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History of West Ham in 1863
WEST HAM UNION comprises the seven parishes of East and
West Ham, Little Ilford, Leyton, Walthamstow, Wanstead, and Woodford, which
comprise about 19,000 acres of land, and increased their population from 26,920
in 1841, to 34,395 in 1851, and to 58,590 souls in 1861; so that it has more
than doubled its inhabitants and buildings daring the last twenty years. The
chief part of this increase is near Stratford, Plaistow, and the Victoria Docks.
The UNION WORKHOUSE is at Leytonstone, and was erected in 1840-1, at the cost of
about £14,000. It has now room for about 700 paupers, and forms an extensive
range of brick buildings, with a neat chapel in the centre of the yard, and
about four acres of garden
ground. The rooms are spacious, clean, and well ventilated. Some of the
able bodied are employed in teazing oakum and in pumping water into the cisterns
which supply the various departments of the establishment. The Poor Rates
collected in the Union, in the year ending Lady-day, 1861, amounted to about
£21,000, of which £1382 was paid for maintenance
of lunatics, £1202 for county rates, and £1739 for salaries. Edwin and Mrs.
Chittock are master and matron of the Workhouse. Mr. R. G. Hilleary is the union
clerk and superintendent registrar; and Messrs. Hy. Brittain, Archibald McDowall,
and John Miller are the relieving officers. Mr. C. W. Ashdown, of Stratford, is
registrar of marriages. Messrs. J. T. Vallance, William Elphick, William H.
Carey, J. D. Brown, and A. Peskett, and the Rev. R. W. B. Marsh, are registrars
of births and deaths for the six districts of the Union.
WEST HAM, a large village, with, many neat houses, gives name to a populous
Parish and Union, and is pleasantly situated on the east side of the river Lea,
between its now very populous suburbs of Stratford and Plaistow; and near
Stratford, Barking Road, and Plaistow Railway Stations. It is one of the extreme
eastern suburbs of London, being within the south-western extremity of Essex,
and distant about 1 1/2 mile E. of Bow Bridge, 4 1/2 miles E. of Whitechapel,
and 2 miles N. of the river Thames.
WEST HAH PARISH is now the most populous parish in Essex,
having increased its inhabitants from 12,738 in 1841, to 18,817 in 1851, and to
37,639 in 1861! This great augmentation of its population has all occurred since
the opening of the Eastern Counties
Railway, (in 1843), which has extensive engineering and other workshops at
Stratford, near the modern suburb, called Stratford New Town. The erection of
CANNING TOWN, near Plaistow and Barking Road Station, was commenced in 1847, and
since then a great increase of buildings and population has taken place in
various parts of the parish, especially near the new and extensive Victoria
London Docks; and in Silver Town, and other parts of Plaistow Ward, as
afterwards noticed. The Parish of West Ham contains 4735A. 3R, 7p. of land,
extending southward to the confluence of the river Lea, or Bow Creek, with the
river Thames, and is divided into three wards, viz.: Church Street Ward, which
includes the neighbouring villages of WEST HAM, UPTON, and FOREST GATE, and
about 1600 acres of land; PMstow Ward, which comprises the villages of Plaistow,
Canning Town, and Silver Town; the populous suburbs near the Victoria Docks, and
about 2000 acres of land, extending to the Thames; and STRATFORD WARD, which has
only about 700 acres of land, on the east side of the Lea, opposite Bow, but
contains the populous town of Stratford and its suburbs called Stratford New
Town, etc. In 1844, Stratford and Plaistow Wards were made separate
ecclesiastical parishes. Since then several other district churches have been
built in the parish. The now populous north-eastern suburbs of the metropolis,
on the east side of the Lea Creek, and near the Victoria Docks, are popularly
called "London over the Border". Near Hackney, on the west side of the river
Lea, is the large and beautiful London Victoria Park. The rateable annual value
of the land, buildings, etc., in West Ham parish is now upwards of £120,000,
though it was not half that amount twenty years ago. The East London Water
Works, on the west side of the river Lea, supply this and other parishes in
Essex, and were established in 1807-8, when the West Ham Waterworks, established
in the 21st of George II., were incorporated with them. It is now proposed that
this populous parish and neighbourhood shall have a more copious supply of the
pure beverage of nature from the South Essex Water Works, at Grays. West Ham Gas
Works, which supply nearly the whole parish, as well as Woodford, Snaresbrook,
etc., were established about 1845 by a company with a capital of about £10,000;
but they have been greatly increased during the last ten years, and a new
gasometer was built in 1861, at the cost of £8000. The works have now cost about
£60,000, raised in £5 shares. WEST HAM BOARD OF HEALTH and BURIAL BOARD,
established in 1856, have jurisdiction over Stratford, Plaistow, and all other
parts of the parish. The Board of Health has effected great improvements in
paving, draining, and lighting the streets and thoroughfares; and has much
improved the sanitary condition of this populous parish, by the removal of
nuisances, and by judicious regulations for the erection of new buildings.
Since 1856 it has expended about £100,000 in drainage, paving, and other
improvements, and in 1862 the Board borrowed £1200 for improvements in and near
Canning Town. The drainage waters of West Ham parish will ultimately fall into
the Great Metropolitan Sewer. Mr. Charles Wilson is clerk to the Board of
Health. WEST HAM BURIAL GROUND has provided for the parish a large cemetery at
Forestgate. These boards, and the overseers of the parish, have their offices in
Rokeby House, formerly a large boarding school, at Stratford, but now the Vestry
Hall. Plaistow, Stratford, and Silver Town Rifle Volunteers, form the 5th, 8th,
and 9th corps of the Essex Volunteers, and to the first named is attached
Plaistow Artillery Corps. The 5th and 9th corps form Plaistow Administrative
Battalion, of which Chas. Capper, Esq., is lieutenant-colonel; H. A. Silver,
Esq., major; and C. Davis, Esq., adjutant. West Ham parish is in the
jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court, and the Metropolitan Police. It has
PETTY SESSIONS every Monday, at Stratford; and Mr. W. H. Clifton, of Romford, is
clerk to the magistrates. The Police Station at West Ham, was built in 1851, and
is attended by about nine police officers. West Ham had anciently a market, for
which a charter was procured in 1253, by Richard Montfichet, but it has long
been obsolete.
In the reign of Edward the Confessor, most of the parish belonged to two free
Saxons, called Alestan and Leured, but at the Conquest the parish was given to
Robert Gernon and Ralph Peverel, and it was then divided into seven manors.
Those of West Ham, East West Ham, and Wood Grange, belonged to Robert Gernon,
whose posterity took the name of Montfichet. They now form the lordship or manor
of West Ham, which includes part of the parish of East Ham, and was given to
Stratford Abbey, in this parish, but is now held by Edward Humphreys, Esq., the
fee of it having been purchased of the Crown, in 1805, by James Humphreys and
Geo. Johnstone, Esqrs. The lands in this manor descend according to the custom,
of gavelkind. Sir J. H. Pelly, Bart., is lord of the manor of West Ham Burnels,
with Plaiz (Plaistow), which was long held by the Burnel, Playz, and other
families. Cobhams is an estate belonging to Lord Henniker; and the Gurney,
Silver, Rawstorne, and other families have estates in the parish. The late Sir
John Henry Pelly, of Upton, was governor of the Bank of England, and was created
a baronet in 1840. He died in 1852, and his son, the present baronet, resides at
Warnham Court, Sussex. HAM HOUSE is the seat of Lady Buxton. There are many
other neat modern villas at Upton and FOREST GATE, the latter of which adjoins
the southern extremity of Epping Forest, near Stratford, where there are still
some fine old timber trees. In the parish are several hoarding schools, fertile
farms, and large market gardens and nurseries.
The Eastern Counties or Great Eastern Railway, and its extensive depot and
factory, at Stratford, and the more recent construction of the Victoria Docks,
have been the chief causes of the vast increase of population and buildings in
West Ham Parish during the last 15 years. West Ham, Stratford, Plaistow, and
their new intervening suburbs, are now so closely connected that they may be
considered as one continuous town, with about 38,000
inhabitants. In various parts of the parish are large chemical works,
distilleries, an iron ship building establishment, a large silk printing
establishment, and medical glass, patent leather cloth, India rubber, and other
manufactories; and on the marshes is a large Congreve-rocket factory. The
VICTORIA LONDON DOCKS are in Plaistow Marsh or Level, on the north side of the
Thames, near the mouth of the Bow Creek, and they were constructed in 1855-6, by
the Victoria London Dock Company, at the cost of about £800,000, raised in £100
shares. These capacious docks, and their extensive quays, wharves, yards, and
stores, cover an area of about 200 acres, and are surrounded by the railway from
London to North Woolwich. They receive ships of the largest burden, and have an
Entrance Lock, 325 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 28 feet deep at high water. This
lock opens into the Tidal Basin, which is about 800 by 1100 feet. Gates open
from the latter into the Great Inner Dock, which is about 1100 feet broad and
2900 feet long, and has projecting into it four large piers or jetties, 600 feet
long and 150 broad, upon which are powerful cranes, extensive warehouses, etc.
On the south side is a basin for hydraulic lift, a large ship building yard,
extensive graving docks, with eight repairing slips, etc. William Smith, Esq.,
is secretary to the Dock Company; but the docks are leased to Messrs. Peto,
Brassey, and Betts. Mr. Charles Capper is the manager; Mr. G R Birt,
superintendent; and Captain Cameron, dock master. Here is a. branch of the
LONDON CUSTOM HOUSE establishment, and Mr. A Campbell is the landing surveyor,
and J. Giles, tide surveyor.
Here are two Railway Stations, one near the Tidal Basin, and the other near the
Custom House. The Docks have also a Police Station, a Post Office, and Gas
Works. Extending northward from the Docks to Plaistow, a new suburb of about
6000 inhabitants has arisen on Plaistow Marsh during the last few years,
including many streets, rows, and terraces of good houses and cottages; and
SILVER TOWN, where Messrs. S. W. Silver £ Co. the great London clothiers and
outfitters, have an extensive manufactory of India rubber articles, water-proof
fabrics, portable furniture, telegraphic wires, &c. The Thames Iron, Works and
Ship Building Company have extensive works at Lea Creek, as well as at Orchard
Yard, in Blackwall, on the opposite of the river. These works were for many
years carried on by the late eminent ship building firm of C. J. Mare &
Co. WEST HAM PAKISH CHURCH (All Saints) is in the village of West Ham, and is a
spacious edifice, consisting of a nave, chancel, side aisles, and a square
tower, rising to the height of 74 feet, and containing ten musical bells. It was
re-pewed and thoroughly repaired about 1848, and contains some fine old
monuments. In the churchyard was interred Geo. Edwards, Esq., F.R.S., who was
born at Stratford, and became celebrated for his acquaintance with Natural
History, especially that of birds. Besides various papers in the Philosophical
Transactions, he published seven quarto volumes on subjects in Natural History,
upwards of 600 of which had never been previously described. He died in 1773,
aged 81 years. The benefice is a vicarage, valued in KB. at £39. 8s. 4d., and in
1831 at £875. It is in the patronage of the Crown, and incumbency of the Rev A.
J. Ram, M.A. The rectory is in the appropriation of Edward Humphreys, Esq., the
lord of the manor. FOREST GATE CHURCH DISTRICT includes UPTON and part of East
Ham parish, and extends from one to two miles N. and E. of Stratford. It is
mostly in West Ham Ward, and was made a district parish in l852, but its CHURCH
(Emmanuel), which stands at Upton, was not consecrated till 1862. It is a neat
fabric, built at the cost of about £4000, raised by subscription. The benefice
is a perpetual curacy, in the patronage of the vicars of West and East Ham, and
incumbency of the Rev. T. L. Ramsden, M.A. As afterwards noticed with Stratford
and Plaistow Wards, West Ham parish is divided into seven other church
districts, for five of which new churches were: consecrated by the Bishop of
London, in 1861 and 1862. The parish contains many Chapels and Public Schools.
There are large Independent Chapels at West Ham and Forestgate, and a Baptist
Chapel in West Ham lane. Forestgate Independent Chapel was built in 1865-6, at
the cost of £1550, in the Italian style, of ornamented brick-work, etc. WEST HAM
PARISH CEMETERY, near Forestgate, was formed by the Burial Board in 1857, and
comprises about thirteen acres of land. It cost about £8000, and about
two-thirds of it and one of the chapels, were consecrated in 1858. There have
now (1862) been in it more than 2000 interments. The church clergymen officiate
in the consecrated portion, and the Rev. T. E. Stallibrass in the unconsecrated
part. Mr. James Barnard; is the superintendent. Near it is a Jews' CEMETERY, of
five acres, opened in 1858, and belonging to the Jews of London and the
neighbourhood. Mr. Moritz Burnett is the superintendent.
BONNELL's CHARITY SCHOOL, at West Ham, was founded by Sarah Bonnell, who, in
1761, left several large sums in the public funds, to be applied after the death
of her brother in the foundation and support of a charity school, for clothing
and educating poor girls. By an article of agreement between her brother and the
trustees, confirmed by a decree of the Court of Chancery, the school was
established in 1769, in the building formerly used as a workhouse. Its yearly
income is now £292. 12s. 6d., derived from the dividends of the following stock,
viz.: £1785 Bank Stock; £18. 5s. Id. South Sea Stock; £279. 10s. Old South Sea
Annuities; £1701.14s. l1d. New South Sea Annuities; £2700 three per cent.
Consols; £275. 12s. 6d. three-and-a-half per cent. Reduced Annuities; and £30.
4s. 6d. three per cent. Reduced Annuities. Ninety girls are now clothed and
educated as free scholars. PELLY'S MEMORIAL SCHOOL, at West Ham, was built in
1861, at the cost of £3000, raised by subscription, in memory of the late Sir J.
H. Pelly, Bart., who died in. 1852. It is in lieu of West Ham Boys' National'
School, which was founded in 1826. There are large National, British, and Infant
Schools in various parts of the parish. Forestgate Schools were built in 1853,
at the cost of about £1600. WHITEOHAPEL INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS, in Forestgate lane,
were founded in 1854, for the reception of about 500 pauper children of
Whitechapel Union, London. West Ham parish has the following charities: -
CHARITIES.- In 1580, Nicholas Avenon, gave 6A. IH. 6p. of land, to provide for
the distribution of 24 penny loaves every Sunday at the church among 24 poor
people; and the surplus rent to be given to the vicar, for an annual sermon on
Ash-Wednesday. In 1583, John Shipman left £6 a year for the poor of the parish
of West Ham;. but it is, reduced to £4.10s, 8d. In 1584, Thomas Spaight and
Henry Stone gave to the oor parishioners a yearly rent of £4,. out of 3A. of
land in the High Mead. They have also the following yearly rent-charges, viz.:-
£1.14s. from Rampson's Charity, (see Walthamstowe); £2 out of an estate here,
belonging to Mr. Cockfield, left by Lady Margt. Throckmorton, in 1592, for poor
widows; 20s. out of land belonging to Mr. Spence, left in 1592, by Thomas
Staples; £5 out of an estate belonging to Mr. Gurney, left by Wm. Rooke, in
1596, for a weekly distribution of 2s. worth of bread; £2. left by Oliver
Skinner, in 1609, for forty poor people, out of a house in West Ham lane; £5
left by Richard Pragell, in 1617, out of land in New Marsh and Breed Mead; 30s.
left by Mary Gwilliam, in 1633, out of a house in Plaistow, for six widows ;
52s. out of a house in Church street, left in 1633, by Roger Harris, who also
gave two copyhold cottages in Little lane for the residence of poor people; £5
from the Grocers' Company, London, left by Lady Middleton - £2 of it for the
poor, and £3 for apprenticing a poor boy; £4 for the poor, and £1 for two
sermons, left by Wm Faucett and Eliz Topesfield, in 1631 and 1660; £4 out of
land at Plaistow, left by William Davis, in 1679, to provide gowns for 12 poor
women; £6 left in 1680, by Clement Pragell, out of an estate at Plaistow; £63
out of a house in Leadenhall steeet, London, left by Daniel Ingoll, in 1690, for
distribution in coals; £10 out of houses and land at Upton place, left by Peter
Bigot, in 1771; and £2 out of the house No. 2, Great Knight Rider street,
Doctors' Commons, left by Nathl. Peckover. The poor of Plaistow have a yearly
rent of 40s., out of land in New Marsh, left by Richard Hale, in 1728. In 1616,
PETER BLOWER gave for the poor parishioners an acre of land in Raike's lane. In
1633, ROGER HARRIS left two cottages in Gift lane, as almshouses for poor
people; and a yearly rent-charge of 52s., out of a house in Church street, to be
divided among 12 poor men or widows. The two almshouses were rebuilt in 1853. In
1635, Sir BIOHARD FENN left two cottages here, and directed the rents to be
distributed in weekly doles of bread. Six cottages were built on the site of
these, by Mr. Thos. Burn. In 1636, JOHN NEWMAN left two cottages and gardens,
on. the east side of the churchyard, and their site is now occupied by ten
ALMSHOUSES, of two rooms each, built by the parish, and occupied by 20 poor
women, who have divided among them, yearly, £39, arising from £1300 New South
Sea Annuities, derived from the will of THOMAZIN GOUGE, in 1751. They have also
£21 a year from £700 three-per-cent. consols, left by JOHN SNELGRAVE, in 1807;
and £8 a year from Vachell's Charity. A yearly rent of £5, left by WILLIAM
TUDOR, in 1653 ; and the sum of £60, left by PETER WARD, in 1667, were given in
1699, for the purchase of 5A. 13P. of marsh land, at the bottom of Green lane,
Plaistow, now let for about £20 a year. Tudor's charity is for the poor of
Stratford, and Ward's is for those of the three wards of the parish. Sir JACOB
GARRARD'S CHARITY, left in 1649, consists of 12 acres of meadow land, called
Ox's Leas, in High Mead, Stratford, now let to the East London Waterworks
Company, at the yearly rent of £70, on a 99 years' lease, dated, 1830. From
Foot's Charity the poor of Plaistow ward have £1.10s. 5d. yearly. In 1686, Sir
Wm. Humble left £60, to be invested in land, for a weekly distribution of bread
among the poor parishioners of West Ham, and it was laid out in the purchase of
one acre of marsh land, near Pelly Wall. In 1701, MARY BATTAILHEY, alias Sherley,
left, out of a house and land in Plaistow, a yearly rent-charge of £10, to be
applied as follows :- 30s. for a sermon on Good Friday; 20s. for repairing her
vault; 40s. for the master of Plaistow Sunday school; 40s. to the master of West
Ham Charity School, where 160 children are educated; 20s. for the poor attending
Plaistow chapel, in bread; and £2. 10s. to eight widows in Plaistow, and eight
in West Ham, on Good Friday. In 1719, JOHN HIETT left £5 a year, out of Cobham
farm, for apprenticing the son of a poor protestant dissenter of Stratford ward.
The minister of Brickfield chapel is the trustee. In 1733, SAMUEL SHEPHERD left
£50 reduced three-per-cents., in trust, to distribute the dividends in coals
among the poor parishioners of West Ham. He also left the dividends of £200 Old
South Sea Annuities, to be distributed among the sick poor by the vicar. In
1754, SARAH BONNEL left £200 three-per-cent. annuities, and the dividends are
applied yearly as follows:- £2.10s. in gowns to five poor widows of Church
street, on the 25th January; 10s. 6d. for schooling a poor child; and £2. 19s.
6d. in coals, among the poor of Church street ward. In 1777, JEREMIAH ATKINSON
left the dividends of £300 three-per-cent. reduced annuities, for distribution
in coal among the poor of Plaistow ward. In 1778, Margaretta Hodshon left £200,
to be vested for apprenticing sons of honest and industrious parishioners. This
legacy was invested in the purchase of £339 three-per-cent. reduced annuities.
In 1807, John Snelgrave, who left £700 to the 20 almswomen, also bequeathed £200
to provide for a yearly distribution of clothing, coals, or bread, among the
poor parishioners. The latter was laid out in the purchase of £164. 7s. lOd. new
three-and-a-half per cents. In 1831, Samuel Jonas Vachell left £200 for the poor
parishioners, and it was vested in the purchase of £228.11s. 6d.
three-and-a-half per cent, reduced annuities. The dividends are given to the
poor women in the almshouses. The poor parishioners have the dividends of £50
three-and-a-half per cent, reduced annuities, purchased with £20 given by
Penelope Colchester, £10 by Wm. Winn, and £20 by the inhabitants. JAMB COOPER,
by will of an unknown date, left £600 South Sea Annuities, and directed the
dividends to be applied yearly as follows:- £7.10s. to 30 poor house-keepers of
Plaistow; £7.10s. in coals, for the 20 almswomen and the poor of Plaistow; £1.
2s. 6d, in bread for the Plaistow poor ; 16s. for the poor of Church street;
15s. to the vicar, for a sermon on New Year's Day; and 3s. 9d. each to the clerk
and sexton. The Vicar, Churchwardens, and Overseers are trustees, or have the
distribution of all the before-named charities, except Hiett's. The above
account of these charities is abridged from the Parliamentary Commissioners
Reports, published about 1833, and since then the following benefactions have
been left for the poor parishioners, viz.:- The dividends of £1000
three-per-cent. consols, left by Mrs. Isabella Wilson; and of £450 of the same
stock, left by Mr. Joseph Watts. Exclusive of schools and almshouses,
the charity property belonging to the parish yields about £485 per annum.
WEST HAM SAVINGS' BANK, in High street, Stratford, had in Nov. 1861, deposits
amounting to £29,288, belonging to 1274 depositors, and 7 Charitable and 11
Friendly Societies. In 1862, Post Office Savings' Banks were opened at
Stratford, Newtown, Plaistow, Canning Town, and the Victoria Docks. The London
Pawnbrokers have nine almshouses at Forestgate, for poor decayed members, and
their widows and children. There are in the parish of West Ham several Building
and Investment Societies, Friendly Societies, and Lodges of Oddfellows, and
other secret orders; as well as several Charitable Societies for relieving the
poor.
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