Coronation Gardens

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Coronation Gardens
Romford War Memorial, Coronation Gardens - geograph.org.uk - 7266258.jpg
Romford War Memorial in Coronation Gardens
Coronation Gardens
Type Public park
Location Romford, Havering, London, England
Coordinates 51°34′53″N0°11′07″E / 51.58139°N 0.18525°E / 51.58139; 0.18525
Area0.8 acres (0.32 ha)
Created1953
Operated by Havering London Borough Council
StatusOpen year-round
Website www.havering.gov.uk/open-spaces/coronation-gardens
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameRomford War Memorial
Designated9 Januarty 2018
Reference no. 1452855

Coronation Gardens is a small public park in Romford, London, England. It is the location of the Romford war memorial and is a former cemetery.

Contents

First Romford cememtery

In 1844 the site was intended to be the location of a replacement for the St Edward's Church in Market Place, but was not built. [1] It was then used as a cemetery, consecrated by the Bishop of Rochester on 21 September 1850.

It was superseded when it became full by Crow Lane Cemetery in 1871.

Park

The site was transferred to Romford Urban District Council in 1895 when the burial board was dissolved.

The headstones were cleared in 1953 in order to create the park and name it in honour of the Coronation of Elizabeth II. [2]

Romford War Memorial

The war memorial, originally unveiled in 1921, was relocated from Laurie Square in 1970 as part of the redevelopment of central Romford and the new ring road. [3] [4]

Consideration of a memorial for the town started in 1916, during the First World War. The initial meeting to discuss the matter in December 1916 was called by the church and held at St Edward's. The issue was first discussed by Romford Urban District Council in January 1919. [5] By January 1920 little progress had been made, due to anticipated cost, and further discussion was deferred at a council meeting for six months. [6] Further delay was caused because Romford Council was reluctant to pay for a memorial by increasing the rates. [5]

In 1920 a private citizen, C. M. Dyer of Gresham Lodge, took charge. He erected a model of a proposed memorial in Laurie Square and organised a public meeting. Costs were estimated at £500 (equivalent to £25,368in 2023) with £800 raised in total. The first donation was from Ind, Coope & Co of the Romford Brewery, with many smaller donations coming from residents. [5] Romford Council was considering helping to pay for the foundations in 1921, but did not. Works were contracted in September 1921 to Banks-Martin of East Ham, who was architect of the East Ham War Memorial. [5]

The memorial was dedicated and unveiled by Lord Lambourne on 18 September 1921. [7]

References

  1. ↑ Cherry, Bridget; O'Brien, Charles; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2007). London: East (Reprinted with corrections ed.). New Haven London: Yale Univ. Press. ISBN   9780300107012.
  2. ↑ Martin, Ged (12 August 2020). "Heritage: How Havering's network of parks was created". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  3. ↑ "Romford War Memorial". Historic England. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
  4. ↑ "Road Scheme Begins". Evening Standard. 28 August 1968. p. 13.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Connelly, Mark (19 February 2015). The Great War, Memory and Ritual: Commemoration in the City and East London, 1916-1939. Royal Historical Society. ISBN   0861933273.
  6. ↑ "Urban Councils: Romford". The Essex Chronicle. 9 January 1920. p. 3.
  7. ↑ "Romford - Cross". War Memorials Register. Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
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