of the "Guardian" dated 21 January, 1955, recording the death of
Mrs. Grace Riggs the statement is made that they retired in 1900 and
that five years later the retreat was burned down. However, in the
London Post Office Directory for 1900, J. Riggs is still given as the
proprietor of the Brook Road Retreat, that there was a retreat at
Southend-on-Sea, and also that he was Caterer to the People's
Palace in the Mile End Road. However, by 1903 John Riggs, who
described himself as a refreshment contractor, was living at Holly
Cottage, Princes Road, Buckhurst Hill. Exactly when he and his wife
retired is in some doubt for he had taken over another retreat in
Princes Road known later as Princes Retreat. This move may have
been caused by the fire.
An undated advertisement over John Riggs name is headed
"Diamond Jubilee" and also refers to the Southend Retreat on the
Western Esplanade as being "now open for Large and Small parties".
Exactly what was meant by the Diamond Jubilee is not obvious for
this implied the 60th anniversary and as the retreat was only opened in
1879 this could not have been intended for the retreat. It must be
assumed, therefore, that this was a reference to the Diamond Jubilee
Year of Queen Victoria in 1897. John Butler at another retreat also
used a similar heading.
It may be accepted that the retreat at Southend-on-Sea was
opened in 1897 on the Western Esplanade, but the local records do
not contain any further particulars, or give the eventual fate of the
retreat, save that in the Council minutes in May, 1898, we read of
complaints made to the Health Committee of drainage difficulties due
to the use of earth closets. These complaints continued until 1900
when an inspection and report was made about the drainage and it
was decided if the other people in the area would agree a sewer was
to be put in.
An advertisement dated 1908 issued by Alfred B. Wood relates
to the operation of the retreat in Brook Road with the enlightening
comment that it was equipped with "All new lavatory accommodation
built under District Council supervision". It seems that the retreat
had by then been rebuilt and in view of the fact that new toilets
had been installed one is left to draw one's own conclusions. Alfred
B. Wood continued to operate the retreat until 1922, when Mrs.
Edith Kate Langford was the proprietress. By 1929 Morris Worsfold
had taken over and he continued until possibly 1932 when the
site was purchased by C. Print. Within the next two or three
years the retreat buildings were destroyed by fire and perhaps for this
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