OVER the years, the Queen made numerous trips to south Essex and elsewhere in the county, much to the delight of flag-waving royalists who would gather to catch a glimpse. Notable royal visits have included the official opening of the Dartford Crossing bridge, named after her, in 1991, and a whistlestop tour of south Essex, including stops in Basildon and Southend, in March 1999. On that occasion, the Queen visited Basildon at the request of the then rector of St Martin's Church, Lionel Webber, to officially open the distinctive glass and steel bell tower in St Martin's Square. The day the Queen strolled along Southend’s Golden MileAngela Smith was the town's MP at the time. The Queen quizzed then mayor Nora Goodman about Southend’s world-famous pier and asked what was being done to revamp it.

Source: The Times September 17, 2022 18:59 UTC