The mouth of the Thames, in the south eastern corner of the UK, is one of the country’s largest inlets and a major shipping route in and out of London.
‘Essex Chronicles’ is my personal exploration of life along the northern - Essex - side of that estuary. I’m focusing on our interaction with the everyday places that occupy the land alongside it, rather than life on the water itself.
The coast is home to a diverse mix of industry, human habitation and leisure, all co-existing with the natural environment and varied wildlife. Different communities, with different relationships to the estuary, live, work and play here. Edgelands, marshes and mudflats rub shoulders with amusement arcades, power stations and wartime relics.
To some this is the land of ‘Estuary English’ accents and lazy stereotypes but it has always been a source of inspiration to artists and writers.
I’ve lived in Southend, on the estuary, all my life. When I was a child I took the seaside for granted but now I’m older I can appreciate how the coastline contributes to the identity of the entire area.
The images here cover the whole length of the coastline, from Foulness Island in the east and as far west as the area around the QEII Bridge and Purfleet.