Hornchurch 1902 Kellys Directory
History of Hornchurch
Hornchurch is a large village and
parish, on the road from Romford to Upminster and bounded on the east and west
by the rivers Ingrebourne and Rom, with a station on the
London,
Tilbury and Southend railway, 2 miles
north west,
and the junction of the line to Romford and 14 from
London. The
parish is in the Romford division of the county, Romford Petty sessional
division, union, and county court district, and in the rural deanery of Chafford,
archdeaconry of Essex
and diocese of St Albans.
The village is lighted with gas supplied from Romford. The church of St Andrew
is an ancient building of stone in the Early Decorated and Perpendicular styles,
consisting of chancel, nave with clerestory, aisles, north porch, and a large
embattled western tower with a turret and spire, the whole rising to a height of
120 feet and containing a clock and 8 bells, 6 of which were recast in 1778, 2
being added in 1901: the chancel was restored in 1869, and a stained east window
erected as a memorial to Thomas
Mashiter esq, of Hornchurch Lodge, d 1862; and there are five others: the
chancel has a reredos of carved stone, a piscine and sedilia: on the north wall
of the tower is a curiously carved marble tablet to Thomas
Witherings esq, chief postmaster of Great Britain, ob 1651: the church
was restored in 1871 at a cost of about £2,000, and again in 1900, at a further
cost of £900, and there are 500 sittings The register, which is in good
condition, dates from the year 1576. The living is nominally a vicarage, but is
rather in the nature of a chaplaincy, exempt from ecclesiastical jurisdiction,
net yearly value £450, with residence, in the gift of the Warden and Fellows of
New College, Oxford, who grant the vicar what is termed a “lease” and held since
1902 by the Rev Herbert John Dale MA, of New College, Oxford. The Baptist
chapel, erected at a cost of £840, and opened
September 21, 1882, is
an edifice of brick with stone dressings and occupies a site given by Mr J A
Abraham, of Upminster; it will seat 220 persons. Here are manufactories for
agricultural implements; and brewing and malting are carried on. There are
several small charities, producing in all about £220 yearly, and now in the
hands of the charity commissioners. There is also a charity left by Mrs Massus
for ten aged poor who have never accepted parochial relief, each receiving £6 2s
yearly; and another charity founded by Mrs Hyde, for apprenticing two poor boys
from Hornchurch and one from Romford yearly. Three almshouses, left by Henry
Appleton, 1587, were rebuilt in 1838 and are occupied by old parishioners. Two
others left by John Pennant, in 1597, were restored by Thomas mashiter esq, in
1837 and are also tenanted by old parishioners. The Volunteer Drill hall was
erected by subscription at a cost of £400 for the H company of the 1st Volunteer
Batt Essex Regiment. The children’s homes here, erected in 1890 by the Guardians
of the parish of St Leonard, Shoreditch, comprises a series of double fronted
cottages for the children of that parish: these consist of six cottages for boys
and five for girls, each arranged to hold 30 children, who are under the care of
foster parents, and there are also two cottages specially built for such
children as could not, on medical grounds, be received into the homes; the
buildings include a school (part of which is used as a chapel), bakery, laundry
and various workshops: the entrance block is used as a preliminary abode, in
which children, after admission, remain for 14 days, previous to their being
permanently located in one of the homes: the buildings occupy an area of 14
acres, and the estate includes an attached farm of 70 acres. A priory, dedicated
to St Nicholas and St Bernard, subordinate to the hospital of Monte Jovis, in
the diocese of Sedun or Syon, in Savoy, was founded here in the reign of Henry
II, and afterwards had attached to it, c 1245, by Peter, earl of Savoy, the
Savoy Palace in the Strand, London: the revenues of this cell being seized with
other priories alien were purchased by William of Wykeham, bishop of Winchester,
and by him given to New College, Oxford, of which in 1380, he was the founder.
Great Nelmes, an ancient mansion of stone, situated in a park of about 50 acres,
on the outskirts of the village, and the property of the B Harding Newman esq.,
is the residence of Louis Sinclair esq, MP, and
was once occupied by Thomas Withering esq, chief postmaster of
Great Britain.
Grey Towers, a castellated mansion, in the style of the 12th century, standing
in a park of about 50 acres, at the entrance to the village, is the seat of
Lt-Col Henry Holmes, DL, JP: there is a finely decorated entrance hall and
staircase of black and white marble, with a ceiling of carved oak, and a good
stained window on the landing at the top of the staircase. Great Langtons, a
brick mansion standing in a small park, is the seat of varco Williams esq..
Hornchurch Lodge, a mansion of brick, standing in a park of about 30 acres, with
handsome pleasure grounds, adjoins the high road, and is the property of Edward
Thomas Mashiter esq, and residence of Mrs Fenner.Mrs McIntosh, of havering
Lodge, is lady of the manor. The soil is of a light nature; subsoil, gravel. The
area is 6,767 acres of arable, grass and marsh lands and 155 water; rateable
value, £37,928; the population in 1901
was 6,401, including 420 in Shoreditch Workhouse schools.
Harold Wood is a hamlet, 3 miles north,
with a station on the main line of the Great Eastern railway to
Colchester and
Ipswich. Here is an
iron church, built in 1871, and seating 300 persons. The Rev Leopold henry Bruhl
has been curate in charge since 1896. At
Harold Court
is a branch of the Essex County Asylum for 65 male patients. There is also a
factory for making fireworks.
Ardleigh Green is a hamlet, 1 ½ miles
north
Havering Well is a hamlet, 1 mile west
and a half a mile south of Romford
South Hornchurch
is a part of the parish, extending to the banks of the River Thames and
adjoining Rainham station on the Tilbury and Southend railway. There is a
reading room here.
The City of London Rifle
ranges are here, and adjoin Rainham
Pillar letter Box cleared 7.30 & 10.15 am
& 6.15 pm;
not on sunday
Parish Clerk and Sexton, Charles Fell
Post, M O & T O, T M O,
S B, Annuity, Insurance & Express Delivery Office & Parcel Post Office,
Hornchurch – Thomas Betts, postmaster. Letters arrive from Romford at 4.55 &
10 am
& 3.45 pm;
dispatched at 11.10 am,
1.10, 7.23 & 9.20 pm; first delivery
commences at 6 am
Post, M O & T O, T M O, S B, Annuity,
Insurance & Express Delivery & Parcel Post Office,
Harold Wood – Miss Caroline Joscelyne, postmistress. Letters arrive via Romford
at 8 & 7.30 pm & are dispatched at
10.30 am & 6.10 & 9 pm;
Sundays 9.10 am
Wall Letter Box at Butts green cleared 8
& 10.30 am & 4.20 & 9 pm; Sunday 8 am. Pillar Letter Boxes near Church &
Hornchurch lane, cleared respectively at 10.30 am, 1.5 & 7.20 pm; Sunday 7.20 pm
& 9 am & 6.15 pm; Sunday 7 am. Wall Letter Box at Cottage Homes cleared
11.5 am, 1.30 & 7.30 pm,
Sunday 7.30 pm. Wall Letter Box at Emerson park cleared at 7.30 & 10.40 am, 4,45
& 8.45 pm; Sunday, 7.30 am. Wall Letter Box at Hay Green cleared at 8 am
& 5.15 & 8.40 pm. Wall Letter Box at Ardleigh Green cleared at 8.30 & 10.45 am &
6.30 & 7.45 pm. Wall Letter Box at Avenue Road cleared at 9.10 am & 8.15 pm
Schools.
A school board of 5 members was formed
29 Mar, 1889; W Smith,
North
Street, Romford,
clerk to the board.
Board, late National, erected in 1855;
average attendance, 310; Frederick Jenvey,
master; Miss M Denton, mistress; Miss E Bentall, infants mistress
Board, Park Lane, erected in 1893 at a
cost of £3,759, for 400 children; average attendance 390;
W H Palmer, master; Mrs E Mayer,
mistress; Mrs Burgess, infants mistress
Board (Harold Wood), lately National,
built in the year 1885, at a cost of £560, for 140 children, average attendance,
112; F Rose, master
South Hornchurch,
Wood Lane (infants), built in 1864, average attendance, 65; H J Harris, master;
Miss Sarah Margaret Weedon, mistress
Railway Stations :-
Harold
Wood, Frederick Flegg, station master
Hornchurch, Walter Wallace, station
master
Carrier to
London –
Walter Dale ( to the Saracens Head, 5 Aldgate), on tues, thurs & sat, returning
same days
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