Coordinates: 51°43′28″N 0°46′17″E / 51.72451°N 0.77127°E / 51.72451; 0.77127

Osea Island
Osea Island  Osea Island shown within Essex
OS grid reference	TL913065
District	Maldon
Shire county	Essex
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Maldon
Police	Essex
Fire	Essex
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
List of places: UK • England • Essex

Osea Island is an inhabited island in the estuary of the River Blackwater, Essex, East England. It is approximately 400 acres (1.6 km²) in size and is connected to the north bank of the river by a causeway, covered at high water.

Northey Island lies about a mile to the west and Mersea Island is about five miles to the north east.

Contents 1 Famous residents 2 History 2.1 Military use 2.2 Filming 2.3 Treatment centre 3 See also 4 External links 5 References

[edit] Famous residents

Before 2004, the island had a small community of tenants such as the painter Luke Elwes, author Rodrick Kalberer, photographer Helene Binet and Den Phillips, and architect Raoul Bunschoten and philosopher David Papineau.

[edit] History

[edit] Military use

Osea Island was the site of a Coastal Motor Torpedo Boat base during World War I and 2000 sailors were billeted there, mainly in temporary huts which were removed after the war^[1]. Commander Agar was awarded the Victoria Cross while stationed on the island. See his book "Baltic Episode" for details ^[2].

In 1913 the British Deperdussin Aeroplane Company tested a newly-developed seaplane at Osea. It was a single-engined seaplane with two large floats. It was piloted by Lieutenant Porte, the managing director of the company, and took off from the deep water channel to the south of the island. It had a successful ten minute flight^[1].

In World War II, the island was occupied by the army^[1].

[edit] Filming

The 1979 Children's Film Foundation film 'Black Island', produced by Kingsgate Films and directed by Ben Bolt, was shot on and around the island^[3]. This rare film is not on general release but can be obtained from collectors. The film is about two young castaways who get captured by escaped convicts on the island, and their subsequent escape attempts.

[edit] Treatment centre

Osea Island holds a place in the history of drug and alcohol treatment in Britain. It was formerly owned by a member of the Charrington brewing family, Frederick Nicholas Charrington^[1], who also founded the Tower Hamlets Mission ^[4], which continues to house a drug and alcohol treatment centre, Charis.

Charrington established a retreat for wealthy alcoholics on Osea Island, among whom it is rumoured that Walter Sickert was numbered.

Since 2004, it has been developed to house an exclusive rehabilitation centre specializing in the treatment of addiction problems and mental heath. It is called the Causeway Retreat^[5]. As of 2005, the island is the world's first and only island entirely dedicated to addiction treatment and mental health and is being managed by a British private health care organisation, The Causeway Retreat ^[6].

[edit] See also

• Changing A Life

[edit] External links

• Official Website of Osea Island
• Pillbox photos
• The Causeway Retreat
• The History of Osea Island
• Internet Movie Database - Black Island

[edit] References

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