Stephen Pewsey

Stephen Pewsey (born 1955 in Rochford, Essex) is an Essex local historian and prolific author. He grew up in Southend-on-Sea, later living in Newham (Greater London), and Loughton, Essex.

Pewsey attended Southend-on-Sea High School for Boys and was a founder member of Southend Action Group for the Arts. He began his writing career in the 1970s contributing to local magazines. In 1990 he co-founded the Essex Calf group of local historians, a prolific group of writers who have had over 50 books and booklets published, together with several hundred articles, maps, videos and DVDs. The group has also organised local history exhibitions, walks, tours and special events, and makes regular contributions to radio and TV. Publications include "East Saxon Heritage", the standard work on Anglo-Saxon Essex, and "A Taste of Essex", the standard work on the traditional cookery and recipes of Essex.

He has served in various capacities on numerous heritage bodies, including Essex Archaeological & Historical Congress (Secretary 1996-99, Chairman 2008-date), Essex Society for Archaeology & History, Loughton & District Historical Society, Newham History Society, and Wanstead Historical Society, and is a serving Councillor on Loughton Town Council and Chairman of its Resources and General Services Committee. He has acted as historical consultant for a wide range of heritage projects in Essex and East London. He is also a committee member of the Loughton Festival, the Plaistow 1912-2012 History Project, and the Wanstead Parklands Community Project

The Essex Calf group takes its name from the traditional nickname given to Essex folk; in the later Middle Ages, Essex was best known to the outside world for the huge quantity of excellent beef calves sent from Essex to the London meat markets, so ‘Essex Calf’ became a slang term for anyone from the county. Other members of the group include Andrew Brooks, Mark Galloway, Lynn Hutchins, Brian J. Page and Stuart Monro. Stephen Pewsey’s specialisms within the group include the history of Epping Forest, Newham, South-east Essex, and Essex’s historical links with the United States of America.

ee also

Essex Calf

External links

* [http://www.essex-history.net] Essex Calf website
* [http://www.phillimore.co.uk/acatalog/Bookshop_Individual_places_in_Essex_6.html] Stratford: A Pictorial History, and Epping & Ongar: A Pictorial History
* [http://www.tempus-publishing.com/authors.php?author=07538] Images of England: Chingford
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