Southend-on-Sea is situated on the Thames Estuary but the originally small settlement grew rapidly in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as it became a popular resort, showcased by the world’s longest pleasure pier and what remains of the Kursaal, an early amusement park. The city’s quirky history goes back to its early years and encompasses the last men to be hanged in the country for sheep stealing in 1820, the 1850s religious sect known as the Peculiar People, one of the world’s first sightings of a UFO during the First World War and many more curious stories. Today’s Southend, which has been a city since 2022, carries on this history of individuality.

In Quirky City of Southend author Dee Gordon delves into lesser-known but fascinating tales from the city’s past. Readers will find stories of the unusual and often strange history of Southend and its characters over the years. This intriguing insight will be of interest to all those who want to know more about the city’s quirky history.