Romford floods

[Nemo]

I came across some pictures of flood damage in Romford in July 1888

The damage looks extensive

There is an obvious possibility that there was looting/salvage/repair work etc going on at Romford well into August and September and probably October

I was wondering if it was a good reason for Hutchinson to be travelling to Romford

By November the work /salvage may have been near enough finished so there was no money to be made

I understand there was a market at Romford though and I have a very vague recollection of a reference to Hutchinson being a hawker - not sure if I mixed that up with the Eddowes history

[Bob Hinton]

I came across some pictures of flood damage in Romford in July 1888

The damage looks extensive

There is an obvious possibility that there was looting/salvage/repair work etc going on at Romford well into August and September and probably October

I was wondering if it was a good reason for Hutchinson to be travelling to Romford

By November the work /salvage may have been near enough finished so there was no money to be made

I understand there was a market at Romford though and I have a very vague recollection of a reference to Hutchinson being a hawker - not sure if I mixed that up with the Eddowes history

On page 227 of my book From Hell I mention the various reasons why Hutchinson might have travelled to Romford, one of these being the amount of work going in various building projects and clearing up after the floods.

There is also an interesting snippet in the local paper about a labourer from the East End being arrested in a pub in Romford on suspicion of being Jack the Ripper

[Chris G.]

Interesting information, folks.

I came across this on a Romford heritage site (http://www.havering.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4596) --

"The flood in 1888 swept away between 20,000 and 30,000 casks of beer for salvage before it made its way out to the Thames."

Chris

[Mike Covell]

Nemo, Hull flooded almost 2 years ago, and the clean up operation is still in full flow (no pun intended), infact, I have 10 houses in a street of just short of 200 that are still empty and being worked on due to flood damage.

Drain, gully and overflow pipes are still being cleaned, and the amount of residents still living in caravans in the city is shocking!

Perhaps there was something there that needed doing and money to be made.

[dougie]

On page 227 of my book From Hell I mention the

There is also an interesting snippet in the local paper about a labourer from the East End being arrested in a pub in Romford on suspicion of being Jack the Ripper

That sounds interesting.Obviously not named as Hutchinson otherwise it would be an integral part of the G H/Mary Kelly/Millers Court issue.Sounds as though that snippet might merit further investigation ...if possible.

[Nemo]

Yes definitely

Thanks for all that information especially that snippet about the East end labourer from Bob

I will post the pictures later as there is a nice representation of all the barrels / kegs of beer and damage to a specific building which it might be nice to see photos of if anybody has any (mine are drawings from the London Illustrated News)

I bet it was a story that swept the East End like wildfire that free beer was floating down he river...

PS Of course there may have been nothing sinister about his visit
He did say he had spent all his money so it may have been to help someone put out by the floods in Romford

[Chris G.]

Yes definitely

Thanks for all that information especially that snippet about the East end labourer from Bob

I will post the pictures later as there is a nice representation of all the barrels / kegs of beer and damage to a specific building which it might be nice to see photos of if anybody has any (mine are drawings from the London Illustrated News)

I bet it was a story that swept the East End like wildfire that free beer was floating down he river...

PS Of course there may have been nothing sinister about his visit
He did say he had spent all his money so it may have been to help someone put out by the floods in Romford

The Romford story could also have been to elicit sympathy if he hinted he had been there to help a flood victim, either a friend or townsperson who was not a friend. Or else if the story was to indicate he had gone there to get paid work, he might have said it to show he was an upstanding employable man not a stalker/pimp/lookout that his activity of the morning of 9 November 1888 might indicate. Just a thought.

Chris

[Chris G.]

I will post the pictures later as there is a nice representation of all the barrels / kegs of beer and damage to a specific building which it might be nice to see photos of if anybody has any (mine are drawings from the London Illustrated News)

I bet it was a story that swept the East End like wildfire that free beer was floating down he river...



Like the novel Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie.

I'll look forward to seeing those illustrations, Nemo.

Chris

[Robert Linford]

One man was reported washed off a raft and drowned. A crowd of about 40 men opened some of the barrels and made themselves "helplessly drunk."

[Nemo]

It shows damage to the Ind Coope store

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/RomFlood.jpg

Love the barrels of beer on their way to the Thames

There is a write up of some of the damage I will post in a short while

[Nemo]

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/Romtxt1.jpg

http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac287/HowieNina/Romtxt2.jpg

You can see there was a lot of disruption which may have created a "boom town" of opportunity to make money both in repair work and in various other ways (legally) - also possibly a criminals paradise with the looting /salvage and taking adavantage of travellers

[ferret]

Great pics there Nemo!!!! Hmmmmmmmmm A serious suspect here I say!!!
4781
Great pics though!

Bugger about the brewery!! And Ind Coope was somewhere along the line allied to Bass Worthington where my Dad worked in Southampton from the age of 17 till he died- after transfering himself (and me) in 1967 to Brighton to become a Bass Charrington man- yes I assume the same Charrington East End Victorian reformer! (Spookier and spookier!):dance::yo: .....:kiss::sleep:xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxin a mo

[Jeff Leahy]

I understand there was a market at Romford though and I have a very vague recollection of a reference to Hutchinson being a hawker - not sure if I mixed that up with the Eddowes history

Yes I understand quite a big market. Mainly associated with general stuff today but I believe that my mother bought a bull there in the late 50's and also purchased chickens. The main market town would have been Chelmsford but my guess is that Romford was a good stop before London.

I'd always associated Hitchinson with the market. But this flood stuff is most interesting. Thanks all.

Jeff

[ferret]

DON'T mention floods!!!! Coming thru the ceiling here!!!!!!!!!:banghead:

[Nemo]

The evidence points toward it raining at least on November 9th

I wonder if the onset of the winter rains could have prompted Hutchinson to check out Romford