Picture Romford’s wide ford a bustling market town since 1247. Romford’s history stretches back to 1177. Its name Romfort derives from Old English meaning the wide or spacious ford. The River Rom itself a back-formation from the town’s name is also known as the Beam. The original town was south in an area called Oldchurch. Frequent flooding prompted a move north to its present location. The 1410 Chapel of St Edward the first building on this new site was later replaced by the 1850 Parish Church of St Edward the Confessor.
Romford’s early economy was agricultural. Mills ground corn. The leather industry thrived from the 15th to the 19th centuries. Other industries included cloth making weaving charcoal burning metalworking and brewing. Good road links to London were crucial. The opening of the railway station in 1839 further boosted its development. This spurred the growth of the Star Brewery. Initially the Eastern Counties Railway ran between Mile End and Romford. Extensions to Brentwood and Shoreditch followed in 1840. A second station opened on South Street in 1892. This provided a rail link to Tilbury Docks. Both stations combined in 1934.
Light industry expanded peaking in the 1970s. Factories included Roneo Vickers Colvern May’s Sheet Metal Works and Betterware. Suburban growth increased the population. Romford’s status as a significant regional center strengthened. The Liberty Shopping Centre built in the 1960s has been modernized. Other shopping centers like The Mall and The Brewery followed. The Brewery replaced the old Star Brewery.
Romford’s local government evolved. It started as a chapelry in Hornchurch. It gained special status in 1465. The liberty of Havering was created. Romford became a separate parish in 1849. The liberty was abolished in 1892. Romford became a municipal borough in 1937. It merged with Hornchurch in 1965 forming part of the London Borough of Havering within Greater London.
Romford’s expansion continued. 200 cottages were built in the 1840s in an area formerly occupied by army barracks. This was called New Romford. New housing replaced these cottages in 1961. The name Waterloo Road Estate was given to this area. Middle-class housing appeared south of the railway. By 1861 the population reached 3790. The Romford Garden Suburb was built between 1910 and 1911. Collier Row and Harold Hill saw extensive development.
Romford’s infrastructure developed too. The County of London Electricity Supply Company secured the right to supply electricity in 1913. Gas supply began in 1825. The Romford exchange had 240 telephone subscribers in 1916. The water supply initially came from the Havering Well. The South Essex Waterworks Company installed mains in 1863. Sewage works were built in 1862 and 1869.
Romford Cemetery opened in 1871. It’s partially enclosed by 19th-century railings. It contains war graves of Commonwealth service personnel from the First and Second World Wars. Romford is a major metropolitan centre with a thriving night-time economy. It has cinemas theatres pubs clubs and restaurants. Its town centre is largely pedestrianised. It has excellent transport links including a railway station and a good bus service. The A12 and A118 roads pass nearby. Romford’s cultural scene includes the Brookside Theatre and Romford Greyhound Stadium. Romford is a town with a rich history and a vibrant present.