The portrait (or at least one of them) of E.K.Cole used to hang for many years in the Ecko Social and Sports Club.
My father Cyril Andrews used to run the band that played at the club almost every weekend for about 20 years.
My dad used to work in the Ekco factory and I believe can be seen on the 16mm film described on this website, entertaining at one of the Christmas parties for employees' children.
At Christmas the clubhouse used to be very elaborately decorated, with the usual baubles, tinsel, trimmings and also often with Disney characters and such fairy-tale themes hand-painted by the talented Barbara Pearman who was the club secretary for years.
Reg Earle used to run the club and I believe he died of a heart attack whilst driving his car.
He lived in St. Bennet's Road in Southend, just around the corner from the Ekco factory.
On New Year's Eve at midnight the decorations used to be torn down by the revellers welcoming in the New Year! What vandalism! I had the "Cinderella's Castle" Barbara painted and subsequently gave to me on my bedroom walls as a child.
