Search london history from Roman times to modern day
History of East Ham & West Ham in 1855
East Ham
East Ham is a parish and village in the bishopric of London, South Essex, Becontree Hundred and West ham Union, in the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court and metropolitan police. East Ham lies north and south of the road to Barking, and the parish extends from Wanstead Flats to the Thames at North Woolwich. The district is rather low; having, however, a ready access to the metropolis, it is a favourite place of residence. The parish has an area of 2,455 acres of land and 40 of water, some of which is rich marsh, and its population, in 1851, was 1,550. many cattle are fed in the rich marshes by the river side, the value of which is much enhanced by their proximity to the metropolis. East Ham is 5 ½ miles from Whitechapel church, London, with which it has direct communication by the lower road, through Poplar, leading to Barking and Grays, It is 1 mile west of the town and quay of Barking, 2 ½ south-east of that of West Ham, 2 north of North Woolwich steamboat pier and ferry, and 2 ½ south-west of Ilford. By West Ham station it has communication with the Cambridge and Colchester railways. A road runs down the Thames, whence there is a ferry to Woolwich, and there is another from North Woolwich, which is a place established by the Eastern Counties Railway Co, East Ham anciently belonged to Waltham Abbey, to which it was confirmed by King Edward the Confessor. The church, which is ancient, has a nave and two chancels. The upper chancel is semi-circular at the east end, and has narrow lancet windows. Part of the nave is in the Norman style. In the church is a monument of Edmund Neville, Lord Latimer, and the eminent antiquary, Dr Stukeley, is buried in the churchyard, agreeably to his request, without any inscription. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of London, value £1,081 yearly. The vicarial tithes have been commuted for £1,000, and the rectorial for £320 yearly. Francis Wilson Esq, is lay rector. There are National and Infant schools and almshouses for three poor men, erected in 1621, and endowed with £30 per annum. Here is a police station.
Greenstreet is a hamlet of East ham, half a mile west, where is an old house belonging to James Morley Esq, in which Queen Anne Boleyne is said to have resided.
Wall End and Plashet are other places in East Ham.
West Ham is an ancient suburban parish, in the same jurisdictions as East Ham. It is 4 miles from Whitechapel church, next to Stratford and the river Lea, and closely adjoining Plaistow; the Eastern Counties railway has an intermediate station at Forest Gate, also the branch line to Woolwich has a station within half a mile of the church. The parish includes 5,390 acres, namely 5,160 of land and 230 of water, and a population , in 1851, of 18,817, namely, in Stratford ward 10586, and in Plaistow and Church Street wards, 8,231. West ham had formerly, by charter of the 13th Century, a market, and is now the centre of the Union, containing seven parishes, namely, West Ham, East Ham, Little Ilford, Woodford, Wanstead, Walthamstow, and Low Leyton, and a population of 24,000.
The guardians meet every Fridayay at Stratford. Stratford Langthorne and Plaistow are wards of West Ham parish. The church, dedicated to All Saints, is a spacious and old building, and consists of nave, chancel and aisles; it is surmounted by a square tower 74 feet in height, containing ten bells; several persons of eminence have been buried in the interior, where there are several handsome monuments.
The living is a vicarage, value £1,026 yearly, and in the gift of the Crown. There are a Baptist and two Independent chapels. There is one endowed school for clothing 90 and educating 130 girls; there are also four National and British schools, one for boys, three for infants, and two for girls, educating 600 children; there are almshouse for 20 poor parishioners, endowed by Mrs Gough, in the year 1755. here are two distilleries, a gutta percha manufactory, and flour mills.
Canning Town is in this parish, and contains about 200 houses, chiefly built since 1848.
Upton is a place in West Ham, near Forest Gate station
East Ham
Anderson William, esq
Attenborough Richard, sen esq, Green street house
Attenborough Richard, jun esq, Green street house
Fry Mrs William, Manor House
Fry Joseph sen esq, Plashet Cottage
Gingell James esq, Wood House
Jutsum Samuel esq
Morley Rev George [curate]
Ramsden Rev Thomas Lagden MA
Reynolds Foster esq
Streatfield Rev William MA [vicar]
Taylor Henry esq
Thomson George esq
Venables Thomas esq
Ventom Thomas esq
Traders
Abbott Jabez, farmer & market gardener, Wall End
Adams Wm, farmer & market gardener
Ball Jesse, market gardener
Bayman Harry, Dukes Head, Wall End
Butler Thomas, grocer, Wall End
Carter James, marsh bailiff, Wall End
Circuit Thos, farmer & market gardener
Collier Thomas, baker
Crowest Thomas, shoe maker
Dennison Wm, wheelwright & parish clerk
Derrick Henry, grocer
Dowdell Thomas, rope & twine manufacturer, Wall End
Harman Robert, baker
Holloway Stephen, cow keeper
Holloway William, farmer & grazier
Holloway Wm Robert, White Horse
Holmes James, builder
Holmes William, Cock
Keep John, grocer & beer retailer
Lucy Joseph, beer retailer
Lucy William, farmer & carrier
Martin Ann (Mrs), linen draper
Matthews John, farmer & market gardener
Matthews Thos, farmer & market gardener
Moss James, farrier & postmaster
Pearson Henry, blacksmith
Perry William, butcher
Pizzey Eli, collar maker
Punter John, Green man, Plashet
Ramsden Joseph, farmer & market gardener, Plashet
Ross James, Rising Sun, Romford Road
Rust Ellen (Mrs), farmer & market gardener
Smith Henry, beer retailer & bricklayer
Squire John, carpenter & wheelwright, Wall End
Stubbert George, grocer
Post Office James Moss, receiver. Letters arrive 8 & 12 am & 6 pm; dispatched 8 am & ½ pas 3 pm. The nearest money order office is at Barking.
Parish Church, Rev William Streatfield, vicar, rural dean; Rev George Morley, MA, curate
Public Schools
National, Jas Cozens, master; Miss Susan Maynard, mistress
Infant, Mrs Sarah Cozens, mistress
Carrier to London William Lucy, from his own house, mon, fri & sat
West Ham
Gentry
Adams Frederick esq, Plaistow Lane
Attfield henry esq, Eagle Cottage
Barry Thomas esq, 20 Upton Place
Barsham Wm Jas esq, 9 Upton Place
Bear _ esq, 27 Upton Place
Beecroft John esq
Bell Samuel A esq, Epping Villa
Berry _ esq, 29 Upton Place
Biehl Mrs, Upton Place
Biehl Thomas esq, Upton Place
Boyle Richard esq, Upton Place
Broadbent William esq, Forest Gate
Burgess James esq, 17 Upton Place
Carpenter Thomas esq, 17 Upton Place
Carson Frederick esq, Elm Cottage, Upton Place
Catterton George esq, 10 Upton Place
Colman Samuel esq, 1 Upton Place
Cooke Thomas esq
Crew William esq, 6 Upton Place
Cuffley Thomas N esq, Upton Place
Dames Charles Richd esq, Forest Gate
Davis Rev Frederick W
De Levante George Riches esq
Dewsnap Mrs, 19 Upton Place
Dimsdale Joseph C esq, Upton
Dodson Thomas esq, 28 Upton Place
Duncan Richard esq, Forest Gate
Ferdinando Thomas esq
Godlee Rickman esq, The Lillies, Upton
Grew Mrs, Church Street
Grew Nathaniel esq
Gurney Edmund esq, Upton
Gurney Saml esq, Ham House, Upton
Hadden George H, esq, 7 Upton Place
Hasluck Robert esq, 2 Upton Villas
Hireson Mrs, Upton
Houchin Richard esq, 23 Upton Place
Jewitt James Watson esq
Kenny Christopher esq
King Frederick esq, 16 Upton Place
Levick Christopher Kenny esq, Ham Lane
Lister Joseph Jackson esq, Upton
Lupton Mrs, 11 Upton Place
Meredith Richd esq, 25 Upton Place
Merrett John esq, 4 Upton Villas
Minter William esq, 22 Upton Place
Moore John esq, 4 Upton Villas
Moore William esq, 18 Upton Place
Mugliston George Thomas William, es1, Ham Lane
Murphy James esq
Murphy Mrs, Church Street
Nixon William esq, 2 Upton Place
Oliver Mrs, Bath Cottage, Upton Place
Oliver Thomas esq, Ham Lane
Ord Robert esq, Forest Lane
Pedley Joshua esq, Forest Gate
Pelly Dowager Lady
Plater Charles esq, 15 Upton Place
Plaxton William Wells esq
Pryor Samuel esq, Forest Gate
Purssord Frederick esq, 21 Upton Place
Ram Rev Abel John MA [vicar]
Ray John Robert esq, Forest Gate
Reynolds Mrs
Rhodes John Gibbons esq, Forest Gate
Richards Mrs, Church Street
Ryan John esq MD, Forest Gate
Sheppard James esq, Upton
Sprouli William esq, West Ham Abbey
Stericker Walter esq
Stocker John esq, 4 Upton Place
Stubbing Benjamin esq, Elgin Lodge
Swinford Hen Herbert esq, 8 Upton Place
Tanner Charles William esq
Tebb Richard esq
Tucker John esq, West Ham Abbey
Van Kempen Peter esq
Wagstaff Mrs, West Ham Abbey
Walter James esq, 13 Upton Place
West Joseph esq, 1 Upton Villas
White Thomas esq, Upton
Youl John Robert esq, 5 Upton Place
For West ham Commercial traders : - see separate page
Canning Town
Gibbs Thomas, baker
Guerrier Matthew, butcher
Stoatt Thomas, Durham Arms
Post Office Mrs Mary Coles, receiver. Letters dispatched Ό before 9, Ό before 1 am & 20 minutes past 4 pm.
Arthur Croxford, receiver, 12 Upton Place. Letters dispatched Ό before 9, Ό before 1, 4 & ½ past 7 pm. The nearest money order office is at Stratford
Insurance agents:-
Alliance, Edwin Henry Stevens
Legal & Commercial, William Rivett, Church Street
Excise Office, Ham Lane
Places of Worship:-
Parish Church, Rev Abel John Ram MA, vicar; Rev Frederick W Davis, curate
Emanuel Church, Upton, Rev Thomas L Ramsden MA, incumbent
Baptist Chapel, ministers various
Independent Chapel, Union Row, ministers various
Independent Chapel, Forest Gate, Rev Jabez Legg, minister
Public Schools:-
National, Jeremiah self, master
British (for girls), Miss Elizabeth Martin, mistress
Infant, Forest Gate, Miss Louisa Dalton, mistress
Infant, Upton, Miss Spencer, mistress
Mrs Sarah Bonnells (for girls), Miss King, mistress
Whitechapel Industrial School, Forest Lane
Conveyance to London, see Stratford
Carriers to London Richard Bushnell & Ruyter Sholl from their own houses daily
Trying to avoid privacy and cookie settings overwriting content