In-Depth Report: Warren Road, Bexleyheath

The heath was initially the home of squatters who made baskets and brushes from the ample supply of broom plants which grew naturally in the area.

There was no water supply until the water works opened in Crayford in 1867; I believe wells were sunk for domestic water. The gas works opened in the same year but it took some time before either supply reached all houses. I imagine this impacted on the development of any industry, however there were farms such as Warren Farm and Bakers’ farm in the locality. Fruit, cereals, potatoes and cabbages were grown.

The growth of industry in nearby Crayford encouraged people to live in Bexley Heath. For example, calico printing started in 1776, followed by the manufacture of cottons and the silk works. The River Cray was used to transport bricks from Slade Green.

The residents needed provisions and by 1839 there was a market on Saturdays. By 1862 there were a number of shops
Alfred Fellmer of Cliftonville lived on private means in 1871, while Mrs Barnard, the widow next door at Gloucester Villa was an annuitant. By 1881 Cliftonville was occupied by an accountant called Richard Bayley. Other occupations were commission agent, stock and share broker, an architect, a Lloyds underwriter and a journalist called Gilbert Wood at Buena Vista.

There was no sign of anyone labouring at any of the industries in Crayford, nor agricultural workers, as these houses were too expensive. In 1891 Edward Hopping was a clerk to a builder and lived at Warren House. This house appears to have been the largest in the road, being detached and double fronted and having 13 rooms. His family remained until at least 1921. He later referred to himself as a house agent, book keeper and collector so he may have been connected with the increase in building in the area. After 1918 farm land was sold cheaply due to an economic depression and more houses were built.

At Bron Seriol (which became Ashcroft by 1901) there was Robert Pirman, a picture dealer, at Belle Vue there was a mercantile clerk, there were widows living on their own means, a member of the stock exchange, a private gentleman and Thomas Ford, a tobacco pipe man.

By 1901, Ashcroft housed an employer, a wholesale mantle manufacturer by the name of Robert Wates, who owned other land in Warren Road, according to the Lloyd George Valuation.

There was a broker’s agent at Southside, Herbert Townsend, plus several others living on their own means, however at Inglebeck we find Thomas William Jenkins, journalist and author, age 36, born in Bexleyheath, with his wife, Elizabeth, and their children. His father was the man responsible for Jenkins’ bookshop in Bexleyheath and lived nearby at Montgomery Cottage. He passed away in 1911 and it seems Thomas William took over from him.

The daughters of these families were employed in teaching and dressmaking, while the sons were clerical workers, apart from two grocer’s assistants who may have been employed in the town. There would have been offices in Bexley Heath where clerks may have worked, however by 1896 there was a train service into London. Warren road is some distance from Bexleyheath railway station and although there were trains from Bexley by 1866 it would have meant a walk through fields to get there.

1911 occupations include a civil engineer, a schoolmaster, an insurance agent, a couple of private secretaries a painter and a tea broker. By this time Thomas W Jenkins described himself as a publisher, printer and stationer.
John Bates, the schoolmaster who worked for the KCC, lived at Stonycroft. His father Samuel was a designer for textile fabrics and in 1881 they had been living at The Elms, Dover Road, Crayford. It seems likely he was attracted to the area by the silk works.

Kenneth Mathieson Skeaping lived at Cliftonville and was a painter. He remained there until 1918. Three of his four children were accomplished in the areas of music, sculpture and ballet, while another daughter, Sally, died young and is buried at Bexleyheath Cemetery. There is more information on line about this skilled family.

Steven Mesnard lived at Normandy and described himself as an insurance agent, late sub postmaster. In 1881 he had been living at the Post Office, Main Road, South side, with his sister Mary Ann, a stationer. Mesnards became Wheelers in 1905.

By 1939 the occupations are more mixed. There are two men involved in textile printing, several engineers and plumbers, Harry Quinton of Gloucester House is a cinematograph exhibitor, there are female shorthand typists (which was originally a form of male employment), a Burroughs operator, plus clerical workers and a shop assistant.

By this time there was more housing in the road, better public transport and more work opportunities, although there were many women doing ‘unpaid domestic duties’. The occupants of the road may have contributed to the local economy or worked further afield.

Thomas W Jenkins, born 1864 had moved from Inglebeck to The Cottage and was working as a printer and stationer. His first wife had passed away and he had remarried Florence Joneson. Sidney A Jenkins who is living at Inglebeck in 1920 is probably a relative as he is living with Jane Sarah Mein, who was the mother of Thomas’ first wife.

By 1939 there were no live in servants employed in Warren Road. The increase in other better paid employment and labour saving devices for the home meant their number has decreased from an average of 1.5 per household in 1871 to 0.8 in 1881 and fewer in 1901 and 1911. Possibly, some households had a local person coming in to do some jobs, provided they could afford it.

Initially heads of households were not born in Bexleyheath, however their children often were and by 1911 two heads of household were born there.

According to Bexley Archives, Warren Road is named after an honorary librarian of 1898, Charles Mortimer Warren, although most people would have assumed it was named after the farm.

The road was made up after 1913 and the houses were numbered in the 1960s.