Hainault Forest Website

Written, Designed and with Photographs by © Brian Ecott

Postcards from the Forest

Greetings from Ilford. 

1907 Unposted. No publisher given

Ilford Broadway 1907;

A bit of old Ilford;

The Castle, Ilford;

High Road Ilford;

Promenade and Clock Tower, Ilford.

Clock Tower and path, Central Park, Ilford.

No publisher.

Posted Ilford August 11 1910

Edw.VII

½d green

Clock Tower

Broadway, Ilford

Published by

Croucher and Howard, Ilford

Printed in Saxony

Undated.

Ilford Broadway 1880

Phototyped in Berlin

Published by Croucher and Howard, Ilford.

Undated  but pre-war 1914..

The Broadway, Ilford 15932

Pelham Series, published by Boots the Chemists

Undated and unused.

In the background left is the "White horse" pub

and on the right is  the "Black horse" pub.

Broadway, Ilford

Undated and Unused.

Published by J. W. King, Ilford

Ilford Broadway (The White Horse)

Publisher J.B., I. series

Posted Ilford Jan 22 1906

Tram outside "The White Horse"

August 1932

The Broadway, Ilford

Covered Ilford Corporation Tram by Ilford Station. The White Horse Pub is on the right, and the Super Cinema with its colonnade roof, now occupied by Wilkinson's store.

Undated postcard.

Many Happy Returns from

37650 Little Ilford Parish Church

Dated Sept. 16th 1907

Edward VII Halfpenny Light Green stamp

Publisher: Bells' Photo Co. Ltd., Leigh-on-sea, Essex.

ILFORD'S Hippodrome opened on November 8, 1909, built to a design prepared by Frank Matcham.

It cost £35,000 to build and seated 2,500 people. At the time it was described as "the most beautiful building in town."

The front was terra-cotta to a familiar Matcham formula, and the entrance stood at the corner of Ilford Lane and Ilford High Road crowned with a decorative eastern-style minaret. The interior was: "A dream of green and white and gold, with a ceiling that recalls the panelled splendours of the Palace of Versailles."

Artistes appearing at the Hippodrome included Max Miller, Richard Tauber, Wee Georgie Wood, Flanagan and Allen, Gracie Fields, and local girl Vera Lynn.

On January 12, 1945 Rene Houston and Donald Stewart were appearing in panto in Robinson Crusoe when a V2 rocket hit the cottages behind the theatre. One person was killed and more than 90 hurt as the theatre's back wall caved in - burying stage hands and chorus girls in the rubble.

The theatre manager appealed for calm and then the orchestra struck up again - earning a round of applause from the audience as they filed out.

 xxxxxxxxxxxxxTwo days later the roof and the upper circle collapsed. The xxxxxxxxxxxxxxgutted building shell was finally demolished in 1957.

Mills Brothers

African-American jazz and pop vocal quartet. 1934 were at the Royal Variety show with King George V and Queen Mary.

(Din-ah, Lazy River, Goodbye blues, Lulu's back in town, Tiger rag, Jeepers Creepers, Ain't misbehavin', Paper doll).

Billy O'Connor

Elder brother of Donald O'Connor (Singing in the Rain etc.) a vaudeville and circus family. Parents Chuck and Effie. Billy died suddenly of Scarlet Fever in 1939

Jenny Howard and Percy King

A husband and wife act.

Flack and Lucas

Dance team, tap dancers.

Mahoney Brothers

Will and step brother Frank a worldwide vaudeville act.

Murray and Mooney

Cross talking comedians. In Royal Variety show 1934.

Above: Another picture of a Barkingside tram outside the Hippodrome, Ilford

Left:  A tram to Horns (Horns Tavern, Horns Road, Newbury Park) recently turned into

a Co-op supermarket. The tram is parked outside Dunn & Co. Gentleman's outfitter.

Cranbrook Road, Ilford

Valentine series JV 71139

Unused and undated

Thought to be c1905

Cranbrook Road, Ilford

Bus 26a to Victoria

Published by W. Hornby, P.O. 7 Cranbrook Road.

Undated, unposted.

Cranbrook Road, Ilford

towards the Wash.

Published by Boots the Chemist

"Pelham" Series, Local views No. 15913

Undated

The Drive, Cranbrook Park, Ilford

published by Patmore Bros., Ilford.8792

Posted Ilford Dec.31 1903.

Edward VII Halfpenny Turquoise stamp

The Wash, Cranbrook Road, Ilford.

Bus 145 to Becontree

Published by W. Hornby, P.O. 7 Cranbrook Road.

Posted Ilford 30th August 1951

George VI 2d brown

The Wash, Cranbrook Road,  Ilford. 1906.

Frederick Rees delivers milk in churns for

W. Harris, Dairy, Albert Road, Ilford

A. B. Mansfield & Sons Dairy

Established 1878

39 Ilford Lane.

  Could be a brother of Frederick possibly Charlie Rees.

Undated.

The Moat, Valentines Park

Unposted.

No publisher given

12-8-1924 hand written on back

The Old Cranbrook Castle, Ilford.

Posted Alençon, Orne, Normandy

?1913 George V 1d red

Published by W. Hornby, P.O. 7 Cranbrook Road.

High Street and Town Hall, Ilford.

Undated.

Raphael Tuck & Sons "Oilette" Postcard, No.7131

the following is printed on the back:

"High Street and Town Hall. The Town Hall and Public Offices of Ilford make a handsome show in the High Street. They are fine buildings, designed by Mr. B. Woolard, in the Free Classic Style, with a frontage of the High Street of 115 feet. The foundation stone was laid in March 1900 and the building was opened in 1901."

 The Town Hall, Ilford (left)

Unused and Undated. Published by Boots Cash Chemists "Pelham" Series. Printed in Saxony

691 Trolleybus

to Barking Broadway

on Hainault Street aka Havelock Bridge

Unknown date.

High Road, Ilford, looking East.

Published by John Bodger, Ilford. a386/356

Posted Ilford, February 7th 1906

Edward VII Light green ½d stamp

A steamroller is repairing the road.

High Street, Ilford

Publisher JV 71135

Posted Ilford 29th August 1915

George V Light green ½d stamp

John Bodger is advertising on the tram.

S. Whites Electric Shop - Fitting works.

Photo: Clark and Mann, Duke St. Strand

Posted Ilford 4.30pm November 17th 1909

I wonder whether Mr White's card arrived in time for Mr Gee to turn up for work the next morning. Several collections and deliveries a day in those days!

The Hospital Chapel Ilford. 7.

(Ilford's oldest building)

No publisher stated

No postmark

George V Light green ½d