57-801: Fairlop is a suburban area of Ilford , in the London Borough of Redbridge in East London . Historically in Essex, it was part of the Municipal Borough of Ilford until 1965, when the Borough, including Fairlop, became part of Greater London . It lies close to areas such as Loughton, Chigwell, Barkingside and Woodford. As well as its residential areas, the district includes farmland, woodland and recreational facilities such as Fairlop Waters and Redbridge Sports Centre. The area, which has
114-522: A tube station , is located 11 miles north-east of Charing Cross. The area takes its name from the Fairlop Oak, a large tree, which once stood in the area, which was then part of Hainault Forest . The area was historically famous for the Fairlop Fair, a long-standing East End institution. The festival which would grow to last for a full week per year, drew crowds of up to 300,000, mainly from
171-473: A 16th-century 'beacon-mound'. Archaeological discoveries are displayed at Redbridge Museum. Ilford straddled the important road from London to Colchester . The Middlesex and Essex Turnpike Trust controlled and maintained the road from 1721. The River Roding was made navigable for barges as far as Ilford Bridge from 1737. Ilford remained largely rural until its expansion in the 19th century. This brought about brickworks, cement works and coal yards to service
228-1016: A century. At the other end of the High Street is the Chequers pub. For over 70 years Barkingside was the home to the famous Rossi Bros Italian Ice Cream Parlour. Three non-league football clubs Redbridge FC , Newbury Forest F.C and London Seaward FC play at the Oakside Stadium, adjacent to Barkingside tube station. Barkingside Recreational Ground in Mossford Green is one of the area's most popular open spaces. Popular footballer Trevor Brooking who played for West Ham United and England attended Ilford County High School . Successful British Racing driver Scott Malvern grew up in Barkingside and attended Fairlop Primary School and then Caterham High School . Caterham High School
285-497: A large town in east London , England, 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Charing Cross . Part of the London Borough of Redbridge , Ilford is within the ceremonial county of Greater London . It had a population of 168,168 in 2011, compared to 303,858 for the entire borough. Identified as a metropolitan centre in the London Plan , Ilford's commercial and retail centre is surrounded by extensive residential development. The town
342-425: A local headteacher and the football referee thought to have introduced red and yellow cards. His name was chosen from a shortlist by residents. The square is bordered on one side by a long arched colonnade designed in the style of the library building and providing a covered, lit space. A small turfed space at the High Street end of Virginia Gardens known as the pocket park was also completed in 2014, partly funded by
399-497: A meal of beans and bacon was served. This may be the origin of the English words bean-feast and beano. Soon other employers began to take their employees to Fairlop on the same Friday, and the event so grew rapidly in size with entertainments laid on and soon the fair gained a life of its own with very large numbers attending what had become a huge social event. The fair always started on the first Friday of July, but what started as
456-646: A new loop line that formed part of the Great Eastern Railway . In 1948 the line was taken over by the London Underground as part of the eastward extension of the Central line and the station became Fairlop Underground station . Forest Road, the area's main road, did not have a bus service until route 462 was extended from Hainault to Fairlop in June 2016. Ilford Ilford is
513-419: A one day event became a week long festival. By the middle of the eighteenth century, the annual excursion to Fairlop had become one of London's most popular entertainments, with a hundred thousand people being drawn through Ilford to the fair in the forest. Later it would attract still larger crowds reaching 2-300,000 people. In 1851, there was an Act of Parliament permitting the enclosure of Hainault Forest,
570-526: A parish would serve one or more manors. As with other manors, the area held by the declined over time, but the parish boundaries based on its former extent remained constant. The Parish of Barking, in the Becontree hundred of Essex , covered the areas now known as Barking and Ilford. Barking was a large ancient parish of 12,307 acres (49.80 km ) in the Becontree hundred of Essex. It was divided into
627-515: A road junction and or a preaching location. Late 19th century Ordnance Survey maps show the location with the alternative name Fullwell Hatch . It must not be confused with the district of Fulwell in south-west London. Barkingside has two secondary schools: Ilford County High School and King Solomon High School . Primary schools in the area include Clore Tikva Primary School, Fullwood Primary School, Mossford Green Primary School, Wohl Ilford Jewish Primary School and Avanti Court Primary School. At
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#1732790184638684-679: A variety of languages, including Bengali , Gujarati , Hindi , Punjabi , Tamil , Telugu and Urdu . According to the 2001 census, the parliamentary constituencies of Ilford North and Ilford South consisted of the following demographs: At the 2011 census, the Clementswood ward's population with a BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) background was 84.2%, one of the highest in Greater London. Most of Ilford's other wards have figures above 70%. The lowest BAME ward in Ilford
741-412: A wide area including Ilford. In 1888, Ilford and the neighbouring ward of Chadwell to its east were split from Barking and together formed a separate Ilford civil parish and also a new Urban District Council. In 1890, a local board of health was set up for the parish, replacing the rural sanitary authority, and in 1894 a reform of local government reconstituted it as an urban district. It formed part of
798-553: Is a primary route destination in east London, and main roads link the town to key destinations throughout the capital and the East of England . The A118 runs east-west through Ilford, linking the town with Stratford and the A11 westbound, and Romford eastbound. The A123 runs north-south through the town, with direct connections to Gants Hill and Chigwell northbound, and Barking southbound. The A406 North Circular Road links
855-505: Is notable for its concentration of east London's Jewish population. The area's name is believed to be due to its location on the Barking side of Hainault Forest , just inside the boundary of the Manor and Parish of Barking (of which Great Ilford was a major sub-division) which ran through the forest. Chapman and Andre's 1777 map of Essex shows Barking Side as a linear common on
912-540: Is on the transport corridor between London and coastal Essex, with both the A12 and the central railway station linking the regions. In recent years, as a result of increased levels of immigration, Ilford has become one of the most multicultural towns in England. Historically a small rural settlement in the ancient parish of Barking in the Becontree hundred of the historic county of Essex , its strategic position on
969-446: Is said to have had a trunk sixty-six feet in circumference, from which seventeen branches issued, most of them measuring not less than twelve feet in girth. A legend has it that Queen Anne (reigned 1702-1714) visited Hainault Forest and was greatly impressed by the oak. One of the songs sung at the fair (which started in 1725) was called "Come, come, my boys", in which one verse states: To Hainault Forest Queen Anne did ride, And saw
1026-598: The 2001 Census the combined populations of the Ilford North and Ilford South constituencies was 196,414. John Logie Baird , who invented the television , moved to Ilford in the mid to late 1920s to work on his new invention. He worked in a workshop on the roof of the Plessey premises in Ley Street, which has long since been demolished to make way for new housing. In 1922, Ilford became notorious for being
1083-784: The 2015 general election . The MP for Ilford South from 2024 is Jas Athwal of the Labour Party. Redbridge forms part of the Havering and Redbridge London Assembly constituency . The only complete skull of a mammoth discovered in the United Kingdom was unearthed in 1864 close to where Uphall Road is today. The skull can now be seen in the Natural History Museum and a cast of the skull and other prehistoric animal remains can be seen at Redbridge Museum, Central Library, Ilford. Redevelopment has destroyed much of
1140-623: The Blackwall Tunnel and onto the A2 for Dartford and destinations in Kent . Barkingside Barkingside is an area in Ilford , in the London Borough of Redbridge . It includes the major road junction of Fullwell Cross which also gives its name to the locality near that roundabout. The area is situated 10.6 miles (17km) north east of Charing Cross . Prior to 1965, it formed part of
1197-788: The Hainault loop branch of the Central line, with direct connections to Stratford, the City , the West End and West London. London Buses link Ilford to other districts in east and central London . Routes include 25 , 86, 123, 128, 145, 147, 150, 167, 169, 179, 296, 364, 366, 396, 425, 462, SL2 and W19. Night buses N25 and N86 additionally serve the town overnight. East London Transit route EL1 begins in Ilford; it links up with routes EL2 and EL3 at Barking , with onward connections to Chadwell Heath , Becontree and Dagenham . Ilford
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#17327901846381254-599: The London Traffic Area from 1924 and the London Passenger Transport Area from 1933. It was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Ilford in 1926. The suburban expansion of London caused a significant increase in population and the borough became one of the largest in England not to gain county borough status. In 1965, the municipal borough was abolished and its former area was combined with that of Wanstead and Woodford ,
1311-811: The Olympic Park in Stratford meant that in 2011, Ilford was the fastest-growing tourist destination in Europe due to the London 2012 Summer Olympics . In 2005, Ilford was ranked sixth in the Retail Footprint ranking for Greater London, behind London's West End , Croydon , Kingston upon Thames , Bromley and Brent Cross Shopping Centre . It ranked just above Romford and central London's Kensington . As of 2020, Ilford has 145,860 square metres (1,570,000 sq ft) of total town centre floorspace,
1368-548: The River Roding and the London to Colchester road made it a coaching town. The arrival of the railway in 1839 accelerated its growth, leading to the area becoming part of the conurbation with London . It split from the parish of Barking in 1888, and, in the 20th century, Ilford significantly expanded and increased in population, becoming a municipal borough in 1926. In 1965, it merged with Wanstead and Woodford , also incorporating parts of neighbouring districts, to form
1425-520: The 1950s, which also served as the headquarters of the Balfour (Marine) Engineering company. The Exchange is the main shopping centre. By 1653, Ilford was a compact village of 50 houses, mostly sited north and south of the current Broadway and the area was distinctly rural. In 1801 the population of Ilford was 1,724 and by 1841 it had grown to 3,742. It had a population of 41,244 in 1901 and occupied an area of 8,496 acres (34 km ). 2,500 houses of
1482-629: The 2011 census (but altered to match new ward boundaries in 2015). The male life expectancy was 76.4 years in Loxford, and 84.5 years in Barkingside. The female expectancy was highest in Barkingside, 87.5 years, and lowest in Loxford, 81.7 years. Ilford station is in London Travelcard Zone 4 . Ilford railway station is on the Great Eastern Main Line . It is served by Elizabeth line trains which also call at
1539-577: The Domesday reference is to the Little Ilford area. Great and Little Ilford appear to have always been distinct areas separated by the Roding. The place names of Great and Little Ilford both appear to derive from the ford (and river), rather than deriving from the subdivision of a larger Ilford area. Barking was a huge Manor (landholding), first mentioned in a charter in 735 AD. The Manor covered
1596-574: The East End of London. The district took its name from a famous old oak tree, the Fairlop Oak, that stood in Hainault Forest ; most of the forest was destroyed in the mid-nineteenth century. Similarly, the Romany name for the district Boro-rukenesky gav means 'Great Tree Town'. The first certain known use of the name is recorded in 1738 as Fair Lop Tree . This disproves the tradition that
1653-629: The GLA Pocket Parks Programme. Its informal landscaping references Frederick Gibberd 's garden and consists of trees, mixed shrubs and a Christmas tree. Both square and park are outcomes of the Better Barkingside regeneration project. Barkingside has two public houses. The New Fairlop Oak pub is located on the Fullwell Cross roundabout, named after a giant tree under which an annual fair took place for over
1710-579: The London Borough of Redbridge, part of Greater London. Ilford was historically known as Great Ilford to differentiate it from nearby Little Ilford . The name is first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Ilefort and means " ford over the Hyle". "Hyle" is an old Celtic name for the River Roding that means "trickling stream". Great and Little Ilford share the place name origin, but
1767-580: The North (it is the Northernmost area of Ilford). Historically, it didn't form any subdivision of its own, but it was the northernmost settlement of the large parish of Ilford, in the Becontree hundred of Essex. According to the 2011 census in Fairlop ward, the population was 78% white (67% British, 9% Other, 2% Irish). 12% is Other-Asian and 9% Other. In 1903 a railway station at Fairlop was opened on
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1824-461: The Thames downstream from Wapping, and then up the River Roding to Ilford. At Ilford the boat would be taken out of the water, wheels attached, and the boat would then be drawn by six horses and follow a marching band to the fair in the forest. The Fairlop Fair Song is a folk ballad which refers to the presence of the frigates at the fair: Let music sound as the boat goes round, If we tumble on
1881-547: The areas now known as Barking , Dagenham and Ilford. The Manor was held by the Nunnery of Barking Abbey . By the late 1100s (the Parishes of England were, with a few exceptions, fixed for around 700 years from the late 12th century onwards) the huge Manor of Barking was served by two Ancient Parishes , Barking (including Ilford) and Dagenham. This reversed the usual situation (for smaller, and even quite large Manors) where
1938-486: The boat house by the lake at Fairlop Waters. In nearby Fullwell Cross is a pub called the New Fairlop Oak. The tree's great fame meant its timber was much sought after. A large reading desk and pulpit (once taller) can be found at St Pancras New Church , central London, which was built in 1820. Closer to home, the sounding board at Wanstead church is said to be made from the oak, and some smaller items made from
1995-554: The borough of Ilford in the historic county of Essex. Barkingside is chiefly known for the children's charity Barnardo's , which was founded there in 1866, and still has its headquarters there. Some of the oldest buildings in Barkingside include the Barnardo's chapel, the Edwardian railway station (In 1948 transferred from LNER to London Underground's Central Line ), and Holy Trinity Church, which dates from 1840. Barkingside
2052-485: The evidence for early Ilford, but the oldest evidence for human occupation is the first- and second-century BC Iron Age earthwork known as Uphall Camp. This was situated between the Roding and Ilford Lane and is recorded in 18th-century plans. Roman finds have also been made in the vicinity. A nearby mound called Lavender Mount existed into the 1960s, when it was removed during building work at Howards chemical works. Excavation has shown that Lavender Mount may have been
2109-612: The ground, we'll be merry I'll be bound; We will booze it away, dull care we will defy, And be happy in the first Friday in July. A tradition of wheeled Fairlop Frigates would continue long after Day's death, to the last Fairlop Fair in 1900. The district is bordered by Barkingside , including its High Street shopping district to the South, and also borders Claybury Park, which used to be home to Claybury Hospital . Neighbouring areas include Barkingside , Aldborough Hatch , and Hainault to
2166-505: The large majority of which was quickly destroyed and turned into farmland. After the destruction of the forest, the fair continued on a smaller scale at Barkingside , with the last event of any size held in 1900. Daniel Day would always attend the fair, but became nervous of travelling by road following an accident. To avoid the roads as far as possible he had a boat built - nicknamed the Fairlop Frigate - on which he travelled on
2223-497: The largest manufacturers in its field. During World War II , the factory was heavily damaged by bombing and the company carried out much of its manufacture, with 2,000 workers servicing a production line, located in the underground railway tunnel between Wanstead and Gants Hill . In 1955 the company employed 15,000 workers, in sites throughout Ilford and neighbouring areas, with an extensive research department. BAL-AMi Jukeboxes were manufactured at 290–296 High Road, Ilford, during
2280-421: The name arose after the burial of Daniel Day at Barking Church (Ilford and with it Hainault Forest were part of the ancient parish of Barking at this time) in 1767. Day is believed to have been buried in a coffin made from a large bough that fell from the tree - so according to the story it was a 'fair lop (cut)' as the tree wasn't harmed. The oak, which stood in an open part of the forest known as Fairlop Plain,
2337-452: The nearby Seven Kings and Goodmayes stations. The station was the scene of two fatal rail crashes in 1915 and 1944 . A traction maintenance depot for electric multiple units is situated in Ilford, which maintains many Greater Anglia and London Overground trains. London Underground's Central line is to the north of Ilford, with Redbridge , Gants Hill , Newbury Park , Barkingside and Fairlop nearby. The stations are on
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2394-426: The nearest weather station at Greenwich , around 6 miles (9.7 km) south south west of the railway station: The entire town of Ilford is also made up of its neighbourhoods Aldborough Hatch , Barkingside , Clayhall , Cranbrook , Fairlop , Fullwell Cross , Loxford , Gants Hill , Goodmayes , Newbury Park , Redbridge , Hainault , Little Heath and Seven Kings . It approximates to 11 electoral wards , and
2451-539: The new buildings, largely centred on the River Roding. In 1839, a railway station was opened on the line from Romford to Mile End . The early businesses gave way to new industries, such as paper making and services such as steam laundries and collar making, to provide for the new commuting class created by the railway. A number of major businesses have been founded in the town, including the eponymous photographic film and chemicals manufacturer Ilford Photo . This
2508-399: The northern end of the High Street is Fullwell Cross roundabout, which gives its name to the adjacent leisure centre and distinctive circular Grade II listed library building (both designed by the architect Frederick Gibberd ) as well as the Fullwell Cross locality. Ken Aston Square, located between the leisure centre and library, was officially opened on 27 September 2014. Ken Aston had been
2565-541: The northern extremity of Dagenham and a small part Chigwell Urban District (around Hainault), to form the new London Borough of Redbridge . Two the UK Parliamentary constituencies are named after Ilford: Ilford North and Ilford South .The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ilford North is Wes Streeting of the Labour Party, who succeeded the previous MP Lee Scott of the Conservative Party in
2622-460: The old oak standing by her side, And as she looked at it from bottom to top, She said to her Court, it should be at Fairlop. In the late 18th century, a society of archers - The Hainault Foresters - under the patronage of the Earl Tylney of Wanstead House met under the Fairlop Oak. In June 1805, the oak tree caught fire, and by 1820 it was finally blown down. Its site is marked roughly at
2679-590: The site of the Thompson-Bywaters case , a cause celebre in the United Kingdom that later influenced the debate around capital punishment in the UK . Ilford was also the birthplace of the actor Maggie Smith who left for Oxford at the age of four. During World War II an Ilford man lost his life when his Royal Air Force training aircraft crashed in the United States. Local residents living near
2736-652: The site, in the State of Oklahoma , erected a monument in 2000 honouring the lives of all four RAF fliers who perished. The event was attended by the Mayor of Redbridge and his mace-bearer, to much local acclaim. The residents, who include Choctaw Indians and the Choctaw Nation government, continue honouring the lives of all four on each anniversary of the crashes, which took place in February 1943. Its proximity to
2793-481: The tenth highest in Greater London and noticeably lower compared to Stratford and Romford. The town is bounded in the west by the North Circular Road , Manor Park and the River Roding , with Chadwell Heath and Romford to the east and Barking to the South. The Alders Brook is a tributary of the Roding that marks the boundary between Newham and Redbridge. Climate data for Ilford is taken from
2850-423: The total population counted 168,168 people in the 2011 census, compared to 303,858 for the borough of Redbridge as a whole. Ilford has a very large ethnic-minority population, one of the most diverse towns in the country. Ilford North had the fourth-highest Jewish proportion of residents in the 2001 census. The Hindu, Muslim and Sikh population number some 30,000. The large South Asian community in Ilford speak
2907-656: The town directly with north and west London destinations, such as Wood Green and Brent Cross . It carries traffic northbound to the M11 for Stansted Airport and Cambridge . Southbound, the route runs to Beckton , the Woolwich Ferry , and the A13 for Isle of Dogs , Dagenham and Tilbury . North of Ilford, the A12 links the town directly to the M25 , Chelmsford and Ipswich . Southbound traffic runs past Stratford, through
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#17327901846382964-485: The tree are found in the Redbridge Museum. The fair was started in July 1725, by Daniel Day (1683-1767), an eccentric and philanthropic pump and block maker (marine engineer) from Wapping . Day had some cottages near Fairlop and collected the rent on the first Friday of July. He wished to make the day a pleasant one for his tenants, friends and employees at Wapping so organised a trip to the Fairlop Oak, where
3021-615: The vast Becontree Estate , built by the London County Council from 1921, were within the boundaries of Ilford; the addition caused a rise in population of 11,600 by 1926. The Central line service of the London Underground to new and former main-line stations in the area began in 1947 and the population of the Municipal Borough of Ilford peaked in 1951 at 184,706, declining to 178,024 in 1961 before being absorbed into Redbridge and Greater London in 1965. At
3078-626: The wards of Chadwell, Great Ilford, Ripple and Town. The Barking parish authorities gradually lost responsibility for a variety of functions during the 19th century; from 1836, for the administration of poor relief, Ilford came within the Romford Poor Law Union and in 1840 the Metropolitan Police District was extended to cover the area. In 1875, the Romford rural sanitary district was created, covering
3135-417: The western edge of Hainault Forest. The map showed a number of dwellings on the western side of the common, which had a road (the northern part of which survives as Tomswood Hill) running through it. The Fullwell Cross junction - now a roundabout - at the northern end of the Barkingside High Street is named after Adam Fulwell who leased a farm in the area from Barking Abbey . The element Cross may indicate
3192-437: Was Fairlop, 34.9%. House prices in Ilford are generally far lower than the average for Greater London. The median house price in 2014 in Ilford's Loxford ward was £193,000, which was the sixth lowest out of the 628 wards of Greater London. In most wards, a majority of houses are owned by the households. The exceptions are in Clementswood, Loxford, and Valentines. The table below shows housing type data for Ilford's wards at
3249-565: Was founded in 1879 by Alfred H. Harman, a photographer from Peckham , who established the business in a house in Cranbrook Road making gelatino-bromide 'dry' plates. The business soon outgrew these premises, and its headquarters moved to a site at Roden Street until 1976 when the factory was closed. Many Ilford Limited products are displayed at Redbridge Museum. The radio, electronics and telecommunications company Plessey , founded in 1917 in Marylebone , moved to Cottenham Road in Ilford early in 1919 and then to Vicarage Lane where it became one of
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