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13
PHYSICAL, GEOLOGICAL, AND OTHER FEATURES.
The surface generally is gently undulating, flatter in
the southern portions, but rising to a higher elevation in the more
northern parts. Ilford is situated on the London clay, but this
only comes to the surface as a narrow strip running almost due
East and West through the middle of the district. In addition,
there is a large patch to the North-West, as exemplified in the
names of Clayhall and Claybury.
There is a large area of brick-earth lying roughly in the
angle between the junction of the Romford Road with the Ilford
Lane, extending down the Romford Road nearly as far as St.
Mary's Church, and down Ilford Lane nearly to Uphall Farm.
The rest of the subsoil is gravel.
Ilford is one of the largest Urban Districts in the County
of Essex, the population being concentrated in the Southwestern
portion of the district, while the remaining larger portion
is still rural. A large proportion of the inhabitants earn
their living in London, which is only seven miles distant.
The population mainly belong to the lower middle class, with a
proportion of other classes. There are a few industries :—(1)
Photographic works, (2) paper mills, (3) manufacturing chemists,
(4) electric battery makers, (5) nautical instrument makers, (6)
aeroplane works. The latter three are modern developments.
Water Supply.—The district is divided by the Cranbrook
Road into two areas. The portion North and West of this road
is supplied bv the Metropolitan Water Board, the remaining
portion by the South Essex Waterworks Company.
There are now no public wells in existence. There are
still a few private wells in the rural area.