Billet Lane

By the mid1920s there was a desperate shortage of housing in the area with in some cases up to five families living in one small house. Some 21 acres of land for new housing had already been purchased from the Lathol Company and the roads laid out by 1921, these being Burgess Avenue; Adams Road; and Conrad Road. Burgess Avenue was named for Thomas Clarkson Jack Burgess and Adams Road for Alfred Courthope Adams, both these gentleman were managing directors of Lathol. The road nearest to Ivy Walls was of course names for Joseph Conrad. Housing was also planned for the south side of Corringham Road and the north side of Billet Lane as far as Rainbow Lane. The necessity of providing this housing was never in doubt but the parish council had protracted discussions of the cost of the scheme for 100 houses which was estimated at £100,000. Discussions with the Orsett Union and the Ministry of Health whose final decision it was to provide the funds resulted in the commencement of construction around 1926.

The first Methodist services in the area were held in these cottages in 1835. The morning and evening weekday services were held in the cottage belonging to Joseph Carter and the Sunday class.

in adjacent cottage which belonged to Jeremiah Butler, regarded as the father of Methodism in Stanford.

There were only two houses in Corringham Road at the time this photograph was taken, Little Beville and Eastley House. If she was not heading for either of those it was a long walk to Corringham!