Woodford Halse Archive

Woodford Short History

Post War Development

With the end of the war things began to return to normal and the village saw a considerable expansion in housing. First a small number of pre-fabricated houses (developed in response to the housing shortage resulting from enemy bombing during the war) were built, followed by the estate of council housing called Townsend.

Woodford United Football Club was started in 1946 (there had been a club before the war, Woodford Central) and continues today, playing in Division One of the Southern Counties League.

In the 1960s private housing development followed on Membris Way, Central Avenue, Fay Close and Dryden Close.

For those working on the railway there were also developments. The old Hinton Gorse Hotel was acquired in 1953 for use as a railwaymen’s club (it later became the Woodford Halse Social Club).

By kind permission of John Williams