Hornchurch Urban District
Encyclopedia
Hornchurch was a local government district in south west Essex
, England from 1926 to 1965. The urban district council was based at Langtons House
. The district formed a suburb of London and was expanded in 1934. It now forms the greater part of the London Borough of Havering
in Greater London
.
had been coterminous with the liberty and manor of Havering
since its formation in antiquity. Havering-atte-Bower
and Romford
formed chapelries and were split off as parishes in the 1790s and 1849 respectively. The liberty was abolished in 1892; although by this date in Hornchurch it had already been superseded by various ad-hoc bodies, such as the Romford Poor Law Union and the Romford Rural Sanitary District. The Hornchurch parish passed to Romford Rural District
in 1894 and formed part of the London Traffic Area
from 1924. The parish went on to form an urban district
in 1926.
and 11687 acres (47.3 km²) from Romford Rural District
. This area corresponded to all of the Rainham
and Wennington
parishes and the greater part of Upminster
, Cranham
, Great Warley
and North Ockendon
. Cranham was enlarged by the abolition of North Ockendon as a separate parish. The council operated Queen's Theatre
and constructed Hornchurch Stadium
in Upminster. There was a rapid expansion of the population because new industries were developing in Outer London
during the 1930s, such as the nearby Ford Motor Company
plant at Dagenham
and Londoners were moving to the new suburban estates of houses that were built around them. The Barking–Upminster railway line through the district was electrified
in the 1930s and new stations were opened at Elm Park
and Upminster Bridge
, in addition to the earlier stations at Hornchurch and Upminster. The urban district council unsuccessfully petitioned for incorporation as a municipal borough on 20 May 1955.
Population table
considered the district for inclusion in Greater London and in 1965 Hornchurch Urban District was abolished by the London Government Act 1963
. Its former area was transferred to Greater London
from Essex and was combined with that of the Municipal Borough of Romford
to form the present-day London Borough of Havering
. In 1993 some of the eastern sections of the former urban district around Great Warley were transferred back to Essex.
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England from 1926 to 1965. The urban district council was based at Langtons House
Langtons
Langtons is a grade II listed 18th-century house and gardens open to the public situated in Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering, east London....
. The district formed a suburb of London and was expanded in 1934. It now forms the greater part of the London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...
in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
.
Background and formation
The parish of HornchurchHornchurch
Hornchurch is a large suburban town in England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Hornchurch is in North-East London .It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan. It comprises a number of shopping...
had been coterminous with the liberty and manor of Havering
Royal Liberty of Havering
Havering, also known as Havering-atte-Bower, was a royal manor and ancient liberty whose former area now forms part of, and gives its name to, the London Borough of Havering in Greater London...
since its formation in antiquity. Havering-atte-Bower
Havering-atte-Bower
Havering-atte-Bower is a village and outlying settlement of the London Borough of Havering, located 15 miles northeast of Charing Cross and close to the Greater London boundary. It was one of three former parishes whose area comprised the historic Royal Liberty of Havering...
and Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
formed chapelries and were split off as parishes in the 1790s and 1849 respectively. The liberty was abolished in 1892; although by this date in Hornchurch it had already been superseded by various ad-hoc bodies, such as the Romford Poor Law Union and the Romford Rural Sanitary District. The Hornchurch parish passed to Romford Rural District
Romford Rural District
Romford Rural District was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1894 to 1934. It surrounded, but did not include, Romford which formed a separate urban district...
in 1894 and formed part of the London Traffic Area
London Traffic Area
The London Traffic Area was established by the London Traffic Act 1924 in order to regulate the increasing amount of motor traffic in the London area...
from 1924. The parish went on to form an urban district
Urban district
In the England, Wales and Ireland, an urban district was a type of local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected Urban District Council , which shared local government responsibilities with a county council....
in 1926.
History
As part of a county review order in 1934 the urban district gained 1326 acres (5.4 km²) from Orsett Rural DistrictOrsett Rural District
Orsett Rural District was a local government district in south Essex, England from 1894 to 1936. It was formed as a rural district in 1894. From 1835, the constituent parishes had made up the Orsett Poor Law Union and from 1875 they also formed the Orsett RSD....
and 11687 acres (47.3 km²) from Romford Rural District
Romford Rural District
Romford Rural District was a local government district in south west Essex, England from 1894 to 1934. It surrounded, but did not include, Romford which formed a separate urban district...
. This area corresponded to all of the Rainham
Rainham, London
Rainham is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan and is surrounded by a residential area, which has grown from the historic village,...
and Wennington
Wennington, London
Wennington is a small village in the London Borough of Havering on the outskirts of east London. It is situated 14.8 miles east of Charing Cross....
parishes and the greater part of Upminster
Upminster
Upminster is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential...
, Cranham
Cranham
Cranham is a residential suburb in northeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Havering. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross and comprises an extensive built-up area to the north and a low density conservation area surrounded by open land to the south. It was historically...
, Great Warley
Great Warley
Great Warley is a village in the Brentwood borough of Essex, England. It is situated to the far south west of the county and near to the Greater London boundary and the M25 motorway.Consecrated in 1904, the Grade I listed parish church, St...
and North Ockendon
North Ockendon
North Ockendon is an outlying settlement of northeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Havering. It is located east northeast of Charing Cross and consists of a dispersed settlement within the Metropolitan Green Belt...
. Cranham was enlarged by the abolition of North Ockendon as a separate parish. The council operated Queen's Theatre
Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch
The Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch is a 500-seat theatre located in Hornchurch in the London Borough of Havering, east London.The theatre opened in its current purpose-built site on Billet Lane, Hornchurch in 1975....
and constructed Hornchurch Stadium
Hornchurch Stadium
Hornchurch Stadium is located on Bridge Avenue in Upminster in the London Borough of Havering, east London, England.It was opened in 1956 by Hornchurch Urban District Council and is home to A.F.C...
in Upminster. There was a rapid expansion of the population because new industries were developing in Outer London
Outer London
Outer London is the name for the group of London Boroughs that form a ring around Inner London.These were areas that were not part of the County of London and became formally part of Greater London in 1965...
during the 1930s, such as the nearby Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
plant at Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
and Londoners were moving to the new suburban estates of houses that were built around them. The Barking–Upminster railway line through the district was electrified
Suburban electrification of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway was involved in the development of railway electrification of Britain. Like the LNER and the SR the LMS took over several schemes that had been developed by its constituent companies and also completed some of its own. All were suburban lines, in London,...
in the 1930s and new stations were opened at Elm Park
Elm Park tube station
Elm Park Station is a London Underground station on the District Line, located in Elm Park in the London Borough of Havering.The station is in Zone 6...
and Upminster Bridge
Upminster Bridge tube station
Upminster Bridge tube station is a London Underground station on Upminster Road in the Upminster Bridge neighbourhood of the London Borough of Havering in northeast London, England. The station is on the District line and is the penultimate station on the eastern extremity of that line...
, in addition to the earlier stations at Hornchurch and Upminster. The urban district council unsuccessfully petitioned for incorporation as a municipal borough on 20 May 1955.
Population table
| Year | 1931 | 1939 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,417 | 81,486 | 104,092 | 131,014 |
Abolition
The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater LondonRoyal Commission on Local Government in Greater London
The Royal Commission on Local Government in Greater London, also known as the Herbert Commission, was established in 1957 and published its report in 1960...
considered the district for inclusion in Greater London and in 1965 Hornchurch Urban District was abolished by the London Government Act 1963
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
. Its former area was transferred to Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
from Essex and was combined with that of the Municipal Borough of Romford
Municipal Borough of Romford
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...
to form the present-day London Borough of Havering
London Borough of Havering
The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...
. In 1993 some of the eastern sections of the former urban district around Great Warley were transferred back to Essex.