Dunton Colony

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Hello all,

I’m trying to find out more about Laindon Labour Colony as research for a potential documentary.  I’m particularly interested in any press cuttings or photographs and if anyone has any memories, or stories that older family members maybe told you?  

If anyone lives on the caravan park that is now on the site of the colony it also would be great to hear from you.  

This is purely for my research at the moment (I’d be delighted to hear from anyone with any information, even if they don’t wish to appear in a documentary).  
Thanks.

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  • Hi Jamie. In the week I took a trip up to the British Newspaper library at Colingdale. I was a little surprised to find a Laindon and District Recorder for 1909 and the paper for the week dated Wednseday 14th April 1909 had the following report; – ‘Dunton Farm Colony’ ‘A very pleasant evening was spent on Tuesday, when the Rector, the Rev. Gordon H Llewellyn, gave an Easter meal to the men, who arranged a very good programme of good songs, which was thoroughly enjoyed. 

    In the interval, cake and coffee was supplied, also tobacco. The evening was further enlivened by a spendid selection of records on the gramophone, kindly lent by M A Luff, and greatly appreciated by all the men. 

    A hearty vote of thanks was given to the Rector on his departure’. The Reverend was the Rector of St Mary’s Langdon Hills and Mr. A Luff had a shop in Laindon, where the paper could be purchased.

    By Ken Porter (10/02/2013)
  • Sorry Patricia, I do not have any photographs of the prewar sports clubs, I used to have a couple of the cycle polo club taken from the Laindon Recorder but these never survived the war years.

    By W.H.Diment (08/02/2013)
  • Mr Diment (sorry I don’t know your christian name)would you by any chance have any photos from your cricketing days that may have my dad Jack Goldingay in them?

    By Patricia Easton (Nee Goldingay} (07/02/2013)
  • Sorry Patricia, I did not know Eric, but suggest that it may have been his influence which caused Phillip to become an altar boy.

    By W.H.Diment (06/02/2013)
  • I only have a small snippet to add to the Colony article, my grandfather (Edwin Burr known as Ted) worked there. I don’t know for how long, but he was working there at the time of his death in 1938. He was 54 at the time of his death and his occupation on his death certificate is Colony Attendant

    By Ellen English Nee Burr (05/02/2013)
  • Yes Patricia, I also knew Phillip as he was the Dunton Colony wicket keeper and also had strong connections with Dunton Church. I notice you refer to him as uncle, I believed that he was the adoptive son of Mr Goldinggay but cannot say for certain why I believed this. I was probably mistaken as to the relationship.

    By W.H.Diment (05/02/2013)
  • No you were not mistaken Mr Diment. Phil was adopted by my grandparents but as I was little at the time, I always called him Uncle Phil. Do you remember my dad’s other brother Eric who became a catholic priest?

    By Patricia Easton (nee Goldingay) (05/02/2013)
  • I am pleased that Mr Diment knew my dad and grandparents. Did he also know my Uncle Phil Hibbert? I would really appreciate any more information that you might be able to give me on my dad and his family.

    By Patricia Easton (nee Goldingay) (04/02/2013)
  • Jack Goldingay was my lovely dad. Grandad was the manager at the colony for a long time. They lived in Noak Hill Road, not Noak Bridge. They then moved to Lower Dunton Road where they stayed until they both died. 

    Dad did marry Kathleen Foyle. Sadly my mum and dad are no longer with us .

    By Patricia Easton (Nee Goldingay} (03/02/2013)
  • It would seem that Patricia misconstrued my remark as to where her grandad lived. I did not say they lived in Noak Bridge but BY Noak bridge. Their bungalow was the first one one the right hand side looking north from the bridge in Noak Hill Rd. I believe it is now a carp farm. 

    I cannot think how the parish of Noak Bridge got its name as it is some distance the actual Noak Bridge which is not in the parish. 

    I well remember her grandfather and her father with whom I played cricket at the colony, also her uncle Billy.

    By W.H.Diment (03/02/2013)
  • Further to the search for information by Jaine Taylor, the Dunton Colony was for destitute men from Poplar and that it is unlikely that any Laindon families would have experience of life there-in until it became a caravan site in later years. 

    Although some of the Dunton plotlanders may have been friendly with the inhabitants. Also some locals did work there and I suggest that Mr Foyle who has written in these columns might possibly be able to help, as his sister married a Jack Goldingay, the son of a long term manager of the colony although they were not resident there but lived by Noak bridge.

    By W.H.Diment (16/11/2012)
  • I have provided links to all the existing articles on the site an the workhouse website but the workhouse was there for many years so there must be more about it in the family records.

    By Ian Mott (15/11/2012)

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