Romford Rural District

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Romford Rural District
Area
  191129,720 acres (120.3 km2)
  192129,720 acres (120.3 km2)
  193116,376 acres (66.27 km2)
Population
  191125,356
  192129,485
  193115,107
Density
  19110.8/acre
  19211/acre
  19310.9/acre
History
  OriginRomford Rural Sanitary District
  Created1894
  Abolished1934
  Succeeded by Brentwood Urban District
Dagenham Urban District
Hornchurch Urban District
Romford Urban District
Status Rural district
GovernmentRomford Rural District Council
   HQ South Street, Romford
Subdivisions
  Type Parishes
  UnitsCranham
Dagenham (1894–1926)
Great Warley
Havering-atte-Bower
Hornchurch (1894–1926)
Noak Hill
Rainham
Romford Rural (1894–1900)
Upminster
Wennington

Romford Rural District was a local government district in southwest Essex, England from 1894 to 1934. It surrounded, but did not include, Romford which formed a separate urban district. [1] During the life of the district the area changed in use from rural farm land to sprawling London suburb and in 1926 much of it was removed to form new urban districts.

Contents

Precursors

The setting up of rural local government districts had its origins in the union of parishes following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834. Romford Poor Law Union was created in 1836. It consisted of the parishes of Barking, Cranham, Dagenham, Great Warley, Havering atte Bower, Hornchurch, Rainham, Romford, Upminster and Wennington. In 1837 an identical area became Romford Registration District for the purposes of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1836. The Poor Law union area was used again for the purposes of the Public Health Act 1875 and Romford Rural Sanitary District was created in 1875. For the purposes of the rural sanitary district (but not the Poor Law union or registration district) areas that formed local boards were removed from the area. This occurred for Barking Town (1882), Ilford (1890) and Romford (1851).

Creation

It was created a rural district in 1894 by the Local Government Act 1894, based on the Romford rural sanitary district. Before 1894 the part of Romford parish corresponding to the town was covered a local board of health. Under the 1894 legislation the parish was split with the former board of health district becoming the Romford Urban parish the remainder formed the Romford Rural parish. The former also constituted the Romford Urban District and the latter was a component parish within the larger rural district. The arrangement did not last, and in 1900 the two parishes were abolished and their former area used to create a Romford parish which constituted the enlarged Romford Urban District. [2]

In 1911 the rural district had a combined area of 29,720 acres (120 km2) and consisted of the following parishes:

  1. Noak Hill
  2. Havering-atte-Bower
  3. Dagenham
  4. Great Warley
  5. Hornchurch
  6. Upminster
  7. Cranham
  8. Rainham
  9. Wennington
Romford rural 1911.PNG

Dagenham and Hornchurch

In 1925 Dagenham and Hornchurch parish councils applied for conversion to urban districts. Dagenham included much of the vast Becontree estate and had experienced a rapid rise in population. Hornchurch was undergoing a lot of suburban house building. The Romford Rural District Council objected to both applications. The Hornchurch Ratepayers' Association opposed Hornchurch gaining urban powers. [3] In 1926 the parish of Hornchurch was removed to form Hornchurch Urban District and the parish of Dagenham was removed to form Dagenham Urban District.

Abolition

In 1934 the district was abolished and the remaining parishes transferred to neighbouring districts:

Romford rural 1931.PNG ParishTransferred to
1. Noak Hill Romford Urban District (3,687 acres)
2. Havering-atte-Bower
3. Great Warleysplit with most to Hornchurch Urban District (7,141 acres)
and part to Brentwood Urban District (1,002 acres)
4. Upminster
5. Cranham
6. Rainham Hornchurch Urban District (4,546 acres)
7. Wennington

The area today forms parts of the London Borough of Havering and the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in Greater London. A boundary change in 1993 transferred the remaining parts of Great Warley to the Brentwood Borough of Essex. [4]

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Cranham is a residential area of east London, and part of the London Borough of Havering. It is located 17.5 miles (28 km) east-northeast of Charing Cross and comprises an extensive built-up area to the north and a low density conservation area to the south surrounded by open land. It was historically a rural village in the county of Essex and formed an ancient parish. It is peripheral to London, forming the eastern edge of the urban sprawl. The economic history of Cranham is characterised by a shift from agriculture to housing development. As part of the suburban growth of London in the 20th century, Cranham significantly increased in population, becoming part of Hornchurch Urban District in 1934 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965. The 2011 Census population of Cranham was included in Upminster.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romford</span> Town in London, England

Romford is a large town in east London and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Havering. It is located 14.1 miles 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 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. As part of the suburban growth of London throughout the 20th century, Romford significantly expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1937 and was incorporated into Greater London in 1965. 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.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Borough of Dagenham</span>

Dagenham was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1926 to 1965 covering the parish of Dagenham. Initially created as an urban district, it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1938. It was established to deal with the increase in population and the change from rural to urban area caused by the building of the Becontree estate by the London County Council and the subsequent movement of people from Inner London. Peripheral to London, the district formed part of the Metropolitan Police District and London Traffic Area. It now forms the eastern sections of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and the London Borough of Redbridge in Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hornchurch Urban District</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Municipal Borough of Romford</span>

Romford was a local government district in southwest Essex from 1851 to 1965. It was significantly expanded in 1934 and gained the status of municipal borough in 1937. The population density of the district consistently increased during its existence and its former area now corresponds to the northern part of the London Borough of Havering in Greater London.

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Becontree was an ancient hundred in the south west of the county of Essex, England. Its area has been entirely absorbed by the growth of London; with its name reused in 1921 for the large Becontree estate of the London County Council. Its former area now corresponds to the London Borough of Newham, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and parts of the London Borough of Waltham Forest and the London Borough of Redbridge. Its early extent also included parts of what is now the London Borough of Havering.

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References

  1. Vision of Britain – Romford RD (historic map Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine )
  2. British History Online – Romford local government
  3. Essex Chronicle, 29 May 1925, Fri, Page 8
  4. OPSI – Essex and Greater London (County and London Borough Boundaries) (No.2) Order 1993

Coordinates: 51°34′N0°13′E / 51.56°N 0.22°E / 51.56; 0.22