It was at a Parish Meeting held in the former village school on Tuesday, 4 December 1894, that the first Parish Council was elected by a show of hands. There were eleven candidates nominated for the seven seats. William Manning, of the Blacksmith's Arms got 34 votes (the second highest, just 7 votes behind William Webb, the Pork Butcher) and was subsequently elected as a member of the inaugural Council.
Below is an article from "The Essex Village Book", published by Countryside Books in 1988.
The Blacksmith's Arms still stands in sight of the church but the forge and a group of old houses are now replaced with a modern garage. This inn is at least 200 years old and the open space in front of it was once the site of an annual fair held to celebrate St. James day. In 1806 the Blacksmith's Arms was the setting for a fight between villagers and some of the Cameron Highlanders who were stationed at nearby Weeley. The men of Little Clacton chased the soldiers along the street until one, Alexander McDonald, who had hurt his foot, was struck down and died. Legend says that where his head hit the roadside a hole appeared which resisted all attempts to fill it. The event is recorded on a tombstone in Weeley churchyard where the soldier was buried.
Supplied by Roger Fleisig
Known Residents
The following entries are in this format:
Year/Publican or other Resident/Relationship to Head and or Occupation/Age/Where Born/Source.
1848/Ray Rashbrook/../../../White's
1851/Ray Rashbrook/victualler/37/Graveley, Cambridgeshire/Census ***
1851/Eliza Rashbrook/wife/33/Weeley, Essex/Census ***
1851/Joseph Rashbrook/son, scholar/05/Weeley, Essex/Census ***
1851/Sarah Rashbrook/daughter/03/Little Clacton, Essex/Census ***
1851/Charles Rashbrook/son/11m/Little Clacton, Essex/Census ***
1851/Sarah Downes/house servant/13/Little Clacton, Essex/Census ***
1855/R. Strutt/../../../Kelly's*
1859/Robert Strutt/../../../Post Office**
1861/Robert Strutt/Innkeeper/43/Eye, Suffolk/Census**
1861/Sarah Strutt/Wife/44/Mistley, Essex/Census**
1861/Charles Orlando Strutt/Son/12/Dedham, Essex/Census**
1861/Caroline Judith Strutt/Daughter/11/Dedham, Essex/Census**
1861/Sarah Harriet Strutt/Daughter/9/Little Clacton, Essex/Census**
1861/Fanny Strutt/Daughter/8/Little Clacton, Essex/Census**
1861/Phoebe Strutt/Daughter/4/Little Clacton, Essex/Census**
1862/Robert Strutt/../../../Kelly's
1867/Charles Bareham/../../../Post Office
1870/Charles Bareham/../../../Kelly's
1871/Charles Bareham/../../../Post Office
1874/Jonathan E. Carter/../../../Kelly's
1878/Jonathan E. Carter/../../../Kelly's
1881/Jonathan Carter/Licensed Victualler & Dealer/38/Walton on the Naze,
Essex/Census
1881/Charlotte E. Carter/Wife/37/Wix, Essex/Census
1881/Edgar W. S. Carter/Son/13/Great Oakley, Essex/Census
1881/Arthur B. Carter/Son/8/Great Oakley, Essex/Census
1881/Emma Adams/Domestic Servant/19/Gosbeck, Suffolk/Census
1882/William Moore/../../../Kelly's
1886/William Moore/../../../Kelly's
1890/Charles Lilly/../../../Kelly's
1891/Charles Lilly/Innkeeper/58/?/Census
1891/Louisa Lilly/Wife/59/?/ Census
1894/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1895/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1898/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1899/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1902/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1906/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1908/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1910/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1912/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1914/William Manning/../../../Kelly's
1917/Herbert Tatum/../../../Kelly's
1922/Herbert Tatum/../../../Kelly's
1925/Herbert Tatum/../../../Kelly's
1929/Herbert Tatum/../../../Kelly's
1933/Alfred Arthur London/../../../Kelly's
1937/Alfred Arthur London/../../../Kelly's
* Provided by the Pubs, Inns and Taverns Index for England, 1801-1900
** Provided by Roger Fleisig, the great, great grandson of Robert & Sarah Strutt
*** Provide by John Mead