ECONOMIC HISTORY.
The agrarian history of
Romford is treated above, along with that of
Havering and Hornchurch. (fn. 1) In the three rural
wards of Romford agriculture continued to be the
main occupation down to the present century. The
town grew up during the Middle Ages along the
main road to London, and its market, established in
1247, became one of the largest in Essex. (fn. 2) In the
18th century Romford became also a busy coaching
town. The railway, besides maintaining the importance of the town as a commercial centre, stimulated
the growth of industry, notably Ind, Coope's
brewery. During the present century Romford has
become a shopping centre for a populous suburban
area, with new light industries developing on the
outskirts near the main roads.
There are many references to early corn-mills in
Romford; these are treated elsewhere. (fn. 3) Romford,
like Hornchurch, was an early centre of the leather
industry. Tanners are recorded from the 15th
century onwards. (fn. 4) The making of leather breeches
was by the 18th century proverbially associated with
Romford. (fn. 5) It continued until 1830 or later. (fn. 6) There
were several curriers and saddlers in the town
throughout the 19th century. (fn. 7) The Smith family,
curriers, traded in the market-place from the 1830s
until c. 1902. (fn. 8) Darke & Sons, saddlers, were in
High Street and later in the market-place from the
1880s until 1937 or later. (fn. 9)
Cloth-making is indicated by the name Fullers
field (c. 1233–7), which was probably near Chase
Cross, (fn. 10) and that of Tayntor Ridden (1616). (fn. 11)
There are occasional references in the 17th century
to weavers, (fn. 12) including one engine weaver (1694). (fn. 13)
Colliers (charcoal burners), recorded in the 15th
and 16th centuries, gave their name to Collier Row. (fn. 14)
Brewing was often mentioned in the 16th and 17th
centuries. (fn. 15) Metal-workers included a brazier (1667),
and a cutler's wife who in 1707 was charged with
unlawfully trading as a goldsmith. (fn. 16)
A tile-kiln, attached to Wolves and Joys farm,
Noak Hill, was mentioned in 1558. (fn. 17) In 1775 John
Heaton of Bedfords unlawfully built a brick-kiln on
land inclosed from the common in Harold Wood
ward. (fn. 18) That was probably the kiln which then lay
south of Noak Hill Road, near its junction with the
present Straight Road. (fn. 19) In c. 1870 the site was
occupied by Tilekiln farm. (fn. 20) The sites of other
brick-kilns are indicated by the field name Brick
Kiln mead, which occurs twice in 1846: north of
Noak Hill Road, and north of Chase Cross Road,
Collier Row. (fn. 21) The brickworks of William, later
W. & G. Gale, Hainault Road, existed from c. 1890
to 1937 or later. (fn. 22)
Ind, Coope & Co.'s brewery, which has become
Romford's main industry, was established in 1799,
when Edward Ind bought the Star inn, with a small
brewery attached, beside the river Rom in High
Street. (fn. 23) It was a fortunate choice of site, for in
1839 Romford railway station was built ¼ mile south
of the brewery, and there was plenty of room for
expansion in that direction. In 1845, after two
changes of partner, Edward Ind was joined by the
brothers Octavius and George Coope; two later
generations of the Inds and Coopes were associated
with the firm. In 1858 Ind, Coope & Co. bought a
second brewery, at Burton-on-Trent (Staffs.). The
Romford brewery was greatly extended in the later
19th century, becoming a private limited company
in 1886, and a public company in 1890. (fn. 24) By 1908
it had extensive railway sidings linked to the station,
and was employing 450 workers. In 1909, after a
financial crisis, it was reconstituted. In 1934 it
merged with Allsopp of Burton-on-Trent. After
the Second World War Ind, Coope took over
several other breweries, and in the 1960s played a
leading part in forming Allied Breweries, one of
the largest groups of its kind in the world. Since the
war the Romford brewery has been greatly extended,
and by 1970 it occupied 20 a., with 1,000 workers. (fn. 25)
The main engineering works of the Eastern
Counties railway were opened in 1843 at Squirrels
Heath, a mile east of Romford station. (fn. 26) Engineering
was transferred to Stratford in 1847, (fn. 27) but the
Romford building was retained as a factory making
railway tarpaulins and sacks. (fn. 28) It employed about
100 workers, for whom the railway company built
houses in Factory Road. In the later 19th century the
factory also produced horse fodder, and in 1900 a
separate building was erected for that purpose. (fn. 29)
The tarpaulin factory continued until c. 1960. (fn. 30)
The original buildings of 1843 still survived in
1976, when they were occupied as warehouses by
Rail Store Ltd. (fn. 31) They comprise three blocks. That
to the north has a main elevation of three storeys,
facing the railway line, behind which there is a
single-storeyed workshop with a roof supported on
wooden columns. The rear elevation has 13 fullheight openings upon a siding, beyond which a
similar elevation opens upon a second workshop
which has a central hall with side galleries on castiron columns and beams. Beyond that is the smaller
engine shed.
Fordham Ellis's candle factory, South Street,
existed by 1849. (fn. 32) In 1872, after complaints about
nuisance caused by the factory, Ellis agreed to move
it on the payment of compensation by the local
board. (fn. 33) Joseph Fordham Ellis was trading as a tallow
chandler in North Street in 1886. (fn. 34)
The Victoria steam flour mill, Victoria Road,
seems to have originated in 1851, as an adjunct to
the old windmill in South Street, (fn. 35) and to have been
known at first as the Star mill. (fn. 36) The Victoria mill
was apparently extended or rebuilt in 1858. (fn. 37) Alfred
Dockerill, miller in the 1860s, was succeeded c. 1870
by Henry Whitmore. (fn. 38) The mill was enlarged in
1874. (fn. 39) It was closed c. 1928. (fn. 40) In 1975 the site was
occupied by the shops in Old Mill Parade.
Macarthy's mineral water factory, Market Place,
existed by 1851. (fn. 41) It was the offshoot of a druggist's
business which the Macarthy family had carried on
in the Market-place at least since 1823. (fn. 42) The
factory had steam power by 1856. (fn. 43) By 1912 it was
owned by the Hearn family, who traded there until
1937 or later. (fn. 44)
Spencer's comb factory, St. Andrew's Road,
c. 1851–82, seems to have been the first industry on
the site of the Old Barrack Ground, west of Romford
station. (fn. 45) The next was Alabaster & Wedlake's iron
foundry, St. Andrew's Road and Queen Street,
opened in 1852. (fn. 46) The firm's name suggests that it
was associated with one of two Hornchurch ironfounders: Mary Wedlake & Co., or Wedlake &
Dendy. (fn. 47) By 1855, however, Roger Alabaster, ironand brass-founder, was apparently trading alone. (fn. 48)
The foundry was extended in 1869. (fn. 49) It apparently
continued in the Alabaster family until c. 1880,
when it was taken over by Frederick Carter. (fn. 50)
Carter was succeeded c. 1913 by B. Rhodes & Son,
who traded as brass-founders until 1937 or later. (fn. 51)
By 1967 Rhodes had moved to Danes Road, off
Crow Lane. (fn. 52) In 1975 the firm was a subsidiary of
British Steam Specialities Ltd., and was manufacturing scientific and industrial instruments. (fn. 53)
During the 19th century there were many small
workshops in Romford, mostly engaged in metalworking or engineering. Four families of blacksmiths traded for 40 years or more: Staines in Hare
Street, c. 1832–98, Randall in Collier Row Road,
c. 1845–1958 or later, Martin in High Street,
c. 1845–90, and Underwood in the market-place,
c. 1848–98. (fn. 54) Underwood's business was apparently
continued in the Lamb Yard, North Street, by the
James family, c. 1900–08, and later by the Cooks,
who c. 1937 moved to the yard of the Duke of
Wellington, Market Place, and were still there in
1964. (fn. 55)
There were several braziers and tinplate workers
in the town in the 19th century, but none survived
for more than 10 or 15 years. There was a millwright,
John Carter, in South Street, later in North Street
c. 1832–55. (fn. 56) Wheelwrights included James Marchant,
St. Andrew's Road, c. 1855–98, and the Brown
family, in Straight Road, Romford Common,
c. 1878–1926. (fn. 57) Among coachbuilders of long standing
was Slipper of High Street, later North Street,
c. 1845–1902. (fn. 58) Slipper's business was taken over
by Allen Bros., which survived in 1975 as Charles
H. Allen, motor engineers, London Road. (fn. 59)
The local tradition of light industry, well established by the end of the 19th century, has since
then been continued and extended. The largest
modern factory is that of Roneo Vickers Ltd.,
manufacturers of office machinery. It lies at the
junction of South Street and Hornchurch Road, now
called Roneo Corner. It was on the Hornchurch side
of the old parish boundary. During the 1890s part
of the site was occupied by a bicycle factory. (fn. 60) The
Neostyle Manufacturing Co., later Roneo Ltd.,
opened its works there in 1908. (fn. 61) In 1975 Roneo
Vickers was a subsidiary of Vickers Ltd. (fn. 62)
Factories opened between the two world wars
and still surviving include Colvern Ltd., Spring
Gardens, manufacturers of wireless components,
May's Sheet Metal Works, Danes Road, and Betterwear Products, North Street, brush manufacturers. (fn. 63)
Since the Second World War several new factory
estates have been built on the outskirts of the town.
The largest of them is on the G.L.C. housing
estate, Harold Hill, which includes the slidingdoor factory of P. C. Henderson Ltd., Tangent
Road, and the brassière factory of the Lovable Co.,
Faringdon Avenue. Other estates are in North
Street, Lyon Road, Danes and Maldon Roads,
London Road, and Spring Gardens. In 1975 there
were some 50 factories in Romford. (fn. 64) About half of
them were engaged in engineering, electrical, or
metal work, and most of the others in food, drink,
clothing, footwear, textiles, or plastics.
Romford's commercial growth has also been rapid
since c. 1930, and especially during the past ten
years. (fn. 65) The new shopping precinct, south of the
market-place, has over 100 shops, including branches
of the main department stores. One of the largest
stores, Debenhams, has grown from a small shop
opened in 1864 at 62 Market Place by Denny Stone,
and extended by his son Leonard F. Stone. (fn. 66) Stones
was burnt down in 1945, after a burglary, but it was
rebuilt and further extended. L. F. Stone & Sons
became a private limited company in 1947. It was
taken over in 1960 by Debenhams, which in 1960–63
rebuilt it on the frontage of 60–72 Market Place.
EARLY MILLS. (fn. 67)
About 1355 and in 1420 the manor
of Dagenhams included a windmill near the South
Weald boundary. (fn. 68) An earlier mill, apparently in the
same area, was mentioned in 1222 and 1236. (fn. 69) In
1365 there was a windmill called the New Mill on
the Havering part of the manor of Marks. (fn. 70) There
was a post mill about ¼ mile east of Marks house
c. 1618. (fn. 71) The name of Mill Dam field (1846),
which lay about 600 yd. north-east of the site of
Marks, indicates that there had once been a watermill there. (fn. 72)
In the mid 17th century there were three windmills in Romford town: one on the manor of
Mawneys, one on Stewards, and one in Main Road.
The Mawneys mill existed in 1637, but the site is
not known. (fn. 73) The Stewards mill, mentioned in
1642, was in 1696 in the same position as the later
South Street windmill. (fn. 74) In 1642 there was also a
water-mill, in Stewards park, but that had apparently
disappeared by 1696. The Main Road windmill was
c. 1618 on the north side of the road, near the
market-place, where a mound still survived in
1921. (fn. 75) East of it, near the present Black's bridge at
Raphael park, there seems to have been a watermill c. 1618. (fn. 76) Richard Emes (d. 1678) was holding
at his death a windmill on Romford Hill, which he
had acquired along with the manor of Gidea Hall,
but had evidently retained when he sold the manor. (fn. 77)
It may have been the windmill mentioned c. 1618.
There were three windmills in the town in 1777:
in London Road, Hornchurch Lane (South Street),
and Main Road. (fn. 78) The London Road mill, a post
mill, was on the south side of the road about 130 yd.
west of St. Andrews' Road. (fn. 79) In 1751 the owner was
Thomas Green. (fn. 80) William Gunn was the miller in
1773. (fn. 81) From c. 1793 the mill was occupied by
Stephen Collier, who by his will, proved 1820, left
the reversion of it to his nephew Pratt Collier. (fn. 82) The
Collier family continued to operate the mill until
c. 1860. (fn. 83) It was put up for sale in 1861. (fn. 84) There was
still a miller in London Road in 1863, but apparently
none in 1866. (fn. 85) The mill had gone by 1871. (fn. 86) The
mill-house may survive as Yew Tree Cottage.
The South Street mill was almost certainly the
one which from the 17th century to the 19th century
descended with the manor of Stewards. (fn. 87) It was a
post mill on the east side of the street near the
corner of the present Victoria Road. (fn. 88) The railway
embankment, built c. 1840, passed within a few
yards of the mill, cutting off the wind. A steammill was built beside the windmill, c. 1850–1. (fn. 89) The
windmill is said to have remained standing, behind
the Rising Sun inn, until the 1880s. (fn. 90)
The Main Road mill, a post mill, lay opposite
Pettits Lane, on the south side of the road. (fn. 91) It may
have been the successor to the Main Road windmill
mentioned above. Edward Collier, who is said to
have been the last miller, (fn. 92) was there c. 1829–60. (fn. 93)
The mill had been demolished by 1871. (fn. 94)
In the earlier 19th century there was also a post
mill at Collier Row, on a site which is now part of
Lawns park, Lawnsway. (fn. 95) John and Benjamin
Miller were occupying it in 1815, when they took
William Blakeley as their apprentice. (fn. 96) The Millers
remained there until 1832 or later. (fn. 97) John Collier was
there in 1839. (fn. 98) William Blakeley, who married into
the Collier family, was the owner and occupier
by 1846, and was still trading there in 1855. (fn. 99) He is
said to have built Lawn House, which survives as a
social club. (fn. 100) The mill had gone by 1871. (fn. 101) The site
of an earlier mill at Collier Row is indicated by the
name Mill field (1846), which lay north of Chase
Cross Road and West of Havering Road. (fn. 102) Another
Mill field (c. 1618) was south of Noak Hill Road at
Noak Hill. (fn. 103)
MARKET, FAIR, AND CORN EXCHANGE.
In 1247 Henry III ordered the sheriff of Essex to
establish a market at Romford, to be held on
Wednesdays. (fn. 104) In 1250, by a similar order, he
established a fair there, to be held annually throughout Whit week. (fn. 105) There seems always to have been a
Wednesday market since 1247. (fn. 106) A Tuesday market
had been established by 1633, and a Monday
market also by the later 18th century. The Monday
market was discontinued shortly before 1816, and
the Tuesday market later in the 19th century. A
Saturday market, which existed by 1907, still
continues. In 1919 daily markets were inaugurated
as a temporary measure. That ended in 1925, but
the Friday market was then retained, along with
Wednesday and Saturday. The annual fair was by
the 18th century being held on one day only, 24
June. (fn. 107) It was abolished in 1877. (fn. 108) It was then
stated that in recent years the fair had been held on
the last Thursday in June.
The market remained the property of the Crown
until 1828. In 1619 James I leased the market tolls
for 99 years to trustees for the Prince of Wales,
later Charles I. (fn. 109) In 1631 the trustees sold the lease
to John Edisbury of the Inner Temple (Lond.).
During the rest of the 17th century the lease
changed hands several times, and sub-leases were
occasionally created. As a result of these transactions
the control of the market sometimes passed to
strangers, who found it difficult to enforce their
authority in Romford. The final owner of the 99-year lease, a brewer from Bow (Mdx.) named Mark
Frost, between 1710 and 1741 bought from the
Crown three consecutive leases running up to 1772.
The main lease later passed to Mrs. Anne Freeman
of Boreham, who secured its renewal up to 1793.
Between 1793 and 1813 the tolls were let from year
to year. (fn. 110)
In 1828 the market, along with the manor of
Havering, was bought from the Crown by Hugh
McIntosh. (fn. 111) He paid £4,700 for the market, which
was then held by Charles Willoughby on a 31-year
lease granted in 1813. The market continued to
descend with the manor until 1892. Between 1882
and 1887 Romford local board made at least two
unsuccessful attempts to lease the tolls from
Mrs. McIntosh, (fn. 112) and in 1887 they became involved
in a legal dispute with her over the installation of a
weighbridge in the market. (fn. 113) In 1889 they rejected
an invitation to lease the tolls, saying that the market
was declining, but in 1892, when it was threatened
with closure, they bought the freehold from Mrs.
McIntosh for £7,000. (fn. 114)
The Market Place developed along both sides of
the main road to London, on the eastern side of the
town. It is about 400 yd. long and 50 yd. wide. (fn. 115) At
its western end, in the 18th and 19th centuries, lay
the court house and gaol of the liberty of Havering,
sometimes, but not officially, called the market
house. (fn. 116) That was demolished in 1933. (fn. 117) At the
eastern end of the Market Place, until the later 19th
century, was the Loam pond.
By the later 17th century Romford was 'a great
market town for corn and cattle'. (fn. 118) It continued to
flourish as an agricultural centre in the 18th and
19th centuries. (fn. 119) In 1824 most of the Market Place
was reserved for cattle. (fn. 120) In 1876 the eastern end was
used for pigs and cattle, and the western end for
farm tools, clothing, fruit, and vegetables. The
market was then thought to be the largest near
London for corn and cattle. (fn. 121) The cattle trade
remained important until the Second World War.
After the war it declined rapidly, and the cattle
market was closed in 1958. (fn. 122) Since then the market
has been devoted mainly to food, clothing, and
household goods. In 1973 there were about 325
regular traders there. (fn. 123) In 1969, after the construction
of St. Edward's Way, the Market Place was closed to
through traffic by sealing its eastern end. (fn. 124)
The Romford corn exchange was opened in 1845
in a converted building adjoining the Golden Lion
in High Street. (fn. 125) It was enlarged in 1861. (fn. 126) It was
put up for sale in 1924 and was closed soon after. (fn. 127)
The corn exchange was used by traders on market
days and at other times for public meetings; it was
always privately owned. (fn. 128)
FOREST.
The history of the forest is treated
under Havering. (fn. 129)