Frederick Hester, Captain Gregson and Tower Radio

What do they have in common?

Frederick Hester’s dream of making Canvey Island a seaside resort to rival Southend came to a halt around 1905 when he was declared bankrupt.

On the 9th February 1903, Frederick Hester had purchased from Henry Cole a large swathe of land from Knightswick Road along the High Street (London Road)according to the Conveyance dated 1903. See map below. This included the land later to be sold to William Gregson and later still to become Tower Radio.

1903 map showing the corner from Knightswick road down past Tower Radio first bought by Hester

On the 26th March 1906 a transaction by Ernest Cecil Stansbury and Arnold Brunsdon Walmsley solicitors on behalf of Frederick Hester of Southend, County of Essex Land Agent, (who was by then a Bankrupt) transferring an area of land in the Stabrock Park Estate on Canvey to Herbert Frank Hester (Frederick’s son) who was described as the purchaser, of ‘Rotterdam’, Canvey on Sea, County of Essex Builder. The transaction was witnessed by Frederick’s other son Frederick F W Hester. The property shown in red and green on the map below sold for £400.

1906 showing plots in Red and Green

1906 showing signatures

On the 20th November 1909 part of the same property was purchased from Henry Thomas Wood by William Hart Gregson. (Captain Gregson) The price for the five plots marked in green was £160.

1909 showing plots in green

1909 showing signatures

This same area became Tower Radio founded in 1932 by Simon Shoffren.

Tower Radio on the plot as it is today

For those of you who would like to read the legal jargon please click on the pictures in the gallery below where an enlargement of each page can be seen.

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