HARWICH'S annual history fair celebrating the town's heritage is taking place this month.

The event is being held in the 1912 Centre, in Cow Lane, Harwich on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27 between 11am and 4pm.

Entry is free and the combined talents of the Harwich Society's archive team and Harwich Town Council's archivists have put together a fascinating insight into the town's history and they will be on hand to talk to visitors and bring it to life.

An extensive range of old photographs, old copies of the Harwich Standard and a continuous big screen slide show of days gone by will be available to see and there will be the opportunity to have your old slides and negatives digitalised if you bring them along on the day.

Harwich Society archivist and vice chairman, David Whittle, said: "We have been delighted by how the annual Harwich History Fair has grown and how everyone attending it feels part of the event.

"Harwich is the gift that keeps giving as there is always something new to learn.

"The Harwich History Fair is a great opportunity to share information and knowledge and add to the wealth of Harwich’s history."

This year’s fair will start with the launch of the Victoria County History’s new book, called Harwich, Dovercourt and Parkeston in the 19th century.

This will be followed at 11.30am with an illustrated talk by Mr Whittle titled How the Victorians developed Dovercourt.

Mr Whittle has become well known for his illustrated talks on various local subjects and he will present a further two talks on the Sunday of the history fair.

At 11.30am on the Sunday he will be showing a recently digitalised copy of an 8mm film shot by Roy Went in 1973 featuring the redoubts at Eastbourne, Dymchurch, Harwich and Felixstowe Languard, and at 3pmon Sunday he will present The lights that lead into Harwich Harbour.

He added: “Everyone is looking forward to staging the event and excited by what we will see and hear from those attending the Harwich History Fair.

"Each year, photographs are brought along that we have never seen and stories are told that we have not previously known about.

"The Harwich History Fair is a real sharing experience which is what makes it so special."