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A fine Colchester archive compiled during the First World War has emerged over 100 years after it was compiled.
14/03/2026
The fascinating album entitled ‘Reminiscences of the Great War Aug. 4th 1915 - Nov. 11th 1918’, relations and friends of F & A Holton, Colchester’ gives a fascinating insight into the lives of many Colcestrians during the First World War, as well as photographs, newspaper clippings and letters are wonderful array of other items of ephemera including a Borough of Colchester instructions for the evacuation of Colchester dated January 1915, Colchester and East Essex Co-Operative and Industrial Society Ltd, Sugar supply card and a poster published in Colchester for T&D Luminous buttons, (with two examples of the aforementioned buttons).
With title page explaining “this book was compiled by Alice and Fred Horton Alice Hotton nee Wenden who grew up at Goldhanger in Maldon, Essex. She later became a teacher in Leytonstone London, and Fred Hotton was an engraver and grew up in Angel, Islington North London. This book is ‘Jack’s War’ in World War One. John Alexander Reading (Jack) is the nephew of Mr and Mrs Hotton, born 6th May 1900.
Other interesting items contained within the album are early examples of Haig’s fund and other remembrance poppies, fragments of a German Gotha bomber brought down at Margate, the L33 Zeppelin brought down at Little Wigborough and L32 Zeppelin brought down at Billericay.
This wonderful time capsule of Colchester life during and immediately after the First World War is offered for auction by Reeman Dansie on Tuesday 17th March 2026, estimated at £300 - 500.
Lot 150 in our Fine Art sale on the 9th and 10th of June is a wonderfully evocative collection of private correspondence from the Royal family and includes a special note from our King, His Majesty Charles III.
Introducing our early summer Harry Reeman’s Sale on the 2nd of June, including the usual eclectic array of antique furniture, furnishings, paintings, ceramics, silver and sundries and showcasing an enigmatic collection of shop contents from the long-standing interior design firm Woolpit Interiors.