EDITORIAL NOTE

This volume of the Victoria History of Essex is the fourth to be published under the co-operative system described in the editorial note to Volume IV. The contributing Local Authorities have continued their grants, and the Essex Victoria County History Committee, formed mainly of representatives of those Authorities, has continued to survey the progress of the work. It must be recorded with regret that Alderman Sir Frank Foster, Chairman of the Committee from 1958, died in 1964. He was succeeded by Mr. William Addison, previously Vice-Chairman. The University of London expresses its thanks to these gentlemen and to the other officers and members of the Committee for their services, and to the participating Authorities (listed below) for their generous grants. During the compilation of the present volume the full-time assistant editorship has been held by Mr. Peter Heath (1958–9), Miss Anne V. Worsley (1959–63) and Mr. D. J. Johnson (1964–5), while Mrs. Avril H. Powell has been parttime assistant editor since 1959.

It was originally planned that this volume should contain histories of all the parishes in Waltham and Becontree Hundreds, preceded by an article on 'Metropolitan Essex since 1850', but it eventually became clear that such a volume would be too long and it was therefore decided to divide it. Volume V contains the introductory article, along with articles on all the Waltham Hundred parishes, and on the first two parishes, in alphabetical order, in Becontree Hundred. It is intended that Volume VI shall contain the remaining Becontree Hundred parishes.

As in Volume IV the brief descriptions of the earlier parochial registers of each parish, commonly included in the topographical volumes of the History, have not been considered necessary because of the publication by the County Council of Essex Parish Records, 1240–1894 (1950; revised edition 1966).

The compilers have once again received help from many persons, whose kindness is acknowledged in the text of the volume and in the lists of illustrations and of maps. Especial thanks are due to Mr. H. M. Colvin and the Ministry of Public Building and Works for information on excavations at Waltham Abbey, to Dr. R. J. Lambert for making available notes of his researches on local government at Epping, and to the late Mr. M. B. Cookson, of the University of London Institute of Archaeology, for help in preparing photographs. The Ministry of Housing and Local Government have continued to allow the use of their unpublished lists of buildings of architectural or historical interest. Valuable services were rendered by public librarians, especially those at Barking, Dagenham, and Ilford. The County Archivist, (Mr. F. G. Emmison) and his staff gave special help at all stages. Galley proofs of all or part of the volume were read by Mr. Addison, Mr. Emmison, Mr. G. Caunt, and Mr. J. Howson.