Postcard Publisher: H.W. Rawlings, 12 South Street. Postmark: 12th May 1907.
Sender's message: "Dear Ethel, Many thanks for your kind letter. I'm very sorry to hear what sad trouble you are having. I only hope to hear better news next time you write. I will write you a letter very soon. Hope to see you too before long now. Trusting you are well yourself. Give my kind love to all the family and accept the same yourself. From your sincere friend Kitty."
MARKET SLANG: "Hogget" = a sheep.
Postcard Publisher: Field's Essex Series. Postmark 03 July 1907.
Sender's message: "D G. Many thanks for pretty card. Glad to hear you are all well. What dreadful weather we are having. Hope you will like this about 5 miles from us. Love to all E F"
MARKET SLANG: "Mother-in-law" = a sow suckling lambs from another's litter.
Postcard Publisher unknown. Postmark: 28th August 1905.
Sender's message: "Dear Katie, Hope you received my last P.C. alright. I am sending this one to say how sorry I am in not coming as promised. This is through my old school breaking up altogether and my becoming bookkeeper in the biggest tearoom in London. Always with love, George."
MARKET SLANG: "Rusty" = a mean-tempered pig. "Runty" in 19th century Essex dialect = surly, cross and ill-tempered.
Postcard Publisher: Charles Martin, 39 Aldermanbury, London E.C.
Postmark illegible, possibly 1905.
Sender's message: "Dear Mrs B, Many thanks for your P.C. Glad to hear you are having such nice weather, and that you are feeling better for the change. We have had a nice drop of rain last night. With love to you all and my kind regards to Mr B, HT"
Postcard Publisher: Charles Martin, 39 Aldermanbury, London E.C.
Not posted, possibly 1905.
The Blucher's Head
'The Blucher's Head' sold ale from Ind Coope's Romford Brewery. It was named in honour of Field Marshal Gebhard von Blucher whose Prussian army helped defeat Napoleon. Blucher the once-celebrated hero fell out of favour when the Great War began. Due to anti-German feeling the pub changed its name to 'The Duke of Wellington' in 1915.
Tragedy
In August 1838, 30-year-old John Bunbrow, a young man of considerable property and a habitual drunkard got removed from the Blucher's Head and placed in the stable on clean straw, because he was in a state of brutal intoxication. The landlord checked on him several times and heard snoring so thought everything was fine. Later, his son went to awake Bundrow and found him dead. The coroner's verdict was that death had been caused from 'apoplexy from excessive drinking'. It was also noted that Bunbrow's conduct and that of his associates had of late years been disgraceful.
John Herbert, aged 57, a drover, was found hanging from a piece of string in a closet in the yard at the rear of the Blucher's Head Inn in 1893. Mrs. Herbert, the widow, said the decease had been despondant and had been suffering from head pains after falling down a flight of stairs, but he appeared to be more cheerful than he had been for some time when he left home. A verdict of "Suicide" while suffering from temporary insanity" was returned.
Theft
On September 30th 1869, John Chambers was remanded for stealing a coat worth 15 shillings belonging to William Dowsett of Warley. He offered to sell the coat to labourer, James Clark for 4 shillings while down the Blucher's Head yard and got arrested by P.C. Dennis during the conversation. Chambers pleaded guilty and was sentence by the bench to six weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.
In 1885, Ephraim Bateman and Alfred Roach, were charged with stealing 500 lbs. of coal, the property of Mr. James Heavens, landlord of the Blucher's Head. Working as carmen for a local coal merchant the two young labourers delivered the coal which later went missing. P.C. Alliston saw coal covered by a sack in a yard at Ardleigh Green and learned from resident Mrs. Clark that her husband had bought it from Bateman for 5 shillings. Bateman claimed "they had not sold any coal to anybody", while Roach remained quiet. The prisoners were remanded and fined £10 each.
Frederick Mantell
Frederick Louis Mantell, landlord of the Blucher's Head was summoned for assaulting a local newsagent. Charles Harvey stated that on the 26th August 1870, he was in the Mantell's yard when he got sworn at by Mantell who threatened to give him a - good horse-whipping. Harvey refused to strike Mantell or to "lay a finger on him" when goaded and in frustration Mantell struck him in the face. The defendant claimed he was provoked, but pleaded guilty to assault, being fined 5 shillings with 11 shillings costs.
The Essex Herald reported that on January 29th 1880 magistrates approved the licence of the Blucher's Head Inn being transferred from Frederick Louis Mantell to Robert Jennings. Mantell in turn took over the Star Inn.
Disputes
In 1871, at the Blucher's Head, a Romford saddler, Mr. Pardow, boasted having a contract with the French Government valued £1300 for supplying 200 saddles and harnesses. Doubts were expressed so Pardow suggested a wager of two sovereigns against two shillings, which William Ward accepted. Pardow produced a document, but Ward claimed it was a forgery because it didn't carry a stamp. He then took the paper along with the two sovereigns Pardow had wagered, which led to him appearing at Romford Petty Sessions for feloniously stealing the written contract belonging to Pardow. The bench, after hearing evidence from both sides, decided that the case was nothing more than a public house brawl, and ought never to have come before them. No felonious intention was proved, the document was ordered to be returned to Pardow and the case dismissed. Ward thanked the Bench and paid two sovereigns to the Magistrate's Clerk for the relief of the poor.
During 1905, Alfred Rich, a Market Place cattle dealer allowed his sheep to stray onto Blucher's Head property. Landlord Arthur Rich impounded the animals and demanded a fee for their return. The fee was paid under protest, but led to the landlord being sued for damages for illegal detention of the animals. After hearing from both sides, the magistrate gave judgement to the landlord with costs. Whether Alfred and Arthur Rich were related is unknown.
Quoits League
In 1904, club secretary, Robert Elms, presided over a meeting at the Blucher's Head to discuss forming a Romford and District Quoit League with representatives from Hainault, Hornchurch, Dagenham, Stratford Works, Woodford and Romford Brewery attending. Quoits is a pub game where a ring of iron, rope or rubber is thrown from distance to encircle or land as near as possible to an upright peg. Messrs. Ind, Coope and Co. promised £1 1s. towards a trophy. Elms envisaged there would be two trophies, one for the Club championship and one for an individual championship. This would be a totally amateur affair with no professionals allowed. After a successful meeting landlord Arthur Rich gave a subscription of 10s. 6d.
Demolished
The Duke of Wellington was demolished in 1967 to make way for Littlewoods.
Postcard Publisher: Charles Martin, 39 Aldermanbury, London E.C.
Postmarked: 1st August 1908
Sender's message: "8.00pm cannot keep."
Postcard Publisher: Charles Martin, 39 Aldermanbury, London E.C.
Not posted, possibly 1905.
Postcard Publisher: Charles Martin, 39 Aldermanbury, London E.C.
Postmarked: 4th October 1906.
Sender's message: "Dear Chris, we arrived home safely, glad we are still having fine weather & hope you will enjoy yourself and feel much for the change. With love Flo."
Postcard Publisher: Lion and Unicorn motif.
Postmarked: 30th Jan 1905.
Sender's message: "Dear Brother and Sister, Hope this will find you all fairly well. This changeable weather we have all had colds but better now. I thought I must tell you Mrs Cash is dead & burried (sic) today Sunday. It was a happy release after being such a strong woman. Love to dear Edie and yourselves, loving Sister."
Postcard Publisher unknown.
Postmarked: 25th August 1927. (Scene about 1910).
Sender's message: "Dear Ethel, Thank you very much for your letter. Shall be delighted to see you at Romford, whenever you can come I hope (all being well) later on. I will be able to nab another visit to Ashfield and see you all once again. I did so enjoy my visit all round. Congratulate Rose for me I was delighted to hear of her success. Dear old Dad seems a little better now. Mum has gone to her brother at Ipswich for a few days, he begged her to go for a change. So I am nurse, head cook and bottle washer all on my own. Give love to all at Ashfield. Kind regards to Percy. xxxx love Olive."