in 2011,^[267] while Lloyds Bank joined them by closing Essex House in 2013.^[268] Royal Bank of Scotland/NatWest however stayed, and moved to a new purpose built building at Thanet Grange in 2003.^[269]

C. E. Heath moved to Southend during 1966 into the purpose built Heath House on Victoria Avenue. C. E. Heath was one of the largest insurance brokers in the world. The company also operated offices in Sutton Road and had a social club in Wellstead Gardens. In 1996, redundancies saw the number of staff drop from 600 to 300. However six years later, C. E. Heath merged with Lambert Fenchurch Group and announced closure of the Southend office.^[270][271] The property remained empty until 2016 when it was converted into flats.^[272]

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) previously employed over 4,000 people in Southend in Alexandra House and Portcullis House, which sat side by side on Victoria Avenue, and Tylers House/Dencora Court, Tylers Avenue.^[273] A training centre was located in Carby House, also in Victoria Avenue.^[274] In 2008, it was announced that both Tylers House and Portcullis House would be surplus to requirements.^[275] Tylers House would close, with the space rented out by HMRC to other government departments.^[276] HMRC announced in 2015 that they would be closing its Southend office and transferring the operations to Stratford.^[277] Portcullis House closed first in 2008, and in 2019 the site was purchased by Weston Homes to develop into 217 flats.^[278][279] Alexandra House has since closed and in late 2023 planning permission was being sought to convert the building into 557 flats by Comer Group.^[280]

Flightline was an airline, maintenance and aircraft sales company that operated out of London Southend Airport, which went into administration in 2008.^[281][282]

ATC Lasham was an aircraft maintenance company based out of both Southend and Southampton airports. It collapsed in 2015 with the loss of 144 jobs.^[283]

British Air Ferries was an airline that from 1967 was headquartered at Southend Airport.^[284] The company went into administration, and after several changes of ownership became British World Airlines in 1993, however the business entered administration for a final time in 2001.^[285]

Jota Aviation was a specialist air haulage company working in the motorsport industry and based at London Southend Airport since 2009. The company ceased operations in 2022.^{[286][287][288]}

Essex Furniture plc was a furniture manufacturer and retailer that was based in Southend that first listed on the Unlisted Securities Market of the London Stock Exchange in 1989.^[289] The business operated five stores under the Essex Furniture brand within Essex, and expanded nationally to 28 stores under The Furniture Workshop nameplate.^[290] In 1998, the company experienced financial difficulties, closing their Southend factory before their shares being suspended on the London Stock Exchange, announcing a £3.7 million loss in the first half of 1998.^[291] The company entered insolvency later that year.^[292]

Utilities history

Electricity

Southend-on-Sea County Borough Corporation provided the borough with electricity from the early twentieth century up to 1966 from the Southend power station in London Road. Upon nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948, ownership passed to the British Electricity Authority and later to the Central Electricity Generating Board. Electricity connections to the national grid rendered the 5.75 megawatt (MW) power station redundant. Electricity was generated by diesel engines and by steam obtained from the exhaust gases. The power station closed in 1966 and in its final year of operation it delivered 2,720 MWh of electricity to the borough.^[293]

Gas

In 1853, a new company, Southend Gas Company, was set up to build a coal gas works to supply Southend.^[294] The works opened on Eastern Esplanade in 1855, and helped with the development of the then fledgling town.^[295][296] The company was purchased by Southend Corporation after the First World War,^[297] with its own landing pier locally known as Southend Pier Junior.^[296] The company was nationalised in 1949 and was transferred to the North Thames Gas Board,^[298] who in 1960 added the brutalist Esplanade House to the site as offices. The site stopped producing coal gas in 1968, and the works was demolished.^[295] Esplanade House, was taken over by Access credit card operations in the 1980s, but by the 1990s they had moved out and the gas works site remained empty until it was demolished to make way for a Premier Inn in 2014.^[299][300]

Water

Southend Waterworks Company was formed by Thomas Brassey in 1865, initially to provide water for the steam engines on the new railway line that opened in 1856, and to which Brassey was involved with. The company constructed the city's first deep borehole in Milton Road, which would be known as Southend No.1 Well, along with a reservoir to hold 300,000 gallons.^[301] In 1870, Brassey died, and a limited company was formed to take over the works. In 1879, the Southend Water Bill was passed to incorporate the company to allow it to raise the necessary cash to expand the supply to the growing town, and to be able to charge rates per home based on the properties value.^[302] The company created further boreholes in and around Southend, including Vange, where a treatment works was built to soften the water from the five boreholes located in Vange and Fobbing, with a first of its kind lime recovery plant.^[301] During 1896, the water supply was tested due to a rising issue with Typhoid fever in the town. The investigation, led by Dr. R. Bruce Low, concluded that the water quality was good, but it was poor sanitation, with issues with the identified with the town's sewer system and discharge onto the beach. The sewer system had been found to be wanting at a previous investigation in 1890 by Dr Thresh, and the town council was investing £35,000 to upgrade and improve the sewers.^[303] In 1907, the company's boundaries were extended by the government to incorporate the areas of both Leigh on Sea Urban District Council and Billericay Rural District Council.^[304]

By 1920, the limit had been meet by how much water could be extracted from the boreholes in the chalk, and in 1921 a joint application with neighbouring water firm South Essex Waterworks was raised to extract water from the River Chelmer and the River Blackwater at Langford.^[305][301] That scheme was rejected, but a further application resulted in the Southend Waterworks Act of 1924 which was passed by parliament allowed the company to extract river water at Langford.^[301][306] The supply at Langford was pumped to reservoirs built at Oakwood on the Belfairs/Daws Heath border.^[301] In the late 1940s, both Southend Waterworks Company and South Essex Waterworks jointly planned a new large reservoir in the Sandon Valley, south of Chelmsford. Work started in 1951, which included the demolition of the hamlet of Peasdown near South Hanningfield. Hanningfield Reservoir opened in 1957 at a cost of £6 million.^[307] In 1970, the Essex Water Order was passed by parliament which saw Southend Waterworks Company and South Essex Waterworks merge to create the Essex Water Company.^[308][309] The company became Essex and Suffolk Water in 1994.

Retail

High Street, looking North on market day

Southend High Street runs from the top of Pier Hill in the South, to Victoria Circus in the north. It currently has two shopping centres. The Victoria (built during the 1960s and a replacement for the old Talza Arcade, Victoria Arcade and Broadway Market) is located at the north end of the High Street.^[310] The Royals Shopping Centre is located at the south end of the High Street, was designed by the Building Design Partnership, with construction starting in 1985.^[311][312] The centre was officially opened in March 1988 by singer-actor Jason Donovan. The centre replaced the south end of High Street and Grove Road, and saw the demolition of the Ritz Cinema and Grand Pier Hotel.^[313] Prior to the opening, Morrissey filmed the video for his top ten charting track Everyday Is Like Sunday in the centre.^[314] Southend High Street mainly consists of chain stores, with Boots located in the Royals, while Next anchor the Victoria.^[315] However, since the covid pandemic the amount of empty shops in the city centre has increased greatly, with the High Street being called a ghost town.^{[316][317][318]}

A business that started in Southend during 1937 and is still active in 2024 is Dixons Retail, now renamed Currys plc.^[319]

The city of Southend has shopping in other areas. The Broadway in Leigh-on-Sea is known for its independent boutiques and coffee shops.^[320] Leigh Road in Leigh-on-Sea, Southchurch Road and London Road are where many of Southend's independent businesses now reside.^[321] Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea was once known as the Bond Street of Essex,^[322] and is full of historical buildings, having been made into a conservation area in 2021.^[323] The road hosts the In Harmony festival each year.^[324]

There are regular vintage fairs and markets in Southend, held at a variety of locations including the Leigh Community Centre and Garon Park.^[325] A record fair is frequently held at West Leigh Schools in Leigh on Sea.^[326]

York Road Market

Demolition of the historic Victorian covered York Road market began on 23 April 2010,^[327] with the site becoming a car park. A temporary market had been held there every Friday until 2012 after the closure of the former Southend market at the rear of the Odeon.^[328] As of 2013, a market started to be held in the High Street every Thursday with over 30 stalls, with a further Saturday market being started in 2023.^[329][330]

Former retail businesses

• 
  R A Jones building in Southend High Street
• 
  Dixons in 1969
• 
  Havens (left) in 2015

Southend was not always full of chain stores, with many historical independent stores closing during the 70s, 80s and 90s.

• Keddies was a nationally recognised department store opened in 1892. The store, located in the High Street, went into administration in 1996.
• J F Dixons opened as a drapers in 1913 on the corner of London Road and what is now the High Street. Expansion before World War II saw it become a department store. The business closed in 1973.
• Brightwells was a department store that opened in 19th century. The store closed in the 1970s.
• Havens was a department store that opened in 1901, in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff-on-Sea.^[322][331] In May 2017, Havens announced that they would be closing their store to concentrate as an online retailer.^[332]
• Garons opened as a grocers at 64 High Street in 1885.^[333] The grocers in 1910 opened a cinema and cafe, which had a ballroom added in 1920.^[334] The company further expanded the grocery side of the business, opening a large bakery in Sutton Road, and by 1946 branches were operating as grocers, butchers and greengrocers across the town.^[335][336] The company also grew their catering facilities with the construction of Center House at 66-68 High Street.^[337] In 1962, the 45 grocery stores across Essex and the bakery was sold to Moores Stores.^[338] The cinema was closed a year later, with the premises sold to make way for a development by Hammerson and the remaining business, including the new Garons 1 Banqueting suite at Victoria Circus was sold to G and W Walker in 1972.^{[339][340][341]} Garon Park was built on land donated by the family.
• R. A. Jones was a jewellers that was opened by Robert Arthur Jones in 1890. Jones would go on and become a benefactor for the town. The store closed in 1979.^[342]
• Owen Wallis purchased an existing ironmongers store located in the High Street in around 1882.^[343] The store expanded into selling toys, before closing in the 1980s.^{[344][345][346]}
• Bermans was a sports and toy retailer who operated from Southchurch Road. The store closed in the 1980s.^[347][345]
• J Patience was a photographic retailers located in Queens Road.^[348][349]
• Schofield and Martin was a grocery firm with stores across Southend, that was purchased by Waitrose in 1944 with the name being used until the 1960s. The Alexandra Street branch was the first Waitrose store in 1951 to be made self-service.^[350][351]
• Ravens was the longest surviving independent retail business in Southend. The outfitters was started in 1897 by Percy Raven from a small store in the High Street. The business moved to a larger store in the High Street designed by architect Mr Grover, ^[352] before moving to a newer store on London Road in the 1930s. The store relocated to Clifftown Road in 1952, and operated from the site until its closure in 2017.^{[353][354][355][356]}
• LL Wellfare was a furniture and electrical store based in Sutton Road, which was started in 1946 by Linton Wellfare. The business closed in 2010 after the retirement of Linton's son Richard.^[357][358]

Gross value added

As of 2014, the Office for National Statistics reported that Southend's gross value added to the economy was as follows:^[359]

Period	Value £m
		1997	58
1998	62
1999	73
2000	100
2001	89
2002	100
2003	100
2004	103
2005	95
2006	94
2007	94
2008	83
2009	68
2010	48
2011	72
2012	86

Transport

Airport

Main article: London Southend Airport

Southend Airport, prior to the runway extension

London Southend Airport was developed from the military airfield at Rochford; it was opened as a civil airport in 1935. The airport was the UK's third-busiest airport during the 1960s, behind Heathrow and Manchester, before passenger numbers dropped off in the 1970s.^[360] In 2008, Stobart Group bought the lease for £21 million, becoming part of the Stobart Air division of the Stobart Group,^[361] who completed a rebuilding of the airport during 2010.^[362] It now offers scheduled flights to destinations across Europe, corporate and recreational flights, aircraft maintenance and training for pilots and engineers. It is served by Southend Airport railway station, on the Shenfield–Southend line, part of the Great Eastern Main Line.

Buses

An Arriva Southend bus

Local bus services are provided by two main companies. Arriva Southend was formerly the council-owned Southend-on-Sea Corporation Transport and First Essex Buses was formerly Eastern National/Thamesway. Smaller providers include Stephensons of Essex. Southend-on-Sea Corporation Transport had been started by the council as a Tram service in 1901, before moving into Trolleybuses and Motorbuses, before being sold off to British Bus in 1993.^{[363][364][365]}

Southend has a bus station, known as the Southend Travel Centre, on Chichester Road, which was developed from a temporary facility added in the 1970s in 2006.^[366] The previous bus station was located on London Road and was run by Eastern National, but it was demolished in the 1980s to make way for a Sainsbury's supermarket.^[367] Arriva Southend is the only bus company based in Southend, with their depot located in Short Street; it was previously sited on the corner of London Road and Queensway and also a small facility in Tickfield Road.^[368] First Essex's buses in the Southend area are based out of the depot in Hadleigh but, prior to the 1980s, Eastern National had depots on London Road (at the bus station) and Fairfax Drive.^[369]

First Essex run the Essex Airlink bus service from the Southend Travel Centre to London Stansted.

Railway

• 
  A c2c train at Southend Central station
• 
  Southend Victoria station
• 
  Southend Cliff Railway

Southend is served by two lines on the National Rail network:

• Running from Southend Victoria north out of the city is the Shenfield–Southend line, a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line, operated by Abellio Greater Anglia. Services operate to London Liverpool Street, via Shenfield.
• Running from Shoeburyness, in the east of the borough, is the London, Tilbury and Southend line operated by c2c. It runs west through Thorpe Bay, Southend East, Southend Central to London Fenchurch Street, either via Benfleet and Basildon or Tilbury Town and Barking. Additionally, one service from Southend Central each weekday evening terminates at Liverpool Street.

From 1910 to 1939, the London Underground's District line's eastbound service ran as far as Southend and Shoeburyness.^[370]

Besides its main line railway connections, Southend is also the home of two smaller railways. The Southend Pier Railway provides transport along the length of Southend Pier, whilst the nearby Southend Cliff Railway provides a connection from the promenade to the cliff top above.^[371]

Roads

A127 Kent Elms looking west

Two A-roads connect Southend with London and the rest of the country: the A127 (Southend Arterial Road), via Basildon and Romford, and the A13, via Thurrock and London Docklands. Both are major routes; however, within the borough, the A13 is now a single carriageway local single-carriageway route, whereas the A127 is an entirely dual-carriageway. Both connect to the M25 and eventually London.

Climate

Seals off Southend

Southend-on-Sea is one of the driest places in the UK. It has a marine climate with summer highs of around 22 °C (72 °F) and winters highs being around 7.8 °C (46.0 °F).^[372] Summer temperatures are generally slightly cooler than those in London. Frosts are occasional. During the 1991–2020 period there was an average of 29.6 days of air frost. Rainfall averaged 527 millimetres (20.7 in). Weather station data is available from Shoeburyness, a suburb of the city.^[372]

Climate data for Shoeburyness, in eastern part of Southend Urban Area, 2m asl, 1991–2020
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	7.8 (46.0)	8.3 (46.9)	10.6 (51.1)	13.5 (56.3)	16.6 (61.9)	19.8 (67.6)	22.3 (72.1)	22.4 (72.3)	19.4 (66.9)	15.3 (59.5)	11.1 (52.0)	8.4 (47.1)	14.6 (58.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	2.7 (36.9)	2.4 (36.3)	3.7 (38.7)	5.4 (41.7)	8.3 (46.9)	11.2 (52.2)	13.6 (56.5)	13.8 (56.8)	11.5 (52.7)	8.9 (48.0)	5.5 (41.9)	3.2 (37.8)	7.5 (45.5)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	43.0 (1.69)	36.1 (1.42)	32.7 (1.29)	36.1 (1.42)	41.6 (1.64)	44.1 (1.74)	41.1 (1.62)	48.6 (1.91)	43.0 (1.69)	57.8 (2.28)	54.0 (2.13)	48.8 (1.92)	526.9 (20.75)
Average rainy days	9.5	8.3	7.8	7.5	7.5	7.8	7.3	7.1	7.5	10.2	10.6	10.7	101.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours	70.5	88.9	136.8	200.4	241.2	243.3	257.0	212.2	162.4	130.0	84.7	56.9	1,884.3
Source: Met Office[373]

Education

See also: List of education establishments in Southend-on-Sea

• 
  University of Essex accommodation in Southend
• 
  Cecil Jones Academy
• 
  Westcliff High School for Boys
• 
  South Essex College Southend Campus
• 
  Southend Adult Community College

Secondary schools

Southend has a mixture of secondary school offerings. The mainstream secondary schools are mixed-sex comprehensives, including Belfairs Academy; Cecil Jones Academy; Chase High School; Southchurch High School; Shoeburyness High School and The Eastwood Academy.

In 2004, Southend retained the grammar school system and has four such schools: Southend High School for Boys; Southend High School for Girls; Westcliff High School for Boys and Westcliff High School for Girls.

Additionally, there are two single-sex schools assisted by the Roman Catholic Church: St Bernard's High School (girls) and St Thomas More High School (boys).

Higher and further education

The main higher education provider in Southend is the University of Essex which has a campus in Elmer Approach, that opened in 2007 and is on the site of the former Odeon cinema.^[374][375] The University has operated from the city since 2003 when they opened a new satellite campus at Princess Caroline House in the High Street.^[376] It also operates the East 15 Acting School Southend campus at the Clifftown Theatre.^[377]

In addition to a number of secondary schools that offer further education, the largest provider is South Essex College in a purpose-built building in the centre of town. Formerly known as South East Essex College, (and previously Southend Municipal College) the college changed name in January 2010 following a merger with Thurrock and Basildon College.^[378]

Additionally there is PROCAT, (an arm of South Essex College) that is based at Progress Road, while learners can travel to USP College (formerly SEEVIC College) in Thundersley. The East 15 Acting School, a drama school has its second campus in Southend, while the Southend Adult Community College is in Ambleside Drive. Southend United Futsal & Football Education Scholarship, located at Southend United's stadium Roots Hall, provides education for sports scholarships.

Formation of education in the city

Primary education

The first school in the city opened in Prittlewell in 1727, after the Reverend Case campaigned for one to be setup. Land was provided by the Lord of the Manor Daniel Scratton in North Street for establishment of a school, and by 1739, Scratton had donated a further 21 acres of land. The school was by subscription of 1d a week, with 16 free places provided, and the remainder of the funding provided by a partial subscription of the parish and collections at St Mary's.^[379] The Parliamentary commission into charities of 1819-37 described the school as "The premises consists of a house of lath and plaster, situate in the village near the bridge; it comprises a schoolroom of about 30ft. in length and 20ft. in breadth, and several other rooms which are appropriated to the use of the schoolmaster".^[379]

After Southend became a separate ecclesiastical district in 1842, the church of St. John's the Baptist founded the subscription National School in 1855 in Lower Southend.^[379] By 1876, the Board of Education called for a local board of education be setup and extra places be created. At the time of their report Southend had the following schools providing education for under 12s:

• Prittlewell Church of England - 175 pupils
• British School - 233 pupils
• Miss Felton's Infant School - 7 pupils
• Grovesnor School - 54 pupils

It was reported that the National School had closed and that Southend required a further 220 places. Many parishioners were against a local school board being setup, but Daniel Scratton was for the development, and by 1877 the Prittlewell School Board was formed.^[379]

By 1879, a new school was created called the London Road Schools which had places for over 500 pupils, and Prittlewell Church of England school had moved to East Street.^[379] However, by 1892, with further expansion of Southend, the Brewery Road School (now called Porters Grange) opened, followed by Leigh Road (which would become Hamlet Court County School) in 1897, Southchurch Hall in 1904, Bournemouth Park in 1907 and Chalkwell Park in 1909.^[379][380] The local board was dissolved by the Education Act of 1902 and replaced by the education committee of the council.^[379]

Secondary and further education

The Science and Art Department formation in 1853 had seen the government push for education in art, science, technology, and design in Britain and Ireland.^[381] The movement did not arrive in Southend until 1882 when two evening classes were set up at the London Road Schools for Art and Physiology.^[379] By 1883 the classes were moved to Clarence Street in a building shared with the council.^[379]

The Technical Instruction Act of 1889 and 1891 allowed councils to provide evening classes for technical subjects. The local board set up the Technical Instruction Committee, and soon classes were started at the council offices in Clarence Road. They were extremely popular, and the following year the newly created Southend Corporation purchased further land in Clarence Road to build a Technical Institute.^[382] In 1895 the foundation stone was laid, but prior to it opening it was decided to also open a day technical school for about 20 pupils, influenced by the Bryce commission of 1894. The first headmaster was J Hitchcock from Woolwich and was supported by one assistant teacher.^[383] A one-day a week art school was opened, which by 1899 was a fully organised art college.^[384]

The Day Technical School soon outgrew the Clarence Road site, and in 1902 a new building opened at Victoria Circus to host them, the Evening Technical Institute and the School of Art.^[44][45][46] In 1907, Essex County Council formed a new Higher Education committee, who decided that education should be split into separate boys and girls schools. In 1912, a foundation stone was laid in Boston Avenue for a new girls school, and a year later the girls left the Day Technical School to the new Southend High School for Girls.^[385] The Day Technical School was renamed as Southend High School for Boys.^[386] In 1914, Southend became a County Borough, taking charge of all education in the town, including the High School, School of Art and the Evening class institute all located still in the same building.^[387] After the war the number of pupils increased, so in 1919 the School of Art moved out of the top floor to make room for the High School, into temporary wooden buildings at the rear of the building.^[388] In 1920, The Commercial School was a co-educational school opened for the town’s rapidly expanding population in Bellsfield, a former large house located on Victoria Avenue.^[389] Two years later, the school's name changed from The Commercial School to Westcliff High School, and by 1926, boys attending the school had moved to the school's present site on Kenilworth Gardens, becoming Westcliff High School for Boys. The accompanying girls' school, Westcliff High School for Girls, remained on the Victoria Avenue site until 1930, following their relocation to the same site as Westcliff High School for Boys.^[390] The plans for the purchased land at the corner of Victoria Avenue and Carnarvon Road was changed in 1934 when it was decided to use this as the site of a new town hall.^[391]

In 1922, the School of Art grew by adding a School of Architecture^[392][393] The School of Art would become the nucleus of the newly formed Southend Technical and Commercial School. A Junior Technical department was opened at Fairfax Drive in 1929, but moved to Victoria Circus in 1934 to make way for Fairfax Senior Mixed School, and in 1935 the Technical and Commercial school was renamed Southend Municipal College,^{[388][394][395][396]} who took over the whole site after Southend High School for Boys moved to Prittlewell Chase in 1938.^[397] The college was restructured in 1963 to include in its teaching commercial and industrial skills for education in courses like plumbing, and renamed as the Southend College of Technology.^[398][395] The college became South East Essex College of Arts and Technology (SEECAT) in 1991,^[398] with the college formally merged with Thurrock and Basildon College on 1 January 2010 and was renamed South Essex College.^[399]

Sport

Southend – Leisure and Tennis Centre

Southend United is the only professional club in the city. The club was formed in 1906 and has played as high as English football's second tier. It currently competes in the Vanarama National League,^[400][401] after dropping out of the Football League at the end of the 2020–21 season, after 101 years of participation.^[402] Southend Manor, the city's other club, plays in the Essex Senior League, the 9th tier in the English football pyramid.^[403]

There are two rugby union clubs in the city, Southend RFC play in London 1 North while Westcliff R.F.C. play in London & South East Premier. The city has formerly been home to both the Essex Eels and Southend Invicta rugby league teams. The Essex Pirates basketball team that played in the British Basketball League, were based in the city between 2009 and 2011.

Essex County Cricket Club previously played in Southend one week a season until the club withdrew in 2011 after 105 years.^[404] The Southend Cricket Festival was held at Chalkwell Park and Southchurch Park, before moving to Garons Park next to the Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre.^[405] The only other cricket is local.

The Old Southendians Hockey Club is based at Warner's Bridge in Southend.

The eight-lane, floodlit, synthetic athletics track at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre is home to Southend-on-Sea Athletic Club. The facilities cover all track and field events.^[406] The centre has a 25m swimming pool and a world championship level diving pool with 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10m boards, plus springboards with the only 1.3m in the UK.^[407]

Southend has hosted a half marathon since 1996.^[408]

Entertainment and culture

Southend Pleasure Pier

Main article: Southend Pier

See also: Southend Pier Railway

• 
  A mile out along the pier
• 
  A pier railway train

Southend-on-Sea is home to the world's longest pleasure pier, originally built in 1830 from wood before being replaced in iron during 1889. The pier stretches some 1.34 miles (2.16 km) from shore into the Thames Estuary and is a Grade II listed building.^[409][410] Sir John Betjeman, English poet and broadcaster, once said that "the Pier is Southend, Southend is the Pier".^[23] The pier has been home to a narrow gauge railway since 1846.^[411]

Kursaal

Main article: Kursaal (amusement park)

• 
  The Kursaal

The Kursaal was one of the earliest theme parks, opening in 1901. It closed in the 1970s and much of the land was developed as housing. The entrance hall, a listed building, was redeveloped to house a bowling alley operated by Megabowl and casino in 1998. However the bowling alley closed in 2019 and the casino closed in 2020. The building currently stands unused, and in May 2024, The Victorian Society listed the Kursaal amongst their 10 at risk sites that need rescuing.^[412]

Southend Carnival

Southend Carnival has been an annual event since 1906,^[413] where it was part of the annual regatta, and was set up to raise funds for the Southend Victoria Cottage Hospital. In 1926, a carnival association was formed, and by 1930, they were raising funds for the building of the new General Hospital with a range of events, including a fete in Chalkwell Park.^[414][415] The parades, which included a daylight and torchlight parades were cut down to just a torchlight parade during the 1990s. The carnival has not run since 2020, although attempts have been made to restart the parade,^[416] however the accompanying fair returned in 2023.^[417]

Cliff Lift

Main article: Southend Cliff Railway

A short funicular railway, constructed in 1912, links the seafront to the High Street level of the town. The line runs on the site of a pioneering moving walkway, a forerunner of today's escalator. This was constructed in 1901 by the American engineer Jesse W. Reno, but soon proved noisy and unreliable due its exposed location.^[418] The lift re-opened to the public in 2010, following a period of refurbishment.^[419]

Other seafront attractions

• 
  The sunset in Southend, a view of Adventure Island in 2007

An amusement park Adventure Island, formerly known as Peter Pan's Playground, straddles the pier entrance.^[420] The seafront houses the "Sea-Life Adventure" aquarium.^[421]

As of May 2024, Southend has four Keep Britain Tidy Blue Flag awarded beaches at East Beach, Shoebury Common, Three Shells and Westcliff Bay.^[422] A modern vertical lift links the base of the High Street with the seafront and the new pier entrance.^[423]

Former attractions

The cliff gardens, which included Never Never Land^[424] and a Victorian bandstand were an attraction until slippage in 2003 made parts of the cliffs unstable.^[425][426] The bandstand has been removed and re-erected in Priory Park.^[48]

Festival events

The Southend-on-Sea Film Festival is an annual event that began in 2009 and is run by the White Bus film and theatrical company based at The Old Waterworks Arts Center located inside a Victorian era Old Water Works plant. Ray Winstone attended the opening night gala in both 2010 and 2011, and has become the Festival Patron.^[427] Southend is also home to Horror-on-Sea festival, again run by the White Bus Company, which was founded in 2013. The festival for independent horror films takes place over two weekends in January.^[428]

Since 2021, the city has hosted a Halloween parade in October, while the Leigh Art Trail runs during July. Two events that started in 2022 was Southend City Jam, a street art festival, and LuminoCity, a light festival,^[429] however LuminoCity was announced to be cancelled for 2024 due to budget cuts at Southend City Council.^[430] The Old Leigh Regatta takes place every September,^[431] while Leigh Folk Festival has run since 1992, though will be taking a break in 2024.^[432] The Southend Jazz Festival has been run since 2020.^[433]

Between 2008 and 2019, Chalkwell Park became home to the Village Green Art & Music Festival for a weekend every July,^[434] but has not run since 2019 due to covid.

The London to Southend Classic Car Run takes place each summer. It is run by the South Eastern Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club.^[435]

The Southend Shakedown, organised by Ace Cafe, is an annual event featuring motorbikes and scooters. There are other scooter runs throughout the year, including the Great London Rideout, which arrives at Southend seafront each year.^[436]

Parks and nature reserves

• 
  Southend Cliff Gardens
• 
  Priory Park
• 
  Prittlewell Square

Southend is home to many recreation grounds. Its first formal park to open was Prittlewell Square in the 19th century.^[437] Since then Priory Park,^[438] Victory Sports Grounds^[439] and Jones Corner Recreation Ground were donated by the town benefactor R A Jones.^[440] Other formal parks that have opened since are Chalkwell Park^[441] and Southchurch Hall^[442] along with Southchurch Park, Garon Park and Gunners Park.

Part of Southend's foreshore is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, while there are nature reserves at Belfairs and Belton Hills.

Conservation areas and architecture

See also: List of conservation areas in Southend-on-Sea

• 
  The Royal Terrace, Southend
• 
  Southend-on-Sea War Memorial
• 
  Porters Civic House and Mayor's Parlour, Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea

Southend has various Conservation areas across the city, with the first being designated in 1968.^[443] Nationally Historic England have 124 recorded listed buildings within the city.^[444]

Selection of interesting architecture

The Royal Terrace (originally called the Terrace), built between 1791 and 1793, is one of the few examples of 18th century urban housing in Essex, and was called "Exceptional" in the 2007 architectural guide The Buildings of England.^[445] The Terrace has been Grade II listed since 1951.^[446] In 1973, the owners of the Royal Hotel at the end of the Terrace, put in planning permission to demolish the public house and replace it, which was rejected.^[447]

St Mary's Church, Prittlewell is a Grade I listed church that has existed since Saxon times and is the oldest building in the city. Professor Stephen Rippon of the University of Exeter noted in a study "stone buildings in this period were extremely rare, suggesting Prittlewell was a "minister" church of some importance", and the church was mentioned in the Domesday book.^[448][449]

Southend-on-Sea War Memorial is a Grade II* listed obelisk situated in Clifftown, Southend. The structure was completed in 1921 to designs by Sir Edwin Lutyens.^[450] Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner praised the "remarkably subtly proportioned" base and pedestal of the memorial.^[451]

The White Hall is a Grade II listed former tennis club house in Clatterfield Gardens in the suburb of Westcliff-on-Sea. The building, along with its neighbouring house were designed by the Head of the School of Architecture at Southend Municipal College, Douglas Niel Martin-Kaye for the Thurston family. The building from 1934, is designed in the International Style and was to be part of a modernist development that failed to materialise beyond the two buildings. The building is now home to the Sunshine Nursery.^{[452][453][454][455][456]}

Porters is a medieval Manor house. The name comes from the family, le-Porters, who owned the land during the 14th century. The current house was built either in the 15th or 16th century made from red brick, with cross wings at the east and west ends gabled on the north and south fronts. At the end of the 16th century it was rebuilt with the space between the wings being filled in and a porch built on the north front. The property's first recorded owner was Humfrey Browne (died 1592).^[457] Between 1833 to 1835, Benjamin Disraeli stayed at Porters on numerous occasions.^[458] In 1912, Sir Charles Nicholson purchased the building to save it from demolition, living there until 1932, when it was sold to Southend Corporation who in 1935 opened it as the Mayor's parlour and civic house.^[459] The building was listed as Grade I in 1951.^[457]

Art, galleries, museums and libraries

• 
  Southend Central Museum, Victoria Avenue
• 
  Beecroft Art Gallery, Victoria Avenue
• 
  Southchurch Hall
• 
  Prittlewell Priory

Southend Museums, part of Southend on Sea City Council, operates two historic houses - Southchurch Hall and Prittlewell Priory, an art gallery - Beecroft Art Gallery, and the Southend Central Museum and Planetarium.^[460] The museums service looks after around 50,000 objects including collections of archaeology, natural history, social history, fashion and textile, fine art and photography. Southend Central Museum is the home of the world-renowned Prittlewell Princely Burial artefacts.^{[461][462][463][464]}

Independent museums and archives include the Jazz Centre UK, a jazz cultural centre, that has operated out of the Beecroft Art Gallery since 2016^[465][466] and Southend Pier Museum, located on Southend Pier.

Focal Point Gallery, based in The Forum, is South Essex's gallery for contemporary visual art, promoting and commissioning major solo exhibitions, group and thematic shows, a programme of events including performances, film screenings and talks, as well as offsite projects and temporary public artworks. The organisation is funded by Southend-on-Sea City Council and Arts Council England.^[429]

The Old Waterworks Arts Center operates on North Road, Westcliff in the former Victorian water works building. It holds art exhibitions, talks and workshops.^[467]

Metal, the art organisation set up by Jude Kelly OBE has been based in Chalkwell Hall since 2006.^[468] The organisation offers residency space for artists and also organises the Village Green Art & Music Festival.^[469] The park is also home to NetPark, which claims to be the world's first digital art park.^[429]

Southend has several small libraries located in Leigh, Westcliff, Kent Elms and Southchurch. The central library has moved from its traditional location on Victoria Avenue to The Forum in Elmer Approach, a new facility paid for by Southend Council, South Essex College and The University of Essex. It replaced the former Farringdon Multistorey Car Park. The old Central Library building (built 1974) has become home to the Beecroft Gallery and the Jazz Centre UK.^[429] This building had replaced the former Carnegie funded free library, that opened in 1906, and is now home to the Southend Central Museum.^[43]

Theatres

Current venues

• 
  The Cliffs Pavilion
• 
  Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea
• 
  Clifftown Theatre - part of East 15's Southend campus

There are a number of theatres in the city proving a variety of entertainment.

The Edwardian Palace Theatre is a Grade II listed building that opened in 1912. It shows plays by professional troupes and repertory groups, as well as comedy acts. The theatre has two circles and the steepest rake in Britain. The theatre was given to the town by its then owner Gertrude Mouillot in 1942 on condition that local amateur groups could continue to use the theatre.^[470] A smaller venue called The Dixon Studio was added in the early 1980s after a fundraising campaign by the Palace Theatre Trust led by John F Dixon.^[471]

The Cliffs Pavilion is the largest purpose built arts venue in Essex.^[472] Plans for a theatre, the Shorefield Pavilion,^[473] on the site started in 1935 when the borough council purchased the site to build a 500-seat theatre and concert venue, with work starting four years later on construction but was suspended by the outbreak of World War II.^[76][77] After the war, the site was known as Southend's white elephant until 1963, when work was started on building that could host shows, concerts and private functions. The building was opened by the actor, writer and director Sir Bernard Miles in July 1964, with the first show opening the next day starring Norman Vaughan and his troupe of dancers, the Swinging Lovelies.^[76] In 1991–92, the council extended the site, with a new Foyer Bar added and a balcony added to the auditorium, increasing the capacity to 1,600.^[474][77] The venue hosts a variety of concerts, shows and performances on ice, as well as pantomimes at Christmas. Artists that have performed at the Cliffs include Paul McCartney^[475] and Oasis, whose live DVD Live by the Sea was recorded at the Cliffs.^[476]

The Clifftown Theatre is located in the former Clifftown United Reformed Church and as well as regular performances is part of the East 15 Acting School campus.^[477]

Former venues

Southend once hosted many more theatres. The New Empire Theatre closed in 2009. Unlike the Cliffs Pavilion or the Palace Theatre, the theatre was privately run, and hosted more amateur groups. The theatre was converted from the old ABC Cinema, which had previously been the Empire Theatre built in 1896.^[478] The theatre closed after a dispute between the trust that ran the theatre and its owners. The building was badly damaged by fire on Saturday 1 August 2015^[479] and was demolished in 2017.^[480]

Other former venues included the Floral Hall on Western Esplanade, which hosted G. H. Chirgwin, that burnt down in 1937,^[481] while the Sundeck Theatre was at the pier head and hosted acts like Arthur English, until it closed and was converted to the Diamond Horseshoe Showbar before it was destroyed in the fire in 1976.^[482][483] The largest lost theatre was the Hippodrome in Southchurch Road, designed by Bertie Crewe, which opened in 1909. The theatre could hold 1,750 on three tiers, hosting acts like Harry Houdini,^[484] but was purchased by Gaumont Theatres and was converted to a cinema in 1933.^[485][43]

Cinema and film

• 
  The former ABC Cinema
• 
  Former Astoria/Odeon cinema - High Street, Southend
• 
  The current Odeon

Southend has one cinema – the Odeon Multiplex at Victoria Circus which has eight screens. The borough of Southend had at one time a total of 18 cinema theatres,^[486] with the most famous being the Odeon (formerly the Astoria Theatre), which as well as showing films hosted live entertainers including the Beatles and Laurel and Hardy.^[487] This building no longer stands having been replaced by the Southend Campus of the University of Essex. There are plans to build a new 10-screen cinema and entertainment facility on the site of the Seaway Car Park.^[488][489]

On film

Southend has appeared in films over the years, with the New York New York arcade on Marine Parade being used in the British gangster flick Essex Boys, the premiere of which took place at the Southend Odeon.^[490] Southend Airport was used for the filming of the James Bond film Goldfinger.^[491] Part of the 1989 black comedy film Killing Dad was set and filmed in Southend,^[492] while Stephen Poliakoff used several locations in the city to film his 1981 film Bloody Kids.^[493]

Southend and the surrounding areas were heavily used and featured in the Viral Marketing^[494] for the Universal Pictures 2022 American science fiction action film sequel Jurassic World Dominion, with a number of the featured videos on the DinoTracker website filmed in the Southend area^[495] doubling for locations around the world. This is due to the fact that local resident and Jurassic World Franchise marketer Samuel Phillips utilised the area for both videos and imagery.^[496]

Music

Venues

• 
  The Plaza Centre, Southchurch Road

Southend's primary music venues are Chinnerys, formerly Ivy House, and the Cliffs Pavilion. Chinnerys is a 400-person capacity club which has hosted the likes of the Arctic Monkeys, The Charlatans and The Libertines.^[497][498] The Plaza, a Christian community centre and concert hall based on Southchurch Road that had previously been a cinema,^[499] regularly hosts concert performances.^[500]

Former venues

• 
  The former Esplanade pub, now demolished
• 
  Chameleon Nightclub in Lucy Road, Southend

The city has previously had some well-known venues:

• The Kursaal Ballroom hosted many of the big dance bands of the 20s and 40s.^[501] During the 1970s it became a renowned rock music venue, hosting acts such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Queen and AC/DC.^[502][503] Dr. Feelgood recorded their Going back home album which was also recorded on film.^[504][505] A photograph of the performance of AC/DC at The Kursaal in 1977 was used on the front cover of their Let There Be Rock album.^[506]
• Talk of the Town South in Lucy Road, opened in 1972 as a cabaret club and discotheque,^[507] with The Stage reporting at the time

It was felt for a long time that Southend had paid too much attention to the younger generation and not nearly enough to the over-thirties and so it was, with this fact in mind, that the designers worked their overtime in an attempt to create decor suitable to marry different generations of people together quite compatibly. In the four months that Talk of the South has been operational, its results have proved so tremendously successful that managing director Manzi now feels sure that the cabaret that has been previously missing from the area has not only been required, but indeed needed, for some considerable time.^[508]

The club hosted big names including The New Seekers, Frankie Howerd, Buddy Greco, Des O'Connor and Roy Orbison. The club morphed first into TOTS, then into TOTS 2000 in 1993 before becoming Talk nightclub in 2001.^[509] In 2015, Snoop Dogg held a DJ set at the club.^[510] The club closed for the last time on New Year's Eve 2019.^[511]

• The Esplanade pub was once a regular music venue. Situated on Western Esplanade, the building was opened in 1900. In the 70s it ran as a Pub Rock venue, called the Grand Canyon Club with the likes of Dr. Feelgood performing there, while in 90s it hosted bands such as Pearl Jam, Sneaker Pimps, Reef and Catatonia.^[512][513]
• Originally opened as Mr. B's in the 1980s and hosted acts like The Prodigy.^[514] It was reopened as Adlib in 1994 by Dick de Vigne and Ian Reading,^{[515][516][517]} hosting a host of big name DJs including Jeremy Healy, Paul Oakenfold and Pete Tong at Glow nights, and the likes of Atomic Kitten and Steps at Outrage nights.^[518][519] In October 1999, the club night Rage controversially held a Halloween party with act Nightmare, with Southend East MP, Sir Teddy Taylor, saying,

This kind of horrific display will simply give a bad name to the Southend nightclub scene. Of course Halloween is meant to be a time of fun and celebration. I don't feel these grotesque displays are in that vein. This is simply part of a nasty culture growing up in parts of London which I don't think we want in Southend at all. How does it add to people's enjoyment to see people being dismembered and beheaded?^[520]

The club was bought by Luminar Leisure and in 2000 was refurbished and renamed as Chameleon.^[521] Chameleon hosted various club nights, but was known for its alternative Panic night on Fridays, which hosted DJs like Radio 1's Daniel P. Carter until it ended in 2018.^[522][510] The club hosted the first Luck N Neat Juniors rave outside of London in April 2019.^[523] Later that year, owner Dick de Vigne put the club up for sale, however the club remained open until the Covid lockdown and has never reopened.^[524]

• For twenty years, the Sunrooms in Market Place, Southend hosted a variety of big name DJs including Scroobius Pip and Nina Kraviz before closing in 2013.^[525]

Southend scene

Southend has had a nationally renowned rock music scene since the 1960s.^[526] The Paramounts had chart success in the early 1960s, before morphing into Procol Harum.^[527] During the 70s, Southend was a big part for the Pub rock scene,^[528] with Paul Shuttleworth and Will Birch running a pub rock venue at The Esplanade, other venues like The Top Alex,^[529] and influential acts like The Kursaal Flyers and Mickey Jupp.^[530][531] In 1989, an album The Southend Connection was released to celebrate the roots of the genre in the town.^[532] Later in the decade, Southend had a big punk rock scene producing notable bands The Machines, The Sinyx and Kronstadt Uprising.^[533] Media theorist Dick Hebdige stated that punk originated from "a whole range of heterogeneous youth styles: glitter rock, American proto-punk, London pub-rock, Southend R & B bands, Northern soul and reggae".^[534]

In the early 1990s, rock bands such as Understand and Above All had Kerrang! compare the Southend music scene to punk rock meccas New York, LA, Seattle and Washington DC.^[535] Between 2001 and 2006, the Southend scene was centered on the Junk Club, which was held in the basement of the Royal Hotel. It was run by Oliver "Blitz" Abbott & Rhys Webb of The Horrors, and the underground club night played an eclectic mix from Post Punk to Acid House, 1960s Psychedelia to Electro. The club was influential and featured nationally in the NME; Dazed & Confused; i-D; Rolling Stone; The Guardian and Vogue.^[536][537] Acts associated with the scene included:

• The Horrors^[537]
• These New Puritans^[537]
• The Violets^[538]
• Ipso Facto^[539]
• Neils Children^[538]
• No Bra^[540]
• Ulterior^[540]

Videos and songs

Southend has been used as the location for several music videos, by artists such as Oasis, Morrissey and George Michael.^[541] The city is mentioned in a number of songs including Elton John's track Bitter Fingers,^[542] Picture Book by The Kinks,^[543] and in Billy Bragg's hymn to Essex, A13, Trunk Road to the sea, a British version of Route 66, where the final line of the chorus is "Southend's the end".^[544][545]

Artists and bands

Southend has had numerous bands and musicians that have originated from the town, including:

• Busted^[546]
• Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly^[547]
• Danielle Dax^[548]
• Eddie and the Hot Rods^[549]
• Eight Rounds Rapid^[550]
• The Horrors^[551]
• The Kursaal Flyers^[552]
• Mickey Jupp^[553]
• Nothing But Thieves^[554]
• The Paramounts
• Procol Harum^[555]
• These New Puritans^[556]
• Tonight.^[557]
• Wilko Johnson^[558]

Radio

In 1981, Southend became the home of Essex Radio, which broadcast from studios below Clifftown Road. The station was formed by several local companies, including Keddies, Garons & TOTS nightclub, with David Keddie, owner of the Keddies department store in Southend, becoming its chairman.^[559] In 2004, the renamed Essex FM, then Heart Essex moved to studios in Chelmsford. It is now part of Heart East.

The BBC Local Radio station that broadcast to Southend is BBC Essex on 95.3 FM from the South Benfleet transmitter.^[560]

On 28 March 2008, Southend got its own radio station for the first time which is also shared with Chelmsford Radio (formerly known as Dream 107.7 FM and Chelmer FM before that), Southend Radio started broadcasting on 105.1FM from purpose-built studios adjacent to the Adventure Island theme park.^[561] The station merged with Chelmsford Radio in 2015 and became Radio Essex.

Television

Southend is served by London and East Anglia regional variations of the BBC and ITV. Television signals are received from either Crystal Palace or Sudbury TV transmitters.^[562][563] The area can also pick up BBC South East and ITV Meridian from the Bluebell Hill TV transmitter.^[564]

Southend has appeared in several television shows and advertisements.^[565] It has been used on numerous occasions by the soap EastEnders with its most recent visit in 2022.^[566][567] Southend Pier was used by ITV show Minder for its end credits in season 8, 9 and 10,^[568] and since 2014 has been home to Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast. Advertisements have included Abbey National, CGU Pensions, National Lottery, the 2015 Vauxhall Corsa adverts featuring Electric Avenue, a seafront arcade^[569] the 2018 Guide Dogs for the Blind campaign^[570] and for the promo for David Hasselhoff's Dave programme Hoff the Record.^[571]

In fiction

Southend is the seaside vacation place chosen by the John Knightley family in Emma by Jane Austen, published 1816.^[572] The family arrived by stage coach, and strongly preferred it to the choice of the Perry family, Cromer, which was 100 miles from London, compared to the easier distance of 40 miles from the London home of the John and Isabella Knightley, as discussed at length with Mr. Woodhouse in the novel in Chapter XII of volume one.

In The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, after being saved from death in the vacuum of space, Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect find themselves in a distorted version of Southend (a consequence of the starship Heart of Gold's Infinite Improbability Drive). Dent briefly feared that both he and Prefect did in fact die, based on a childhood nightmare where his friends went to either Heaven or Hell but he went to Southend.^[573]

Dance on My Grave, a book by Aidan Chambers, is set in Southend.^[574] Chambers had worked as a teacher in the city's Westcliff High School for Boys for three years.^[575]

In the novel Starter for Ten by David Nicholls, the main character Brian Jackson comes from Southend-on-Sea.^[576] The book was adapted into a 2006 film directed by Tom Vaughan.

Places of worship

There are churches in the borough catering to different Christian denominations, such as Our Lady Help of Christians and St Helen's Church for the Roman Catholic community. There are two synagogues; one for orthodox Jews, in Westcliff, and a reform synagogue in Chalkwell. Three mosques provide for the Muslim population; one run by the Bangladeshi community,^[577] and the others run by the Pakistani community.^[578][579] There are two Hindu Temples, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir^[580] and Southend Meenatshe Suntharasar Temple,^[581] while there is one Buddhist temple, Amita Buddha Centre.^[582]

The Salvation Army has been based in Southend since 1887.^[583]

Twin town

Southend-on-Sea is twinned with:

• Sopot, Poland, since October 1999^[584]

Notable people

• Shenda Amery, sculpturer^[585]
• David Amess (1952–2021), British politician and local MP who was murdered in 2021; Southend was named a city in his honour.^[586]
• Jasmine Armfield, actress^[587]
• Sir Edwin Arnold (1832–1904), poet and journalist, writer of The Light of Asia^[588][589]
• David Atkinson, politician^[590]
• Trevor Bailey (1923–2011), cricketer^[591]
• John Barber (1919–2004), former Finance Director of Ford of Europe & Managing Director of British Leyland.^[592]
• Fred Barnes (1885–1938), singer ^[593]
• Mathew Baynton, musician, writer, actor^[594]
• Bishop James Bellord (1846–1905), Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar and Titular Bishop of Milevum^[595][589]
• David Bellos, professor/translator^[596]
• Angie Best, model and ex-wife of George Best^[597]
• Brinn Bevan, artistic gymnast^[598]
• James Booth (1927–2005), actor^[599]
• James Bourne, musician, singer Busted^[600]
• Tim Bowler, children's author^[601]
• Kevin Bowyer, concert organist^[602]
• Bernard Braine, Baron Braine of Wheatley (1915-2000), politician, died in Southend.^[603]
• Rosina Brandram (1845–1907), opera singer and actress^[604][589]
• Gary Brooker (1945–2022), lead singer of The Paramounts and Procol Harum^[605]
• Dave Brown, comedian and actor^[606]
• Robert Williams Buchanan(1841–1901), Scottish poet, buried in St John's Church, Southend.^[607][608]
• Cameron Carter-Vickers, American international football player^[609]
• Dean Chalkley, photographer^[610]
• Aidan Chambers, author^[575]
• Jeannie Clark, former professional wrestling manager^[611]
• Brian Cleeve (1921–2003), author and broadcaster^[612]
• Dick Clement, screenwriter^[613]
• Dorothy Coke (1897–1979), artist^[614]
• Eric Kirkham Cole (1901–1966), founder of EKCO^[252]
• Peter Cook, architect^[615]
• Phil Cornwell, actor and impressionist^[616]
• Tina Cousins, singer^[617]
• Gemma Craven, actress^[618]
• Rosalie Cunningham, singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist^[619]
• Matthew Cutler, ballroom dancer^[620]
• Danielle Dax, musician, actress and performance artist^[621]
• Warwick Deeping (1877–1950), author^[622]
• Richard de Southchurch, knight and landowner.^[623]
• Andy Ducat (1886–1942), cricketer, footballer.^[624]
• Sam Duckworth, musician^[625]
• Mike Edmonds, actor^[626]
• Warren Ellis, novelist and comic writer^[627]
• Nathalie Emmanuel, actress^[628]
• Digby Fairweather, jazz musician, author, founder of the National Jazz Archive.^[629]
• Mark Foster, swimmer^[630]
• John Fowles (1926–2005), author^[631]
• Becky Frater, first female helicopter commander in the Royal Navy and female member of the Black Cats display team^[632]
• John Georgiadis(1939–2021), violinist, conductor for Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra^[633]
• Edward Greenfield (1928–2015) chief music writer in The Guardian from 1977 to 1993 and biographer of Andre Previn^[634]
• Benjamin Grosvenor, pianist^[635]
• Daniel Hardcastle, author^[636]
• Roy Hay, musician with Culture Club^[637]
• Joshua Hayward, guitarist for The Horrors^[638]
• John Hodge (1929–2021), aerospace engineer^[639]
• John Horsley (1920–2014), actor^[640]
• John Hutton, politician^[641]
• Dominic Iorfa, football player^[642]
• Colin Ireland (1954–2012), serial killer^[643]
• Wilko Johnson (1947–2022), singer, guitarist and songwriter; Game of Thrones actor^[644]
• Daniel Jones, musician, producer^[645]
• R. A. Jones (1849–1925), jeweller and town benefactor^[646]
• Phill Jupitus, comedian^[647]
• Mickey Jupp, musician^[648]
• Russell Kane, comedian^[649]
• Laura Keeble, artist^[650]
• Murray David Maitland Keddie (1929–2018), owner of Keddies, founder of Essex Radio and former High Sheriff of Essex.^[651]
• Dominic Littlewood, TV presenter^[652]
• David Lloyd, tennis player^[653]
• John Lloyd, tennis player^[653]
• Robert Lloyd, opera singer^[654]
• Ron Martin, Southend United chairman, 1998-2024^[655]
• Frank Matcham (1854–1920), English theatre designer, retired and died in Southend^[656][657]
• Lee Mead, musical theatre actor^[658]
• Jon Miller (1921–2008), TV presenter^[659]
• Helen Mirren, actress^[660]
• Jack Monroe, blogger, campaigner^[661]
• Peggy Mount (1915–2001), actress^[662]
• Tris Vonna Michell, artist^[663]
• Maajid Nawaz, former Islamist activist who now campaigns against extremism^[664]
• Julian Okai, English footballer^[665]
• Michael Osborne, first-class cricketer^[666]
• Ron Pember (1934-2022), actor^[667]
• Annabel Port, broadcaster^[668]
• Stephen Port, serial killer^[669]
• Spencer Prior, footballer^[670]
• Lara Pulver, actress^[671]
• Roy Walter Purdy (died 1982), propaganda broadcaster and informer at Colditz^[672]
• Rachel Riley, Countdown co-presenter^[673]
• Simon Schama, historian / TV presenter^[674]
• Clement Scott (1841–1904), theatre critic^[589]
• Anne Stallybrass (1938–2021), actress^[675]
• Vivian Stanshall (1943–1995), musician^[676]
• Sam Strike, actor^[677]
• Ruby Tandoh, baker^[678][679]
• Keith Taylor (1953–2022), politician^[680]
• Peter Taylor, footballer and football manager^[681]
• Theoretical Girl, singer-songwriter^[682]
• Steve Tilson, footballer and football manager, voted Southend United's greatest ever player^[683]
• Kara Tointon, actress^[684]
• Hannah Tointon, actress^[684]
• Robin Trower, rock-blues guitarist^[685]
• L. C. Tyler, author^[686]
• Clive Uptton (1911–2006), illustrator attended Southend Art College^[687]
• Gary Vandermolen, footballer^[688]
• Benjamin Waugh (1839–1908), campaigner and founder of NSPCC, buried at Sutton Road cemetery^[589]
• David Webb, football manager^[689]
• Paul Webb, musician, bassist for Talk Talk^[690]
• Rhys "Spider" Webb, bassist of The Horrors^[638]
• Michael Wilding (1912–1979), actor^[691]
• David Witts, actor^[692]
• C. R. Alder Wright (1844–1894), scientist - founder of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and inventor of Heroin^[693]
• Ian Yearsley, local historian and author^[694]
• Nothing But Thieves, musicians^[695]

Freedom of the City

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City of Southend-on-Sea.

Individuals

• David Stanley BEM: 24 July 2023.^[696]
• Kevin Maher: March 2024.^[697]

Military Units

• 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment: 17 June 2010.^[698]

References

1. UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – Southend-on-Sea Local Authority (E06000033)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
2. Else, David, ed. (2009). England. Lonely Planet travel guide (5th ed.). Lonely Planet. p. 445. ISBN 978-1-74104-590-1.
3. "Sir David Amess: Southend to become a city in honour of MP". BBC News. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
4. "Southend to become city in honour of Sir David Amess". The Guardian. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
5. "Southend: Prince Charles presents city status document". BBC News. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
6. "Warrant to prepare Letters Patent for conferring city status on Southend-on-Sea". Crown Office. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
7. Pearce. M (2000). Milton, Chalkwell, and the Crowstone. Ian Henry. p. 1. ISBN 9780860255109.
8. Smith, J. R. (1991). The origins and failure of New South-End. Essex County Council. p. 3. ISBN 9780900360886.
9. James Bettley, Nikolaus Pevsner (2007). The Buildings of England: Essex. Yale University Press. pp. 690–717. ISBN 9780300116144.
10. "Coronavirus and Brexit hit bid to save The London shipwreck". BBC. 15 June 2020.
11. Smith, J. R. (1991). The origins and failure of New South-End. Essex County Council. p. 5. ISBN 9780900360886.
12. Smith, J. R. (1991). The origins and failure of New South-End. Essex County Council. pp. 6–14. ISBN 9780900360886.
13. Gordon. D (2014). The Secret History of Southend-on-Sea. The History Press. ISBN 9780750955454.
14. A. D. Bayne (1873). Royal Illustrated History of Eastern England. pp. 82–83.
15. Smith, J. R. (1991). The origins and failure of New South-End. Essex County Council. p. 15. ISBN 9780900360886.
16. Smith, J. R. (1991). The origins and failure of New South-End. Essex County Council. p. 18. ISBN 9780900360886.
17. Smith, J. R. (1991). The origins and failure of New South-End. Essex County Council. p. 21. ISBN 9780900360886.
18. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. Phillimore. p. 10. ISBN 0850333342.
19. Philip Benton (1888). The History of Rochford Hundred, (together with the Parishes Comprised Within the Union,). Unicorn Press. p. 622. ISBN 978-0-9516587-1-0.
20. George Henry Davidson (1850). "Southend". The Thames and Thanet Guide, and Kentish Tourist ... Third Edition, Illustrated with Maps, Etc. p. 36.
21. Clamp, Francis (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War. Pen and Sword. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-47382-255-9.
22. Tsouras, Peter G (2015). Bayonets, Balloons & Ironclads: Britain and France Take Sides with the South. Skyhorse. p. 223. ISBN 978-1-62914-867-0.
23. "Architectural Heritage". BBC. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
24. Rayment, David (2019). A-Z of Southend: Places-People-History. Amberley Publishing Limited. p. 114. ISBN 978-1-44568-648-6.
25. "The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland". Great Britain. 1829. p. 880. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
26. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0850333342.
27. Kay, Peter (1996). The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway: A history of the company and line Volume 1 1836-1893. Peter Kay. pp. 15–19. ISBN 1-899890-10-6.
28. Mary Grover (2009). The Ordeal of Warwick Deeping. Middlebrow Authorship and Cultural Embarrassment. Associated University Presse. pp. 65–66. ISBN 9780838641880.
29. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. p. 17. ISBN 0850333342.
30. Dee Gordon (2019). Struggle and Suffrage in Southend-on-Sea. Women's Lives and the Fight for Equality. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781526717672.
31. Essex Record Office Publications Issue 66. The Council. 1974. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-900360-43-5.
32. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. pp. 31–32. ISBN 0850333342.
33. "Pier History". Southend Pier & Railway. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
34. Worpole, Chris. "G. J. Keddie & Sons". Hadleigh and Thundersley Community Archive. Hadleigh History. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
35. Rayment, David C. (2019). A-Z of Southend: Places-People-History. Amberley Publishing. p. 92. ISBN 978-1-4456-8648-6.
36. "Kursaal | Theatres Trust".
37. Kane, Josephine (16 March 2016). The Architecture of Pleasure: British Amusement Parks 1900–1939. Routledge. p. 64. ISBN 9781317044741.
38. Rayment. D. C. (2011). Southend Through Time. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445631028.
39. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. Phillimore. p. 20. ISBN 0850333342.
40. Book of Prospectuses. Statements for Information and Circulars to Shareholders of Public Companies. Issue 23. 1902. p. 57.
41. Southend Museums Service (2010). Cliff Lift History. Southend-on-Sea: Southend Museums Service.
42. "History of Southend". Southend-On-Sea City Council. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
43. Everritt. S (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. Phillimore. p. 34. ISBN 0850333342.
44. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. p. 4. ISBN 9780952592303.
45. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 5. ISBN 9780952592303.
46. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 6. ISBN 9780952592303.
47. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 3. ISBN 9780952592303.
48. "Memories of the Southend Cliffs 'wedding cake' bandstand". Evening Echo. 4 September 2022.
49. Canadian almanac & directory. 1848. p. 337.
50. J.H. Clapham (1914). An Economic History of Modern Britain in Three Volumes. Cambridge University Press. p. 457.
51. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 13. ISBN 9780952592303.
52. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 14. ISBN 9780952592303.
53. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend seaside holiday. Phillimore. p. 27. ISBN 0850333342.
54. "The POW Ships at Southend on Sea". Essex Regiment. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
55. Michael Foley (2017). Prisoners of the British. Internees and Prisoners of War during the First World War. ISBN 978-1781554791.
56. "Southend Story". Aerospace. Vol. 8–9. 1981. p. 21.
57. Clamp, Frances (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War (Kindle ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. pp. 16–17. ISBN 9781473841307.
58. "Pier history". Southend Pier & Railway. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
59. Clamp, Frances (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War (Kindle ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. p. 29. ISBN 9781473841307.
60. Frances Clamp (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473840775.
61. Buchan, John (1915). Nelson's History of the war. p. 107.
62. Clamp, Frances (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War (Kindle ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. pp. 32–41. ISBN 9781473841307.
63. Clamp, Frances (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War (Kindle ed.). Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military. p. 118. ISBN 9781473841307.
64. Frances Clamp (2014). Southend-on-Sea in the Great War. Pen and Sword. p. 100. ISBN 9781473822559.
65. Roy Thomas and Paul Thomas (2015). SAGUS Vol 4: Boys in the 1930s.Two teenagers in 1930s England.
66. "Southend population falsely increased huge 50 per cent in 1921". Evening Echo. 20 November 2022.
67. Garvin, James Louis (1926). The Encyclopædia Britannica. p. 605.
68. Aidan Dodson, Serena Cant (2020). Spoils of War. The Fate of Enemy Fleets After the Two World Wars. Seaforth. ISBN 9781526741998.
69. "Peter Pan's 75-year adventure". Daily Gazette. 12 August 1999.
70. Andrew Gladwell (2012). By Steamer to the Essex Coast. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445623290.
71. "Our Eric. Ekco Park". Southend Museums. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
72. William Pollitt (1945). A history of Prittlewell. p. 38.
73. "1931 – THE BIRTH OF A TRADITION". London Taxi Drivers Charity for Children. February 1931. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
74. "Administrative Area Southend UA". Vision of Britain. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
75. Paul d'Orleans (2019). Ton Up! A Century of Café Racer Speed and Style. Motorbooks. p. 70. ISBN 9780760360453.
76. "Southend Cliffs Pavilion: a history of the much-loved theatre venue". Evening Echo. 25 December 2023.
77. Ian Yearsley (2016). Southend in 50 Buildings. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445651897.
78. Ian Yearsley (2022). Secret City of Southend. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781398111554.
79. Nash. F (2001). Survey of World War Two Defences in the Borough of Southend-on-Sea. Essex County Council Heritage Conservation Branch.
80. Michael Foley (2008). Front-Line Thames. History Press. ISBN 9780750952392.
81. David C. Rayment (2023). Celebrating the City of Southend. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781398115811.
82. Bennett, Eric G. (2012). Pull Up the Ladder Jack: Seamen Behaving Badly. Xlibris Corporation. p. 22. ISBN 9781479734757.
83. "Southend-on-Sea". The Local Historian. Vol. 32–33. National Council of Social Service. 2002. p. 6.
84. L. M. Bates (1980). The Spirit of London's River Memoirs of the Thames Waterfront. Gresham Books. p. 120. ISBN 9780905418438.
85. Rachel Lichtenstein (2016). Estuary. Out from London to the Sea. Penguin Books Limited. ISBN 9780141911533.
86. Ian M. Philpott (2007). Royal Air Force History. Royal Air Force - an Encyclopaedia of the Inter-War Years - Vol II. Pen & Sword Aviation. p. 270. ISBN 9781844153916.
87. "A day at the seaside". WW2 People's War - BBC. 21 November 2005.
88. Adam Culling (2023). Essex's Military Heritage. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781398103085.
89. "Greater London (Civil Service No. 3), Southend-on-Sea". RNLI. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
90. "Bombed out.. photos show air raid destruction 80 years ago". Evening Echo. 11 July 2020.
91. Cuthbert Lindsay Dunn (1952). The Emergency Medical Services: England and Wales. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 106.
92. Adrian Searle (2016). Churchill's Last Wartime Secret. The 1943 German Raid Airbrushed from History. Pen and Sword. p. 3. ISBN 9781473877733.
93. Peter C. Brown (2012). RAF Southend. History Press. ISBN 9780752477015.
94. "OLD RANGES 1849-1998". MOD Shoeburyness. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
95. "HMS Leigh - community lead heritage and art project". Facebook. 15 January 2021.
96. "Bomb disposal units called to Southend-on-Sea after WWII bombs found washed up on coast". Essex Live. 2 March 2021.
97. John Lee (2023). A Grateful Nation Soon Forgot. The Remarkable Story of Southend's Contribution in Defence of the Nation. Paragon Publishing. p. 127. ISBN 9781399949606.
98. "Secret life of HMS Westcliff". Evening Echo. 28 September 2007.
99. "R A Jones was a favourite on Southend High Street after World War II attack". Evening Echo. 30 January 2021.
100. Alan Higgins (2013). You're in the Navy Now. A Teenage Recruit Sees Front-Line Action in WWII. Memoirs Publishing. p. 86. ISBN 9781861510662.
101. Chris Ransted (2013). Disarming Hitlers V Weapons. Bomb Disposal, the V1 and V2 Rockets. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN 9781473829671.
102. TOM BENNETT. Shipwrecks for Walkers Volume 2.
103. Dee Gordon (2014). The Secret History of Southend-on-Sea. History Press. ISBN 9780750955454.
104. "D-Day 80th Anniversary event. Southend-on-Sea, Essex. 8 June 2024". Facebook. 10 June 2024.
105. "Force L (Follow-up) Assembly area, Southend-on-Sea, Essex". The D-Day Story. Portsmouth. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
106. David C. Rayment (2023). Celebrating the City of Southend. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781398115811.
107. "How Southend coastal defences were removed after WW2". Evening Echo. 10 June 2022.
108. Simon H. Adamson, Antony Dale (1994). Seaside Piers. B. T. Batsford. p. 60. ISBN 9780713402421.
109. Anthony Wills, Tim Phillips (2014). British Seaside Piers. English Heritage. p. 16. ISBN 9781848022645.
110. "Southend Golden Hind memories after El Galeon visit". Evening Echo. 6 June 2023.
111. Gareth Shaw, Sheela Agarwal (2007). Managing Coastal Tourism Resorts. A Global Perspective. Channel View Publications. p. 40. ISBN 9781845413590.
112. Stephen Page (2011). Tourism Management. Taylor & Francis. p. 348-349. ISBN 9781136433917.
113. "The 1953 Floods in Essex". Essex Records Office. 31 January 2013.
114. "Coronations of past: how south Essex celebrated them". Evening Echo. 6 May 2023.
115. Commonwealth Survey. Central Office of Information. 1957. p. 75.
116. Reginald Davies, M. D. Grant (1983). London and Its Railways. David & Charles. p. 75. ISBN 9780715381076.
117. "Britain's Carferry Airlines". Airliner World. Key Publishing, Avenel, NJ, USA. July 2005. p. 34.
118. Mark Clapson (2009). The Routledge Companion to Britain in the Twentieth Century. Taylor & Francis. p. 333. ISBN 9781134476954.
119. Christopher Thornton, Herbert Eiden (2012). The Victoria History of the County of Essex. Boydell & Brewer. p. 11.
120. Christopher Thornton, Herbert Eiden (2012). The Victoria History of the County of Essex. Boydell & Brewer. p. 12.
121. Stephen Ward (2005). Selling Places. The Marketing and Promotion of Towns and Cities 1850-2000. Taylor & Francis. p. 78. ISBN 9781135818944.
122. United States. Congress House Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing (1978). Hearings, Reports and Prints of the House Committee on Banking, Currency, and Housing. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 126.
123. "The Miles Report of 1944". Southend Timeline. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
124. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. p. 28. ISBN 9780952592303.
125. Ian Yearsley (2016). Southend in 50 Buildings. ISBN 9781445651897.
126. "Southend-all-at-sea. Or how not to develop a town". Time and Tide. Vol. 41, no. 27–53. Time and Tide. 1960. p. 1328.
127. "Revised Southend Redevelopment Scheme Rejected". Highways and Bridges and Engineering Works. Vol. 29. Road Publications. 1961. p. 26.
128. "From Talza to Victoria". Southend Timeline. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
129. Southend-on-Sea and District Chapter of Architects (1961). Prospect of Southend. Master Design Proposals for the Town.
130. "Arcade crushed under concrete". Evening Echo. 9 December 2009.
131. Ian Yearsley (2022). Secret City of Southend. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781398111554.
132. "Queensway". Southend Timeline. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
133. "Southend Inner Ring Road". The Road Way. Associated Road Operators, Road Haulage Association. 1966. p. 68.
134. "Street Lighting". The Electrical Review. 180 (18–26). IPC Electrical-Electronic Press: 54. 1967.
135. "Southend: History collector Ken puts pictures into print". Daily Gazette. 19 August 2000.
136. "Southend-on-Sea". Chartered Municipal Engineer. 102–103. Institution of Municipal Engineers: 10. 1975.
137. "Pedestrian Malls". Urban Transportation Research and Planning, Current Literature. Vol. 24–26. Bureau of Public Roads Library. 1968. p. 3.
138. "The Changing Face of Southend". Southend Timeline. 1965. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
139. "Custom and Excise Building". Surveyor and Municipal and County Engineer. Vol. 127. 1966. p. 52.
140. "Essex Police". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 24 October 1968. Archived from the original on 25 December 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2014.
141. Mark Clapson (2009). The Routledge Companion to Britain in the Twentieth Century. Taylor & Francis. p. 333. ISBN 9781134476954.
142. David Harrison, Richard Sharpley (2017). Mass Tourism in a Small World. CABI. p. 107. ISBN 9781780648545.
143. Cutpurse, Molly (2010). The Chronologically Challenged Funeral Director. Lulu.com. p. 163. ISBN 9-781-44576-926-4.
144. "Pier preserved". The Calgary Herald. 23 September 1972. p. 62.
145. "Pier History". Southend Pier and Railway. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
146. Southend City Council. Kursaal Conservation Area Character Appraisal (PDF). Retrieved 29 May 2024.
147. "Electronic telephone exchanges". Post Office Telecommunications Journal. 22 (4). Winter 1970–71.
148. Chris Poole (April 2008). EKCO Electronics.
149. Frazer, P. A. T (1985). Plastic and electronic money : new payment systems and their implications. Woodhead-Faulkner. ISBN 0859412903.
150. Debenham, John (2010). On this day in Essex : a diary of day by day events many of which shaped the nations history with national and international timelines. Summersbook (UK) Ltd. p. 59. ISBN 9780955229541.
151. "The Historic Aircraft Museum". Southend Timeline. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
152. Richard Minns, Jenny Thornley (1978). State Shareholding. The Role of Local and Regional Authorities. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 76-77. ISBN 9781349037681.
153. Hall, Peter (1982). Great Planning Disasters. University of California Press. p. 40. ISBN 9780520046078.
154. "Prospects 1976". Southend Timeline. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
155. Adrian Henry Wardle Robinson, Roy Millward (1983). The Shell Book of the British Coast. David & Charles. p. 330. ISBN 9780715381502.
156. "First Mile, walkway and train, now open". Newsquest. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
157. "Going to great lengths to protect the world's longest pleasure pier". Zurich Insurance. 21 August 2024.
158. Anthony Wills, Tim Phillips (2014). British Seaside Piers. English Heritage. p. 200. ISBN 9781848022645.
159. "Southend Aircraft Museum closure". Air Pictorial. Vol. 45. 1983. p. 56.
160. "Pier Railway Reopens". The Railway Magazine. September 1986. p. 551.
161. "East of England Developments". Country Life. Vol. 182. 1988. p. 78.
162. "Southend Pier". Essex Journal. 23–26. Phillimore: 31. 1988.
163. Hydraulics Research Station (1979). Annual Report. p. 56.
164. Nature Conservancy Council (Great Britain) (1982). Report. p. 49.
165. "East of England". The Estates Gazette. Vol. 258 Part 2. 1981. p. 696.
166. "Southend Waders Reprieve". Birds. Magazine for Members of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Vol. 11. 1986. p. 65.
167. "Ambitious new £500m plan to create new Southend marina". Evening Echo. 10 September 2020.
168. "Remembering the former free Essex airshow loved by residents for 30 years". Essex Live. 17 August 2024.
169. "Evening Echo". 13 January 2024.
170. "southendairshow.com". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
171. "Southend Sealife Adventure marks 30 years on seafront". Evening Echo. 10 June 2023.
172. "Old pictures of Adventure Island in Southend through the decades". Southend Echo. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
173. "Southend seafront Adventure Island crowned best-value park". Evening Echo. 20 April 2024.
174. "Billy Walker back in Southend". Evening Echo. 8 August 2007.
175. "From the Echo archive: 12 pictures of Southend's Kursaal in its heyday". Echo. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
176. "Southend burial site 'UK's answer to Tutankhamun'". BBC. 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
177. Brown, Mark (8 May 2019). "Britain's equivalent to Tutankhamun found in Southend-on-Sea". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
178. "Cliffs Museum, Southend, plan SCRAPPED after news it will cost £55million". Evening Echo. 18 October 2018.
179. "Alexander House flats bid images revealed as plans submitted". Evening Echo. 21 November 2023.
180. "Thamesgate House office block to be turned into 130 flats". Harwich and Manningtree Standard. 3 June 2021.
181. "Weston Homes Acquires Residential Opportunity In Southend For £3.25m". BrayFoxSmith. 28 December 2014.
182. "Southend housing: Planning permission granted to turn Southend-on-Sea High Street office block into 27 flats". Essex Live. 24 August 2021.
183. "Southend-on-Sea's City Status". Southend-On-Sea Borough Council. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
184. Emes, Toby (22 September 2021). "Bid to make Southend a city officially launched". Basildon Canvey Southend Echo.
185. "Southend City". southend.city. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
186. "Pictures: 'Emotional' concert held at the Cliffs in honour of Sir David Amess". Echo. 14 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
187. "What you need to know about week long celebrations to mark Southend city status". Echo. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
188. "Stars of Amess memorial concert: "we're going to do a lot in the city in Sir David's name"". Greatest Hits Radio (Essex). Retrieved 20 February 2022.
189. Gray, Brad (23 January 2020). "Why Essex could have a second city in 2021". EssexLive.
190. "SOUTHEND, Southend District, TQ875851, General geological site". Essex Field Club. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
191. "Council sued over cliff slip". Evening Echo. 23 August 2007.
192. "Southend cliff slip repairs nearing completion". Evening Echo. 4 January 2013.
193. "Ground investigations to help stabilise Southend's soft cliff coastline". Ground Engineering. 3 May 2023.
194. "Beauty spot shut off for cliff-slipping tests". BBC. 15 February 2024.
195. "Geology of the country around Southend and Foulness. Memoir for 1:50 000 sheets 258 and 259, (England and Wales)". British Geological Survey. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
196. "Leigh Town Council: "Sticky gate"". East Anglia Bylines. 27 May 2024.
197. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
198. "Southend on Sea Registration District". UKBMD. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
199. "Ward Maps". Southend-On-Sea City Council. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
200. "Labour take control to lead coalition in Southend". BBC. 21 May 2024.
201. "Southend". Chelmsford Chronicle. 31 August 1866. p. 5. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
202. Yearsley, Ian (2016). Southend in 50 buildings. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-5189-7. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
203. "Local Government Board's Provisional Orders Confirmation (No. 7) Act 1897". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
204. "Shoeburyness Urban District Council". The National Archives. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
205. "Southend Civic Centre". Modern Mooch. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
206. Stokes, Raymond G.; Köster, Roman; Sambrook, Stephen C. (2013). The Business of Waste: Great Britain and Germany, 1945 to the Present. Cambridge University Press. p. 255. ISBN 9781107027213.
207. Bettley, James (2007). Pevsner, Nikolaus (ed.). Essex. Pevsner Architectural Guides: The Buildings of England. Yale University Press. pp. 690–691. ISBN 978-0-300-11614-4.
208. "Sopot – Southend's Twin Town". Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
209. "MPs and Lords - Southend East and Rochford\". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
210. "MPs and Lords - Southend West and Leigh". UK Parliament. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
211. "Southend East and Rochford results". BBC. 5 July 2024.
212. "Southend West and Leigh results". BBC. 5 July 2024.
213. "Labour makes history with a double win in Southend". Evening Echo. 5 July 2024.
214. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "S" (part 4)
215. "Obituary: Lord Kelvedon". the Guardian. 31 January 2007.
216. "Sir Stephen McAdden dies". The Guardian. 28 December 1979. p. 2.
217. Shiels, David C. (2021). "Taylor, Sir Edward Macmillan [Teddy] (1937–2017), politician". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.90000380366. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
218. "Rochford and Southend East MP James Duddridge to step down". Southend Echo. 20 November 2023.
219. Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, 30 January 2007.
220. "Statement of persons nominated, notice of poll and situation in polling stations". Southend Council. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
221. "Southend West by-election live updates: Residents vote to elect MP after Sir David Amess' death". Essex Live. The turnout for the Southend West by election was 24.03 per cent of an electorate of 66,354
222. @BritainElects (4 February 2022). "Southend West parliamentary by-election, result" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
223. "Election Results Southend West by-election 2022". 4 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
224. Southend Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (PDF) (Report). April 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
225. "2011 Census – Built-up areas". ONS. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
226. Ramesh, Randeep (23 February 2011). "The child poverty map of Britain". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
227. Rogers, Simon (31 March 2011). "Deprivation mapped: how you show the poorest (and richest) places in England". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
228. "Employment, unemployment and economic inactivity in Southend-on-Sea". Office of National Statistics. 14 May 2024.
229. Swinney, Paul (15 February 2016). "Southend is Britain's only high-wage, high-welfare city. What gives?". City Metric. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
230. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council (13 November 2020). Destination Southend. p. 10.
231. "BBC show to explore history of the famous Rossi's Ice Cream". Evening Echo. 20 January 2020.
232. Southend-on-Sea Economic Growth Strategy. 2016. p. 18.
233. "easyJet to open 10th UK base at London Southend Airport next spring signalling continued UK growth". easyJet. 16 May 2024.
234. "What We Do". Inflite MRO. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
235. "Ipeco Holdings". Aerospace. 13: 37. 1986.
236. "Ipeco to supply flight-deck seats for Boeing 787". Aviation Week. 15 April 2005.
237. "Ipeco plans second Southend Business Park facility". Aviation Business News. 4 July 2023.
238. "Southend Ipeco Holdings recognised with King's Award". Evening Echo. 7 May 2024.
239. Honeywell (2019). MK Centenary Brochure (PDF).
240. "Company Profile". Olympus UK & Ireland. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
241. "Southend Olympus KeyMed Day Nursery set to shut down". 2 February 2023.
242. "Our impact in the UK and Ireland". Olympus UK & Ireland. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
243. "NatWest Southend: 160 bank call centre jobs at risk as redundancy processes started". Evening Echo. 10 March 2022.
244. "HSBC cuts 1700 jobs". The Guardian. 3 November 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
245. "300 new jobs for Southend". Echo. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
246. "More than 100 Insure & Go employees face redundancy in Southend – Evening Echo p.16 Nov 2016". 16 November 2015. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
247. "Southend based insurance firm to create at least 70 new jobs". Evening Echo. 25 November 2021.
248. "Centrica – Our Facilities". Retrieved 3 June 2019.
249. "Ventrica, Southend, set to offer 200 new jobs – Evening Echo Cornell.A p.13 August 2018". 13 August 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
250. Harris southern california business directory and buyer's guide 2019. [Place of publication not identified] MERGENT. 2019. p. 708. ISBN 9781641411783.
251. "Local authority profile". Office of National Statistics. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
252. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Cole, Eric Kirkham by Rowland F. Pocock
253. "EK Cole". Museum of Designs in Plastics. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
254. "Pye suffers a cyclical television equipment fall". The Times. No. 60384. 19 August 1978. p. 17. Gale CS285967123.
255. "Ekco Plastics". Graces Guide. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
256. "EK Cole treasure trove discovered". Evening Echo. 30 September 2008.
257. "Ecomold Limited". Companies House. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
258. "PICTURES FROM THE PAST: Southend's former Ekco radio and television factory". Evening Echo. 15 May 2016.
259. "Sculpture honours Southend's Ekco factory founder Eric Cole". Evening Echo. 20 July 2020.
260. Commission and Monopolies Commission (6 September 2005). Decision on the CMA's review of the Credit Cards (Merchant Acquisition) Order 1990.
261. "The Access Credit Card Offices: Christopher Martin Road". Access Credit Card. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
262. "The Access Credit Card Offices: Priory Crescent". Access Credit Card. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
263. "The Access Credit Card Offices: Esplanade House". Access Credit Card. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
264. "The Access Credit Card Offices: Chartwell House". Access Credit Card. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
265. "The Access Credit Card Offices: Essex House". Access Credit Card. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
266. Vendor Profile: A Publication from INPUT's Vendor Analysis Program. 1993. p. 4.
267. "HSBC to cut hundreds of jobs in Southend". Evening Echo. 3 November 2009.
268. "Union anger over further redundancies at Lloyds Bank". HR Magazine. 10 May 2013.
269. "New Royal Bank of Scotland developments". Architecture Today. No. 149. 2004. p. 36.
270. "Southend: Merger kills off insurance giant". Daily Gazette. 4 February 2000.
271. "Southend: 300 insurance jobs axed at CE heath". Daily Gazette. 7 February 2000.
272. "Welcome to the 'Mayfair of Southend': Former office block transformed into hundreds of modern apartments". Evening Echo. 12 September 2016.
273. "Southend: Civil servants stage strike over job cuts". Daily Gazette. 5 November 2004.
274. "Customs And Excise (Training Establishments)". Hansard. 18 January 1982.
275. "Revenue and Customs: Closures". Hansard. 16 June 2008.
276. "TYLERS HOUSE & DENCORA COURT". Government Buildings. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
277. "HMRC office in Southend affected by plan to close 170 offices across country". Evening Echo. 12 November 2015.
278. "Empty Southend office block to be demolished". Evening Echo. 29 November 2011.
279. "WWeston Homes acquire HMRC HQ site for new £60m apartment scheme in Southend-on-Sea". Weston Homes. 29 October 2019.
280. "Southend HMRC office block sees plans for 557 flats". Evening Echo. 15 November 2023.
281. "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 3 April 2007. p. 82.
282. Tait, Jim (5 December 2008). "Eastern takes over early as Flightline goes bust". The Shetland Times. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2011.
283. "Hundreds lose jobs as ATC Lasham enters administration". BBC. 7 October 2015.
284. "From BUAF to BAF — Plans for the new independent British Air Ferries". Flight International. Vol. 92. 1967. p. 937.
285. Mike Sessions – Looking on the Bright Side of Life, Airliner World, Key Publishing, Stamford, UK, March 2010, p. 48
286. Brett, Damian (30 May 2022). "Jota Aviation appoints liquidators as Covid and Brexit take their toll". Air Cargo News. DVV Media International Ltd. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
287. Kaminski-Morrow, David (27 May 2022). "UK operator Jota to be liquidated after pandemic and Brexit setbacks". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
288. Graham, James (22 May 2022). "Business losses bring down Jota Aviation". Air Cargo Week. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
289. "Essex Furniture plc". Financial Times. 1 April 1989.
290. "Essex Furniture plc". Bloomberg. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
291. "Essex Futniture shares suspended". Daily Gazette. 16 October 1998.
292. Chambers & Partners' the Legal Profession. Chambers & Partners Publishing. 1999. p. 470. ISBN 978-0-85514-109-7.
293. CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1965, 1966. CEGB, London.
294. "Southend Gas Company". Gas Journal. Light, Heat, Power, Bye-products. 3: 713. 1853.
295. Purcell. Southend-on-Sea: Eastern Esplanade Conservation Area Appraisal. p. 21.
296. "Picture from the past: Southend gasworks and jetty in 1970". Evening Echo. 13 November 2015.
297. "Southend Gas Company". Journal of Gas Lighting and Water Supply. 146: 200. 1919.
298. Malcolm E. Falkus (1988). Always Under Pressure. A History of North Thames Gas Since 1949. Springer. ISBN 9781349103164.
299. "Sun, sand... and stench from the old gasworks!". Evening Echo. 13 February 2014.
300. "The changing face of our seafront... Work starts at Premier Inn hotel and gym plan for Southend arcade". Evening Echo. 23 May 2014.
301. "Southend Waterworks Company". Essex Water Supply. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
302. "The Southend Water Bill". The Journal of Gas Lighting, Water Supply & Sanitary Improvement. 33. Walter King: 268. 1879.
303. "Sanitation in Southend". The Surveyor & Municipal & County Engineer. Vol. 10. St. Brides Press. 23 October 1896. p. 374.
304. Sessional Papers. Vol. 74. H. M. Stationery Office. 1907. p. 28.
305. "Essex Water Scheme". Municipal Engineering and the Sanitary Record. Vol. 67. Municipal Engineering Publications. 1921. p. 473.
306. "Southend Waterworks Act, c. lxii". UK Parliament Parliamentary Archives. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
307. "Hanningfield Facts". Essex & Suffolk Water. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008.
308. Essex Water Order 1970 (SI 1970/786): Regrouping Order: transfer of the water undertakings of certain local authorities and the Southend Waterworks Company to the South Essex Waterworks Company.
309. "Southend Waterworks Company". The Stock Exchange Official Yearbook. Thomas Skinner & Company. 1973. p. 1179.
310. "Victoria Shopping Centre – Southend Timeline". Retrieved 5 June 2015.
311. "Southend Royals Shopping Centre construction remembered". Evening Echo. 29 October 2022.
312. James Bettley, Nikolaus Pevsner (2007). Essex: The Buildings of England. Yale University Press. p. 697. ISBN 9780300116144.
313. "The Royals Shopping Centre". Southend Timeline. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
314. "Celebrating 25 years of shopping at the Royals". Evening Echo. 27 February 2013.
315. "Shopping in Southend-on-Sea – Sarfend.co.uk". Retrieved 5 June 2015.
316. "Southend: The city-to-be where a quarter of shops are shut". BBC. 24 January 2022.
317. "The shops empty on Southend High Street". Evening Echo. 2 May 2021.
318. "The ghost town Essex city where shops lay empty for years could be offered to up and coming businesses". Essex Live. 17 February 2024.
319. "History". Dixons Retail. Wayback Machine. 9 September 2011. Archived from the original on 9 September 2011. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
320. "Essex spot dubbed 'Southend's trendier sister' is the most affordable London commuter town". Metro. 10 April 2024.
321. "Visit Southend – A Shopper's paradise". Retrieved 5 June 2015.
322. "Hamlet Court Road street party filmed for BBC show - Evening Echo p.6 June 2013". 6 June 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
323. "Southend's 'second high street' given conservation status". BBC. 14 September 2021.
324. "Westcliff Hamlet Court Road festival to return this month". Evening Echo. 12 May 2024.
325. "The Big Southend Vintage & Retro Fair". Visit Southend. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
326. "Record Fairs UK". Retrieved 5 June 2015.
327. "Southend York Road Market". Sarfend.co.uk. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
328. "Workmen move in to demolish market". Echo. 23 April 2010.
329. "Southend market to double in size". Echo. 6 February 2014.
330. "Southend High Street set to have new Saturday market". Evening Echo. 23 June 2023.
331. Cohen, Philip; Rustin, Michael J. (January 2008). London's Turning - The making of Thames Gateway - Edited by Philip Cohen & Michael J. Rustin page 219. Ashgate Publishing. ISBN 9780754670636. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
332. "End of an era as Havens store prepares to close after almost 100 years on the high street – Evening Echo p.12 May 2017". 12 May 2017. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
333. "The origins of Southend". Southend-On-Sea City Council. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
334. "Garons Cinema – cinematreasures.org". Retrieved 18 November 2016.
335. "The Edinburgh Gazette 11 April 1967" (PDF). Retrieved 18 November 2016.
336. "Garons of Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK - advert from 1946 Post Office Telephones Directory". Flickr. 28 March 2021.
337. "SOUTHEND-ON-SEA Essex, 1937-1938 OFFICIAL GUIDE by Jennings, George (Publicity Officer): Good Soft cover (1937) 1st Edition,SEVERNBOOKS". Pinterest. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
338. "Moores Stores Ltd". The New Dawn. 1962. p. 436.
339. "Billy Walker back in Southend". Evening Echo. 8 August 2007.
340. "Horizon Ahead". Investors Chronicle and Stock Exchange Gazette. Vol. 24. 1973. p. 728.
341. "Another Hammerson development in the Heart of Southend". Board of Trade Journal. 189 (3580): 1017. 29 October 1975.
342. "Essex Archives Online (D/BC 1/4/10/12/17)" (Catalogue record). Essex Record Office. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
343. Industries of the Eastern Counties : Essex. Essex Libraries. 1982. p. 220. ISBN 978-0-903630-18-4.
344. "Owen Wallis & Sons, Southend – Flickr". 14 January 2004. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
345. Hornby Railways. Hornby Railways International Service Dealer Network 49. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
346. Everritt, Sylvia (1980). Southend Seaside Holiday. Phillimore. p. 35. ISBN 0850333342.
347. "Old Shop Fronts & Names – Sarfend.co.uk". Retrieved 18 November 2016.
348. "Essex". The British Journal of Photography. 132: 257. 1985.
349. "Photographer Joe Patience dies aged 88". Evening Echo. 28 March 2008.
350. "Acquisition of small food chains – Schofield and Martin". Waitrose Memory Store. 16 June 2018.
351. "Self-Service". Waitrose Memory Store. 16 June 2018.
352. "Obitutary Mr Glover". The Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects. 42: 458. 1932.
353. "Southend's oldest department store to shut after 120 years". Evening Echo. 23 June 2017.
354. "About Us". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
355. "Fifth generation of family joins Ravens – Evening Echo p.3 Sept 2010". 3 September 2010. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
356. "Second family business will be leaving Southend". Evening Echo. 23 June 2017.
357. "Retirement brings an end to Wellfares". Evening Echo. 30 January 2010.
358. "Farewell to the man who set up Wellfares". Evening Echo. 13 July 2010.
359. "GVA UKH31 Southend-on-Sea Information Raw total £m". Office for National Statistics. 10 December 2014.
360. "Southend Airport records busiest year ever". ADS Advance. 10 January 2014.
361. "Stobart to buy Southend Airport for up to 21 mln stg". Reuters. 2 December 2008. Archived from the original on 30 December 2018. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
362. "Expansion gets go-ahead". Southend Echo. 19 March 2010. Archived from the original on 19 September 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
363. "Southend-on-Sea Corporation Light Railways". The Modern Tramway. Vol. 18, no. 216. December 1955. p. 221.
364. Shepperton (1994). Buses: Focus on British Bus Fleets Today.
365. Mr. Freeman (2 July 1993). "Hansard – House of Commons Daily Debates for 2 July 1993, Written Answers Column 635". Retrieved 25 July 2008.
366. "Council's £2.1m plan to get us on the buses". Evening Echo. 19 September 2012.
367. "Eastern National – southendtimeline". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
368. "The closure of Arriva Southend's London Road Garage – 2000 By Richard Delahoy". Retrieved 10 November 2016.
369. "End of the road for busman Denis – Evening Echo p.19 February 2009". 19 February 2009. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
370. John Robert Day, John Reed (2005). The story of London's underground (9 ed.). Capital Transport. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-85414-289-4.
371. "Southend Cliff Railway". The Heritage Trail. Archived from the original on 7 June 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
372. "Southend-on-Sea climate averages". Met Office. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
373. "Shoeburyness Climatic Averages 1991–2020". Met Office. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
374. "University of Essex: Raising expectations on the east coast". The Independent. London. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 2 August 2008.
375. "Southend: University plans backed". Daily Gazette. 6 January 2005.
376. "Southend: Degree of fun by the sea". Daily Gazette. 24 July 2003.
377. "East 15 Acting School". Clifftown Theatre. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
378. "South Essex College Merger Approved". 30 November 2009.
379. Burrows, John William (1909). Southend-on-Sea and district: historical notes. pp. 138–145.
380. "PORTERS GRANGE PRIMARY SCHOOL & NURSERY". Portico Academy Trust. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
381. Butterworth, Harry (1968). The Science and Art Department, 1853–1900 (Ph.D. Thesis). University of Sheffield.
382. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 1. ISBN 9780952592303.
383. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 2. ISBN 9780952592303.
384. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 12. ISBN 9780952592303.
385. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 13. ISBN 9780952592303.
386. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 14. ISBN 9780952592303.
387. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 17. ISBN 9780952592303.
388. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 29. ISBN 9780952592303.
389. "Key Information". Westcliff High School for Boys. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
390. "Key Information". Westcliff High School for Boys. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
391. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. Southend High School for Boys. p. 30. ISBN 9780952592303.
392. "The White Hall". Historic England. 1 December 1994.
393. "Douglas Niel Martin-Kaye". Royal Institute of British Architects. 61: 250. 1954.
394. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. p. 22. ISBN 9780952592303.
395. John R. Smith (1988). More of Southend Past. Essex Record Office. p. 28. ISBN 978-0-900360-70-1.
396. "Reference: E/E 33". Essex Records Office. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
397. Carmichael, Harry (1995). With future and with past : a history of Southend High School for Boys on the occasion of its centenary. p. 42. ISBN 9780952592303.
398. South East Essex College – A-Z Unis & Colleges, Getting Into University. The Independent (5 August 2010). Retrieved on 21 April 2011.
399. About Us Archived 8 January 2010 at archive.today. Southessex.ac.uk (28 April 2003). Retrieved on 21 April 2011.
400. "1906 – Southend Timeline". southendtimeline.com. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
401. "Southend United: Fans fear future without football club". BBC News. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
402. "Barrow 1-2 Southend United". BBC Sport. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
403. "Southend Manor Football Club". Essex Senior League. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
404. "Festival end rocks fans". Evening Echo. 29 September 2011.
405. "Cricket in the City of Southend-on-Sea". Essex County Cricket. 1 March 2022.
406. "Southend on Sea Athletic Club | Founded 1905". www.southend-on-sea-athletic-club.co.uk.
407. "Leisure Centres Directory - Southend Swimming & Diving Centre at Southend Leisure & Tennis Centre | Southend-on-Sea Borough Council". Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2014.
408. "Runner dies during charity half-marathon". BBC. 9 June 2024.
409. "Pleasure Pier, Non Civil Parish - 1112705". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
410. "History of Southend Pier". Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
411. "Book Review". The Tramway Review. Vol. 25. 2003. p. 78.
412. "Top 10 'at risk' sites named by Victorian Society". BBC. 29 May 2024.
413. Verity Wilson (2022). Dressing Up. A History of Fancy Dress in Britain. Reaktion Books. pp. 161–162. ISBN 9781789145304.
414. "Southend – Carnival Archive". Retrieved 3 June 2019.
415. "Southend Carnival week starts Friday – Evening Echo Buckley.K p.8 August 2018". 8 August 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
416. "Memories of Southend Carnival as event remains is missing". Evening Echo. 19 August 2023.
417. "Chalkwell Park funfair returns for 2023 all the details". Evening Echo. 26 July 2023.
418. Book of Prospectuses. Statements for Information and Circulars to Shareholders of Public Companies. Issue 23. 1902. p. 57.
419. "Historic cliff lift reopens following refurbishment". BBC Essex. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
420. "Old pictures of Adventure Island in Southend through the decades". Southend Echo. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
421. "Meerkats spotted running around Essex seafront after man breaks into Southend wildlife centre". The Independent. 14 July 2019.
422. "Southend beaches handed Blue Flag and Seaside Awards". Evening Echo. 15 May 2024.
423. "Southend Pier Hill lift to seafront is out of action". Evening Echo. 4 August 2022.
424. "Southend's Never Never Land: photos show former attraction". Evening Echo. 12 February 2023.
425. "The Official Town Civic Band". The Southend Band. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
426. "Southend: Cliffs are on move again". Essex County Standard. 20 January 2004.
427. "Latest News". Archived from the original on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2011.
428. "Gore fans gather in Southend-on-Sea for the horror version of Cannes". BBC. 14 January 2024.
429. "An arty weekend in … Southend-on-Sea, Essex". The Guardian. 22 March 2023.
430. "LuminoCity Southend: a look back after festival cancelled". Evening Echo. 6 January 2024.
431. "Old Leigh Regatta". Leigh Lions. 29 March 2023.
432. "Leigh Folk Festival: organisers cancel 2024 event". Evening Echo. 28 November 2023.
433. "Southend Jazz Festival returning for a fourth year". Evening Echo. 6 September 2023.
434. "Village Green festival keeps entry charge as details for 2015 bash are revealed". Evening Echo. 24 February 2015. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
435. "South Eastern Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club". Retrieved 2 April 2015.
436. "Bikers ride into town for Southend Shakedown". Echo. 26 April 2011.
437. "Parks and Greenspaces Strategy 2015-20.pdf - Southend-On-Sea Borough Council". Retrieved 21 February 2017.
438. Commemorative plaque. Priory Park gates: Southend Museums Service. 1920.
439. "Victory Sports Ground Trust Annual Report: year ended 31st March 2009" (PDF). Charity Commission. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
440. Yearsley, Ian. "Priory Park Preservation Society: R A Jones". Priory Park Preservation Society. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
441. Pevsner. N (2007). Essex: The Buildings of England. Yale University Press. p. 716. ISBN 9780300116144.
442. "Southchurch Hall Historic House". Southend-on-Sea Borough Council. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
443. "Clifftown Conservation Area – Southend on Sea Borough Council". Retrieved 19 October 2017.
444. "Southend-on-Sea". Historic England. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
445. James Bettley, Nikolaus Pevsner (2007). The Buildings of England: Essex. Yale University Press. p. 50. ISBN 9780300116144.
446. "3-15 Royal Terrace". Historic England. 23 November 1951.
447. "A Regency Terrace Endangered". Country Life. Vol. 154. 1973. p. 2032.
448. Ian Yearsley (2016). Southend in 50 Buildings. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445651897.
449. "Church of St Mary". Historic England. 23 November 1951.
450. "Southend-on-Sea War Memorial". Historic England. 22 August 1974.
451. Bettley, James; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2007). Essex. The Buildings of England. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. p. 698. ISBN 9780300116144.
452. "The White Hall". Historic England. 1 December 1994.
453. "Clatterfield Gardens, Southend-on-Sea, Southend-on-Sea". Historic England. 10 October 1999.
454. "Sunshine Day Nursery 2003 Ltd". Evening Standard. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
455. "Representatives from five Schools of Architecture Recognised for Intermediate Examination". The Calendar of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1928-29. 1928.
456. "Douglas Niel Martin-Kaye". Royal Institute of British Architects. 61: 250. 1954.
457. "PORTERS (CIVIC HOUSE)". Historic England. 23 November 1951.
458. Dee Gordon (2014). The Secret History of Southend-on-Sea. History Press. ISBN 9780750955454.
459. James Bettley, Nikolaus Pevsner (2007). The Buildings of England: Essex. Yale University Press. p. 696. ISBN 9780300116144.
460. "Southend Museums". Southend Museums Service. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
461. "Grave of ancient Christian 'prince' reveals its treasures, is UK's 'King Tut's tomb'". Fox News. 10 May 2019.
462. "Secrets of Anglo-Saxon tomb found behind Aldi supermarket revealed". 9 May 2019.
463. "La tumba de un antiguo príncipe fue hallada entre un bar y un supermercado". 14 May 2019.
464. "L'Incredibile scoperta della tomba del principe Saexa, il Tutankhamon inglese". 9 May 2019.
465. "Southend-on-Sea: Jazz Centre set to remain in Beecroft Gallery home". BBC. 31 May 2023.
466. "The Jazz Centre UK wins fight to stay at Beecroft Art Gallery location". JazzWise. 14 July 2023.
467. "Westcliff TAP gallery opens after fire". Southend Standard. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
468. "Metal – visitsouthend.co.uk". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
469. "Southend-on-Sea: the arty way is Essex – The Guardian – Joanna O'Connor p.23 July 2017". TheGuardian.com. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
470. Ian Yearsley (2016). Southend in 50 Buildings. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 9781445651897.
471. "Construction of the Dixon Studio". Palace Theatre History. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
472. Barbara Vesey (2003). The Hidden Places of East Anglia. Including Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. Travel Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 9781902007915.
473. "The new pavilion is taking shape". Southend Star. 11 February 1964. p. 84.
474. "Cliffs Pavilion major £8million refurbishment hit by delays". Evening Echo. 26 February 2024.
475. "Westcliff-on-Sea • Friday, July 19, 1991". The Paul McCartney Project. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
476. "When Oasis filmed in Southend - old photos unearthed". Evening Echo. 1 March 2023.
477. "Clifftown Theatre". Retrieved 23 February 2017.
478. "New Empire Theatre - The Theatres Trust". www.theatrestrust.org.uk. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
479. "Fall of the Empire – burned out theatre in ictures". Evening Echo. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
480. "Cinema demolition is finally underway". Southend Standard. 6 March 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
481. "Floral Hall brought music to Western Esplanade until a fire in 1937". Evening Echo. 4 December 2022.
482. "Southend: It's showtime on the pier again". Colchester Gazette. 4 May 2000.
483. Cutpurse, Molly (2010). The Chronologically Challenged Funeral Director. Lulu.com. p. 163. ISBN 9-781-44576-926-4.
484. "Harry Houdini Southend escape to be re-enacted by council worker". BBC. 17 January 2013.
485. "Theatres and Halls in Southend-on-Sea, and Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex". Arthur Lloyd. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
486. "Southend Timeline". Southend Timeline.
487. "Start The Revolution Without Me: More Memories of Southend Cinema!". 23 August 2010.
488. "Ne Ten Screen Cinema Planned for Southend". Evening Echo. 16 January 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
489. "REVEALED First Look at What £50 Million Southend Fun Palace Looks Like – Southend Standard". 6 December 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
490. "Essex Boys premiere saw A-listers head to Southend's Odeon". Echo. 11 October 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
491. "Look back on the day Sir Sean Connery flew into Southend for Bond filming". Echo. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
492. "Killing Dad". Time Out Worldwide. 10 September 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
493. "Canvey-set drama features host of screen stars before they were famous". Evening Echo. 16 October 2015.
494. "Jurassic World Dominion Dinotracker". www.dinotracker.com. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
495. England, Sophie (25 June 2022). "Jurassic World marketing campaigns filmed in Southend". Echo News. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
496. "Jurassic World marketing campaigns filmed in Southend". Echo Essex. 25 June 2022. p. 1. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
497. "Southend Chinnerys to see new indie music night launch". Evening Echo. 19 September 2023.
498. "Keep Southend United's history alive". Evening Echo. 5 November 2014.
499. "Concert Series – Southend Borough Council". Retrieved 23 February 2017.
500. "The Plaza Centre – Southend Christian Fellowship". Retrieved 23 February 2017.
501. "Landmark Essex seaside building the Kursaal on Victorian Society's Top Ten Endangered Buildings list 2024". The Victorian Society. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
502. "From the Echo archive: 12 pictures of Southend's Kursaal in it's [sic] heyday". Echo. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
503. "Southend Punk Rock History - Places - The Kursaal". www.southendpunk.com. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
504. "Dr. Feelgood – Going Back Home - Live At The Kursaal, Southern 1975". Discogs. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
505. "Dr Feelgood Live at the Kursaal". YouTube. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
506. "AC/DC Tour History - 19 Mar. 1977 Southend (Kursaal Ballroom)". www.ac-dc.net. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
507. "Seeker Fever". Billboard. 27 January 1973. p. 74 – via Google Books.
508. "When it wasn't only the lonely flocking to TOTS in Southend". Evening Echo. 5 December 2021.
509. "Southend: Major facelift for name-change TOTS". Daily Gazette. 20 November 2001.
510. "Long lost Essex nightclubs we wish we could go back to for one last dance". Essex Live. 30 October 2021.
511. "Talk Nightclub, Southend, to close after 40 years on New Years Eve". Evening Echo. 30 October 2019.
512. "The Esplanade pub in Southend to be knocked down and replaced with a restaurant". Evening Echo. 23 September 2014.
513. "HISTORY: When Pearl Jam, Sneaker Pimps and Catatonia graced the 'Esp'". Evening Echo. 29 November 2016.
514. "The Prodigy on Tour". The Prodigy on Tour. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
515. "Chameleon". Essex Sound and Light. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
516. "Club Culture – Perfect Virtue Special". Phoenix FM. 17 December 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
517. "Fitzroy spraks with Ian Reading". The Soul Survivors Magazine. 30 January 2020.
518. "Jeremy Healy Live @ Glow Adlib Nightclub Southend-on-Sea (First Birthday) (xx.xx.1997)". Moxser. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
519. "Steve Cochrane". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
520. "Southend: Europe's goriest act on the way". Daily Gazette. 22 October 1999.
521. "Southend: Nightclub's £1 million revamp". Daily Gazette. 20 March 2000.
522. "Radio 1 DJ will host club night". Evening Echo. 2 December 2013.
523. "Luck N Neat Juniors rave held in Southend". Evening Echo. 29 April 2019.
524. "Dick de Vigne's nightclub goes up for sale in Southend". Evening Echo. 17 July 2024.
525. "Sunrooms in Southend to close down after 20 years". Evening Echo. 6 September 2013.
526. Ken Worpole (1992). Towns for People. Transforming Urban Life. Open University Press. p. 85. ISBN 9780335099658.
527. Claes Johansen (2000). Procol Harum Beyond the Pale. SAF Publishing. ISBN 9780946719280.
528. Nicolae Sfetcu (2014). The Music Sound.
529. "Raising the bar: the chaotic story of pub rock". Classic Rock. 1 June 2020.
530. Wade, Mike (2015). Hole in My Pocket: The True Legend of Mickey Jupp: the Rock'n'roll Genius Who Declined to Be a Star. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 9781506088037.
531. "'I don't want my career resurrected!' The last orders of pub rock pioneer Mickey Jupp". The Guardian. 29 July 2022.
532. "The Southend Connection". Option. No. 30–35. 1990. p. 117.
533. "Mods, Rockers, Skinheads, Punks: Snapshots of Southend's Subcultural History". Museum Crush. 15 November 2018.
534. Anne García-Romero (2016). The Fornes Frame. Contemporary Latina Playwrights and the Legacy of Maria Irene Fornes. University of Arizona Press. p. 70. ISBN 9780816531448.
535. "'In Southend, not being glassed was an achievement': the might and misfortune of UK rockers Understand". The Guardian. 5 April 2023.
536. "The beach boys". The Guardian. 1 September 2006.
537. William Osgerby (2014). Subcultures, Popular Music and Social Change. Cambridge Scholars. pp. 73–75. ISBN 9781443867375.
538. "Will Horrors cause a scream at awards?". 4 September 2009.
539. "'It was nuts what we got away with': remembering the 00s UK indie explosion". The Guardian. 3 March 2023.
540. "Experimental Circle Club". BBC. 11 March 2009.
541. "Music Videos Shot in Southend", Love Southend
542. "Elton John Lyrics - Bitter Fingers". Genius. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
543. "Picture Book. The Kinks". Genius. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
544. "Billy Bragg - A13 Trunk Road to the Sea Lyrics". SongMeanings. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
545. Ken Garner (2010). The Peel Sessions. A Story of Teenage Dreams and One Man's Love of New Music. Random House. p. 121. ISBN 9781409074830.
546. "Busted: Stardom in social media age is a 'different thing'". BBC. 30 March 2023.
547. "Sam Duckworth interview: 'I love making music and without sounding corny it feels like this is what I'm meant to do' – The Independent 12 October 2016". Independent.co.uk. 12 October 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
548. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (3rd ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 144–145. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
549. Barry Hutchinson (2017). The Damned - The Chaos Years An Unofficial Biography. Lulu.com. p. 135. ISBN 9780244302566.
550. "EIGHT ROUNDS RAPID". Matrix Music. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
551. "The Horrors are just the latest in a long line of south Essex hitmakers". Evening Echo. 8 June 2019.
552. James McCarraher (2012). 101 Songs To Discover From The Seventies. Lulu.com. p. 161. ISBN 9781447862666.
553. Richard Balls (2014). Be Stiff. The Stiff Records Story. Soundcheck Books. p. 164. ISBN 9780957570061.
554. Buckley, Kelly (17 July 2014). "We've just been signed to the same record label as Pharrell Williams and David Bowie". echo-news.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
555. Henry Scott-Irvine (2012). Procol Harum: The Ghosts Of A Whiter Shade of Pale. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857128027.
556. Kinney, Bunny (19 February 2014). "These New Puritans Rip It Up and Start Again". Paper Magazine. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
557. "Tonight finally release album after 32 years". Evening Echo. 11 December 2010.
558. "Wilko Johnson obituary". The Times. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
559. "Keddies". In and Around Southend-on-Sea. Sarfend.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
560. "Mb21 - Transmitter Information - BBC Essex".
561. "Sarfend.co.uk's page on Radio in Southend". Archived from the original on 26 March 2008.
562. "Crystal Palace (Greater London, England) Full Freeview transmitter". May 2004.
563. "Sudbury (Suffolk, England) Full Freeview transmitter". May 2004.
564. "Bluebell Hill (Medway, England) Full Freeview transmitter". May 2004.
565. "Southend Timeline – TV Stars". Retrieved 9 February 2015.
566. "EastEnders starts take to Southend Streets". Evening Echo. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
567. "EastEnders: Times they have filmed in the city of Southend". Evening Echo. 26 March 2022.
568. "Minder titles & Credits". Retrieved 9 February 2015.
569. "Southend is backfrop for new prime time ad". Evening Echo. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
570. "Guide Dogs' new DRTV ad reveals inspirational ambitions of a tattoo artist following sight loss". Marketing Communication News. 4 October 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
571. "Hoff The Record – Dave Channel – UKTV.co.uk". Retrieved 13 August 2015.
572. "South End, Essex – Jane Austen Gazetteer – pemberley.com". Retrieved 15 June 2015.
573. Douglas Adams (2012). The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Original Radio Scripts. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 9781447204886.
574. "Summer of 85". filmuforia.co.uk. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
575. "Adrian Chambers". British Council.org. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
576. "Geek is the word". The Guardian. 12 October 2003.
577. "Google Mosque Map – UK Mosques Directory". mosques.muslimsinbritain.org. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
578. "Google Mosque Map – UK Mosques Directory". mosques.muslimsinbritain.org. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
579. "Google Mosque Map – UK Mosques Directory". mosques.muslimsinbritain.org. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
580. "BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir". BAPS Charities. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
581. "Southend Meenatshe Suntharasar Temple". Facebook. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
582. "Mayor to open town's first Buddhist temple". Evening Echo. 8 April 2015.
583. "Salvation Army". The Christian. 27 January 1888. p. 21.
584. Holmes, Katherine. "Town Twinning". www.southend.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
585. Who's who in art : biographies of leading men and women in the world of art in Britain today. Morven Press. 2016. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-9536039-3-0.
586. Webber, Esther (15 October 2021). "UK MP David Amess dies after stabbing attack". Politico. Archived from the original on 16 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
587. "Jasmine Armfield Age and Career including Eastenders role as Bex Fowler – Metro.co.uk". 28 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
588. The Feast of Belshazzar: A Prize Poem Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 23 1852, Francis Macpherson, Oxford
589. Burrows, John William (1909). Southend-on-Sea and district: historical notes. p. 9.
590. Robert Waller, Byron Criddle (1999). The Almanac of British Politics. Routledge. p. 93. ISBN 9780415185417.
591. "Former England cricketer Trevor Bailey's death in fire 'accidental' – bbc.co.uk". BBC News. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
592. "Obituary – John Barber". aronline.co.uk. 13 November 2004. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
593. Bullock, Darryl W. (2017). David Bowie made me gay : 100 years of LGBT music. Overlook Duckworth. p. 74.
594. "MATHEW BAYNTON On Good and Bad Comedy – The Protagonist Magazine". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
595. "Bishop Bellord", The American Ecclesiastical Review, Vol. 33, (Herman Joseph Heuser, ed.), Catholic University of America Press, 1905, p. 181 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
596. "Language expert Bellos explores the art and science of translation". Princeton University.
597. "The next Best thing". Independent.ie. 7 June 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
598. "Brinn Bevan profile". TeamGB.com. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
599. The Hadleigh and Thundersley Community Archive Retrieved 21 October 2016.
600. "Busted to return for a reunion tour with Southend Singer James Bourne – Southend Standard". 10 December 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
601. "ACHUKA – Children's Books UK – Tim Bowler". www.achuka.co.uk.
602. "Kevin Bowyer profile – sound Scotland.co.uk". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
603. "Tory Stalwart dies". BBC News. 5 January 2000. Archived from the original on 16 January 2006. Retrieved 18 January 2007.
604. "Court News". The Times. No. 38249. London. 6 February 1907. p. 10. Retrieved 19 December 2023 – via The Times Digital Archive.
605. Johansen, Claes (2000). Procol Harum: Beyond the Pale. SAF Publishing. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-946-71928-0.
606. "Behind the boosh photographs by Dave Brown - wsimag.com". 13 October 2013. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
607. Dictionary of National Biography; Vol. I. Smith, Elder. 1885. p. 247.
608. "New bust to remember a son of Southend". Evening Echo. 11 March 2011.
609. "USA defender Cameron Carter-Vickers first spotted in Leigh". 23 November 2022.
610. "Dean Chalkley – The Trawler". 28 November 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
611. "P1: Jeanie Clarke/Lady Blossom pens 'Through the Shattered Glass'- Miami Herald". Miami Herald. 5 December 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
612. Burke, Sir Bernard, Burke's Irish family records, Burke's Peerage, 1976
613. "Homage to Clement and La Frenais the writing duo who transformed British comedy – The Spectator". 26 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
614. Penny Dunford (1990). A Biographical Dictionary of Women Artists in Europe and America since 1850. Harvester Wheatsheaf. ISBN 0-7108-1144-6.
615. "The Knighthood of Professor Peter Cook". University College London. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
616. "Portrait of a Driver Phil Cornwell – The Telegraph". 20 November 2004. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
617. "Southend Tina gets the home town nerves – The Daily Gazette". 13 July 1999. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
618. "Southend Gemma of a daughter – The Daily Gazette". 10 April 2000. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
619. Glass, Polly (20 September 2019). "Rosalie Cunningham". Prog.
620. "Strictly Dancing Essex Feature – bbc.co.uk". 28 October 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
621. Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 144/5. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
622. Grover, Mary (2009). The Ordeal of Warwick Deeping: Middlebrow Authorship and Cultural Embarrassment. Associated University Presse. ISBN 978-0-8386-4188-0. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
623. Public Record Office (1912). Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. III, Edward I. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. pp. 109–10.
624. "The remarkable story of Southend's sport star Andy Ducat". Evening Echo. 14 March 2022.
625. "Sam Duckworth interview: 'I love making music and without sounding corny it feels like this is what I'm meant to do'". The Independent. 12 October 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2018.
626. "Secret star of Star Wars". Essex Life. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
627. "Warren Ellis: On cannibalism – wired.co.uk". Wired UK. 5 July 2010. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
628. "Celeb Birthdays for the Week of March 1–7". The New York Times. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
629. "Digby Fairweather marks the 20th anniversary of his band the Half Dozen". Daily Gazette. 27 September 2015.
630. Lamont, Tom (1 February 2009). "Local heroes: Mark Foster". The Observer. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
631. "BBC interview with John Fowles from October 1977". 4 October 2007. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
632. "Southend Air Festival May 2010". UK Airshow Review. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
633. "John Georgiadis, former LSO leader, dies aged 81". Classical Music.
634. "Edward Greenfield Writer Obituary". The Telegraph. 3 July 2015. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022.
635. "Anthem 2012 – Metal culture.co.uk". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
636. "NERD CUBED Limited – Companies House". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
637. "Roy Hay – culture club.co.uk". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
638. "The Horrors' Joshua Hayward on new album V". The Skinny. 22 September 2017.
639. "NASA pays tribute to Leigh's John Hodge". Evening Echo. 1 June 2021.
640. "Obituary – John Horsley, actor". The Scotsman. 16 January 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
641. Richard Northedge "Hutton dressed as lamb?", The Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2007
642. "Southend born Dominic Iorfa trains with full England squad". Evening Echo. 3 September 2015.
643. McKenna, Neil (20 June 1993). "Fleet Street's perverse cocktail of kinky sex and a serial killer". The Independent. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
644. "Wilko Johnson backs campaign to save Southend music venue". bbc.co.uk. 19 February 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
645. "Daniel Jones Fanclub". facebook. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
646. "Bring Southend's R A Jones clock back to life". Echo. 17 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
647. "Phill Jupitus you ask the questions". The Independent. 13 March 2003. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
648. "I needed to chronicle the truth about a Southend rock legend Mickey Jupp". Evening Echo. 18 October 2015.
649. "Comedian to tie the knot in Southchurch Hall ceremony". Evening Echo. 6 January 2010.
650. "Laura uses her head to recreate Hirst work". Evening Echo. 18 July 2007.
651. "Proud Essex man and Keddies founder dies". Chelmsford Weekly News. 20 February 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
652. "Dom Littlewood: I'm still a Southend boy". Evening Echo. 8 August 2008.
653. "The Murray brothers go one step further than Southend's Lloyd brothers and win the Davis Cup". The Argus. 30 November 2015.
654. Adam, Nicky, ed. (1993). Who's Who in British Opera. Aldershot: Scholar Press. ISBN 0-85967-894-6.
655. Tallentire, Mark (22 August 2010). "Southend's new manager fighting against tide to keep Shrimpers afloat". Guardian. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
656. "Frank Matcham". Manchester Victorian Architects. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
657. Pevsner. N (2007). Essex: The Buildings of England. Yale University Press. p. 716. ISBN 978-0-300-11614-4.
658. "Relative Values: Lee Mead and his mother, Jo". The Times. 18 November 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
659. "Jon Miller: Boffin presenter of 'How'". Independent. 7 August 2008.
660. Mirren, Helen (25 March 2008). In the Frame: My Life in Words and Pictures. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-1-41656-760-8.
661. Monroe, Jack (7 May 2014). "About Jack". Cooking on a Bootstrap. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
662. Hayward, Anthony. "Obituary – Peggy Mount", The Independent, 14 November 2001, p. 6
663. "Tris Vonna-Michell". Tate. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
664. Shariatmadari, David. "Maajid Nawaz: how a former Islamist became David Cameron's anti-extremism adviser". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
665. "Julian Okai".
666. "Michael Osborne". Wisden. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
667. "Ron Pember obituary". The Guardian. 14 April 2022.
668. "Mirror Works: Port with stilts on; HOW ANNABEL BECAME A RADIO STUNT QUEEN". The Mirror. 20 November 2003.
669. De Simone, Daniel (24 November 2016). "How did police miss Barking serial killer Stephen Port?". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
670. "Prior is the new coach for womens national soccer team". Papau New Guinea Post Courier. 23 November 2022.
671. "Lara Pulver". London Theatre. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
672. British Military & Criminal History 1900 to 1999
673. "More Success for Rachel Riley". Thorpe Hall School. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
674. "Simon Schama Interview | The Jewish Chronicle". Thejc.com. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
675. "Anne Stallybrass obituary". The Times. 4 August 2021. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
676. Vivian Stanshall: Essex Teenager to Renaissance Man (1994), BBC Radio 4
677. "Southend teen to star in TV spy show". Evening Echo. 13 December 2012.
678. "My perfect weekend: Ruby Tandoh, Great British Bake Off finalist" Archived 11 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine, The Telegraph, 4 November 2013.
679. Pullman, Laura (26 March 2017). "Bake Off's firebrand Ruby Tandoh turns the gas to low". The Times. Archived from the original on 11 January 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
680. "Keith Taylor obituary". Green World. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
681. Mike Purkiss & Nigel Sands (1990). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. Breedon Books. p. 89. ISBN 0-907969-54-2.
682. "Good music, not fame, drives me". Evening Echo. 29 July 2009.
683. "#FL125: Tilson a Southend great – southendunited.co.uk". Retrieved 27 February 2017.
684. "Dad's pride in his two TV star daughters". Echo-news.co.uk. 11 October 2010.
685. Larkin, Colin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 1192/3. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
686. L C Tyler (2017). HERRING IN THE SMOKE. Allison & Busby, Limited. ISBN 9780749021863.
687. Bryant, Mark (2011). The world's greatest war cartoonists and caricaturists, 1792-1945. Grub Street. p. 172. ISBN 978-1-908117-08-3.
688. Jeremy Last (21 March 2008). "Interview: The Englishman who won over Jerusalem". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
689. "Catching up with former Southend United and Torquay Manager David Webb". Evening Echo. 16 September 2019.
690. "Classic Album: Talk Talk The Colour of Spring". Classic Pop. 25 February 2021.
691. Flint, Peter (9 July 1979). "Michael Wilding, British Movie Star". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
692. Thomas, Emma (27 January 2013). "Eastenders star David Witts thanks former Southend High School for Boys teacher". Echo. Newsquest. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
693. "The Royal Society".
694. "Ingatestone & Fryerning: A History" by Ian Yearsley, p.1
695. Buckley, Kelly (17 July 2014). "We've just been signed to the same record label as Pharrell Williams and David Bowie". echo-news.co.uk. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
696. Peter Walker and Christine Sexton (24 July 2023). "Founder of Southend's Music Man Project given freedom of city". BBC News Essex. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
697. Sexton, Christine (16 December 2023). "Blues boss to receive Freedom of the City accolade". BBC News Essex. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
698. "Royal Anglians given freedom of Southend". BBC News Essex. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2023.

External links

• Official website
• "Southend-on-Sea" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911.
• Southend-on-Sea at Curlie
• Southend Punk Rock History 1976 – 1986, a detailed site containing information on the Punk Rock explosion as experienced by Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK

Preceded by Blackburn with Darwen	LGC Council of the Year 2012	Succeeded by