Kelly’s Directory 1912 (Part 3): Stapleford Tawney

STAPLEFORD TAWNEY, which has this adjunct from the family of Tany, who owned it in the reign of Henry III, is a parish, on the north side of the Roding, opposite to Stapleford Abbots, 4¾ miles west from Theydon Bois station on the Great Eastern railway, 5 south-west from Ongar, 5 south-east from Epping, 7 north from Romford, and 17 from London, in the Western division of the county, Ongar hundred, petty sessional division and union, Romford county court district, rural deanery of Chigwell, archdeaconry of Essex and diocese of St. Albans.

St. Mary’s Church

The church of St. Mary is a small and ancient structure of flint in the Early English style, consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and western belfry with spire containing 2 bells, dated 1611 and 1630.

An organ was presented in 1873 by Reginald H. Prance esq.

There are mural tablets to the Smith family and many flat stones to that of Luther from 1619 and later.

In the chancel is a tomb with a brass inscription to a member of the Scott family, dated 1510.

The church was restored in 1861 at a cost of £1,200, and during the progress of the work two stone coffins were discovered in the chancel.

A new panelled roof was added in 1884, and the late Sir Charles C. Smith, 3rd bart. (d. 1905), also presented a handsome mosaic reredos.

There are 200 sittings.

Parish Registers and Living

The register dates from the year 1538.

The living is a vicarage, with that of Theydon Mount annexed, average joint net yearly value £536, with 15 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of Sir W. Bowyer Smijth bart. and held since 1872 by the Rev. Lewis Newcomen Prance M.A. of Trinity College, Cambridge, F.S.A. and rural dean of Lambourne.

Charities and Suttons

Charities amounting to about £25, derived from interest on Consols., are yearly distributed.

Suttons, the seat of Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart. is a modern building of stone, picturesquely situated in a finely wooded park through which the river Roding flows.

Sir William Bowyer Smijth bart. is lord of the manor, and principal landowner.

Agriculture and Population

The soil is mixed; subsoil, heavy clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans and oats.

The area is 1,621 acres of land and 7 of water; rateable value, £1,798; the population in 1901 was 224; the population of the ecclesiastical parish was 347.

Parish Clerk: Henry Starling.

PASSINGFORD BRIDGE 1 mile south, is a place in this parish on the road from Ongar to London.

Police and Postal Services

Police Station: William Parke, constable in charge.

Post, M. O. & T. Office: Frank Page, sub-postmaster. Letters through Romford arrive at 5.45 & 9.40a.m.; dispatched at 1.55 & 6.45p.m. week days; arrive 5.50a.m. & dispatched 6.45p.m. Sundays.

Wall Letter Box at Church: cleared at 8.15a.m. & 6p.m. week days & 8.15a.m. Sundays.

Public Elementary School

Public Elementary School (mixed), built in 1874, for 75 children; average attendance, 23; Miss Alice Boses, mistress.

This school is controlled by the Essex Education (Ongar District) Sub-Committee, Arnold Richardson, Ongar, clerk.

(Marked thus + to receive their letters through Epping)

Private Residents

• Blott Harold Owen, Little Tawney hall
• Page George Harris, Talbot house
• Prance Rev. Lewis Newcomen M.A. (rector and rural dean), Rectory
• Smith Sir Drummond Cunliffe bart. Suttons

Commercial

• +Dockrill John, beer ret. Common
• Green Anthony, farmer, Suttons farm
• Miller Barbara C. (Mrs.), farmer, Tawney hall
• +Miller Eliza Grace (Mrs.), farmer, Wood hatch
• +Miller Jacob David, frmr, New frm
• Parker George, blacksmith & shoeing smith
• Pittam Edward, shopkeeper
• Sarling Josiah, boot maker
• Scott Reginald Penkeith, farmer, Howfields
• +Stubbins Thomas, farmer, Common
• Woolley Geo. head gardener to Sir John Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart.