Kelly’s Directory 1933 (Part 2): Stanford Rivers

Stanford Rivers

Stanford Rivers is supposed to have derived its name from a stony ford through the River Roding; the addition, "Rivers," being derived from the family of that name who resided here in 1213.

It is a widely scattered parish, on the London road, 3 miles south-west from Ongar station on a branch of the London and North Eastern Railway, 7 miles south-east from Epping, 7 miles from Brentwood and 19 miles from London, in the Chelmsford division of the county, Ongar hundred, petty sessional division and rural district, Brentwood county court district, and in Ongar rural deanery, archdeaconry of Southend and Chelmsford diocese.

St. Margaret's Church

The church of St. Margaret is a plain building of stone, chiefly in the Norman style, consisting of chancel, nave, and a western tower of wood, with spire, and containing two bells.

In the south wall of the nave is a brass, with kneeling figures of a lady and six children and an inscription to "Anne Napper, late the wife of William Napper, gent, and daughter of William Shelton esq., ob. 1584."

In the chancel is another brass, to "Catherine Mvlcaster, wife of Charles Mvcaster," to whom she was married 50 years, ob. 1609.

There is also a brass with effigy to Thomas Greville, infant, ob. 1492; another to Robert Barrow esq., ob. 1503; and figures of a man in armour and his wife, c. 1540.

The Petres were formerly large proprietors here, and there are many flat stones in the chancel inscribed to members of this family.

Several members of the Stuart family, Earls and Marquises of Bute, were buried here, but with the exception of two they have been removed to Roath in Glamorganshire.

The church has 300 sittings. The register dates from the year 1538.

The Rectory

The living is a rectory, net yearly value £947, with 5 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and held since 1902 by the Rev. John Ishmael Thomas B.A., of St. David's College, Lampeter.

Chapel and Charities

The Congregational chapel, erected in 1819, was destroyed by fire in 1927.

A charity of £400 left by Mary Rayner in 1871 is invested in India 3 per Cents, and the interest is annually distributed in clothing to the poor of the parish.

Landowners and Agriculture

The principal landowners are Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart., who is lord of the manor, and James R. Furze esq., J.P.

The soil is clay or heavy loam; subsoil, clay, gravel or sand. The chief crops are wheat, barley, beans, etc.

The area is 4,405 acres of land and 9 acres of water; the population in 1931 was 758.

Hamlets and Outlying Settlements

Littlebury is 1 mile east from the church.

Toot Hill is 2 miles north-west.

Postal and Public Services

• Post & Telephone Call Office. Letters through Ongar, nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.
• Post & Telephone Call Office, Toot Hill. Letters through Ongar, nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.
• Police Station.

Stanford Rivers Directory

Private Residents

For telephone numbers, see general list of Private Residents at end of original directory.

• Furze, James Richard, J.P. – Stanford Rivers Hall
• Harrison, Christopher W. – Murrell's Farm
• Heasman, R. W. – Church Lane
• Howgate, George A. – Chapel House
• Laurie, William – Summerhill
• Muggleston, John Frederick – Cesslands
• Rowe, Lewis Oxley – Holly Tree
• Thomas, Rev. John Ishmael, B.A. (Rector) – Rectory

Commercial Directory

° Indicates a farm of 150 acres or over.

• Aylmer, Archibald William – White Bear Hotel. Tel: Ongar 1Y4
• Browning, Neville – Farmer, Lawns Farm. Tel: Ongar 1Y5
• Camp, A. E. (Mrs.) – Shopkeeper
• Camp, Robert James – Blacksmith
• Crocker, Samuel – Chimney sweeper
• Downham, Joseph – Shopkeeper
• Foster Bros. – Farmers, Cold Hall (letters through North Weald, Epping)
• Freeman, D. – Farmer, Murrells Farm. Tel: Ongar 104X3
• ° Furze, James Richard – Farmer, Stanford Rivers Hall. Tel: Ongar 1X6
• Green, James – Farmer, Traceys Farm
• Grigg, Warrington E. – Shopkeeper
• Hinman, William – Farmer, Bridge Farm
• Hollingsworth, Herbert S. – Shopkeeper, Post Office
• Johnstone, William L. – Land steward to Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart., Wayletts. Tel: Ongar 1X3
• Muggleston, John Frederick – Farmer, Cesslands
• ° Padfield, Albert – Farmer, Littlebury Hall
• ° Pearl, William – Farmer, Berwick Farm
• Piggott Bros. & Co. Ltd. – Electrical engineers. Tel: Ongar 91
• Rowe, William Frederick – Carpenter
• Shepherd, John George – Beer retailer. Tel: Ongar 1X5
• Stanford Rivers Egg Grading Station – Harrison & Grigg
• Tucker, James – Smallholder
• Waltham, Richard – Farmer, Mitchell's Farm (letters through Stapleford Tawney, Romford)
• Woodrow, William – Head keeper to Sir Drummond Cunliffe Smith bart.

Toot Hill Directory

Private Residents

For telephone numbers, see general list of Private Residents at end of original directory.

• Dearden, Mrs. – Letters through Epping
• Harding, John E. – The Cottage
• Vess, Gordon Phillips – Weald's Farm
• Licence, Arthur B. C. – Covars Mead
• White, Frank Percy King – Fairview

Commercial Directory

° Indicates a farm of 150 acres or over.

• Amis, Samuel – Green Man Public House. Tel: Ongar 80X1
• Grant, S. A. – Farmer, Steers Farm. Tel: Ongar 80X3
• ° Green, William – Farmer, Blake's Farm
• ° Kerr, James & Son – Farmers, Ongar Park Hall
• Licence, Thomas Walter – Poultry farmer
• Millbank, Edward – Farmer, Clark's Farm
• ° Millbank, Henry William – Farmer, Coleman's, Weald's and Burrows Farms. Tel: Ongar 80Y1
• Millbank, F. J., A. L. & L. P. (Misses) – Farmers, Widow's Farm
• Pledge, George Thomas – Farmer, Stewart's Farm
• Sawkins, Harold G. – Grocer and Post Office. Tel: North Weald 14
• Welch, Susan (Mrs.) – Beer retailer
• White, Arthur James – Farmer, Does Farm