Blue Plaque at Colne House Care Home honours 'remarkable' philanthropist

The Lord Lieutenant of Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst, unveiled a blue plaque at Colne House Care Home, in Earls Colne, honouring one of the county’s most inspiring 19^th century women.

The remarkable story of philanthropist Mary Gee was painstakingly researched by Mark Claydon, the historian at Earls Colne Heritage Museum.

The positioning of the Blue Plaque, in support of the Essex Women’s Commemoration Project championed by Mrs Tolhurst, was arranged by the museum’s chairman Gordon Brown.

Kingsley Healthcare owned Colne House supported the project with a donation and home manager Victoria Franklin laid on a buffet for everyone attending; Colne Valley Golf Club provided lunch after the unveiling.

Mr Claydon, speaking to a gathering of 60 people, including Braintree councillors, villagers and care home staff, described Mrs Gee as a “remarkable” and “visionary” woman whose compassion had left an enduring legacy.

After marrying wealthy landowner Oscar Gee in 1821 her life was mired in tragedy, losing both her children in infancy and her husband when she was just 42 years old.

However, instead of retreating into private grief, Mrs Gee, living with her staff in Colne House, chose to tackle the poverty of the rural area which had greatly moved her.

She bought the workhouse in Earls Colne, demolished it, and built a primary school, feeding, clothing and education all the children at her own expense.

She had done the same in Great Maplestead, two years earlier, and contributed to countless other community projects, including the building and maintenance of churches in the area.

Mrs Tolhurst said Mary Gee’s plaque was the 36^th honouring Essex women; the significance of the project was shown by the fact that the biggest installer of Blue Plaques, English Heritage, has placed more than 1,000 plaques but only 14pc of them honour women.