Postcard Publisher: Valentine's. Year: 1936.

Ironmongers S.W. Adams has a shop sandwiched between Lloyd Bank and Midland Bank. The National Provincial Bank stands on the corner opposite. Before Romford built a ring-road traffic travelled through the marketplace. There is a set of traffic lights bottom centre of the picture. The spire belongs to St. Edwards Church.

Postcard Publisher: Valentine's. Year: 1936.

The white building with the triangular top is "Romford Shopping Hall". Further along on the right is 'The Pig and Pound' selling Walker's prize beers, a pub especially popular with the cattlemen. H. Abbot from Stowupland owns one of the lorries and according to a sign Hilliards are holding a pig auction.

Postcard Publisher: Valentine's. Year: 1936.

Postcard details: The King's Head public house (right) is selling Charrington's Ales. Tobacconist A. Morris has 'To Let' placed over the shop. Further along on the same side is Copsey's, known for its quality furniture. The lorry owned by carriers City & Suburban is advertising "New Zealand Butter and Cheese"; this was a time when Britain traded a lot with Commonwealth countries. The distant white building is Laurie Cinema.

Postcard Publisher: Valentine & Sons Ltd., Dundee & London. Year: 1955.

Memories of David Hale:

"Despite the cattle market closing in the 1950s, I remember livestock being sold there and a bull escaping and charging around before eventual capture. It was big local news. I remember ogling over trays of tiny yellow chicks being sold. For some reason I recall they were half a crown each, 8 for a pound. I wanted one, but the cost was way out of my reach. Used to love seeing the animals up close, loved the smell. There was no A127 back in my school days and only short bits of the A12, if I recall correctly. All traffic went through every town. Ilford, Romford, Brentwood, Colchester etc. It was a nightmare journey just to get to Clacton. The main road went straight through the centre of the market. Only remembered this having seen the old pics of Romford. Wish I could remember more, so many roads added and towns bypassed. Romford Market was a big draw in those times for lots of people from the surrounding area. I recall my Grandad used to call it Rumford Market and in fact it was spelt this way above the entrance to the undercover food hall off the market square. We moved to Seven Kings when I was aged five in 1952, so it's possible I was taken to the market from 1952 onwards as a school kid."

Postcard Publisher: Valentine's. Not posted. Year: 1955.

Memories of Raymond Brown: 

"In Romford Market, when they used to have the cattle market years ago, there was a man who had a little marmoset monkey and it used to sit on people's shoulders. The man used to take your photo and made money like that. It was a well-behaved monkey and it had a little jacket on, a little waistcoat and a hat. It looked quite cute."

Postcard Publisher: A. H. Burgess, 5 South Street, Romford.

Postcard details: The plaque underneath the statue reads "Laurie Town". Laurie Town was built east of the marketplace about 1850 as a tiny middle-class suburb by London sadler John Laurie. The Old County Court building known as Laurie Hall tried prisoners until a new building was built at the other end of the marketplace in 1858. There were stocks to punish cheats, thieves and wrong-doers. This was near where witches, nagging wives (scolds) and harlots, were once fastened to a ducking chair and lowered into Loam Pond. If the offender survived this ordeal it proved their guilt and they were usually condemned to death. However, if they drowned while being ducked it proved their innocence. When no longer used as a Courthouse, the hall became a place of entertainment. It is alleged that author Charles Dickens performed there while on one of his tours, impersonating characters from his novels to thrill audiences. Later the hall became a cinema.

Postcard Publisher: H.W. Rawlings, 12 South Street, Romford.

Traders were required to pay a levy to use the market. Trustees operating under leases collected the money and made payments to the Crown which owned the market until 1828. By the 1880s concerns were raised about the market falling into decline and it fell under threat of closure. The Urban District Council stepped in to take control in 1892  ensuring its survival.

Postcard Publisher: A. H. Burgess, 5 South Street, Romford.