Hullbridge Village History
Hullbridge had been serviced by "Night Soil" men on behalf of Rochford Council. These were men employed to go around after dark with a cart and would collect the body waste of each household which had been collected in a pail. These men would often supplement their income by selling on what they had gathered to local farmers who were able to convert this into manure for their fields.
By 1911 the pails had changed to closets / out houses which now had larger containers, sometimes a hole in the ground and as a result the Parish Clerk wrote to Rochford Council requesting assistance.
High Elms Farm was purchased by Best & Beech Estate agents and divided into building plots, these were offered for sale at £ 10.0s 0d. From this point onwards Hullbridge village included these new properties and was very much part of the "plotland" era .
Once the farmers saw the opportunity they also followed suit. The land was advertised in London and local press and many of the plots were snapped up by families from the Eastend of London which were used as a weekend or holiday retreat. Not everyone wanted to or could afford to build concrete buildings some just used the sites to pitch their tents, some built wooden sheds some used old buses and trams and quite a few purchased old railway carriages and had them moved onto their plot. One of these was at South Avenue.
In her souvenir memento of Hullbridge, (a copy is available at Hullbridge Library) Mrs Lilian Campbell Daley refers to an advert placed by Mr Eddie The following is a transcript of the advert.
Three years ago Hullbridge was a little known village of less than half a hundred scattered honsteads approached by an indeifferent
road, known only to the occaisional tourist or the motorist who had lost his way. Hullbridge slept alone, forgottten.
Today a different tale is unfolded. The enterprise and foresight of a few building constructors have unearthed this Essex beauty spot.
New homes complete with modern conveniences are rapidly springing up along or near the main road, now a well made and well kept thoroughfare.
Company's water has given Hullbridge baths and modern sanitation and rival bus Companies seeing the growing needs of the village compete with each other to provide ample service.
Hullbridge is now within easy reach of London or Southend by bus and train and as easily accessible as many a London suburb. Its fine ozone charged air makes it a veritible health resort which may easily rival any of our coastal watering places at some future date.
All this present and potential activity is of course reflected in the phenomenal rise in value of land in Hullbridge. Plots which three years ago were worth £ 5 are today fetching three or four times that sum, and the incremental movement continues so that in the course of the next five years a further increase 100% ?? is to be expected.
Buy Now ! is therefore the word to you. This is YOUR opportunity which must be grasped or some other more farseeing individual robs you of it!
A gilt edged investment which cannot depreciate but which may instead double or treble your Capital in a few years.
Recently a new factor has appeared which must inevitably help along the rise. The question of a bridge over the Crouch has become acute for Southend, and it is confidently expectedby those qualified to judge that Hullbridge will be the chosen site. The erection of this bridge will inevitably cause any of the increases proposed above to be passed a very long way.
A few shop sites are to be had by early applicants.Get yours now and gather in the business whichis coming along even now.
Should it not be convenient to visit the estate immediately your opportunity need not be lost on that account. A small deposit will secure an immediate option on any desired plot, subject to its being unsold.
You will be met at the Station if you write making an appointment. Dont Delay, WRITE NOW!!
To F Eddie, Coventry Hill, Hullbridge, Hockley, Essex.
Hullbridge was still having problems with the sewage collection and delivery of fresh water, this resulted in villagers forming the "Residents Assoc.," whose first proposal was to seek a union with Rayleigh Council and connection to their sewage system which passed nearby just off Beeches Road.
January Local Murder
Birth of Hullbridge Parish Council
Hullbridge Industrial Site
Acknowledgement is made to the following contributions that this history was compiled from:-
