OCCUPATIONS
The occupations followed in Chipping Ongar have
mainly been those normal in a
small market-town. The relative
importance of the place was no
doubt greater during the Middle Ages before the decay
of the castle.
It is not unlikely that a market was held as early as
the 12th century. (fn. 66) The first explicit reference to one
is in 1287, when John de Olmestede, steward of Sir
John de Rivers gave a bond to Hugh de Gloucester,
tailor of London, in 8 quarters 'of the best, purest and
cleanest dry corn, of the country and measure of
Essex . . . as could be sold in the market of Angre
within the quinzaine of Michaelmas last for 3s.' (fn. 67)
In 1372 the market was appurtenant to the manor
and was being held on Tuesdays. (fn. 68) It remained in the
possession of the lord of the manor until 1841, when
the market tolls were sold by Sir John Swinburne to
P. Chaplin of Harlow. (fn. 69) The 'Old Market House'
was in about 1841 situated next to 'The King's Head'
on the south side. (fn. 70) Later in the 19th century the
market was held in the Town Hall on Saturdays. (fn. 71) It
probably came to an end at the same time as the fair
(see below). (fn. 72) In 1927-30 a brief unsuccessful attempt
was made to revive the market: poultry were sold at
'The King's Head'. (fn. 73) The poultry boxes in 'The King's
Head' yard are now (1952) being casually dismantled. (fn. 74)
The Old Market House had been converted into
shops by 1877. (fn. 75) Two market crosses, which still survived in 1842, (fn. 76) had been removed by 1877. (fn. 77) The
house still survives. (fn. 78) It dates from the 17th century
and consists of two stories with attics and basements,
timber framed and plastered. The upper story projects
on the east front. The lower part of the building was
formerly open. (fn. 79)
In 1222 Richard de Rivers, whose father had
recently died, received the royal grant of an annual
fair of three days' duration until he came of age. (fn. 80) The
fair was to be held on 9-11 November. The implication
in the grant seems to be that the fair was already being
held and that Richard needed sanction for holding it
because of his minority. A hiring fair, on 11 October,
was being held in 1763. (fn. 81) In 1780 a fair was held on
30 September. (fn. 82) A list of 1792 stated that a fair was
held on Easter Tuesday, and another for hiring on 11
October. (fn. 83) In about 1845 the fair was held on 12
October and there was 'much business in barley for
malting'. (fn. 84) The fair apparently lapsed for a time in the
middle of the 19th century. It was revived in 1872 and
held in the Town Hall. A handbill advertising the
10th fair since the revival, to be held on 12 October
1881, bears the name of Captain Budworth of Greenstead Hall as the chairman of the fair committee. (fn. 85)
The author of the bill claimed that the fair was a
valuable aid to the mutual understanding of different
classes of society. The fair was mainly for entertainment. It was not universally popular and in 1892 the
tolls were bought by Henry Gibson, Clerk to the
County Council, and a local resident, with a view to its
abolition. (fn. 86) A letter to Gibson from a certain H.
Brown in that year states that 'those who have had to
bear the brunt of the fair, being obliged to live in the
midst of it will readily welcome ... its abandonment'. (fn. 87)
In the 17th century there is slight evidence from
trade-tokens of cloth-making at Chipping Ongar. (fn. 88)
Philip Trayherne, a dyer, occurs in 1677. (fn. 89) In the
same century are references to inter alia a tailor (1605), (fn. 90)
a locksmith (1655), (fn. 91) a basketmaker (1667), (fn. 92) and a
haberdasher alias hatter (1667). (fn. 93) In 1626 Edward
Peacock, tallow chandler, and Robert King, apothecary,
were presented at Quarter Sessions for using and
maintaining a house 'for to melt their tallow and
"gravee" near unto the common market-place, which
is a common annoyance to the inhabitants dwelling
near'. (fn. 94)
Pigot's Directory of Essex for 1840 listed the tradespeople in Chipping Ongar. There were eight public
houses. The general pattern of employment has
changed little since that time. The town is, however,
sufficiently near to London to have reacted fairly
quickly to new fashions. There was a photographer
there in 1874, when there were only 33 in the whole
of Essex. (fn. 95)
The date at which the brickmaking industry began
at Chipping Ongar has not been found, but it seems
likely that this was about 1800. (fn. 96) For many years the
brickfield on the Greenstead Road was owned and
operated by the proprietor of the adjoining gas works. (fn. 97)
The brickfield was closed in 1917, soon after the new
brickfield at Hallsford in High Ongar (q.v.) was
opened. (fn. 98)
There was a printer in the town in 1845. (fn. 99) A later
printer, Slocombe, was in business about 1870-90. (fn. 1)