Well known artists & authors connected to Burnham on Crouch & the Dengie Hundred
The character of this area has inspired
many artists and authors. Listed below are some of the better known
artists and authors connected with this area.
Authors
Robert Barnard
Born as Jerry Bauer on 23 November 1936 he
grew up in Burnham-on-Crouch before leaving for a University
education which launched a glittering career as an author.
As Robert Barnard he is the author of 36
novels featuring the characters Perry Trethowan, Charlie Peach and
Oddie.
Samuel Levy
Bensusan
Samuel Been ( b.1873 -d.1958) lived at
Asheldham and St Lawrence . He became famous for novels centred on a
fictitious village called Maychester which were affectionate
portrayals of life in the Essex Marshes.
Barbara Blackburn
Barbara ( Evelyn) Blackburn was born in 1898
at Henley on Thames.
Between 1926 and 1971 she wrote 31 novels
and collaberated on a play called 'Poor mans castle' with Mundy
Whitehouse which was preformed on the West End stage.
She married Claude Leader and had 2 sons.
She lived at Anchor Cottage in Lachingdon
when she died on 14 May 1981.
Daniel Defoe
From 1724-1726 Author Daniel Defoe travelled
the Country recording his trek in " Tour through the whole island of
Great Britain". His remarks on Burnham and the Dengie 100 were
limited to ' the strange decay of sex' with an explanation that
many men had numerous wives who they took from the uplands but the
wives rarely survived in the fog and damps of the marshland and died
within a year or so at which the men just went back to the uplands
and got another wife
Martyn Lambourne
Martyn lived in Burnham for several years
before moving to Scotland in 2001 . He is a man of many talents
which include architect, illustrator and author but he is best known
as the author of THE QUEST a Zetic treasure hunt .This novel which
contained many clues that readers must solve to win a prize of
£30,000. Despite many claims the puzzle has yet to be solved.
K M Peyton
Kathleen Wendy Peyton has written 67 books
from 1947 to 2008 and have received numerous awards.
She is best known for the Flambards trilogy
Kathleen lived at North Fambridge.
H G Wells
In his classic book War of the Worlds HG
Wells used the area as a setting for his Martian invasion.
" Then far away beyond the Crouch, came
another striding over some stunted trees, and then yet another still
farther off wading deeply through a shiny mud flat half way up
between sea and sky. By midday they passed through Tillingham, which
strangely enough seemed silent and deserted, save for a few furtive
plunderers hunting for food. Near Tillingham they suddenly came into
sight of the sea, and the most amazing crowd of shipping of all
sorts that it is possible to imagine."
Artists
Mick Cawston PAINTER
Mick Cawston was born in 1959 at Dagenham,
Essex he moved to a farm cottage in Burnham on Crouch in about 1983
and sold his paintings in local markets. By 1987 he became an
established artist recognised as the No1 Dog and Horse painter in
the country. Mick has had many exhibitions and his works hang in
Galleries all over the world.
Some of his painting is still to be found
enlivening homes in Burnham and a fine example of his work was often
admired by patients visiting the surgery of the much respected GP Dr
Latif.
Mick moved to Lynton in Devon where he
carried on painting until his death in 2006 at the young age of 47.
Alice Maud Fanner PAINTER
Born 1865 Died 1930
Alice Fanner was a renowned painter
specialising in marine landscapes.
She was tutored by Julius Olsson and
exhibited paintings at many galleries including the Royal Academy.
She lived in St Ives, Cornwall and London but in 1914 she moved to
Burnham on Crouch where she painted the landscape and the yachting
scene. She ws married to Australian businessman Arhtur Edward Taite.
He paintings include The Seaside,
Provenance, In the Luxembourg garden, Bogiaco, Lake Garda and yachts
racing
Born 1899 died 1980 .
Alfred Hitchcock was born and brought up in
the East End . When asked, by the Times Newspaper, the inspiration
for his atmospheric films he cited his experience from a Visit to
Burnham on Crouch on a grey November day when the gulls circled
above
Would North by North West , Psycho or the
Birds have been made without the inspiration of a visit to
Burnham on Crouch ?
Arthur Kitching ARTIST
Born 1912 Died 1981
A celebrated artist who painted in oil or
pen an ink showing people and places around him
He lived in Burnham in the early 1950's with
his wife Joyce and painted the area and its people whilst his wife
worked locally as a teacher. During his stay in Burnham he painted '
joyce' , 'Continental Sunday' ,' still life with chrysanthemums and
Maldon.