Cattawade
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Local authority for Brantham is Babergh
Introduction
Cattawade (also known as Brantham New Village) is strictly part of Brantham parish and is often listed there, though it forms a distinctly separate settlement. It's mainly a former industrial area with some housing, on the north bank of The River Stour.
An old bridge still crosses Cattawade creek, though this was a bridging spot for centuries before that time; John Speed's 1610 map shows "Catiwade bridge" here and Daniel de Foe describes it being used during the 1648 Siege of Colchester, as well as telling of how he crossed a "timber bridge over the Stour, called Cataway Bridge" in his 1722 tour of the Eastern Counties. The current bridge dates from some time in the 18th century, so may have been built not long after de Foe visited.
Britain's first and only Xylonite (the original patent name for cellulose) works was opened in Cattawade in 1870 on a site off Factory Lane. Its products were made into such items as paper-knife handles, hairpin boxes and billiard balls. An adjacent factory manufactured photographic film for Ilford. Houses in and around Brookland Road were built as "Brantham New Village" to accommodate workers at the Xylonite factory…
History
The 1855 White's Directory lists a beer house run by Wm. Humphreys.
The 1861 Census lists Japheph Pannifer, Coalhewer ? Keeper, Beer House, Cattawade Street, Brantham, Head/Unmarried/62/born Brantham.
The 1874 White's Directory lists a beer house run by Robert Lowe.
The 1881 Census lists John Smith, Beerhouse Keeper, Cattawade Street, Brantham, Head/Married/50/born Bergholt.
The 1888 Kelly's Directory lists 2 beer retailers called Samuel Giblin [The Buck's Horn] and Chas. Tuckwell.
The 1891-92 White's Directory lists a beerhouse keeper called Mrs Sophia Giblin. [The Buck's Horn]…
Acknowledgements
Some historical information from English Heritage's National Monuments Record.
