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History of Stratford in 1886
Stratford (or Stratford Langthorne), the ford of the street or Roman way from London to Colchester, within the Northern division of the new Parliamentary borough of West Ham, is a suburb of London, and lies on the east side of the navigable river Lee and on the Great Eastern railway, whence the Colchester; the Cambridge; the Blackwall and North Woolwich; the Woodford and the Tilbury and the Southend lines of railway diverge: there are three stations, viz., Stratford Central station, Stratford Market and Maryland Point. It is 3¾ miles from Shoreditch, and is a ward of the parish of West Ham, in the union of that name, and within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court and Metropolitan Police, in the Bow County court district, rural deanery of Barking, archdeaconry of Essex and diocese of St Albans, and Eastern Metropolitan postal district. It is united to Stratford le Bow, in Middlesex, by a bridge over the river Lee. Tramways are laid down from the Broadway to Aldgate and from the Broadway to Leytonstone and on the Romford Road to the ‘Princess Alice’. Stratford is included in the local board district of West Ham.
St Johns is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in 1844 from the mother parish of West Ham; the church situated in the centre of town, where the main road from the east of London diverges towards Romford and Leytonstone: was built in 1834 as a chapel of ease to the parish of West Ham, and became a parish church about 1859; it is a building of stone and brick in the early English style, and was erected at a cost of £23,000; of which £18,000 was raised by subscription, and the remainder advanced on security of the rates; the church consists of chancel, nave, aisles and a western tower, containing 1 bell. The site was given by the late Lord Mornington, then Tylney Long Wellesley Pole, esq. of Wanstead, and T Humphreys esq. , lords of the manor: there are sittings for 1,000 persons. The register dates from the year 1859. The living is a vicarage, so constituted in 1868, nett yearly value £310 in the gift of the vicar of West Ham, and held since 1881 by the Rev Raymond Percy Pelly, M A of Trinity College, Cambridge. The area is 301 acres; the population in 1881 was 13,502.
Christchurch is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in 1852 from the mother parish of West Ham; the church, situated in High Street and erected in 1851, is a building of stone in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, and a western tower with spire containing 1 bell. The register dates from the year 1852. The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £304, with residence, in the gift of trustees, and held since 1878 by the Rev Charles William Servante. The area is 405 acres; the population in 1881 was 9,710.
Stratford New Town, formerly called Hudson’s Town, is a part of Stratford, adjoining the Angel lane railway station. In this district are the works of the Great Eastern railway, employing upwards of 3,000 men.
St Paul, Stratford New Town, was formed into an ecclesiastical parish from the mother parish of West Ham, in 1865. The church, situated in the Maryland Road, is a plain brick building, consisting of apsidal chancel, nave, aisles, and a turret containing 1 bell. There are sittings for 1,250 persons, half of which are free. The register dates from December 10th, 1864. The living is a vicarage, nett yearly value £200, in the gift of five trustees, and held since 1877 by the Rev William Spencer MA of Hertford College, Oxford. The area is 236 acres; the population in 1881 was 13,243.
There is a Presbyterian church in Leytonstone Road.
The Catholic church of St Francis of Assisi, erected at a cost of £6,000, and opened May 12th 1868: is a rectangular building in the Italian style, with a small tower over the porch containing 1 bell and will seat 400.
The Congregationalist, Baptists, Primitive Methodists, United Free Methodists and Wesleyans have chapels here.
The Town hall, situated in the Broadway, Stratford, is a building of stone and brick in the Italian style, from designs by Messrs L Angell and J Giles, and was opened July 7th, 1869 by Sir Thomas Western, lord lieutenant of the county. In 1886 the building was greatly enlarged and entirely re-decorated; the large hall on the first floor will hold 1,000 people and has retiring rooms attached to it: there is also a minor hall or board room on the ground floor. The façade towards the Broadway, 102 feet in length, has two principal storeys, from which in front of the entrance is projected a colonnade of rusticated work, rising into a spacious balcony supported on columns and terminating in a balustrated parapet, with groups of statuary; above this is a supplementary storey similarly treated : to the right of the main building is a well proportioned tower 100 feet in height, crowned by a coved domical roof, supporting a small turret and vane: the principal front is of stone, the portico and other portions being adorned with polished columns of red granite: this building is occupied by the officers of the local board, engineer and surveyor, vestry clerk and of various local collectors; on the west side is a fire brigade, and a new building has been erected at the back for the use of the inspector of nuisances and his staff, and includes a residence for the superintendent of the fire brigade.
In 1881, John Rowland Phillips esq. was appointed Metropolitan police magistrate for the West Ham local board district. The Court house, situated in West Ham lane, in the rear of the Town Hall, was erected by the local board and opened November 9th 1886; it is a building of picked stone cornices and dressings, from designs by Mr Lewis Angell, architect, and comprises a court room, magistrates and clerks offices and retiring rooms, solicitors and public waiting rooms, lavatories and caretakers apartments, together with offices for the police and cells for the prisoners.
The Martyrs’ Memorial, erected in St Johns churchyard in 1879 by public subscription “to perpetuate the principles of the Reformation and to commemorate the deaths of 18 Protestant martyrs, burned in this neighbourhood for the pure faith of Jesus Christ”, is a hexagonal structure of stone and terra cotta, in the Early English style, raised on a similarly shaped platform of four steps; each of the six sides is surmounted by a boldly projecting canopy, supported on clustered shafts, and above all rises a ribbed spire, terminating in a finial, encircled by a crown, the whole being 65 feet high. One of the sides is adorned with a sculptured panel reproducing a plate in Foxe’s Martyrology, representing the burning of 13 of these martyrs at Stratford, on the site of the present churchyard, on Saturday, June 27th, 1556; the remaining sides bear inscriptions including the names, ages, social position and date of execution of all the martyrs commemorated; Mr J T Newman was the architect.
The local board have established a local fire brigade which consists of 1 chief superintendent and 20 men, 3 fire stations and 4 escape stations; they are distributed as follows:-
No 1 station (Stratford) with a steamer, manual hose cart and escape, 1 officer and 7 men; No 2 station (Barking Road) with a steamer, hose cart and 2 escapes, 1 officer and 8 men; No 3 station (Forest Gate) with a hose cart and escape, 1 officer and 3 men. A fire escape is also stationed at Plaistow Broadway.
On the river Lee are flour mills, chemical and print works, artificial manure factories, soap and candle works, vesta and match manufactories and distilleries. A market for vegetables, fruit, roots and straw, has been established, by the Great eastern railway company, adjoining the Stratford Bridge Station, and warehouses and sidings have been constructed for the development of trade in vegetables from the Eastern counties
The population of the Stratford ward in West Ham local district in 1881 was 38, 636 and is now (1886) estimated to be 43,400; rateable value about £172,000.
The Cistercian abbey of Stratford Langthorne was founded here by W Montfichet in 1134 and dedicated to St Mary and All Saints;, the abbot was a lord of Parliament, and the income at the Dissolution was £573 15s 6d. : there are now no remains of the building, except perhaps at the Abbey Mills. George Edwards, the naturalist, was born here 3rd April, 1693 and was buried here on 23rd July, 1773.
Sexton (St John), John Saunders.
Post & Money Order & Telegraph Office, Savings Bank & Government Annuity & Insurance Office, branch of Eastern district, Martin Street.
Post & Money Order Offices & Savings Banks, 288 Romford Road – William Stock, receiver; 137 Romford Road - Charles William Curtis, receiver; Market Place, Leytonstone Road, New Town – Robert Canham, receiver; 1 Francis Terrace, Crownfield Road – C Brain, receiver; 133 Leytonstone Road – Pryer & Middleton, receivers; 64 High Street – John Osborne, receiver; 271 High Street – John Lines, receiver; Leyton Road, New Town – John Butler, receiver; 170 Maryland Road – Sidney Thomas Fisk & Co, receivers.
Pillar Letter Boxes, Broadway; Maryland Point; & at Stratford & Stratford Bridge railway stations
County Magistrates for Becontree Petty Sessional Division
Barclay Henry Ford esq, Monkhams, Woodford, chairman
Birt Col George Robert esq, 82 Romford Road , Stratford
Buxton Edward North esq, Knighton House, Woodford
Cook Edward Rider esq, High Street, Stratford
Crossman James Hiscutt esq, The Brewery, Mile End, London
Fowler William esq, Cecil House, Barking
Green Frederick esq, Hainult Lodge, Chigwell Row
Howard Elliot esq, Walthamstow
Howard Col Samuel Lloyd
Johnson Andrews esq, Woodford Green
Kindersley Captain E N W, Old Clock Hose, Wastead
Lister Arthur esq, Leytonstone
Makins Col William Thomas MP, Lowther Gardens, Prince’s Gate, London SW
Morgan E T esq, Bleak House, Wanstead
Powell Nathaniel esq, Buckhurst Hill, Woodford
Read John Francis H esq, Woodford
Reynolds Robert Barclay esq, Woodford
Savill Philip esq, Woodlands, Chigwell Row
Spicer Albert esq, Woodford
Spicer James esq, Woodford
The parishes in the division are : Barling, Chigwell (part of), Dagenham, East & West ham, Little Ilford, Leyton, Walthamstow, Wanstead & Woodford.
Clerk to the Magistrates, H Shekell Haynes, Romford
Petty Sessions are held every day at the Court House, Great Eastern Road, at 9.30 am & sat at 11 am
West Ham Local Board.
Offices, Town hall, Broadway
Members of the Board
Church Street ward
Rivett George (chairman)
Harris George
Helmore Wm
Jones George
Maw James
Morley John
Stratford ward
Hay George
Jex Edward
Knight Thomas
Mitchell Adam
Smith Frederick
Tharp Wm Ant
Plaistow ward
Adamson Michael
Barry Henry
Fielder Robert
Hooper Wm Hy
Worland Henry
Worland James
Delegates from the Dagenham Commissioners
Drew Rich Philip, Howard Saml Lloyd, Meeson John
Clerk, Frederic Edward Hilleary MA, ML, Romford Road
Treasurer, Charles Henry Davis
Medical Officer of Health, Thomas Drake, 207 Romford Road
Engineer & Surveyor, Lewis Angell C E, The Grove
Assistant Surveyor, John Alexander Angell, Town Hall
Building Inspector, T H Raiman, Town Hall
Chief Sanitary Inspector, William Horn, 26 The Green
Dust Foremen, Henry Clench, 1 Dunmow Road north; Denson Smith, 82 First Avenue, Plaistow
Inspector of Nuisances, William Evans, 29 Hudson Road, Canning Town; Thomas Smith, 83 Amity Road; David Stollery, Vale Cottage, Deanery Road; Geo Douglas, Tidal Basin
Collectors, Thomas Watton, 31 Romford Road; J J Richardson, 31 Suffolk Street, Forest Gate; Frederick James Norrie, 1 Adelbert Villas, Upton Lane; John Kendall, 2 Lime Villas, Howard’s Road, Plaistow
Insurance Agents: -
Gritish Empire, N C Coates, 7 Park Villas, Ilford Road
Commercial Union, Henry Pardue, London & Provincial Bank; & Fowler Bros, 244 High Street
County Fire, G Gwinn, 7 The Grove; P T Little, 372 High Street; & Septimus Morris
London Assurance, C E Smith, Harrow Bridge House; W B Press, 30 Huxton Road; * E B Turquand
Norwich Union Fire, Wm L Hart, Disraeli Road
Phoenix Fire, G More, 267 Romford Road; Henry Morris Tickell, 3 Martin Street; Henry Clements Winney, Litchfield House, 13 Romford Road; Casselton Bros, Phoenix Wharf; Richard Baker Sim, 5 Ham Frith Road, Romford Road
Royal Exchange, H Hyde, 40 Buxton Road, R Martin, Woodford Wells; & H White, 2 St Johns Terrace
Queen, G W Miller, Elm saide, Deanery Road
Sun fire, J Rivett, High Street
Westminster Fire & Life, Geo Edgar Morgan, 9 Albert Road, Forest Lane; & I Maw, Margery Park Road
Volunteers:--
Essex (1st) Artillery Volunteers (comprising 10 batteries), head quarters of the brigade & Nos. 3 to 7 & 9 & 10 batteries, Romford Road; Samuel L Howard, colonel; William Brooks, lieut-col; Edmund Garret, major; Capt T Moore RMA adjutant; J Dowsett, quarter-master; John B Kennedy & Rae Corbet, surgeons; Sl Evans, acting surgeon; Rev Wm Spender MA acting chaplain
Essex Regiment, 3rd Volunteer Battalion, comprising A,B,C,D,E,F,G & H companies, Baron von Pawel Rammingen KCB lieut-col; Geo R Birt, lieut-col & hon-col; J Bellinghan, major; Major W H T Smee, adjutant; James W Danager, surgeon; C W Bass, acting surgeon; Rev Canon Thos Scott MA hon chaplain; A co Capt J H Brady; B co Capt W A Allison; C co Capt S G Allison; D co Capt W S Heaton; F co Capt P R Savill; & H co Capt G H D Birt, drill Hall, Vicarage Lane
Essex Regiment, 4th Volunteer Battalion, B company, Walter Lenox, sergeant instructor, orderly room, 19 Cedar’s Road
Public Establishments
Inland revenue Office, The Grove, T E Bell, surveyor of taxes; Thomas Jones & James Anderson, supervisors
Metropolitan Police Station, West Ham Lane. The forde stationed here consist of 4 inspectors & 135 constables
Police Court for the West Ham Local Board District, John Rowland Phillips esq magistrate; W J Bruty esq (solicitor), chief clerk, 6 Tokenhouse Yard EC; W H Fowler esq (solicitor) & W J Attwater, assistant clerks
Town Hall, Broadway, Charles Iyan, keeper
West Ham Burial Board, Jeremiah Self, clerk, Broadway
West Ham Fire Brigade, Station, Broadway, E Smith, superintendent
Public Officers
Vestry Clerk, Geo Alfred Sedgwick, Town Hall, Stratford
Clerk to the Burial Board, Jeremiah Self, The Grove
Clerk to the West Ham Board of Guardians & the Assessment Committee, Frederic Edward Hilleary MA ML, Town hall, Broadway
Collector of Poor rates, William Hopkins, 6 Manbey Grove
Collector of water Rate, Charles P Hurann, Disraeli Road
Medical Officer, 1st West Ham Union, John Burnett Hamilton, 63 Leytonstone Road
Medical Officer No 2 West Ham District & Public Vaccination, West Ham & Forest Gate Districts, West Ham Union, Walter Atkins Grogono, 216 High Street
Medical Officer & Public Vaccinator, West Ham, No 3 District, West Ham Union, Alfred Edmund Kennedy, 9 Broadway
Public Vaccinator for Stratford, Thomas James Vallance MD, 27 Romford Road
Regristrar of Births & Deaths, Stratford Ward Sub-District, Thomas James Vallance MD. 27 Romford Road
Registrar of Marriages, F E Hilleary, Town Hall
Relieving Officer, No 1 District, West Ham union, J Carter, Grove Cescent Road, Stratford
Relieving Officer, No 5 District, West Ham union, Henry Bryett, 44 Idmiston Road
Superintentandant registrar, Frederic E Hilleary MA ML Town hall; deputy, John James Mulley, Florence Villa, Water lane
Place of Worship
St Johns Church, Broadway, Rev Raymond Percy Pelley MA vicar: 11 am & 6.30 pm; weekdays 8 am & 7.15 pm
Christ Church, High Street, Rev Charles William Servante, vicar; 11 am & 3 & 6.30 pm; thurs 8 pm
St Pauls Church, Maryland Road, New Town, Rev William Spencer MA, vicar; 11 am & 3.30 & 6.30 pm; daily 8 pm; saints days 9 am
St Stephens Church, Cedar’s Roa, 11 am & 6.30 pm
St Johns Mission Chapel, Chant Square; 11 am & 8.30 pm; wed 7 pm
Catholic Church of St Francis of Assisi, Grove, Crescent Road, Rev Brenand Butti; Rev Alfred McLaughlin; Rev Thaddeus Hermans; Rev Francis Verhagen, priests; 8,9,10 & 11 am & 6.30 pm; daily 6.30, 7 & 8 am; tues, wed, thur & fri 8 pm
Trinity Presbyterian Church, Leytonstone Road, Maryland Point, Rev Geo Wilson MA, minister; 11 am & 6.30 pm
Baptist, Carpenters Road, Rev George Head Towner; 11 am; 6.30 pm; wed 7.30 pm
Baptist, Gurney Road, Rev John Hunt Lynn, minister; sun 11 am & 6.30 pm; wed 7.30 pm
Baptist, Major Road; Rev T Maycock, minister; sun 11 am & 6.30 pm; thurs 8 pm
Baptist , the Grove, Rev J H Banfield, minister; 11 am & 6.30 pm; mon & wed 7.30 pm
Congregational, Romford Road; Rev Robert Nobbs, minister
Congregational, Grove Crescent Road, Rev James Knaggs, minister; 11 am & 6.30 pm; thurs 7 pm
Congregational Mission Room, Leyton Road, New Town, 7 pm; wed 7.45 pm
Primitive Methodist, Chapel Street; 11 am & 6.30 pm; thurs 7.30 pm
Primitive Methodist, Major Road, New Town, Rev G Smith, pastor; 11 am & 6.30 pm; wed 7.30 pm
United Methodist, Bridge Road; ; 11 am & 6.30 pm; mon 7.30 pm
Wesleyan, The Grove ; 11 am & 6.30 pm; wed 7.so pm
St Alethia (Reformed), Park Avenue, Rev Thomas Crow; 11 am & 6.30 pm; wed 8 pm
Salvation Army Barracks, Angel Lane
Schools:-
A school Board of 15 members was formed for the parish of West Hm in 1871; offices, Broadway; Jeremiah Self, 69 The Grove, clerk to the board; C W Carrell, accountant; Henry Madden, inspector
West Ham School Board, offices, Town hall; clerk, Jeremiah Self: architect, J T Newman, senior assistant clerk, C W Carrell; superintendent of visitors, Henry Madden
Board Schools: -
Carpenters Road (mixed), built in 1884, for 1,244 children; average attendance, about 900; James A Coombs, master; Miss Mary Bull, mistress
Channelsea Road (mixed & infants), built in 1872, for 402 children; full average attendance; Philip Poltock, master; Miss Emiline Miller, mistress; Miss Alice Hovell, infants mistress
High Street (mixed & infants), built in 1871, for 557 children, full average attendance; Jesse William Smith, master; Miss Alice Macmillan, mistress; Mrs Harriet Francis, infant mistress :
Maryland Point (mixed & infants), built in 1880, for 1,317 children; full average attendance; William Crouch, master, Miss Amelia Woods, mistress; Mrs Lucy Elizabeth Shaw, infants mistress
Colegrave Road (mixed & infants), built in 1882, for 1.077 children; full average attendance; Charles Buckingham, master; Miss R Smee, mistress; Miss S E Finney, infants mistress
Abbey School, Abbey Road (mixed & infants), built in 1880, for 1664 children; average attendance, about 1,450; John E Denn, master; Miss Annie M Ware, mistress; Miss Sophis Stevens, infant mistress
North Street (mixed & infants), for 784 children; Wm Pickworth, master; Miss Riley mistress; Mrs Woabank, infants mistress
Salway Road (mixed), for 903 children; average attendance, 900; D Webbs, master; Mrs M Rees, mistress
Stratford School of Art, 8 Leytonstone Road; Mrs Harriet Taylor, mistress
British (girls ), Stratford & West Ham (mixed & infants), Bridge Road, built in 1851, for 400 children; average attendance, 360; Miss Jane Norton, mistress; Miss Harriet Cherry, infants mistress
St Johns National (mixed), Chant Square, built in 1872 for 900 children; average attendance, 700; Henry John Millard, master; Miss Gabriella Stirling, mistress; Mrs Marian L Brasieur, infants mistress
Christ Church (National), High Street, Mrs Emily Moorman, mistress
National), Chart Square, Henry John Millard, master; George Housden, assistant master; Miss Gabrilla Stilly, mistress; Mrs Marian L Brasuer, infants mistress
St Pauls National, Maryland Road ( mixed), for 1,000 children; average attendance, 830; Henry Heather, master;; Mrs Elizabeth Goodwin, mistress;, Mrs Maud Allen, infants mistress
Catholic (mixed), Grove Crescent Road, James Gillis Cockburn, master
Free Ragged, Chapel Street, for 139 children, average attendance, 122; Alfred Jennings, master; Miss Bessie Jennings, mistress; Miss Mary Ann Ettridge, infants mistress
Newspapers
Essex Times & Romford Telegraph, 20 Broadway, Wilson & Whitworth, proprietors (published Wednesday & Saturday)
Stratford Express, 20 Broadway, Wilson & Whitworth, proprietors & publishers (published on Saturdays)
Railway Stations:-
Central, Station street & Angel Lane, Henry Clark Francis, station master
Maryland, Samuel Woods, station master
Stratford Bridge, Bridge Road, Isaac John Pryke, station master
Conveyance to London:-
Tramway cars from Broadway to Aldgate every five minutes from 7.30 am to 11 pm; from Broadway to Leytonstone every fifteen minutes from 8 am to 10 pm; tramway from Broadway to ‘Princess Alice’, Romford Road
Carriers to London : - William Bushman & R Sholl pass through West Ham, daily. Carriers from Ilford, Romford, Barking, Plaistow, Woodford & Leytonstone pass through daily.