Romford Poor Law Union, Essex Genealogy

History
Romford (or "Rumford") is mentioned in a report from 1724 of a parish workhouse. Other workhouses mentioned include Barking ( Bury-king) and Hornchurch. A parish workhouse operated at Upminster in a building on St Mary's Lane dating from around 1751. A parliamentary report of 1777 recorded parish workhouses in operation at Barking (for up to 70), Dagenham (30), and Upminster (20). Romford Poor Law Union formally came into being on 31st May, 1836. The new Romford Union workhouse was built in 1838-39 on a 5 acre site on Oldchurch Road to the south-west of the town. The site, then open farmland, was bought from a Mr Philpot at £160 per acre. The workhouse with a capacity of 450 was designed by Francis Edwards, the only example of his work. In the 1940’s the buildings were to form part of Oldfield Hospital until demolition in 2000. The Romford Guardians decided to adopt the scattered homes system for its pauper children in 1905. Two large semi-detached houses were purchased for use as a receiving and probationary home. Initially, thirty children were housed there under the care of a foster mother and one assistant. On 24th September, 1907, Gertrude Smedley was appointed foster mother of the "cottage homes" at 3, Adelaide Villas, Mawneys, Romford — aged only 19 years she was the youngest ever foster mother employed by the union. By 1914, there were children's Homes at 5-8 Laurie Square, and 1-2 the Croft, Heath Park Road. In 1914, there were scattered homes operating at Gilmore House, 36 Pelham Road, and Richmond House, 38 Pelham Road, Ilford. In 1929, there were homes at 26-28 Manor Road, 42-44 Brentwood Road, and on King Edward Road.

Constituent parishes
Barking,_EssexBarking, Essex Barkingside_Trinity,_EssexBarkingside Trinity, Essex Cranham,_EssexCranham, Essex Dagenham,_EssexDagenham, Essex Great_Ilford,_EssexGreat Ilford, Essex Great_Warley,_EssexGreat Warley, Essex Havering-atte-Bower,_EssexHavering-atte-Bower, Essex Hornchurch,_EssexHornchurch, Essex Rainham,_EssexRainham, Essex Romford,_EssexRomford, Essex Upminster,_EssexUpminster, Essex Wennington,_EssexWennington, Essex

Essex Record Office, Wharf Road Chelmsford CM2 6YT. Relatively few records survive. Holdings include: Guardians' minute books (1836-1930)