Listening & Access Guide

Essex Archives Online

The Essex Record Office states that Essex Archives Online is its digital catalogue, providing descriptions of archive items and access to some digital images, sound and video recordings. Search access is available from home, while some material requires registration and login. Essex Archives Online information.

This is particularly relevant to the Chelmsford Rocks research trail because the Essex Sound and Video Archive includes the Jim Etheridge recordings of Chelmsford Folk Club and other material relating to Essex music. The ERO guide notes that Jim Etheridge recorded almost every Chelmsford Folk Club between 1978 and 1986, preserving whole evenings including announcements, floor singers, applause and guest performances. ERO guide to sources on folk music.

Visiting the Searchroom

The Essex Record Office says its searchroom provides access to original archive documents, recordings from the Essex Sound and Video Archive, maps, reference material and online resources. It is free to visit; an Archives Card is required to view original documents. The current opening information should be checked directly with the ERO before travelling. Visit the Essex Record Office Searchroom.

Listening and playback

The ERO's current guidance says recordings in the Essex Sound and Video Archive may be held on cassette, CD or VHS and can be played in the Playback Room. This makes the catalogue references in the Chelmsford Rocks research pages useful as practical starting points even where the underlying recording is not reproduced on this website. ERO Guide for Creatives.

Selected Chelmsford leads

• SA 30/6/402/1 — Chelmsford Folk Club, 18 July 1982; Mick and Sarah Graves and Geoff and Penny Harris. Catalogue record.
• SA 30/6/428/1 — Chelmsford Folk Club, 7 November 1982; floor singers, Annie Harding and Chelmsford Morris. Catalogue record.
• SA 30/6/653/1 — Chelmsford Folk Club, 3 March 1985; the ERO's published research identifies a recording of Simon and Bobbie Ritchie performing 'The March Hare'. ERO Folk in Essex research.
• SA 30/6/712/1 — Chelmsford Folk Club, December 1985; Paul McCann and Jill Palmer-Swift on the East Anglian dulcimer. Essex Sounds listening bench.

Archive handling rule

External catalogue material is kept as research evidence and source leads. It is not silently converted into a confirmed Chelmsford Rocks gig record. Existing dates remain as entered in the archive, with Confirmed and Subject to confirmation retaining their established meanings.