BBC Essex interview on The Joy of Essex

To hear The Joy of Essex and other great matters of Essexology debated on BBC Essex with Etholle George, click on the link. It's about 40 minutes in…

Weirdness in Chelmsford

Nice caption above The Joy of Essex in Chelmsford Waterstones. Her Indoors says funny weird... Saw the books while on BBC Essex with Etholle George and we had a good ten minute natter about Essexology, Bas Vegas, Tiptree jam, Essex humour and much more.

Essex trivia #3 Paul Simon wrote Homeward Bound about returning to Brentwood

Paul Simon penned Homeward Bound in either Ditton or Halebank stations in Widnes, while waiting for a train back to Brentwood, where he was living with his girlfriend. Yes, it was Brentwood that made him get all poetic.

He made his UK debut at the Railway Inn Folk Club in Brentwood in 1964 and met Kathy Chitty there, the inspiration for Kathy’s Song and America. She was a 17-year-old Essex girl on the door selling tickets to men in cord jackets. They dated for two years until Paul returned to the US. Kathy now lives in Wales and maintains a diplomatic sound of silence on all Simon-related subjects. Although we can picture her as a slightly folksier version of Amy Childs. 

All facts are from Pete May's new book The Joy of Essex (Robson Press).

Essex trivia #2 Charles Dickens drank at Sheesh in Chigwell

Sheesh, the Turkish restaurant in Chigwell frequented by Towie's Mark Wright and other luminaries was once Charles Dockens' favourite pub. It was formerly the Olde Kings Head, built in 1547. Dickens used it as the basis for the Maypole Inn on in Barnaby Rudge. In one of his letters, Dickens described it as, “the greatest place in the world...Such a delicious old inn opposite the church...such beautiful forest scenery... such an out of the way rural place!” It now has zebra-patterened carpets and the largest mirror in Essex. What larks!

All facts are from Pete May's new book The Joy of Essex (Robson Press).

Essex trivia #1 Billericay means place of tanning!

As for the name Billericay, the town was considered part of Great Burstead in the Domesday Book. The first mention of ‘Byllyrica’ was recorded in 1291. It’s believed to be derived from Medieval Latin, beller ca, which translates as dyehouse or tanhouse. Yes, even back then, the residents were into tanning!

All facts are from Pete May's new book The Joy of Essex (Robson Press).

Book signing at Newham Bookshop

If anyone has a spare moment between the pub and Ken's Cafe. I'm doing a book signing at the brilliant Newham Bookshop at 745-747 Barking Road, E13, from 3.30pm before the West Ham game against Manchester City on Saturday. I'll be signing The Joy of Essex, which features lashings of Tiptree jam, sunshine on Leigh with Phill Jupitus, a visit to Minnies boutique, Paul Simon wishing he was Homeward Bound for, erm, Brentwood, the largest mirror in Essex, Dr Feelgood, Grayson Perry's Chelmsford Sissies, Ian Dury, Tilbury Fort, the not-so-secret nuclear bunker, bluebells and Dickies in Billericay, scaling the Basildon sign on the A127, paranormal happenings and dodgy alleyways in Romford, Bas Vegas, Boudica going mental in Colchester, the only pub in Frinton, pier pressure in Southend, northern lights in Maldon, Stanford-no-Hope, sculpture in Harlow, Dickens channelled by Alan Sugar and Towie in Chigwell, the Essex Lion and lots of chip shops. Look back in Ongar and wonder if the only way is Upminster…

Big in Southend!

It doesn't get any better than this... Took my kids to Southend for a day trip and found my book The Joy of Essex is on the front table at Southend Waterstones above Nanny Pat, Sam Faiers, the Secret Footballer, Peter Ackroyd, and the Sugar Girls. Result. And a nice new cafe at the end of the Pier too - all modernistic and warm, our tea and hot chocolate 1.33 miles out to sea was  followed by a great orange sunset and a giant harvest Moon over Southend...