Employment / Trades
Woodford had it's fair share of trades people in Victorian times, enabling the rural community to thrive. There was a large number of shoemakers in the village working either for themselves or carrying out outwork for factories in local towns. Agricultural labour was the other main source of employment. However, in the 1860s following the discovery of iron ore, miners and quarrymen became more prevalent. The construction of the nearby Islip Furnaces (located partly on the present Primark site and Dodson and Horrell site) created a need for many workers and it is well known that to cope with the influx of men and families construction of Newtown commenced in the early 1860s. Construction commenced near the present Mill Road junction (some way from the existing village which stopped basically at the village green, hence the name Newtown) and properties were built in a direction to meet the existing village. Census as late as 1901 recognised the present Newtown area, High Street from Mill Road to Eady's Row, and Sunnyside all as Newtown. Shops and businesses were spread across the whole village.
Farms
Shops