Many areas in Essex have a claim to fame, whether they had an important role in the history of England, or they are home to well known public figures. One such place has not only been home to music legends, but has also appeared in fiction, and has been the location of some terrifying incidents.
Home to some of music’s most iconic figures, Canvey Island has been known as a location for those living in the capital to escape to, away from the crowds. The popular holiday spot has also been the chosen place for some of the most influential musicians of years gone by.
The Who’s Roger Daltry set up home in Canvey Island, as well as Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green. The founding member of the band moved to Canvey in his later years, and enjoyed his second passion, fishing, before he died five years ago. In 2008, Peter even performed a set with Mike Dodd, which he named after his home, calling it The Canvey Island Sessions.
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Canvey Island is also believed to be mentioned in beloved author, Charles Dickens’, work. In Great Expectations, the main character Phillip Pirrip, known in the story as Pip, journeys down the River Thames to Essex. On his travels, he and his crew are looking for a place to stay as they move out of London and come across an inn. Dickens wrote that “a more solitary place we could not have found”.
While the pub itself is not actually named, many fans of the novel have used descriptions in the story to see if the pub actually exists, and landed on one such pub in Canvey. The Lobster Smack Inn is believed to likely be the pub written into the story, giving the main character a place to rest. A place known for smugglers because it was so isolated, it was known in the 18th century as ‘The World’s End’.
The island has also been in the news after several disasters. In 1953, the North Sea Flood killed 58 people on the island. Most of those who tragically died were staying in chalets in the Newlands Estate, as water rose to the ceilings. Canvey was also later targeted in 1979 after the IRA detonated a bomb which intended to destroy a Texaco tank which contained aviation fuel. Fortunately, the bomb failed and no deaths were recorded.