A version of this story was first published in September 2019.

2020 has been a year where online communication has been more important than ever.

From Zoom meetings to Google Hangout quizzes and FaceTime catch-ups with family, coronavirus has almost put a stop to face-to-face communication this year.

One good thing about sending text messages though is that you get to use emojis - and who doesn't enjoy using them?

Emojis can express all sorts of emotions, but there's one thing that's severely lacking in the emoji alphabet.

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We noticed that there wasn't any emojis specifically made for Essex.

Here at EssexLive, we think that it's an absolute shame that we can't just pop an emoji in a text and have it be instantly recognisable what place in Essex we mean.

So we've tried our best to make a logical code, so that you can sort out plans between you and your fellow Essex residents more quickly and efficiently.

Southend-on-Sea: Ice Cream

Southend is famous for loads of things; Southend United, the seaside, and obviously the world's longest pleasure pier.

It's also the home of Rossi's ice cream, a now nationwide brand that's been a local favourite for decades.

There's plenty of shops and stalls along the seafront that sell a Rossi's.

Who doesn't like a cone on the beach?

Basildon: Sparkles

As it's brand spanking new in comparison to the other towns here, the sparkle emoji goes to the Basildon new town.

Basildon was built up from a near non-existant village to a fully fledged town in the 1960s.

That means it's relatively new, and a recent touch up is making it sparkle and shine.

But if there was a Hollywood sign emoji you know we would pick that.

Thurrock: Shopping trolley

Lakeside Shopping Centre is the retail capital of the county.

More money gets spent in Thurrock than in any other area in Essex, thanks to Lakeside and it's huge retail park next door.

We all spend too much money there shopping so if the emoji isn't somehow related it would be a huge shame.

Colchester: Scroll

As the oldest recorded town in Britain, Colchester deserves as emoji as wise as it is.

Roman settlers made Colchester the capital city of the country when they first inhabited it.

The town is still full of ancient buildings and structures, including the iconic Colchester castle.

This scroll seems fittingly Roman for the town.

Chelmsford: Radio

You may have seen it on signs across the town, but Chelmsford is the birthplace of radio.

Guglielmo Marconi is credited as the inventor of radio, and lived in the town in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

It's also where BBC Essex broadcast, so it couldn't be anything else.

Brentwood: Mouth

The home of glamour, the Sugar Hut and a lot of the TOWIE gang.

Brentwood has a reputation of being somewhere where glitz and glamour act as the norm.

It's probably the most upmarket place in Essex without become posh and boring.

Brentwood had to be something as luscious as the town is; these lips seem to do the trick.

Maldon: Salt

What's Maldon famous worldwide for? Maldon Salt flakes.

Worldwide, it's one of the most recognisable salt brands, featured in the kitchens of celebrity chefs everywhere.

This one was probably the easiest out of the lot.

Leigh-on-Sea: Shrimp

Although Leigh is beginning to be known for it's boujee high street, Leigh has a much older and more established industry.

Down the seafront, seafood is king.

The Old Leigh area is an ancient fishing stronghold, and the shellfish caught there are top quality.

And as there's no shellfish emoji, a shrimp will have to do.

Dagenham: Aubergine

Yes this is exactly what you think it is.

In 2019, Dagenham got named the sexiest town in the UK by adult website Love Honey.

The town clearly has reputation for being on top of things in the bedroom department.

So we had to give it the most suggestive emoji available.

South Woodham Ferrers: Farm

Despite being known to some as South Walmart Ferrers for its huge Asda shop, its also known for its landmark kids attraction.

Marsh Farm has been keeping Essex kids happy for years.

It's been operating for over two decades, and would have been a first school trip for many kids growing up in Essex in that time.

We had to give it something farm related, so a tractor it is.

Harlow: Hospital

Harlow could have also battled Basildon for a sparkles emoji, as it also was a British new town build up after the second world war.

It was announced last year that Princess Alexandra Hospital is one of the hospitals across the UK getting a huge new rebuild and cash boost.

So this emoji declaration can be a nice little temporary celebration.

Clacton: Beach umbrella

Like Southend, Clacton is known for its seafront.

The entire North West coastal area is known for its incredibly popular beaches, and all the things that come along with that.

The sandy beaches in Clacton are rated some of the best in the country.

So a beach umbrella seemed a perfect fit.

Tiptree: Strawberry

Similar to Maldon, what's Tiptree famous for worldwide?

Jam!

Strawberry is the nation's favourite flavour of jam, so the big red fruit gets given to Tiptree.

Harwich: Boats

Harwich International Port is the largest port in all of Essex.

It also runs a ferry service from Harwich to Felixstowe, as well as ferries to the Netherlands.

Cruise ships also called at the port once upon a time, but they've been steadily decreasing.

No other town would get a boat would it?

Braintree: Brain + Tree (We're strugging)

Isn't Braintree lucky? It gets two emojis, a brain and a tree...we struggled with this one.

Braintree is known for Braintree Village, but we couldn't take the trolley away from Thurrock.

It's also known for its historic gants but there definitely isn't an emoji for them.

Billericay: Money

Billericay is home to mansions owned by millionaires.

It's posh reputation, and the fact it's only a stone's throw from Stock, the richest village in Essex, means the moneybags who live there can use a literal moneybag.

Billericay Town FC was also home to one very eccentric millionaire, that was until owner Glenn Tamplin quit the club to take over Romford Football Club.

Stansted: Plane

Pretty self-explanatory this one.

Stansted Airport is Britain's fourth busiest airport, with 27 million passengers travelling annually - when a virus pandemic hasn't benned everyone from travelling.

If you type Stansted in online, I think you would be hard pressed to find much else.

Epping: Tree

Epping Forest is Essex's biggest wooded area, full of history and wildlife.

The forest was an ancient hunting ground for the Tudors, and is still huge to this day.

Epping Forest has also been announced as one of the least deprived areas in Essex, so I think a fully fledged healthy tree is a pretty good representation.

Canvey Island: Island

 

Once again, could it be anything else?

Canvey Island is Essex's biggest and most well known place off of the Essex mainland, sitting at the south of the county in the Thames estaury.

It's flood defenses are one of the most meticulous in the country.

That's because of the historic floods that engulfed the island in the 1950s.

Shenfield: Train

Thanks to Crossrail, Shenfield is now one of the busiest train stations for those heading in and out of London.

If there's a problem at Shenfield, there's a problem everywhere, so this emoji comes with great responsibility for the town's commuters.
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