What it means to be ‘Essex’ in 2026 – and how should Essex people respond to negative portrayals of its accent, culture, and communities?
A free online event Re‑inventing Essex celebrates the county’s day of celebration, Essex Day at 12.30pm on Monday October 26th. It brings together Tim Burrows, author of The Invention of Essex – The Making of an English County, with Essex comedian and broadcaster Josh James, and Grow Social Capital’s Andy Green, co‑founder of the Modern Cockney Festival, for a lively, entertaining, and thought‑provoking discussion on what makes Essex a special place.
Free tickets available here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/moderncockneyfestival/2425492
Is Essex a distinct place with its own qualities, or simply part of a wider, bland south east England?
Should Essex people embrace their Cockney heritage – with research suggesting that two in three residents have roots in East London migration; described in Tim’s book as a “shorthand for anyone from the southeast of England who might be a bit rough around the edges”?
How should Essex respond to negative portrayals of its accent, culture, and communities? With Essex facing rapid demographic change, growing diversity, and persistent stereotypes, the event explores whether the county’s sense of identity is fit for the challenges ahead.
Southend-born Tim Burrows will explore themes from his acclaimed book, including the myths and realities that have shaped Essex’s reputation. The session will also highlight how heritage can help residents build a more confident, inclusive narrative about the county’s future.
Brentwood-born Josh James is a biographical comic. His stand-up is rooted in a distinctly Essex perspective with an unmistakable local charm, covering subjects spanning relationships, family, celebrity culture, football, English identity, and the everyday madness of modern life.
The annual Essex Day celebrations on 26 October mark the feast day of St Cedd, patron saint of the East Saxons. Cedd founded several early churches, including the Chapel of St Peter‑on‑the‑Wall at Bradwell‑on‑Sea – one of England’s oldest intact Christian buildings.
Some interesting facts about Essex and its 1.58 million people include:
- Colchester is Britain’s oldest recorded town
- Fobbing, Thurrock is linked to the start of the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt
- Essex hosted Britain’s first nudist colony in 1926
- The term ‘Essex man’ was coined in 1990
- Only 36% of people identified Essex as a Home County in a 2019 poll
- Essex has over 350 miles of coastline – the second longest in England
- It is the driest part of Britain, with the lowest annual rainfall
- And now boasts more Pie’n’Mash shops than inner London
The event, organised by campaign group Modern Cockney, invites residents, cultural organisations and anyone interested in identity, heritage and social change to a feast on ideas and start their own conversations about what Essex means today and also reflect on the County’s Cockney heritage.
