Essex: Chronicle history on the move

The leather-bound volumes of the first editions of the Chronicle, dating from 1764, will travel in historic and stately style by coach and horses to the Record Office in Wharf Road, Chelmsford.

And there will be chance for Chronicle readers to witness the event as the coach travels through the town centre.

The move to house nearly 200 years of bound volumes of the newspaper, containing a historical record of local, national and international events, to the new £10.5 million Record Office is to ensure they are kept safe for the future.

Four Gelderlander horses will pull an 1890s mail coach from the Chronicle's publishing operation in Westway, Chelmsford, today (Thursday) to the town centre and along the pedestrianised High Street to the Record Office that opened earlier this year.

A coachman will blow a post-horn to broadcast the approach of the coach and four.

At the Chronicle's office in Duke Street the coach will pick up Chelmsford Mayor and Mayoress Cllr Christopher Stevens and his wife Janet before moving into the High Street.

Gelderlanders Luke and Nestor and Floris and Izak will be led along the High Street and into Springfield Road before rejoining the roadway to Navigation Road and Wharf Road.

At the Record Office Chronicle editor Stuart Rawlins will formally hand over the 1764 volumes to County Archivist Ken Hall.

Stuart Rawlins said: " We decided to use a coach and four to help reflect such an historic move. The Chronicle has recorded the development of Chelmsford and Essex for more than 230 years and has also been part of the shaping of the county.

"The Mayor's presence will also be a significant element for the occasion because a former editor and owner of the Chronicle, John Ockelford Thompson, was mayor of Chelmsford six times from 1916 until his death during an air raid on Chelmsford in 1941.

'' These volumes contain a unique, detailed and contemporaneous record of local and world-wide events during the reign of nine monarchs. The Record Office is the best place to house such historically valuable records.''

County Councillor James Gordon, portfolio holder for the lifelong learning said: '' We are delighted to be able to provide safe and secure storage for a newspaper which contains such a wealth of information on the history of the county.''

The Chronicle was first launched on August 10, 1764, by William Strupar from a shop in Chelmsford High Street.

Bound out: Some of the Essex Chronicle bound volumes, dating back to 1764 waiting to be transported to the Essex Record Office.

Meet the coach and horses team

Two Dutch-bred Gelderlanders will be leading the way when the Essex Chronicle's historic bound volumes are transported to the Essex Record Office.

Luke and Nestor will be of the forefront of a splendid spectacle when, along with another pair of Gelderlanders, Floris and Izak, they will be pulling an 1891 Shanks coach.

The prize-winning team of horses won the Essex show coaching marathon this year and has gained recognition at many other shows around the country.

The horses, who are all around 17 hands, were selected from Holland by owners Daniella and Terry Selway. Luke, aged 12, and is the mainstay of the team.

"He provides the courage in the lead and is well matched with Nestor, who is five and is our newest horse and who seems to be a natural born leader," said Mrs Selway.

"The horses who are all specially bred for coaching all enjoy their position in the team. We will be spending the whole day beforehand preparing them and the carriage so that they look their best.

"It makes an impressive spectacle and we are particularly pleased that there will be a hornblower on the day to really attract people's attention."

(Right) Coach and four: The 1891 Shanks coach and four, led by Gelderlanders

(Left) secure haven: The Essex Record Office in Wharf Road, Chelmsford

The route and times to see the historic move

All times are approximate. Check This Is Essex for any changes.

The coach and four will leave the Essex Chronicle offices in Westway, Chelmsford, at about 9.30am today.

From Westway it will travel along Waterhouse Lane and Rainsford Lane, across Parkway and into Rainsford Road and then into Duke Street to collect the Mayor and Mayoress from the Chronicle's town centre office at approximately 10.15am.

The coach will then travel to the pedestrianised High Street at about 11am and then turn into Springfield Road, to the roundabout near Tesco's store and then to Navigation Road and to the Record Office in Wharf Road.

It will leave the Record Office for the return to Westway travelling along Parkway, New London Road and New Writtle Road.

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