THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB. 155
that his only son George should assume the name of Huband, but this
wish was not complied with. Sir James Wright was created a baronet
in 1772: he established at Woodford Bridge the manufacture of artificial
slate by a process which he had learned at Venice, but the venture was
not a commercial success, and after some years it was given up. He seems
to have sold the Ray House property in 1784; and he died in 1803. His
son, Sir George Ernest James Wright, 2nd Baronet, patented an invention
for cutting stone pipes out of the solid, the cores to be available for
columns; but the stone proved to be too porous to be of service, so this
experiment too was a failure. Sir George deceased in 1812.
The Wrights were followed at Ray House by Sir William Fraser, Bart.,
who occurs as occupier in an Eye Survey for Woodford of 1804. Later
occupiers were Benjamin Hanson Inglish, Benjamin Nunes, George
Schooley, and Thomas Lewes; and in 1862 Henry Benton, farmer, both
owned and occupied the property. It was the last-named's son, the
late George T. Benton, who some eight years ago sold it to Messrs. Bryant
and May Ltd., of Bow, who now use the estate as a sports ground.
Taking leave of the manager, who had kindly shown the party round
the garden, a hasty visit was next paid to Ray Lodge, a small stuccoed
house which is all that remains of the original lodge to the larger Ray
House, and which was used as a boarding school by a Mr. Robt. Cook,
under the name of Ray Lodge Academy, in 1829, and for the next ten
years or more.
Mr. Barns, who was of the party, possesses and exhibited a silver
medal presented by way of reward to a pupil of this school.
Proceeding next to Woodford Bridge, in brilliant sunshine, the visitors
came to Great Gales, in Roding Lane, a typical small Georgian residence
which had kindly been thrown open for our inspection. The Hall and
the Drawing Room are panelled throughout with characteristic 18th
century panelling, and the stair-treads are of oak. The garden is a delight-
ful pleasaunce, of no great extent but most admirably designed to give
a sense of retirement and space: it includes a paved rock-garden, a sunk
lily-pool, lawn, shrubbery and a small paddock beyond—altogether
a charmingly secluded "haunt of ancient peace."
Our conductor read a brief account of the history of the house, so far
as known, of which the following is a summary :—
The first mention I can find of this house is in 1795, when James
Hatch, who six years before bought Claybury (now the oldest portion
of the Asylum) for a summer residence, paid rates for same. James
Hatch was still the owner in 1804. The Eye Survey of Woodford of that
year describes it as a farm house, out-offices, yards, garden, two orchards,
etc., of 3 acres 1 rood and 106 acres 1 rood of pasture and wheat, with
one rood at the corner of the plantation. All the fields are named in the
survey, and the total annual value is £251. In 1811 Samuel Seckham
was the occupier. In 1822 Gales Farm, as it was then called, was
owned by Henry James Cronsdale, and afterwards by his widow Harriet,
and Wm. Hy. Watkins paid rates for same in 1829. According to the
Rate Book of 1836 Henry William Watkins was the occupier and William
Henry Watkins the owner. Although it remained in the possession of the
Watkins family until 1903, when it became the property of the Woodford