High Country History Group

To the poore people of the parish 3s.4d. at the day of my burial. To Winifred my well-beloved wife my 3 V/i acres of meadow in Theydon Mead in Theydon Bois; my cottage with 2 acres of land belonging called Cutlers in Stapleford Tawney; 3 acres of pasture and meadow called Turvis Croft in Navestock and Stapleford Abbots; also my lease of barns and lands belonging called Warranuntes in Theydon Mount which I have of the demise of George Stondon of Chingford yeoman; all her life. After her decease, the lands in Theydon Bois and Stapleford Tawney shall remain to Edward my son and Turvis Croft to george my son. If my wife marry, the lands given to her shall be to the use of Edward and George.

To George a brass pot and posnet of brass. To my four daughters Agnes, Mary, Sarah and Alice each £10 at marriage. To Sarah and Alice each a brass pot, a platter , a dish and a saucer of pewter. The residue of my goods to my well-beloved wife, whom I make my executrix, and overseers I constitute my faithful friends and neighbours Hugh Finche and John Lynnet, and to each for their pains 6s.8d.

Witnesses: Richard Woode, Parson of Woodford, William Dymsdale, William Bateman. Proved 21 January 1574/5.

The annual meeting was held on the 26h March and was attended by 32 members. It was reported that membership for the year stood at 88 which was down slightly on the previous year. It was decided that subscriptions should remain unchanged. However this was likely to change next year when it was pointed out by the Editor that the cost of producing the magazine was £1 per copy.

A number of talks were being arranged throughout the year commencing on the 26th April with a talk entitled "Smuggling in Essex."

A trip to the First World War Battlefields was being arranged for the 12 - 14th October, under the guidance of Major Graeme Cooper, who was our guide on the successful Waterloo trip in 2006. It is hoped that members will support this trip.

Shirley Fisher stood down as Secretary and was replaced by Martyn Lockwood. Andrew Smith a regular contributor to the newsletter joined the committee.

In 1968 Ann and I were married and moved to Stanford Rivers where I was to spend 10 very happy years as the village policeman, before promotion took me off to a very different beat at Harlow. When I reflect over the past 40 years, a mere heartbeat in the history of the area, it is amazing the number of changes that have taken place.

In 1968 their were village policemen in Stanford Rivers, Abridge, Stapleford Abbots, High Ongar, Blackmore, Fyfield, and Moreton, all under the control of Ongar. Policing was carried out by bicycle. Today they have all gone and Ongar Police Station has been reduced to a shadow of its former self

There were village shops/post offices at Stanford Rivers (Mrs Joyce Holland), Toot Hill (Mrs Pamela Chiltern) and Stapleford Tawney (Mr and Mrs Linwood) - all now closed. Toot Hill closed in 1970 after 80 years as a shop; followed by Stanford Rivers in 1974 and finally Stapleford Tawney.

Stanford Rivers village school had only just closed (1965) and was about to be demolished to make way for the first permanent site for Gypsies in Essex (now called the Hop Fields).

There was a rector at St Margaret's, Stanford Rivers, (Rev. Joe Sykes), St Andrew's Greensted (Rev John Garrington) and at Stapleford Tawney and Theydon Mount (Rev Frederick Stroud). Today the four churches form a combined benefice under one rector, although currently we are in an interregnum with the retirement of the Rev. Roger Wilkinson.

The London Underground ran from Ongar to Epping and the station at Blake Hall was open. The line was closed in and the station converted into a private dwelling. There was a daily bus service that ran from Ongar to Romford, through Stanford Rivers, Stapleford Tawney and Stapleford Abbotts. There was a village hall at Little End and also Toot Hill, although a new hall was built in 1973 to replace the two.

Hill Hall was an open prison for women and at one time Christine Keeler was an inmate. However a fire in 1969 was to lead to many years of uncertainty for the house before it was restored by English Heritage to its former glory and converted into luxury flats.

Passingford Bridge was a narrow hump-backed bridge allowing only one vehicle at a time over it. It was soon to be replaced by the bridge we know today.

Public Houses included the White Bear at Stanford Rivers (Mrs Marjorie Ireland), now sadly closed; The Woodman Public House (Fred Creasey); The Drill House at Toot Hill (Peter Mecklenburgh) - now sadly a private residence, and the Green Man Toot Hill (John Roads) and at Tawney Common, the Mole Trap

Piggott Brothers at Little End were a thriving business, and had to contract to provide the marquees for the Chelsea Flower Show, and also the Christmas lights for Regent Street in London.

I wonder if we reflect back in another 40 years what further changes will have taken place?

Although some may have heard of the Colchester Earthquake of 1884¹, fewer may know about the devastating hail storm which swept Essex in 1897.

Thursday 24th June 1897 was a hot day with temperatures reaching 31C (86F) in Chelmsford by 2.00pm. In the fields of Essex, there was the prospect of a good harvest. The greenhouses of nurserymen in the Chelmsford area were filling with ripening fruit and vegetables. Labourers were out in the fields across the county, cursing the heat, hay making or pea picking.

Soon after 2.00pm the weather changed dramatically. A cold front had arrived accompanied by dark clouds "with lurid lights"². The day became known as "Black Thursday" or "the Essex tornado".

Reginald Becket later (1901) described the scene:

"Ingatestone ... was the centre of the hundred square miles of Essex which was devastated in a quarter of an hour by a hailstorm on that black Midsummer Day. When I passed through it at harvest-time in that same year, the crops seemed to have been cut off a few inches above the ground, though no harvest had been reaped"³.

The Essex County Chronicle, Friday, July 2, 1897, spoke of the havoc wrought by the storm and the harvest all but destroyed. "The crops ... had been ruthlessly cut down and beaten into almost indistinguishable pulp and shreds by the devastating storm. The market gardens, of course, suffered in the same way, while in the greenhouses, which in Essex are used very extensively for the growth of flowers, grapes, melons, tomatoes and cucumbers, scarcely a pane of glass which faced the north or north-west was left whole. As to the dwelling-houses and places of business, their windows looked as if they had been subjected to a merciless fusillade by invading battalions".

The Mill Green area of Ingatestone bore the brunt of the storm. Mrs Wilde (1913) records, "the force of the wind was so immense that great trees bowed almost flat before it. ... A stack of chimneys at Lightoaks had come down without the inmates being aware of its fall, so great was the noise of the storm"". The Times reported that all down one side of Ingatestone High Street, window fronts "were smashed to atoms". It comments that the only cheerful men must have been glaziers.

Hailstones fell as big as hens' eggs⁵. At Ingatestone one, "picked up by Mr S Horsenell of Ingatestone Post-office", measured 51/2 inches (14cms) in circumference and weighed 31/2 ounces (almost 100g).

"Never within living memory had so much damage been caused within so short space of time", wrote Rev E H L Reeve of Stondon Massey (1900). "Some of the hail stones were swept up the following morning, so large and solid had they been"".

The storm tracked from west to east: from Epping, through Ongar and Chelmsford, finally dying our near Colchester.

In Abridge, the Jubilee fete was in progress. A tent full of children was blown down during the storm but nobody was hurt.

Towards Ongar, at Stanford Rivers was the Union Workhouse. 200 panes of glass were broken by the storm but fortunately a "casual pauper who entered the workhouse on the night of the storm" had the requisite skills and was put to work

The Chairman (Mr Lawrence Marriage, C.A.): "Is he is good tradesman?"
Master (Mr W Begley): "Oh, yes; he put in three while the other man was putting in one. The glass came at one o'clock. He kept at work until eight, and put in 60 panes. He is willing to stay and finish the work".
The Chairman: "Well, then, give him a half-sovereign".

At Quince Hall in Blackmore, the whole crop, about 22 acres, was ruined and eight chickens killed. A barn was blown over at Spriggs Farm. "A man was mowing grass at Blackmore, his horses ran away and smashed the mowing machine, one of the knives of which entered the man's chest and arms. If the knife had caught him lower down death would have been inevitable". Dozens of labourers were seen standing in their own gardens sobbing at the devastation that has occurred: "The case of the labourers is an exceedingly sad one".

At Writtle, a hailstone cut through a man's hat. His head, injured, had to be stitched. Those wearing summer attire in the fields and caught by the storm had bruises the size of half-crown coins.

The storm appears to have claimed just one life. Mr Newcombe, of Beacon Hill Farm, Navestock, "lost his reason, his misfortune being too great for him". He died the following month at the County Lunatic Asylum.

The Times called on the Government for assistance: Losses among farmers were estimated between £100 and £2,000. Some crops were uninsured. The paper spoke of the "stroke of fate" upon Mr Riley, an Ingatestone farmer: "Mr Riley is worse off than the farmer who has done nothing all year round, for he must dispose of the ruined crops before he can prepare for next year ... his fortune has collapsed"⁷.

George Woods, of Cooksmill Green, wrote to The Essex Herald: "The workmen have no harvest, and women no gleaning, little pea-picking and all their garden fruit destroyed. Threshing machines are idle, and there will be no employment for many during the winter months. I only know of a few who have their seed corn left".

A meeting was called at the Shire Hall in Chelmsford on the afternoon of Friday 2d July. Over 600 people attended. Speakers included Lord Rayleigh, who presided at the meeting, and Thomas Usborne, MP for the Mid Essex Division. A Committee was formed to administer The Essex Storm Relief Fund and all eight Essex MP's supported calls to the Lord Mayor of London to open a Fund. Over £3,000 was promised that afternoon.

The Mansion House Fund was opened by the Lord Mayor on 5h July. The Editor of The Essex Herald reflected: "We must also express a hope ... that in any distribution which is made, the case of the labouring classes will be well remembered. They have been accustomed to look to the harvest as a time wherein to earn extra money for the payment of their cottage rents, for the purchase of fuel for the winter, and for setting themselves up in clothing and boots. For such as will be unable to get harvest work this autumn the outlook must be extremely dismal"⁸.

The typical wage during harvest 1897 was 2s.4d per day, shown in the diary of James Baines of Wintry Park Farm, Epping⁹. His farm escaped the storm.

In the House of Commons on Tuesday 6h July a spokesman said: "Competent observers have stated that the loss would not be covered by £200,000 ... I do not think that the Government could safely intervene even in the most unfortunate circumstances of this particular case"¹⁰.

It was decided to cancel the Ingatestone and Fryerning Horticultural Society show. Ongar was a similar casualty of the storm and "the show usually held in November may likewise be abandoned because so many chrysanthemums were ruined"". The shooting season would be badly affected by the number of killed birds.

The work of the Committee, the correspondence, visits and distribution of money is unfortunately not preserved. This would have shed light on the plight of individuals. The Essex Review reported in July 1898 that "[the Essex Tornado Relief Fund] account shows receipts amounting to £45,753.15s.4., and the sums granted in relief reached a total of £45,147.4s.4d."¹²

Writing a commentary to his transcript of the Blackmore Parish Registers (1602 to 1812) in 1897 3, R H Browne concluded:

"I must content myself with just mentioning that this year [1897] has been a remarkable one in several respects. The Queen's [Diamond] Jubilee celebrations causing universal rejoicing. There is an abundant harvest both of hay and com despite the great storm of June last, which devastated about seventy square miles in the County between Epping and Chelmsford. Large sums are being subscribed locally and at the Mansion House for the relief of the sufferers".

The year 1897 was certainly remarkable and memorable for those who witnessed these events.

Primary Visitation 1920: Greensted

In 1914 the Diocese of Chelmsford was formed with almost all parishes in Essex transferring from the see of St Albans. Six years later, following the First World War, the first Bishop of Chelmsford, Rt. Rev. J F Watts-Ditchfield, sent a questionnaire for completion by all incumbents. In total, 49 questions were asked. (The document may be found in the Essex Record Office)[1].

A G B Atkinson, Incumbent of Greensted responded as follows.

1. What are the occupation of the people? Agricultural

5. What is the average attendance (exclusive of school children) at Morning Prayer and at Evening Prayer on Sunday? M25 A8 In summer there is an evening service. Average attendance 15.

6. What was the number of Communicants in each of the last two years?

1918

1919

a. on Christmas Day

9
8

b. on Easter Day

21
14

c. on Ascension Day

-

-

d. on Whitsunday

24

9

e. on Holy Days (roughly)

-

-

What proportion of Communicants are male? About one third are males.

20. What hymn book is used? Ancient & Modern

28. When you are called upon to marry any couple, are you careful to enquire whether either has been divorced and whose partner is still living?

Marriages are so few that I have had no occasion to enquire.

29. Is there a Sunday School in your parish? This temporarily abandoned for lack of children.

43. Please give your opinion briefly as to the condition of your parish with regard to

a. Poverty (increasing or decreasing)

The population consists largely of farmers & labourers who seem prospering

b. Housing

Two or 3 cottages are bad & small

c. Intemperance

There is little or no intemperance

d. Sexual Immorality

There is little vice so far as I have noted

e. Betting and Gambling

No so far as I have observed

f. Religious indifference

This is widespread

g. Sunday observance

This is lax

44. State what you believe to be the causes of such evil as exists and what efforts – preventative and remedial, you are making to combat them.

A gradual decay in belief in anything beyond this world’s interests. Excepting sermons I do not know how this may be combated.

45. To what extent, whether favourably or unfavourably, has the war affected the spiritual life of your parish?

It has made a difference as far as I can judge.

46. How has the war influenced

a. demobilised men who were church members before the war?

The numbers are so small that no difference can be noted.

b. demobilised men who were not church members before the war?

Ditto

49. Are there any other matters connected with yourself, your assistant clergy, or your parish, to which you would like confidentially to call my attention?

The income of the incumbent is totally inadequate and the parish should be amalgamated with another as noted by me over 20 years ago.

[Signed] A G B Atkinson

Incumbent

Date: March 22 1920

Next time: Stanford Rivers

The previous edition of the newsletter of the High Country History Group, Number 25, contained interesting thoughts from Andrew Smith on the local use of the word repentance. He referred to the word Repentance appearing in field-names, a cottage name and a post-box. The naming of the old Drill House pub opposite the cottage was also questioned.

Repentance Cottage is in Greensted but the boundary of the property forms part of the parish boundary with Stanford Rivers. Field-names of these two parishes, listed in the tithe awards of c.1840, indicate just two fields named Repentance, one in Greensted and one in Stanford Rivers, the fields being either side of the old pub. Although Repentance Farm is named in the award for Greensted neither field was part of the farm at that time. The Reverend Philip Budworth and Jane Velley then owned the farm, and James Millar was the occupier¹. It seems unlikely that the 4 on the post box referred to the number of Repentance fields.

Farm buildings, later associated with Repentance Farm, appear on the map published by Chapman and Andre in 1777, but the buildings are not named. It was an isolated farm and the locality is unlikely to be referred to as a hamlet. The use of the name suggests that the farm might have been used as some form of reform school, miscreants being sent from London to work off their repentance through local farm work.

Before the closure of the Drill House in 1999, the sign of the public house depicted a seed drill. An alternative interpretation suggested that the word drill might have referred to the exercise of those miscreants living in Repentance Cottage before they reported for work. We have often guardedly promoted this alternative interpretation!

Some exploration in the Essex Record Office has not bom any more information. Further research into the archives is still required and Andrew Smith's note might be the prompt. Note that nowadays there is just one wrongdoer still working in the farm!

In 1291, in the reign of Edward I, Henry fitzAucher desired to increase the area of his "Copthall" deer park.¹⁶ The park lay within the bounds of the Forest of Waltham and therefore was subject to the Laws of the Forest. Any extension to the park would have influenced the value of the king's hunting assets within the Forest. Under the Forest Laws, Henry's request would have needed to be taken seriously. Accordingly, a planning enquiry was convened in Ongar.

"The inquiry made at Ongar on the Monday on the morrow of Martinmas¹⁷ in the nineteenth year of the reign of king Edward". The inquiry was to consider "whether it is to the damage of the lord king or harm of his forest of Essex if he concedes to his beloved subject Henry fitzAucher that he may enclose his close adjacent to his park of Copthall, which is within the bounds of the said forest, for the enlargement of his said park".

The following officials of the Forest of Essex were summoned to consider the request of Henry fitzAucher.

Simon of Ellsworth
lieutenant of the justice of the Forest south of the Trent

John of Butterley
steward of the forest for the whole county of Essex

Warin of Abridge
riding forester in the hundred of Ongar

John Wyger
Adam of Aldgate
walking foresters

Walter Ryther
Roger of Bassingbourn
foresters of the hundred of Harlow

Walter of Halifeld
John Dew
Edmund of Nastock
William Male,
John atte Down
Ralph de Merk
verderers of the regard of Ongar

John atte Church
John Lord
Saer of Theydon
Thomas of Rankeditch
William Pikerel
Richard atte More
John Pedelevere
John Asceline
Richard de Mucegros
Hugh Clerk
Michael de la Strate
Nicholas Oliver
regarders of the same regard

John of Calne
Walter de Mortivaus
Richard son of Philip
Laurence Randwy
William of Roding
Richard Spenser
William of Weald
Richard Warin
Richard Freeland
Eustace of Mashbury
Gilbert atteHigge
Gilbert of Theydon
twelve free and lawful men of the said hundred

Simon Ellsworth would have represented Robert l'Estrange, a knight of some standing with the precise geographical title of Chief Justice of the Forest South of the Trent. (And yes, there was also one for North of the Trent). John of Butterley was the steward or warden with custody of the Royal Forest of Essex at that time. The foresters were required to maintain the Forest Law, often a dangerous task when confronted by a gang of deer poachers. The responsibility of the verderers was to preserve the cover and sustenance for the deer. The regarders were a body of twelve knights who sought to ensure that the boundary of the Forest was fixed and not encroached upon.

The meeting concluded that the increase in the size of the park was fifteen acres. This was equated with a loss of pasture to the king and the value of that pasture was assessed at twelve pence annually. The licence was eventually granted but not until 4 June 1293.

A total of thirty-seven individuals were named for the meeting. Since it was not the custom to absent oneself from the proceedings, the meeting would have been considered bureaucratic and wasteful of the time of those individuals. However, the size of the meeting emphasises the care taken and the importance of the resolution of the enquiry.

The early development of aeroplanes persuaded many small aspiring manufacturers to enter the industry. The manufacturers might have previously constructed furniture, or canvas tents. In 1910, Piggott Brothers Company (Limited) was one of them, Aero Pioneers (Limited) another. As proven tent manufacturers, Piggotts were involved through the construction and supply of tents or sheds, "portable canvas aeroplane sheds on hire for military manoeuvres - large number in stock"! In the same advertisement,

"The following goods are in stock for hire at Prize Contests, Flying Meetings, &c.
Judges' Boxes, Pylons, Timber Barriers, Ropes and Stakes for Course, Canvas Screening for Ground, Signal Masts and Flags, Refreshment and Dining Tents, Sleeping Tents for Aviators and Mechanics, Temporary Lavatories, Turnstiles, Pay Boxes, Wind Gauges, Altitude Recorders, Rain Gauges, Altitude Recorders, Flags, Decorations &c., &c."¹⁸

Although the Wright Brothers had demonstrated flying at Kitty Hawk in December 1903, enthusiasm was muted. It was following the shipping of their plane to France in 1908, that the potential for flight was realised in Europe. The range of equipment offered by Piggotts is an indication of the rapid developments that followed. At this time, Piggott Brothers were based in Bishopsgate, London.

There were pitfalls. In December 1910 Aero Pioneers (Limited) brought Piggott Brothers to court in front of Mr Justice Lawrence and a "special jury".¹⁹ The plaintiff company had been "formed for the purpose of perfecting and exhibiting an aeroplane". In 1909, a tent supplied on hire by Piggotts had collapsed. In the early hours of December 3, the tent was blown down in a storm with terminal consequences for the aircraft inside, the property of Aero Pioneers. The whole of the aircraft was destroyed with the exception of the engine. The sum being claimed was the loss of £523. Two of the company's employees had been forced to rush out of the subsiding tent, clearly a rush since they were "without their clothes".

The defendants claimed that the gale was an unusual event. The judge agreed, concluding that the storm was an act of God. Judgment was given for Piggotts with costs. Aero Pioneers appealed for judgment or a new trial.²⁰ The appeal was dismissed.

What an intriguing image this creates of the early days of competitive flying!

Thanks are due to George Bromley of Little End, Stanford Rivers, for the interesting discussions on Piggott Brothers and their entry into the aircraft industry. We hope to return to the subject in later issues.

• Electricity was first connected in Stapleford Tawney in 1932 and most of the parish was supplied with water by the Herts & Essex Waterworks Co. in 1949. Electricity did not reach Stanford Rivers until 1951, although they did have a telephone service by 1926.
• In 1538 Thomas Cromwell Vicar-general to Henry VIII, ordered the keeping of parish registers to record all baptisms, marriages and burials in cities, towns and villages throughout the land. Source Thus he set in motion a priceless source of reference for genealogists and historians over succeeding centuries to the present day.

The Magistrates Court was situated adjacent to the Police Station in the High Street (where the current police station is).

The court sat on Saturdays at 12 noon to hear cases.

In 1880 the following were the Magistrates;

• Lord Carlingford - Dudbrook House, Navestock
• Sir Charles Cunliffe - Smith - Suttons, S/Tawney
• Philip John Budworth - Greensted Hall
• John Lightfoott Newall - Forest Hall, High Ongar
• Rev. Henry John Earle - High Ongar
• Rev Edward James Reeve - Stondon Massey
• Lt. Gen. Albert Fytche - Pyrgo Park, Havering
• Sir William Neville Abdy - Albyns, S/Abbotts
• Edward Carrington Wright - Kelvedon Hall

The Clerk/Soclictor - Charles Smith.

THOYDON-MOUNT, a pleasant village on a bold eminence, overlooking the vale of the river Roding, 3 miles South East of Epping, has in its parish 217 souls, and 1468 acres of land, nearly all the property or the lord of the manor, Sir E.B. Smijth, Bart., who has a large and elegant seat here, called HILL HALL, encompassed by a large and well-wooded park, commanding extensive prospects in every direction. The house is a noble quadrangular erection, with massive walls, and a handsome front, ornamented with three-quarter pillars and a neat cornice. The interior exhibits correct specimens of the four orders of architecture, and in the great hall are some fine portraits, and some specimens of ancient armour and arms. The erection of this stately building was commenced, on the site of the ancient manor-house, in 1548, by an ancestor of the present owner, but considerable alterations have been made at much later periods. The eastern side was rebuilt in 1716, and is in the decorated Grecian style. The manor was held by Godric, in the reign of Edward the Confessor, and by Henry de Essex, in the reign of Henry II. It afterwards passed to the Wallerand, Sutton, and Hampden families, and it passed from the latter in 1577, to Sir William Smijth, whose descendant, Sir Thomas Smijth, was created a baronet in 1661. Roger de Clarendon, a natural son of Edward the Black Prince, is the recorded ancestor of the Smijth family.

The Church (St. Michael,) is a small handsome structure in the Park, and was rebuilt in the 17th century, after the old one had been destroyed by lightning. It contains numerous monuments of the Smijth family, one of whom was Sir Thomas Smijth, Kt., who died in 1577, aged 65, and was distinguished as a philosopher, statesman, mathematician, linguist, historian. etc. He wrote many valuable and learned works, and was Secretary of State to Edward VI. and Queen Elizabeth. The benefice is a rectory, consolidated with that of Stapleford Tawney.

List of Inhabitants:

• Thomas Byford, schoolmaster
• Edward Hoyle, shopkeeper
• Simon Merriday, smith
• Mary Merriday, schoolmistress

Farmers.

• Richard Hampton
• Samuel Miller
• Daniel Rumball
• Jane Smith
• James Spencer
• Francis Tanner

In Our September Newsletter:

Murder of Pe Gutteridge in 1927
2007 is the 80 anniversary of the murder of Pc Gutteridge at Stapleford Abbots. We look back at the event that shocked a Nation.

The Men behind the Names
Biographies of the men who died during Two World Wars and whose names are commemorated on our War Memorials.

And of course much more

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Following the successful trip to Waterloo last year several members are going on Graeme Cooper's trip

Passchendale to the Somme
(The lifestyles, the privations, the men the women. The Great War sacrifices at Ypres, Fromelles, Monchey Le Preux, Mansel Copse, Mametz Wood and others.)

12th - 14h October