Previous Jubilees have been celebrated with some enthusiasm locally. There was quite an effort made in May 1935 at King George V’s Silver Jubilee. The Military obviously had a serious presence. Was the venue at what’s now the ‘Hollywood’ in Shipwrights’ Drive, Thundersley?
Floats of many descriptions and themes assembled and paraded in 1935, but was this the same event? Alas, my information is sketchy. Does anyone remember?
‘HAASTON’, an unusual spelling of the name of the leader of the Vikings at Beomfleote’s Norse encampment. In Haesten’s absence his troops were soundly thrashed at the Battle of Benfleet in AD 893 by King Alfred’s men. I understand the dragon wagon here was manned to commemorate the formation of South Benfleet, Thundersley and Hadleigh into the Benfleet Urban District Council in 1929.
Just to add to the confusion, there are quite a few spelling versions for Benfleet’s villein: ‘HAASTON’, Haasten, Hastein, Haesten, Hæsten, Hæstenn or Hæsting.
Any further information about the pictures and/or the event would be most welcome.
Click here to jump to Eileen Gamble’s article on this subject in the Benfleet Community Archive.
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I remember being at this event in the school party from Hadleigh School. I think then Shipwrights Drive was just a cinder track.
Eileen, I wish I had known about the Souvenir Brochure, it would have made my task much simpler, as my information was somewhat sketchy. I am surprised how much of it is correct. Thank you for pointing it out. And it was a cooperation between Hadleigh, Thundersley and South Benfleet. The site is certainly to be recommended reading for historians and anyone with an interest, especially timely as we have just celebrated another Royal Jubilee.
Robert, when Castle Point Council kindly loaned us some photos to copy, it was pure luck that the glass was cracked meaning we had to take the pictures and commemorative wall hangings apart to photograph each item separately. It was then that we found the souvenir brochure to be not just the front cover but the whole thing. It had to be copied in full for all to see as it had so much detailed information. Glad you enjoyed reading it.
Robert, there is a full King George V Silver Jubilee Souvenir Brochure, courtesy of Benfleet Urban District Council, available to view on your sister site, Benfleet Community Archive under the heading ‘People’ then ‘Royalty’. It makes very interesting reading!
{ Thanks Eileen, a link has been added to that article. Ed}
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