Being a Tuesday I was delighted to welcome Frances Clamp, even though her chosen subject of Hair Powder connected with Billericay had left me floundering to discover what Frances may have been talking about.

Anyway we’ll return to that later. But first off I couldn’t resist an item of news, spotted only this morning. And as it concerns Clacton, it’s reasonably local as well! It seems that a production of KING KONG is shortly to be staged there. Nothing particularly odd about this you might think, however the venue is the smallest theatre in the world, which being housed in the sidecar attached to a motorbike, can accommodate no more than two people inside. Leader of Tendring District Council, Alan Goggin is urging those interested to arrive early in order to get a front row seat – or perhaps any seat at all!

But back to Frances Clamp and that pesky hair powder. Well it turns out one of the minor taxes imposed on the rather more well heeled members of society in the 18th Century, was the hair powder tax and knowing who paid this tax and where they lived provides a insight into the relative importance of certain areas.

It seems that in 1795 there were 35 people – 18 women and 17 men – in Billericay who held certificates to show they paid the tax and could therefore wear hair powder. This compares with only one person in places like North Benfleet, Nevendon, Ramsden Bellhouse and Ramsden Heath. A few people were recorded in one or two places but as no one is listed at all in places like Vange, Pitsea, Laindon and Mountnessing, it has to be assumed that in such areas there was either no one rich enough, or vain enough to apply for a licence!

Listen again to what Frances had to say here: – [audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Bygones-28th-May.mp3|titles=Bygones 28th May]

Right that’s it for me. See you next week.

All the best

Scott