Have you ever wondered what Selfridges has in common with Castle and Sible Hedingham?
Historian Adrian Corder-Birch has detailed the history of a company which has held a legacy in the villages for more than a century and has links to the famous London department stores.
Mr Corder-Birch, Sible Hedingham Parish Council clerk, and his wife Pam have compiled more than 250 photographs and illustrations about Rippers - one of the largest employers in Halstead for decades.
The book entitled The Works- A History of Rippers Joinery Manufacturers of Castle and Sible Hedingham, which costs £14.95, chronicles how the three Ripper brothers went into partnership in 1908 and the company expanded beyond recognition.
See this week's Halstead Gazette for the full story.
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