Column: Sharon Mooney is a qualified green badge tour guide who immerses herself in local history. This fascinating piece links a poignant tribute with a house named after an ill-fated schooner.
AS someone with a love of history, I’m constantly researching.
I love nothing more than reading old newspapers online and, in the past year, I’ve had even more time to do exactly that.
As the summer ended last year, I was invited for a socially-distanced coffee in the garden of a house near to me, in New Town. It’s a house I’ve always loved.
It’s a Victorian-built detached house that has retained so much wonderful character.
The owners knew it had been built for Harry Goodey, the son of the founder of New Town – James Frederick Goodey.
The house is named Havelock Villa and it’s believed to have been named after a boat that was docked at the Hythe.
As I sat in that wonderful garden sipping my coffee, a small piece of graffiti was pointed out to me – S Goodey, chipped delicately into the brickwork at the back of the property.
This handiwork was that of Sidney Goodey, Harry’s son, born in 1890.
History fan - Sharon Mooney
It was also mentioned that the concrete wall in the garden was original.
Indeed, when I checked out the census records, Harry Goodey gave his occupation as concrete manufacturer in 1891.
The house was built in the 1880s and so the first census on which it appeared was the 1891 census, showing the Goodey family already in residence.
They were still there in 1901, but had moved around the corner by 1911.
The name of the house intrigued me. Havelock Villa.
The supposed boat connection was a wonderful detail and even more wonderful was that even today, the owners knew that snippet of information.
After a quick read of the papers of the period, it soon became clear it was a tragedy that had happened in early 1881.
The headline – ‘Loss of the schooner Havelock of Colchester, and all hands lost’ - screamed out from the pages of the Essex County Standard on March 12, 1881.
The story read that the boat had left Wivenhoe on March 1 and nothing was heard of her until Tuesday, March 8, when the tragic news was received by telegram in Wivenhoe.
Plenty of history - Havelock Villa, in New Town
Terrible gales had shipwrecked the boat on the east coast of Scotland, near Stonehaven, and Captain James John Ham and all five crewmen were lost.
It was also reported in the summer of 1881 that the Shipwrecked Mariner’s Society forwarded the sum of £23 to assist the widows and parents of the men who were lost.
This must have been a story on everyone’ lips at the time.
The loss of life was probably felt all around the local area.
It was a poignant tribute that the house was named after the schooner that met such a tragic end.
It was an interesting history lesson for myself and for the owners of the wonderful Havelock Villa.
They now know where the name of their home may have come from and it was a great way to spend a socially-distanced lunchtime.
Touching tribute - a permanent reminder that has stood the test of time
READ MORE:
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here