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For many years the Friends provided financial assistance to academic
historians from all over the world (but in practice often America) who
were carrying out original research mainly based on documents in the Essex
Record Office.
In 2003 it was decided to concentrate on providing financial assistance
for suitable research students who are registered members of the University
of Essex at Colchester. We set up an annual bursary worth £500 for
one research student recommended by the staff of the history department
there, who was basing his or her thesis on Essex archives. One of the
conditions of being granted the Friends' Fellowship is that the author
agrees to provide a copy of the thesis for the Essex Record Office library,
and agrees to write an article on some aspect of the thesis for the Essex
Journal, of which the Friends is a joint sponsor.
The first winner of the new Friends' Fellowship was Heonsook Kim, a student
from Korea, who was later awarded her doctorate for a thesis called 'Charitable
Organisations in Colchester 1800-1870'. She used the money to employ a
specialist proof reader of her thesis before it was submitted.
The second winner of the Friends’ Fellowship is a member of the
Friends (although that was not known by the academic staff who recommended
her application for the Fellowship!). Bronwen Cook has now received a
doctorate for her thesis on the maritime trade of the Port of Maldon from
1565-1702. She used the money for photocopying and travel expenses.
The third winner was Ruth Costello who has now received her MA in Local
and Regional History. She used her fellowship award to pay for travelling
expenses and photocopying as some of the records she needed for her research
are in the National Archives at Kew.
 But
we have not forgotten our aims of helping to make the people of Essex
aware of their heritage, so the Friends sponsored the under 18s class
of the 'Essex in Focus' photographic competition organised by the Essex
Record Office in the summer of 2006. The photos above show the 10 year
old winner receiving her prize of £100 from Geraldine Willden (left)
vice chairman and treasurer of the Friends, and Dr Maureen Scollan, the
chairman. As the chairman presented Charntelle's prize her schoolfriends
were suitably impressed.
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Briefing on the latest award
In 2008 the Friends' Fellowship was awarded to Amanda Wilkinson who is
currently studying for a PhD in History at The University of Essex. The
subject of her thesis will be The Working Women of the Essex Silk Mills.
Their enumeration in the nineteenth century censuses and the social and
cultural implications of a working wife and mother.
The award will enable Amanda to cover travel costs to access archives
both in Chelmsford and the Courtauld papers in Cambridge, and help to
cover general research expenses. We look forward to hearing about Amanda's
research in future issues of the Friends' Newsletter and on the research
pages of this website.
Charntelle receiving her prize of £100 from the Chairman and Vice-Chairman
of the Friends.
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