Hornchurch is a suburban town in East London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. It is located 15.2 miles (24.5 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross. It comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential area. It historically formed a large ancient parish in the county of Essex that became the manor and liberty of Havering. The economic history of Hornchurch is underpinned by a shift away from agriculture to other industries with the growing significance of nearby Romford as a market town and centre of administration. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Hornchurch significantly expanded and increased in population, becoming an urban district in 1926 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965. It is the location of Queen's Theatre, Havering Sixth Form College and Havering College of Further and Higher Education.
Romford is a large town in East London and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Havering. It is located 14.1 miles (22.7 km) northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Historically, Romford was a market town in the county of Essex, and it formed the administrative centre of the liberty of Havering before that liberty was dissolved in 1892. Good road links to London and the opening of the railway station in 1839 were key to the development of the town. The economic history of Romford is characterised by a shift from agriculture to light industry and then to retail and commerce. Throughout the 20th century, along with other London suburbs, Romford significantly expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1937. Romford was part of Essex until 1965, when it became part of Greater London. Today, it is one of the largest commercial, retail, entertainment and leisure districts in London and has a well-developed night-time economy as well. Its population, as of 2011, was 122,854.
The London Borough of Havering in East London, England, forms part of Outer London. It has a population of 259,552 inhabitants; the principal town is Romford, while other communities are Hornchurch, Upminster, Collier Row and Rainham. The borough is mainly suburban, with large areas of protected open space. Romford is a major retail and night time entertainment centre, and to the south the borough extends into the London Riverside redevelopment area of the Thames Gateway. The name Havering is a reference to the Royal Liberty of Havering which occupied the area for several centuries. The local authority is Havering London Borough Council. It is the easternmost London borough.
Harold Hill is a suburban area in the London Borough of Havering, East London. 16.6 miles (26.7 km) northeast of Charing Cross. It is a district centre in the London Plan. The name refers to Harold Godwinson who held the manor of Havering-atte-Bower. It is peripheral to London, forming an eastern edge of the urban sprawl.
The London Palladium is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 and 1969 Sunday Night at the London Palladium was held at the venue, which was produced for the ITV network. The show included a performance by The Beatles on 13 October 1963. One national paper's headlines in the following days coined the term "Beatlemania" to describe the increasingly hysterical interest in the band.
Nigel Allan Havers is an English actor, presenter and raconteur. His film roles include Lord Andrew Lindsay in the 1981 British film Chariots of Fire, which earned him a BAFTA nomination, Dr. Rawlins in the 1987 Steven Spielberg war drama Empire of the Sun and Ronny in the 1984 David Lean epic A Passage to India. Television roles include Tom Latimer in the British TV comedy series Don't Wait Up and Lewis Archer in Coronation Street intermittently between 2009 and 2019.
Susan Georgina Pollard is an English actress, singer, author and songwriter. Her career has spanned over 45 years; she is most famous for her role in the BAFTA-winning Perry & Croft sitcom Hi-de-Hi!. She also appeared in You Rang, M'Lord? and Oh, Doctor Beeching!.
Claire Jane Sweeney is an English actress, singer and television personality, best known for playing the role of Lindsey Corkhill in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside and playing the role of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in London's West End. She also starred opposite Patrick Swayze in the 2005 West End revival of Guys and Dolls, the musical.
Gidea Park railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line, serving the neighbourhood of Gidea Park in the London Borough of Havering, east London. It is 13 miles 41 chains (21.7 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Romford and Harold Wood. Its three-letter station code is GDP and it is in Travelcard zone 6.
Patricia Ann Hodge, OBE is an English actress. She made her West End debut in 1972 and the next year starred in the West End production of Pippin directed by Bob Fosse. Hodge has received two nominations for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and in 2000, she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the play Money.
Hornchurch was a local government district in southwest Essex from 1926 to 1965, formed as an urban district for the civil parish of Hornchurch. It was greatly expanded in 1934 with the addition of Cranham, Great Warley, Rainham, Upminster and Wennington; and in 1935 by gaining North Ockendon. Hornchurch Urban District Council was based at Langtons House in Hornchurch from 1929. The district formed a suburb of London and with a population peaking at 131,014 in 1961, it was one of the largest districts of its type in England. It now forms the greater part of the London Borough of Havering in Greater London.
Queen's Hospital is a hospital in Romford in the London Borough of Havering. It was built on the site of the former Oldchurch Park, a short distance south of the town centre. It is run by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Emerson Park Academy, formerly Hornchurch Grammar School, is an academy school located in the Hornchurch area of the London Borough of Havering, England. It is situated just east of Emerson Park, between Hornchurch and Upminster.
Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School is a Catholic girls' secondary school with academy status located in Upminster, an area in London Borough of Havering, England.
Orchard Village, formerly known as the Mardyke Estate, is a housing development in the South Hornchurch area of London, England.
Drapers' Academy is a secondary school for girls and boys, from years 7 to 13 sixth form with academy status, located in Harold Hill near Romford, Greater London, England. It was the first academy to be established in the London Borough of Havering.
Hornchurch High School is a mixed secondary school with academy status, located in the Hornchurch area of the London Borough of Havering, England. Until September 2018, it was known as 'The Albany School'.
Towers Cinema was a former cinema in Hornchurch, England. It was built in 1935 on part of the former Grey Towers estate and was noted for its Art Deco style of architecture. From 1973 it was used as a bingo hall until it closed in 2015. Despite the efforts of a local campaign to preserve the structure and to have it listed by Historic England, the building was demolished to make way for a Lidl supermarket.
The 2022 Havering London Borough Council election is due to take place on 5 May 2022. All 55 members of Havering London Borough Council will be elected. The elections will take place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs and elections to local authorities across the United Kingdom.
Romford 
