The life of a nineteenth century ‘Essex man’ and the story of the Basildon Plotlands will be focused on at Essex Local History Day 2011.

The annual event on Saturday 4 June is open to members of the public and organised by the Centre for Local and Regional History in the Department of History at the University of Essex.

Dr Christine Jones from the Department of History will speak on ‘Whatever happened to Daniel Brown? Popular politics and criminality in the life-history of a nineteenth-century Essex man’. Her talk pieces together the twists and turns in the life history of an agricultural labourer from Myland in Colchester who, for various reasons, fell foul of the law and suffered the consequences.

Deanna Walker and Peter Jackson, authors of A Portrait of Basildon Plotlands. The Enduring Spirit, will give a talk on ‘Escape to the Countryside: The Basildon Plotlands from the 1890s-1980s’. Drawing on their personal experiences and a wealth of local, family and oral history research, their talk will bring the Basildon Plotlands movement of the twentieth century vividly to life.

The event is from 2 to 4.30pm at the Senate Room in the Department of Psychology Building, Square One, University of Essex, Colchester Campus, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester.

Tickets are £2 and must be booked in advance. Please call Lisa Willis on 01206 872190 to book.