This image is the cover for the book South Benfleet

South Benfleet

Look inside and find out…
Whom did the church bells ring for and why…?
Who grew up in Benfleet and became a renowned natural history film-maker?
What was the pen name of the creator of Impossible People?
Whose mother was denounced from the pulpit of St Mary’s and why?
Which flaky aristocrat trashed the Hoy just prior to the First World War?
Where was the first mini-roundabout in this country located?
Who saved the horses but not his boat?
What name connects Benfleet Hall in Essex with the one in Surrey?
Who fought with the Canadian ‘Rough Riders’ in the First World War?
What was only second in size to that in Peterborough?
What was the favourite colour of Lily Tingey?
How many voters were on the electoral roll for South Benfleet in the 1832 elections?
Who was chastised for landing on the wreck of Richard Montgomery?
What was the pen name of William Mecham?
Who built their own ferro-cement ketch and sailed the world?
Who got dumped in the horse trough and what was the pretext?
Amongst other things…

Mark Thres

Mark Thres was educated at Brentwood School, The College of Librarianship Wales, Aberystwyth, and The Open University. He married Liz Morgan in 1972 and has two lovely daughters. Mark’s activities were restricted in recent years due to the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Putting together this book, which he hopes will inform and inspire folks to undertake their own research, has proved therapeutic in his case. Not an obsessive by nature, he will admit to supporting Wolverhampton Wanderers.