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Elsenham Village History Society
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About Us

We were formed in February 2010
We know that there is a need to collect and record as much as we can about the village, about our predecessors who laid the foundations of the village; about the people who spent all their lives here and are no longer with us; about those who were born and bred here and can still tell us fascinating stories about their lives here; and about later generations who all have a role to play and have contributed to the way we live here today.
The Society has over 50 active and enthusiastic members and a committee of 7 who are all village residents who share the objective of not just finding out more about our history but also of pulling together in one place and recording as much as we can for the benefit of a wider audience today and for future generations whom we hope will share this interest.
We meet four times per year and aim to provide interesting speakers on a range of local history related subjects. Every so often we hold a members evening where the material is presented by members themselves, reporting on projects or work in hand.
Speakers have included: the former Managing Director of the Elsenham Jam Factory; a talk by a local author on his life as a locomotive driver; a local historian on the architecture of Thaxted; the history of the Elsenham to Thaxted branch line; notable architecture and history of Saffron Walden; the history of Easton Lodge and the five parishes; notable cases from the history of Essex Police; the Audley End to Saffron Walden Branch line; Researching Your Family Tree by a local practitioner.
In addition to our regular meetings we aim to organise visits which give our members the opportunity to visit places of interest together and enable informal discussions. Examples of our outings include a conducted tour of Thaxted; a visit to Pledgdon Hall Farm with a tour by the owner; a conducted tour of Dunmow Maltings and Town Museum; a hosted visit to the Essex Records Office.
We meet in the Memorial Hall in Elsenham always on a Wednesday evening starting at 8:00 p.m. The latest dates can be found on our home page together with the details of forthcoming speakers and their subjects. We are committed to trying to engage all age groups in the village to find out about what interests them and to encourage them to become part of a fact finding and recording enterprise and to have some fun along the way too.
Our regular meetings are free for members and visitors are always welcome for a small charge of £2 per meeting.
NEWS: A new photograph album has been added - "The Railway at Elsenham" some early photographs are included. Go to Menu/Photo Archive and view the help panel for information on how to use the albums Do not show this item again
NEWS: Extract from the 1921 Census now on line including Elsenham and those parts of Stansted and Henham later within Elsenham Parish Go to Menu/Population/Census Records Do not show this item again
NEWS: Speakers and Meeting Dates Updated to End of 2025 Do not show this item again
NEWS: Gill Hathaway has kindly given us permission to display her post box topper art work. To view go to Menu/Photo Archive/Post Box Topper Art. Her Bill Millin piece for D Day 80 is now in the Piper Bill Room of the Dawlish Museum, he lived in Dawlish after leaving the army Do not show this item again
NEWS: Village Timeline updated to 7th August 2024 Go to Menu/Village Timeline to view Do not show this item again
NEWS: Gill Hathaway's Postbox Topper for October is now available. Go to Menu/Photo Archive/Postbox Topper Art Do not show this item again
NEWS: Our News Letter for November is now available (as are all our newsletters), go to Menu/Our Society/Newsletters and select your desired year and month Do not show this item again
Hint: Who was Sir Walter Gilbey Bart., or The Honourable Dorothy Paget ? Go to Miscellaneous

Forthcoming events

1. Elsenham Village History Society Quarterly Meeting - Alan Taylor - Talk "Harry Seabrook - Tale of a Sherwood Forester" (He was from Berden Essex) The evening will include hands on participation - and we will look in some detail at a WW1 trench map.
November 13, 2024 8:00 p.m. at Elsenham Memorial Hall
Free to Members - Visitors always welcome only two pounds
(Agenda will be available about 1 week prior to meeting)
2. Elsenham Village History Society Quarterly Meeting - Ray Franklin - The Story of St Mary's Church
March 12, 2025 8:00 p.m. at Elsenham Memorial Hall
Free to Members - Visitors always welcome only two pounds
(Agenda will be available about 1 week prior to meeting)
3. Elsenham Village History Society Quarterly Meeting - Speaker To Be Confirmed
June 11, 2025 8:00 p.m. at Elsenham Memorial Hall
Free to Members - Visitors always welcome only two pounds
(Agenda will be available about 1 week prior to meeting)
4. Elsenham Village History Society Quarterly Meeting - Speaker To Be Confirmed
September 10, 2025 8:00p.m. at Elsenham Memorial Hall
Free to Members - Visitors always welcome only two pounds
(Agenda will be available about 1 week prior to meeting)
5. Elsenham Village History Society Quarterly Meeting - Alison Rowlands - Essex and Hertfordshire Witch-Trials in Comparative Perspective
November 12, 2025 8:00 p.m. at Elsenham Memorial Hall
Free to Members - Visitors always welcome only two pounds
(Agenda will be available about 1 week prior to meeting)