From earliest records to the present day in one easy-to-read volume, There is nothing 'little' about the history of Essex! However, this small volume condenses that fascinating, rich history into a collection of stories and facts that will make you marvel at the events our county has witnessed. Discover the development of ship building at Harwich, the silk and woollen industries in central Essex, the fortunes of Chelmsford and Colchester and the rise of seaside resorts at Southend and Clacton. Take a journey through Essex's historic struggles and celebrations or jump in to the era of your choice to discover the who, what and why of our county's history. AUTHOR: Judith Williams was a community columnist for local newspapers, which sparked her interest in the history of Essex. She went on to write six history books about Essex and eventually trained as a tutor of English and History, working in adult education. Judith is involved in maintaining the Shoeburyness Military Archives and in a heritage centre project for the historic Shoeburyness area, and is also the Membership Secretary for the Southend Branch of Friends of Essex Churches. She lives in Southend. SELLING POINTS: . A brief but brilliant tour through the eventful history of Essex . An interesting and accessible history that can be read in chunks or from cover to cover! . Compiled by an experienced Essex author Perfect gift-sized format, based on THP's popular 'Little Book' series 20 b/w illustrations