The Burrows Lecture: past speakers have included Andrew Motion, Simon Lyster,
John Tusa, Margaret Drabble, Ruth Rendell, Shirley Williams and Sir Nikolaus
Pevsner.
The origin of the Burrows Lecture
The Burrows Lecture was endowed at the University of Essex as the result
of a gift of £2,000 from Major J.H. Burrows, proprietor and Managing
Director of the Southend Standard group of newspapers.
In making his gift Major Burrows set out certain conditions regarding the
lecture:
- the subject of each lecture must always be connected with some
aspect of the historical or present-day life of Essex;
- the lectures are to be given by a person distinguished for his
academic work in the field;
- the lectures must be open not only to members of the University
community but also to the general public, to forge new links between the
University and the people of Essex.
Over the years the endowment has reflected the many contributions the
Burrows family have made to the county of Essex who, over three generations,
were prominent in many different fields of activity - as soldier, military
historian, barrister, archaeologist and farmer. Members of the family have
served as Borough and County Alderman, as Mayor of Southend, Chairman of
Essex County Council, and as Deputy Lieutenant of the County.