A RECENTLY retired vicar who served his community for 19 years has presented an illustrated board giving the history of the area.

Canon Father Richard Tillbrook arrived at St Barnabas Church in Old Heath in 2003 following a 33-year career as a schoolteacher.

During his 19-year tenure, Mr Tillbrook baptised 300 children, married 60 couples and conducted 1,400 funerals.

Although Mr Tillbrook retired in early July, he has presented the Old Heath community with an information board containing photographs of the previous and current St Barnabas Church, built in 1875 and 1955 respectively, and of the school as it originally looked in 1894 and how it looks today.

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The history board was thanks to a collaborative effort by Mr Tillbrook, who funded the project, and Old Heath historian, Patrick Denney, who provided the photographs and text.

The High Steward of Colchester, Sir Bob Russell, commissioned the project.

Old Heath Primary School and St Barnabas Church formerly operated as one out of a nearby house, Savill Cottage, which is opposite Abbot’s Road.

Several years ago, Mr Tillbrook also arranged for Old Heath signs to be put up on roads which entered that area of Colchester.