Search london history from Roman times to modern day
History of West ham in 1886
West Ham 1886 Trade Directory
West Ham is a parliamentary borough and parish of
considerable extent, pleasantly situated to the east of the river Lea, which
separates it from Middlesex, and is about a mile and a half east from Bow
Bridge, and bounded on the south by the river Thames; it gives name to a union
in the hundred of Becontree, and is in the county court district of Bow, rural
deanery of Barking, archdeaconry of Essex and diocese of St Albans, in the
Eastern Metropolitan postal district and within the jurisdiction of the Central
Criminal Court and Metropolitan police.
The Great Eastern railway has stations at Forest Gate, Plaistow and Stratford,
and with the various lines and branches now diverging from it, together with the
Royal Victoria and Albert Docks, have been the main causes of the past and still
continuing increase of the population of this district. There are water works on
the river Lee, supplying this parish and other places; and gas works on the
Stratford Road.
The parliamentary borough of West ham, created under the Redistribution of Seats
Act, 1885, returns two members in two divisions, viz, north and south; the north
comprising Stratford and Forest Gate, and the south, Plaistow, Canning Town and
Silvertown.
The parish of West Ham is divided into three Wards viz: Church Street, Stratford
and Plaistow. Church Street ward consists of West Ham proper, Upton, Forest Gate
and part of Canning Town, with an area of about 1,729 acres of land. Stratford
ward embraces Stratford, Stratford new Town, The Broadway, The Green and part of
Forest Lane and Leytonstone Road; it lies to the east of the river Lee, covering
an area of 882 acres, and is thickly populated. Plaistow ward includes Plaistow
proper, part of Canning Town and Silvertown, and has an area of 2,058 acres of
land, extending to the Thames; the Royal Victoria and part of the Albert Docks
are in this ward. The above division of West Ham into wards has reference
chiefly to secular matters, but ecclesiastically it is divided into 13
districts.
A local Board of Health of 21 members has been established, whose jurisdiction
extends over the whole parish.
In 1881 John Rowland Phillips Esq JP was appointed Metropolitan police
magistrate for West Ham Local Board district, and sits at the court in West Ham
Lane.
The parish church of All Saints is a spacious building of brick and stone in
mixed styles, but chiefly Perpendicular, consisting of chancel with north and
south chapels, nave, aisles and an embattled western tower, 74 feet high,
containing 10 excellent bells; several persons of eminence have been buried in
it, including Sir Thos Foote Kt and bart, Lord mayor of London in 1650; who died
in 1688; and Sir James Smith kt, also Lord mayor, who died in 1706; here are
also buried some of the ancient family of Kettelby, of whom was Henry Kettelby,
a law officer of Henry VIII 1508; there is an altar tomb in the north chapel,
dated 1485 and a mural tablet above it to Robert Rook, dated 1620; with figures
of himself and family; at the north west corner of the chancel is a stair turret
which formerly gave access to the roof loft; on the restoration of the interior
in September, 1865, a mural painting of the late fifteenth century, representing
“The Reward of th Righteous” and forming part of a “Doom” previously discovered,
but rewashed in 1844, was successfully developed under the superintendence of
the Rev R H Clutterbuck, of Plaistow; in the churchyard is buried Mr George
Edwards FRS, a distinguished naturalist, who was born at Stratford, 3rd April,
1693, and died at Plaistow, 23rd July, 1773. The register dates from 1653 and
contains many entries of persons who died from the plague in 1665-6. The living
is a vicarage, net yearly value £650, with residence, in the gift of the Crown,
and held since 1868 by the Rev Thomas Scott MA of Caius College, Cambridge, hon
canon of St Albans, rural dean of Barking, and surrogate. Edward Humphreys esq,
is the impropriator of the rectorial tithes. St Thomas’s, Rokeby Street, a
mission church in the district of All Saints, is a plain building of corrugated
iron, consisting of chancel, nave and two aisles and has 1 bell; there are
sittings for 450 persons; the Rev James Fitzgerald Prendergast, Theol Assoc of
Kings College, London, is curate in charge.
There are Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Wesleyan, Congregational and
Unitarian chapels.
West ham cemetery, formed in 1857, is situated near to Wanstead Flats at Forest
Gate, and consists of some 20 acres, with mortuary chapels; it is under the
control of a burial board of 9 members.
The West Ham, Stratford and South Essex Dispensary in West Ham Lane, is a
structure of brick, erected in 1878, on a site given by Mrs Curtis, from designs
by Mr J T Newman, architect, of London.
There are almshouses fro twenty poor women near the parish church of All Saints,
each of whom receives about 3s 6d per week; Roger Harris’s almshouses, in Gift
Lane, are for six poor women, and there are numerous charitable bequests,
amounting in all to about £450 yearly. Left from time to time by various
benefactors for the benefit of the poor, and distributed by Central Charity
Board.
The Conference Hall in West Ham Lane, is a structure of brick, erected at an
estimated cost of about £3,400, from the designs of Mr F Boreham, architect; the
principal hall will hold 1,600 persons, and there is also a smaller hall and
several auxiliary rooms.
West ham contains large chemical works, an extensive patent leather cloth
manufactory, flour mills and a large brewery, smelting works, copper works and
other manufactories, distilleries etc, A market was anciently held in West ham,
for which a charter was presented in 1253, by Richard Montfichet, but it is now
discontinued. The London Northern Outfall Sewer passes through the whole length
of the parish and the Abbey Mills pumping station is situated here.
West Ham Park, comprising about 80 acres, is well timbered, and contains some
fine spreading cedars and shrubberies. It was formerly known by the name of
“Upton park”, and belonged to the late Dr Fothergill, by whom the gardens were
laid out, and many of the trees planted by him 150 years since, are still
extant; subsequently it was the residence of the late Samuel Gurney: his
grandson, Mr John Gurney, banker of Norwich, offered this beautiful park as a
public recreation ground for its estimated value of £25,000, contributing at the
same time £10,000 towards that amount; the Corporation of the City of London
also voted £10,000 and the remainder being made up by local subscriptions, the
park was publicly opened in the 20th July, 1874, by the Lord Mayor, as a public
recreation ground. It is under the control of a committee of 15 persons, 8
nominated by the City Corporation, 4 by Mr John Gurney and 3 elected by the
local authorities; the cost of its maintenance is entirely defrayed by the
Corporation of the City of London. The mansion formerly known as “Upton Park
House”, but now called the “Cedars” and for many years the residence of the
celebrated Mrs Elizabeth Fry, sister of Samuel Gurney, is still standing, and
forms, with its picturesque grounds of about 6 acres, a distinct but as yet
private part of the park.
West ham parish covers an area of 4,668 acres, of which 4,609 are land and 159
water; rateable value £685,512; the population of the Local Board District and
parish in 1871 was 62, 919 and in 1881, 128, 953 of which 15,542 are attached to
the mother church.
Upton is an ecclesiastical parish to the east of West ham, for which see Forest
Gate and Plaistow.
Parish Clerk (in orders), Rev Edward Saul MA
Official Establishments, Local Institutions etc
Post & Money Order Office & Savings Bank, Church Street – John Newman, receiver.
Letters dispatched at 10 am, 12.30, 4.15 & 8 pm.
Stephens Road, Alfred Cook, receiver
51 Vicarage Lane, Litten & Co, receivers
Members of Parliament : -
North division, J Forrest Fulton esq LL B, 52 Clarendon Road, Notting Hill W
South division, Major G E Banes, Chestnut Cottage, Plaistow E
Returning Officer, G A Sedgwick, Town Hall, Stratford
Insurance Agents: -
County Fire, J H Davy, 7 Vicarage Road, West Ham Park; Jesse Hendon, 9 Port Way;
William Jones, 77 Langthorne Street, West ham Lane; E Richards, 50 Church Street
& Henry Weaver, 74 Amity Road
Royal Exchange, L J Stonnard, Upton Manor & J Mulhern, 1 Burleigh Road, Upton
Westminster Fire & General Life, J Maw, Blenheim House, Margery Park Road, Upton
Public Establishments:-
Commissioners Green Yard, Langthorne Street
Essex Regiment, 3rd Volunteer Battalion (comprising A,B,C,D,E,F,G & H
companies), Orderly room, Portway; baron von Pawel Rammington KCB, hon col;
george R Birt, lieut-col; J Bellingham, major; Major W H T Since, adjutant;
James W danger, surgeon; Rev Canon Thomas Scott MA hon chaplain; the companies
are stationed at West Ham.
Fire Brigade Station, Edward Smith, supt adjoining the Town hall, Stratford.
Metropolitan Board of Works Pumping Station, Abbey lane, Thomas Cook,
superintendent
Metropolitan Police Station, West Ham Lane; Cresswell Wells, Isaac Thompson,
William Rooks & walter Scott, inspectors & 135 constables.
Police Court, West Ham Lane, john Rowland Phillips, magistrate; William John
Bruty, clerk; W H Fowler & Walter J Attwater, assistant clerks
West Ham, Stratford & South Essex Dispensary, T Drako, consulting medical
officer; A J Drake LRCP Lond; W A Grogono LRCP Edin & C J Stocker medical
offiders; William Francis, house surgeon; J Loxley, hon sec; F Mulley, assistant
sec; Thomas Lloyd, dispenser
West Ham Union
Board day, Thursday, at 10 am; guardians meet at the workhouse, Leytonstone.
The parishes comprised in the Union are:- East Ham, West Ham, Little Ilford, Low
Leyton, Walthamstow, Wanstead & Woodford. The population of the Union in 1881
was 200, 958; rateable value £786,806
Clerk to the Guardians, Frederic E Hilleary LL D, Board room, Leytonstone;
assistant clerk, John J Mulley
Treasurer, George A Fuller, 77 Lombard Street, London EC
Collector to the Guardians, John J Mulley, Guardians office, Union Road,
Leytonstone
Collector of Poor Rates, West Ham parish, Wm Hopkins, 6 Manbey Grove, Stratford;
C Archibald McDowall, Lamonia, Barking Road, Plaistow E; & William Escreet,
Hamfrith road, Stratford; East Ham & Little Ilford parishes, Thomas Dennison,
High Street, East Ham E; Low Leyton parish, Robert S Walker, Thornhill Road,
Leyton E; Walthamstow parish, W J Liddiard, Copeland Road, Walthamstow; Wanstead
& Woodford parishes, Alfred Miller, Fitzgerald Road, Wanstead.
Relieving Officers, No 1 district, J carter, Grove Crescent Road, Stratford E;
No 2 district, John Anthony, Eastern Road, West ham; No 3 district, William Orme,
Stock Street, Plaistow; No 4 district, Edwin R Elliott, Selwyn Toad, Upton Manor
E; No 5 district, Henry Bryett, Idmiston Road, Forest Gate E; No 6 district,
Frederick G Burstow, 8 Victoria Road, Plaistow E; no 7 district, Geo A Robey,
Woodhouse Road, Leytonstone Road E; No 8 district, Henry Walter Thain, Grenton
Terrace, Walthamstow; No 9 district, Arthur A Matthews, Woodford; No 10
district, D Mitchell, Hudson Road, Canning Town
Vaccination Officer, William Beach, Tower Hamlets Road, Forest Gate E
Medical Officers, Canning Town district, Rd J Carey MA, St Johns House, Barking
Road, Canning Town; East Ham & Little Ilford district, C J Stocker, Weston
House, Romford Road, Stratford E; West Ham & Plaistow district, A E Kennedy,
Balsam Street, Plaistow E; Leyton district, A Peskett MD, High Street, Leyton;
Leytonstone & Wanstead district, F W Cooper, High Street, Leytonstone E; St
Marks district, J Moir, Brindisi Terrace, North Woolwich Road, Canning Town E;
No 1 Stratford district, J B Hamilton, Maryland Point, Stratford E; No 2
Stratford district, W A Grogono, 216 High Street, Stratford E; Walthamstow
district, T Scorersby-Jackson MD, Hoe Street, Walthamstow; Woodford district, F
Turtle MD, High Road, Woodford
Public Vaccinators, East Ham & Little Ilford district, C J Stocker, station, Old
Harrow, East Ham; West ham district, R J Carey, stations, Halsville Road,
Victoria Dock Road, E & Winchester Street, Silvertown E; Plaistow district, A E
Kennedy, station, Rushbrook House, Barking Road, Plaistow E; Forest Gate
district, W A Grogono, station, Church Street, West Ham; Stratford district, T J
Vallance MD, station, Workmen’s Hall, West Ham Lane E; Leyton district, A
Paskett, station, High Street, Leyton E; Leytonstone & Wanstead district, F W
Cooper, station, National Schoolroom, High Road, Leytonstone E; Walthamstow
district, T Scoresby-Jackson MD, station, Vestry Hall, Walthamstow; Woodford
district, F Turtle MD, station, High Road, Woodford.
Superintendent Registrar, Frederic E Hilleary LL D, Board Room, Leytonstone;
deputy supt, John J Mulley, Board Room, Leytonstone E
Registrars of Births & Deaths, West Ham sub-district, Rev R W B Marsh MA, Claude
Street, Plaistow E; deputy registrar, Archibald McDerwell, Lamorna, Barking
Road; Leyton sub district, J Miller, 48 Wellesley Road, Wanstead E; Stratford
sub district, J D Browne, Church Hill Road, Walthamstow
Registrar of Marriages, Henry Bryett, Idmiston Road, Forest Gate E.
Workhouse, Leytonstone, to hold 741 inmates; Rev Thomas James, chaplain; Thomas
J Vallance MD, medical officer; Samuel J Hughes, master; Mrs Jane Hughes,
matron; Edwin Edward, schoolmaster; Mrs Elizabeth L Flagg, school mistress
Rural Sanitary Authority
(Comprising the parish of Little Ilford)
Clerk, Frederic E Hilleary LL D
Medical Officer of Health, C S Stocker, Upton Lane E
Inspector of Nuisances, R Cheke, Little Ilford
Almshouses:-
For 20 inmates, All Saints Churchyard, under control of vicar & churchwardens
(the endowment gives about 3s 6d per week)
Leggs, Forest Lane
Roger Harris’s, Gift Lane, under control of vicar & churchwardens ( no
endowment)
Public Officers:-
Clerk to the Burial Board & School Board, Jeremiah Self, Broadway
Vestry Clerk, George Alfred Sedgwick, Linton, Upton Lane
Place of Worship, with times of services:-
All Saints Church, Rev Thomas Scott, vicar; 11, 3.30, 6.30; wed 11 am & 7 pm; &
saints days 11 am
St Thomas’ Iron Church, Rokeby Street, Rev J F Prendergast TAKCL curate in
charge; 11 & 6.30; thurs 7.30 pm
Baptist, West Ham Lane; 11, 6.30 pm; wed 7.30 pm
Congregational, Brickfields, Rev Thomas E Stallybrass BA, minister; 11 am & 6.30
pm; wed 7.30 pm
Unitarian, West ham Lane, Rev Thomas Rix, minister; 11, 6.30
Schools:-
Board Schools (Mixed), West Ham lane, built in 1877, for 1,564 children; John
Edward Denn, master; Miss M Ware, mistress; Miss J Stevens, infants mistress
High (girls), West ham Lane, for 200 girls; Miss Harriet M Rowden, mistress
Infant, Church Street north; Miss Coppard, mistress
National (girls), Church Street north; Miss Annie Manttan, mistress
Model, Church Street, for 380 boys; Robert Ganley, master
Ursuline Convent, Upton Lane; Miss Mary Clare, mistress
Newspaper – Courier; office, West Ham Lane, William John Harmer, publisher &
printer; published Friday
Conveyance to London, see Stratford
And Last updated on: Wednesday, 02-Oct-2024 13:11:39 BST
Trying to avoid privacy and cookie settings overwriting content