One way of learning more about the history of Basildon and the surrounding area is through the study of local postcards. The earliest known postmarked examples (known to this site) date from the early 1900s with the then King, Edward VII, seen on the stamp. That is not to say that earlier late Victorian period examples don't exist in private collections.

Many publishers chose to take photographs in the area and these include, Francis Frith, Fred Spalding, Valentine's, Bell's and Padgett's. There are probably well in excess of 1500 different examples in existence and further examples are regularly being discovered.