Florence Alfreda Jessie Kestell Payne (nee Moss) was born during 1907 in Goldings Farm, Vange.  Her family farmed much of the area for over 100 years, including land that is now covered by Basildon town centre.

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She married Herbert Payne in 1943 and gave birth to a daughter, Janet, in 1946.

Mrs Payne started taking and collecting photos, and researching the history, of the area before the war.  From 1954 until 1967 she wrote historical articles every week for the Basildon Standard, and provided the historical section for the official Basildon guide.

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Mrs Payne’s interests took in the rest of the parishes that make up what is now Basildon Borough.

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In 1978 she received a degree in Art having been reading the subject with the Open University.

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As well as writing ‘Southend-on-Sea: A Pictorial Guide’ and ‘A Ghost Hunters Guide to Essex’ Jessie wrote ‘Basildon: A Pictorial Guide’, which was published in 1981.  In 1987 ‘When Basildon was Farms and Fields’ was published.

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Mrs Jessie K. Payne, historian and author, died 17 August 1987 and was buried in the churchyard at All Saints in Vange.

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