Churches and Family History

Many years ago, pre university and teaching days, I used to collect money for an insurance company. One day I was filling in for a colleague and I was sent out to Tollesbury. After having driven for what felt like miles, I drove in to Tollesbury. The sun was shining and I couldn't find the house I was looking for. Driving round I found the waterfront, the square and other Tollesbury sights and fell in love! We had already sold our house and were living in rented accommodation, so I found a house and promptly put in an offer. I really felt like I had come home. That was 23 years ago and although I would like to travel more, Tollesbury will always be the place I return to.

Strangely, a few years ago, Mum was doing some family history and was looking at a London Census form from, I think, 1865. There was an entry about two of my great, great, great Aunts who were both married to Tollesbury fishermen. How spooky is that! They are both buried in the local churchyard. I like to think that they drew me to Tollesbury and I can honestly call myself a local having previous generations cemetery!

Here are the two churches, Saint Mary's and the Congregational Church. The two churches work together, for example on Remembrance Day the service is held in the Congregational Church and then everyone goes over to Saint Mary's to the War Memorial to lay the poppies. Saint Mary's is the more traditional church, parts of it are from the 11th century and it was completed in the 15th century. It is beautiful inside with its stained glass windows, wooden pews and flowers. The Congregational Church is also used as a community centre and we hold our club Laying Up Supper there each November.