This is the second, of two, blogs attempting to capture how Woodgrange Road looked at the start of the twentieth century, using a combination of the copy from Kelly's 1900 Directory, adverts from the 1896 Forest Gate Weekly News and contemporary photographs.
Not all of the 1900 buildings survive, of course. World War II bombs took out the lower East side of Woodgrange Road (From Romford Road, to Osborne Road) and parts of the West side.
Additionally, what is now Station Parade, opposite the station, hosted a cluster of coal merchants around the year 1900 (obviously bringing in their stock by train and storing it as close to the railway as possible), as the blog shows.
So, what follows are the businesses listed in the 1900 directory, by name and function, with what occupies the store today -where appropriate - (in brackets and italics), immediately after. The photos are of street scenes, usually looking down the roads, as they are crossed, or significant buildings (like the train or fire station.
East Side
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| Looking up Woodgrange Road, from Romford Road 1903 |
2 - Freeman Hardy and Willis - Bootmakers (Iceland - Supermarket and the Gate - Library and Council centre and offices occupy the space up to Post Office Approach)
2a - Robert Page - Florists (Ditto)
2b - Norman Lang - Confectioner (Ditto)
2c - Mrs Gilbert - Fancy rep (Ditto)
4 - George Smart - Butcher (Ditto)
6 - H Williams - Hosier (Ditto)
8 - Gedge Brothers - Drapers (Ditto)
10 - John Munro - Grocer (Ditto)
12 - George Davy - Mantle maker (Ditto)
14 - Henry Palmer - China dealers (Ditto)
16 & 3 - John Spurgeon - Tailor (Ditto)
18 - Edward Taylor - Furniture dealer (Ditto)
20 - Walter Lidbury - Fishmonger (Ditto)
20 a - James Halsey - Sanitary engineer (Ditto)
Windsor Road (Post Office Approach)
22a - Young Men's Christian Association (Tesco - Supermarket)
22 - Picken Brothers - Tea dealers (Ditto)
24 - Picken Brothers - Chemists (Ditto)
26 - Joseph Rockley - Piano and music warehouse (Ditto)
28 - 34 - Leslie Spratt - Draper (MK Bros - Butchers and Cash and carry)
36 - Robert Bonar - Mantle warehouse (Pradip Patel - Opticians)
38 - Samuel Weakley - Physician and surgeon (Travel Track - Travel agents)
Claremont Road
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| Claremont Road c 1908 |
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| Above, looking up Woodgrange Road, from Romford Road, featuring Woodgrange Methodist church, below the original church, prior to its WW2 bombing |
Osborne Road
40 - Lord and Co - Drapers (Woodgrange Medical Practice - Health centre)
42 - E Sudworth - Dairy (Ditto)
44 - Lewis Lawrence - Baker (Mobile Shop - Internet cafe)
46 - Curtis and Hamme - Fishmonger (Woodgrange Solicitors - Solicitors)
50 - Ind, Coope and Co - Brewers and wine and spirit merchants (vacant - formerly Herbal Land - Chinese medicine)
52 - Albert Govier - Bootmaker (Charsitikka - Afghan restaurant)
54 - Hy Dyer and Sons - Undertakers (Salam Global/ Map Express - Cargo/internet)
56 - Harold Mitchell and Co - Drug stores (Moon House - Chinese takeaway)
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| Healthy whisky salesman- Cllr John Kettle |
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| Hampton Road, 1902 |
62 - Bodega Co - Wine merchants (Nandy & Co - Solicitors)
64 - Truefit Bro - Tailors and outfitters (Ladbrokes - Bookmakers)
66 - Albert Baker - Tobacconists (Naz - Photographic studio)
66 - Craddock and Co - Hairdressers (3 Station Parade - Tiger - Dry cleaners)
68 b - Tyne Main Coal company - Coal merchants (5 -6 Station Parade - IT Solutions - Computer repair)
68 c - Great Eastern Direct - Coal merchants (7 Station Parade - Vaping House - Electronic cigarettes)
68 d - BM Tite and Sons - Coal merchants (8 Station Parade - Eat More - Fast food)
68 e - CW Tanner - Coal merchants (9 Station Parade - Pak Money - Money Transfer)
68 f - Carrick, Davies and Partners - Coal and coke merchants (10 Station Parade - Postal Service - Mail depot)
68 g - William Cook - Coal merchants
68 h - T Porter - Coal merchants
68 i - MH Abbott - Coal merchants
70 - Salmon and Gluckstein - Tobacconists (Spencer's - Estate agents)
72 - JH Venables - Shoeing forge (London Sweets and Grocery - Supermarket)
74 - Thomas and Miss Mary Whenn - Cocoa rooms (Dixey Chicken - Fast food)
76 - John Weeden - Oilman (Firawari - Supermarket)
78 - Gleich and Son - Hairdresser (Wilkinson - Estate agents)
Sebert Road
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| Looking towards the clock, from Sebert Road |
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| Sebert Road c 1908 |
Forest Gate sub Fire Station (this was a sub station of the West Ham Fire Brigade, which closed in the 1920's, when the service became fully motorised, and so vehicles could move more quickly from the main station, next to Stratford Town hall - which can still be seen. Thanks to Peter Williams for the contents of this note.)
80 - Ford's Drug's Stores (Woodgrange Dental Surgery - Dentist)
82 - Henry Noble - Plumber (Vacant)
86 - George Winter's - Cheesemonger (Preston Motors - Car showroom)
88 - Smith & Veasey - Baby linen warehouse (Ditto)
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| Smith and Veasey |
92 - Henry Tennett - Grocer (Bangla Cash and Carry - Supermarket)
94 - David Cannan - Physician and surgeon (Forest Gate Opticians - Opticians)
96 - Ward Whiteway & Co - Printers (Interiors London - Interior decor)
98 - Forest Gate Gazette and West Ham Herald (Jamia Darussunah - Mosque)
100 - Frederick Brion - Baker (Sherman Pharmacy - Chemists)
102 - William Hattersley - Ironmonger (Blackbird Travel Agency - Travel agents)
104 - 106 - Henry Dyer - Undertakers (Zan's - Hairdressers)
108 - Dunn and Co - Tailors (Amba News - Newsagents)
110 - The Danish Dairy Co - dairy supplies (Country Style - Caribbean restaurant)
112 - The Eagle and Child - Public house (Woodgrange Pharmacy - Chemists)
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| Detail from frontage of Eagle and Child pub, rebuilt 1896 |
120 - J Mardling & Co - Furniture Removers (Compotes - Bakers + Cafe and Contemporary Home design - Kitchen furniture)
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| Looking north, towards Wanstead Park station |
Wanstead Park Railway Station
Was number 50 a pub?
ReplyDeleteAlso the train advert looks to be for GER trains to get to Wanstead Park (the park) via FG or what is now the central line. Not trains using Wanstead Park station, which wasn't run by GER and was only 1 month old at this time
Thanks David. Trade directories of this era always give the name of pubs (hence Eagle and Child, further up Woodgrange Road). There was no pub name given for number 50, simply the company name, with what looks like an off-licence shop description. Ind Coope was, of course a brewery chain, which incidentally began life in Romford in the early 18th Century by Edward Ind. So, I assume the shop was an off-licence. There is a restrictive covenant on the Woodgrange estate preventing pubs from being opened there, because of the temperance and religious leanings of the founders. This explains why there are no pubs on the estate, although there have been many on the roads and estates surrounding it. Nor have there been pubs on the east side of Woodgrange Road bordering the estate. I wonder whether that is for covenant reasons too?
ReplyDeleteThanks for pointing out the Railway error. I must admit I mistook an advert for what would have been a day trip to Wanstead Park (via a nearby railway station), for one promoting the destination railway station of the same name. The route advertised didn't make sense to me, but your explanation does! So, to avoid further confusion, I've removed the ad, and attached it to the previous feature, on the West side of Woodgrange Road.
Always delighted to improve the contents of blogs as a result of informed comment.
looking for devonshire ? dairy romford rd 1895
ReplyDelete