The Map that Saved Epping Forest

I had been waiting for the 4th of July this year for some time after reading that the Essex Record Office which is based in Chelmsford was displaying one of the three 1882 Epping Forest Arbitration maps at Loughton Library! This was a one day only event and something not to be missed by myself.

The map is huge, the largest held by the ERO measuring over 30 feet long and almost 13 feet wide and after talking to archivists and other staff I was in awe of the fact that they able to display it all. The other two copies of this magnificent map are held at the London Metropolitan Archive (for the Corporation of London) and the National Archives at Kew (for The Crown) whilst this one belongs to Essex! The Arbitrator was Sir Arthur Hobhouse QC and his brief was to determine which illegally included land should remain enclosed and which were to be open again. The Map is a result of that very important work and was published in July 1882.

(Photo courtesy of Essex Record Office Twitter Feed)

The importance of this map to the area in general and Loughton, in particular, cannot be underestimated. The map painted on paper and linen backed was drawn up only four years after the Epping Forest Act of 1878 which ended the right of local people to lop wood in an enormous area covering about 6,000 acres. This map followed on from the long drawn out arbitration process which would eventually secure Epping Forest's future under the conservatorship of the Corporation of London. This Act meant that it was no longer a Royal Forest and stopped the Crown's right to venison as well as stipulating that the Conservators.....

 "shall at all times keep Epping Forest unenclosed and unbuilt on as an open space for the recreation and enjoyment of the people"

A few months previously on Saturday, May 6th 1882 Queen Victoria arrived at Chingford Station by Royal Train and took a carriage drive to High Beech to officially hand over Epping Forest to the people. The evening before it had rained but on this day they were greeted with sunshine and as one newspaper states "The wind was a gentle zephyr". Carts and carriages lined the route through the forest but were requested to leave enough room for people who stood eight to ten deep along the roadside. The station at Chingford only a few years old at this time was adorned with flowers, flags, and garlands as well as sporting a red carpet on the platform. Throughout the day up to ten Great Eastern Railway Company trains an hour left Liverpool Street to take sightseers to either Loughton or Chingford Stations where they might get the best vantage point but helpful notices in the press also suggested they use Ponders End Station and take a walk through the beautiful forest.

At Chingford Victoria's arrival was greeted by over 1,100 invited guests seated in grandstands on the station yard as well as a Forest Sub-Reception Committee already awaiting in carriages. As always timing was the key to these Royal visits and the Royal Party arrived punctually at 4.30pm. The Queen was joined in her carriage by HRH Princess Louise, HRH Princess Beatrice as well as the Duchess of Connaught, wife of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third son of Victoria and first Ranger of the forest. The Queen was dressed in black as was customary but sported a white ostrich feather in her bonnet and smiled in response to the crowds' cheers.

Queen Victoria leaves Chingford Station

The Queen's open carriage was drawn by four horses with postillions and flanked by outriders in scarlet livery. A footman and the Queen's confidante John Brown, in Highland costume, took up places at the rear of the carriage as it made its way through the decorated arch at the front of the station as the 1st Essex Artillery fired a Royal salute and bands played the National Anthem.  A long procession of carriages and riders made the four-mile journey to the specially erected amphitheater outside of the Kings Oak public house in High Beech.

The Plan for the 2,000 seat amphitheatre

The amphitheatre shown in the plan above had seating for 2,000 people and the guests to Epping Forest that day included foreign royals and leaders as well as members of our own Royal Family and political parties. The Corporation of London had many distinguished guests themselves as well as from the Metropolitan Board of Works. I was pleased to see that one of those guests was Enfield born, Sir Joseph Bazalgette their Chief Engineer who had only recently completed his work which would transform the sewage system of London.

After their arrival in High Beech at 4.45pm the Royal Standard was hoisted and the bands of the Coldstream Guards and the Royal Artillery again played the National Anthem.  The Queen remained in her carriage throughout proceedings and it was driven up a ramp onto a canopied dais in front of the amphitheatre crowd. A young local girl Victoria Buxton whose father Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton was a Liberal politician and advocate of open spaces, was lifted up to deliver a bouquet to Her Majesty.

Victoria Buxton presenting the bouquet

With several speeches and prayers over the Queen herself was able to 'open' the Forest and pronounce it "Free for the enjoyment of the people",  At the permission of Her Majesty an oak tree was also planted to commemorate the occasion and she herself was presented with a book of photographs of the Forest by the Lady Mayoress.

The Royal party at this stage returned via the same route to Chingford Station to take a train at 5.30pm and unbelievably arrived back at Windsor Castle for 6.45pm!

A planning document that I found at the London Metropolitan Archive advised that 190 private carriages would be needed to transport guests from Railway Stations to the High Beech site and that none were to leave without having 4 passengers. The document also puts the cost of the event at about £6,330.00 which would be around £650,000.00 in today's money.

Artwork proof for the Invitation

As the Queen left the area there were further festivities which culminated in a magnificent firework display at the Royal Forest Hotel as well as many Chinese Lanterns to illuminate the site.

Today the only reminder of that occasion at High Beech is the splendid oak tree planted in her name on that May day in 1882 - although not the same one!

Loughton and the surrounding area have been left with many reminders of the men involved in the 'saving' of the Forest with roads, schools and even a lake named after them such as Buxton Road and Willingale School. The enduring reminder for Loughton though is Lopping Hall on the High Road which was gifted to the parishioners of Loughton in 1884 by the Corporation of London in compensation for the loss of their lopping rights in Epping Forest. The hall cost over £3,000 to built although an amount of £7,000 was given over by the City. The remaining money was put into the accounts of the Lopping Hall Endowment Trust and today as always is a cultural hub for the town.

The Arbitration Map of Epping Forest is a testament to the work involved in keeping the forest in one piece by the Victorians and aside from a few additions remains the same today.

REFERENCES;

British Newspaper Archive online... Lloyds Weekly and the London Standard

Photographs of Epping Forest Arbitration Map 1882 courtesy of the Essex Record Office

Plan of High Beech site and Invitation available to view at the London Metropolitan Archive

Ealing Village

I've driven past an estate in Ealing many times over the years and have always loved its look. Recently I found out that it is called Ealing Village and it was built between 1934 and 1936. It was the idea of the architects R Thomas and Partners to create a Dutch Colonial style estate to entice film stars from the nearby Ealing Studios.

The 'village' did have a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, bowling green and croquet lawn but unfortunately the last two are no longer there. Ealing Village is now owned by the residents who bought out the freehold from a private landlord and the hope is to restore it to its former glory. It does need a bit spit and polish but once it is done it should look even more splendid.

The Boundary Estate

Recently I've been looking into the history of the Boundary Estate on the edge of Bethnal Green as part of one of the walks that a London guiding group I belong to were putting on.

The estate will always be important for one particular reason - it was the first ESTATE built by a Local Authority in this case the LCC and hence the FIRST Council Estate - but that is aside from the history of the site itself.

The Boundary Estate was built after the passing of the 1890 Housing of Working Classes Act which was meant to deal with the many slums around London and beyond.  It put the onus on Local Authorities to clear the slums and provide more sanitary conditions. Before this Act came into effect it had been left to philanthropic families through their various trusts to provide basic accommodation for people.  The families in question are well known even today, The Peabody's, The Guinness Family and the Rothschilds to name a few.

The slum in question on this 15 acre site was the Old Nichol Estate or the Old Nichol Rookery.  This notorious estate had gained the reputation of being the worst slum in London and on publication of Charles Booth's Poverty Map in 1889 the area was shown as Black meaning people there were thought to be 'viscous and semi-criminal'.  Families of up to 10 people lived in one room in distinctly unsanitary, damp and dark conditions for which they paid rent of 2 Shillings a week. Over 5,700 people were moved out or what is now called 'decanted' from the Old Nichol and of that number only 11 were to move back! A fictitious account of the Old Nichol was written by Poplar born author Arthur Morrison in 1896 under the title of A Child from the Jago.  The 'Jago' is the Old Nichol and Morrsison spent eighteen months living in Shoreditch researching before the slum finally came down. The footprint for both are almost identical as can be seen from these maps;

The Boundary Estate was built between 1892 and 1899 and has Arnold Circus as it's centrepiece.  The original Circus did not have the Bandstand as that wasn't added until 1910. The mound that is in the centre of Arnold Circus is said to be made from the rubble of the Old Nichol.  The estate was designed by the London County Council architect Owen Fleming and radiates from Arnold Circus in 7 tree lines avenues.  There were originally 23 blocks of 5 story flats with each block having it's own Arts and Crafts style.  The plans included workshops and shops and care was given to give open space between the randomly placed blocks.  Sight lines were thought about and also emphasis given to each flat getting some sunlight each day.   There are also two schools around the perimeter of Arnold Circus.  These actually predate the rebuilding and renaming as they were built as a consequence of another late 19th Century Act, the 1870 Education Act which required that children attend school between the ages of 5 and 13.  Virginia School is still running as a Primary School, however Rochelle School is now used as a cultural hub and also houses a restaurant.  The blocks are beautiful and have patterns in their brickwork in colours of salmon pink and coral and in varying styles.

The First Council Estate, The Boundary Estate was opened in 1900 by the Prince of Wales and Princess Alexandra amid flags and fanfare.  The new occupants were more likely to be clerks, nurses or policeman as it was only those more professional people who were able to afford the increased rent of 3 Shillings a week.

Now over 100 years old the estate is still thriving and the whole area was made The Boundary Estate Conservation Area in 1985.  Every block is now grade 2 Listed as well as all of the railings around the bandstand and the bandstand itself.  As well as these over 50 trees in the area have preservation orders on them! There is a community run not-for-profit launderette as well as a group called The Friends of Arnold Circus who fund raised to restore the decaying bandstand in 2010.

The Boundary Estate is a semi-hidden oasis on the edge Tower Hamlets and the City and well worth a visit. When you do go look out for a reminder of the past as you see Old Nichol Street as you enter from Boundary Street!

Heal's Tottenham Court Road

Last Wednesday I had planned to visit The Building Centre just off of Store Street, Bloomsbury to look at the Pipers Central London Model before it is replaced. On my way through Tottenham Court Road on this incredibly windy and wet day I decided to visit one of my favourite stores Heal's.

After being blown away by the new furniture ranges in store I wanted to take some pictures of the building itself inside and out. The shop has been in existence since 1810 and has been on this site since 1854.  The front that we all know and love was added in 1916 along with the Brewer Staircase designed by Cecil Brewer, a cousin of the Heal family.

As usual when I got home I put some of the pictures out on social Media and sent the last picture to Heal's Twitter account asking the question...'was there once a canopy?'

The next day I received a response from Heal's saying yes there were canopies and to watch this space as they were likely to be reinstated soon! A new message arrived from them with this picture.....

..from the 1940's and asking me to send them my address as they would like to send me a book on Heal's heritage!  After a few Direct Messages on Twitter I found out that I was 'chatting' to their Digital Manager and that her name is Victoria.

I received the book yesterday afternoon and it is beautiful, full of glorious pictures of the building, advertisements and photographs of their wonderful products from days gone by.  Heal's celebrated their bicentenary in 2010 and this book was part of the product range in celebration of that.  I only managed to pick up a few commemorative tea towels at the time!

The book is beautifully produced and will take pride of place on my London bookshelf.  A very big thank you goes to Victoria for making my day with such a fantastic gift.