This webpage gives a biography of
Sdapeze, webmaster of the
WEBSITE
but in real life a man named
Jess Jephcott
Jess Arthur Jephcott was born in Barnet General Hospital, near to the family home in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, on 4th July 1953. He was the second child of Arthur Henry and Mary Elsie Jephcott (both deceased) who already had Una May born in 1950. Trudy Jane came along in 1956, and Innis John in 1961. The name Jess was mainly his father's choice as he had once had a girlfriend whose father he much admired, a man named Jess Durrant who was killed during the second world war.
At the age of two, the family moved to Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex, a seaside town. His first school was Walton Primary. However, his mother was concerned at the standard of the school and moved him to St Philomenas in Frinton, a convent school run by disciplinarian nuns. He stayed there about two years before being moved to Frinton Primary, where he passed his 11 plus and moved up to Clacton County High School. He was not much of a scholar and left school with negligble qualifications, to start a mechanical engineering apprenticeship at Woods of Colchester, a large fan making company where father also worked.
Jess has very fond memories of growing up in Walton within a happy family environment. There were problems as with any family but much of his adolescent years were spent in the company of his two dogs, Tina and Bess, walking for miles along the Naze, working at the Boating Lake for Ted Carter (deceased) the owner, playing on the crumbling cliffs and collecting mica or fossils, collecting British stamps and coins, breeding hamsters, keeping tropical fish, etc. When he reached 16 he bought a Lambretta LD125 scooter which got him to work and when threatened by a bunch of rockers, he decided to play safe and swapped it for an AJS 500 model 20 of 1952 vintage, his pride and joy.
Soon after came women. Jess was to go on to be married four times and divorced three times. The details of these partnerships are judged to be unnecessary for this record, other than to say that Thomas Edward Jephcott was born at Colchester Maternity Hospital on 31st August 1988 to proud parents Jess and Helen Mary (née Seaton) Jephcott. He now lives happily, with his wife Theresa (née Davies) and her two sons, Lewis and Harry in the village of Fordham, near Colchester.
Jess set up in business with friend and partner Alan Bowyer in 1988, specialising in noise control and ventilation systems associated with diesel generator set installations. This was a highly specialised field of engineering where the high noise levels of diesel and gas fuelled engines used to power electrical generators, had to be controlled to acceptable levels. Jess' training at Woods had enabled him to find this gap in the market and to capitalise on it. They diversified in the 1990's to take on a spare parts business for the recently demised Colchester Lathe Company and also a new venture constructing lightweight, fast erection staging for taking photographs of large numbers of people.
Jess founded 'The Jephcott Society' in 1983 having developed an interest in tracing his family tree. The society brought together the interests of other people who had a genealogical interest in the Jephcott, Jeffcott, Jefcoate, Jefcut, etc. families. Jess served for several years on the committee of the Guild of One-Name Studies and he published the The Jephcott Family in 1990 and which is now in its 4th edition. Then came a fresh research interest - pubs! In 1995, the first edition of the book entitled The Inns, Taverns and Pubs of Colchester was published.
In February 1999, Jess launched the Camulos website with the aim of telling the world about Colchester's history and attractions. This website is under continuous development.
His interests include riding his Varadero motorcycle and other biking activities, researching and writing about local and family history, historical re-enactment in Roman, medieval, Elizabethan costume, the Oyster Fayre, the Colchester Town Watch and other public activities where period costume is required. From 2000 to 2005, Jess and Theresa were part of the Colchester Festival Association, staging the town's annual festival. Also, for three years, Jess and Theresa organised the medieval archery contest for the annually held Oyster Fayre. Archery using the English longbow is of great interest to them.
Jess and Theresa have a large house and garden to look after and this takes much of their time. They attend All Saints Church in Fordham and enjoy taking part in the various village activities. They have three dogs who take plenty of their time, especially with walks around the 500 acre plantation that the Woodland Trust are developing in Fordham.
Since 1994, Tom has lived with his mother in Taupo, New Zealand. See Theresa and Lewis and Harry and Molly, Fleur and Pirate's webpages by clicking on the underlined words.
Harry and Lewis c2001 and the Varadero c2006 c2007
Then there is gardening, home improvements, enjoyment of classical music, literature, art and theatre. Jess' first hero was his dad (who died in July 2007), later to be followed by Spike Milligan, Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston and all those great epic actors.
On the female front, he discovered an interest in the work of Betty Page and the 1940 and 50's pin-up artists and photographers. Fovourite entertainers that he has would include Celion Dion, Lesley Garrett, Shirley Bassey and Eva Cassidy - and the sheer cheekiness, goodness and superb chest of Dolly Parton. He waits with interest to see how Alexandra Burke (X Factor 2009) turns out.
You will find some of these things at this site. Have fun!
or to
updated 23rd July 2009