FOULNESS ISLAND
Pigot's Essex 1832-3 Trade Directory
FOULNESS ISLAND is nearly 20 miles in circumference, lies opposite to Wakering and Pagelsham upon the eastern extremity of Rochford hundred, encompassed by branches of the sea, the only passage to it being by the sands at low water, the distance over which is about six miles. The island contains about twenty farms, near the centre of which is the church, an ancient building with a small spire. - Foulness Island contains about 6,000 acres; and the parish of Foulness possessed, in 1831 630 inhabitants.
Transcribed by CG
The Imperial Gazetteer of England & Wales...., by John Marius Wilson. circa 1866
FOULNESS, an insular parish in Rochford district, Essex. It lies on the S side of the lowest reach of the river Crouch; terminates there in a point or headland, which is Foulness-proper; is separated, on the W, from Wallasea island, by a narrow strait,- and on the SW, from smaller islands, by other narrow straits; is bounded on the SE and E by the North sea; and takes its name from being a haunt of myriads of wild fowl. Its central part lies 4 miles ESE of Burnham, and 9 NE of Southend r. station; and has a post-office under Chelmsford, and a fair on 10 July. Its circuit, not reckoning the saltings toward the sea, is computed at about 20 miles. Its area comprises 6,310 acres of land, and 22,195 of water. Real property, 9,313; of which 13 are in fisheries. Pop., 681. Houses, 109. The property is divided among a few. The land is mostly low and marshy; and all is protected by an embanking wall. The lower tracts are disposed in pasturage; and the higher ones produce good crops of corn, clover, mustard, and cole-seed. Oysters of prime quality are taken adjacent to its shores. The living is a rectory in the dioceses of Rochester. Value, 300. Patron, G. Finch, Esq. The church was built in 1850. A previous church was originally a chapel of ease.
Transcribed by Noel Clark
KELLY'S DIRECTORY OF ESSEX 1933
FOULNESS was probably in early times a ness or promontory, joined to the mainland, an assumption which seems to be confirmed by the modern names given to the smaller islands, and was conceivably separated from it by an irruption of the Roche behind Wallasea. It lies at the mouth of the Roche and Crouch rivers, and is bounded on the south by the Maplin Sands and the sea: Foulness village is 10 miles north-east from Shoeburyness terminal station on the London, Midland and Scottish railway, 12 north-east from Southend, 15 east-by-north from Rochford and 54 miles by water from London: the island was constituted as a parish in 1550, and is in the South Eastern division of the county, Rochford hundred, petty sessional division and rural district, Southend county court district, Canewdon and Southend rural deanery, Southend archdeaconry and Chelmsford diocese. It is 5 miles in length and north-east to south-west and 212; in breadth, and is inclosed by a sea dyke or wall: the water was formerly brackish, but several artesian wells have been bored and a plentiful supply of pure water is now obtained. The church of St. Mary, entirely rebuilt in 1850, is a building of stone, in the Early English style consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, and a tower with spire on the south side, containing 1 bell, dated 1779: the church plate includes an ancient paten and chalice: there are 350 sittings. The register dates from the year 1695. The living is a rectory, net yearly value 350, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Chelmsford, and held since 1933 by the Rev. Marcus Hughes Lawrence K.C.L. The whole of the land and buildings are owned by the War Department, except the church, rectory, school and mission room. The soil is an alluvial deposit from the sea; subsoil, clay and sand. The chief crops are wheat, beans, clover and white mustard. The area is 6,122 acres of land, 11 of water, 703 of tidal water and 19,132 of foreshore; the population in 1931 was 414.
Post, M. O., T. & T. E. D. Office (available for calls to places within a limited distance). Letters through Southend-on-Sea, Essex
Police Station
Kelly's is a part of Reed Business Systems.
The Population of Foulness Island provided by CG
Date | Total Population | Male Population | Female Population | Number of Inhabited Houses | Number of Uninhabited Houses |
1801 | 396 | 251 | 145 | 43 | nil |
1811 | 450 | 309 | 141 | 46 | nil |
1821 | 565 | 367 | 198 | not given | not given |
1831 | 630 | 424 | 206 | 78 | 1 |
1841 | 674 | 437 | 237 | 100 | 3 |
1851 | 640 | 399 | 241 | 109 | nil |
1861 | 681 | 424 | 257 | 109 | nil |
1871 | 754 | 447 | 307 | 127 | 2 |
1881 | 706 | 415 | 291 | 114 | 7 |
1891 | 676 | 402 | 274 | 119 | 7 |
1901 | 537 | 331 | 206 | 96 | 17 |
1911 | 479 | 270 | 209 | not given | not given |
1921 | 460 | 263 | 197 | 96 | nil |
1931 | 414 | 233 | 181 | 112 | nil |
1951 | 371 | 182 | 189 | 120 | not given |
1961 | 316 | 165 | 151 | 104 | not given |