Baddow Court was built in the early 19th century. It is on Church Street next to the exit of The Bringey. It stood derelict for many years but has now been restored as individual apartments.

Past residents

According to White’s Directory of Essex, in 1848 Baddow Court was the home of Mrs. Mary Douglas (source: History House). In 1865 she was recorded as being a widow, and the sister of Sophia Boggis. One of the four lights of the The East Window in St Mary’s Church is dedicated to the memory of Sophia. The inscription reads: “In Mem Sophia Boggis born 1779 died 1874”. The third window is in memory of James Boggis, born 1775 died 1862. The Boggis family were a wealthy land-owning family. Records of the sale of their state from 1914 includes land in Sandon, Great Baddow, Downham, South Hanningfield, Runwell, Rettendon, Burnham.

A Lieutenant-Colonel Boggis was mentioned in the The New monthly magazine, Volume 99 (1818). There is also record of a Benjamin James Boggis who died at the Essex Asylum in 1898. He was admitted as a pauper and prior to that he was living at Union Yard, Chelmsford. His occupation on his death certificate is Salad Dressing Manufacturer. There are records of a “James Boggis Superior Essex Salad Dressing (manufactured Chelmsford)”. But this may be a different family.

[N.B. this page is still a draft, research still being carried out. All facts still to be verified etc.]