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History of Rochford
NORTH STREET – WEIR POND ROAD
Let’s cut through the alleyway beside the present day bakers’ shop. Here is a plaque to the memory of John Simson, burned to death in Rochford Square, one of many 16th century martyrs sentenced to die for their religious beliefs. On the corner, facing into North Street is a hairdressers – it used to be a shoe shop, and a century ago was one of so many weather-boarded cottages. A little further along the road is the post office which moved there from West Street. The same building had been the police station with the cells still there in the basement.
There were lots more businesses in North Street, Potter’s general stores, a blacksmith’s shop, and, as today several pubs. If we proceed along what is now the one-way system, the last dwelling on the right housed the town fire engine at the end of the 19th century. Turn right into Weir Pond Road and there is a short row of fine 16th century timber-framed cottages. These, at one time, were used as accommodation for the pub opposite. Coaches and horses could be driven through to the back of the cottages via a gap, now filled in.
Half-way down Weir Pond Road is Doe’s, the agricultural implements firm, a business which was started by the Smoothy family in the late 19th century. They lived in Kings Hill, of which more below, and operated their engineering business at “the bottom of their garden”.
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