The name Redbridge came from a crossing over the River Roding,
which marked and symbolised the amalgamation of Wanstead, Woodford
and Ilford with parts of Chigwell and Dagenham. Other bridges in
the vicinity were made of white stone, whereas this crossing was
made of red bricks.
Redbridge was formed in 1964/65 by merging these former
Municpial Boroughs, which had earlier been sections of Essex.
Redbridge consists of 21 wards/districts. They are:
The population of Redbridge is approximately 251,500 (Est
2005)
The ethnicity of Redbridge is:
- 63.5% White (57.4% British, 2.3% Irish, 3.8% Non-British)
- 25.0% South Asian
- 7.6% African-Caribbean,
- 3.0% Mixed Race.
The Members of Parliament for
Redbridge are:
- Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead - Labour)
- Mike Gapes (Ilford South - Labour)
- Lee Scott (Ilford North - Conservative) and
- Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green -
Conservative).
Iain Duncan Smith was the former leader of the Conservative Party
for 2 years from 2001 to 2003.
A few well known sporting stars were born in Redbridge, these
include:
- ex-World Boxing Champion Nigel Benn and
- ex-footballer Paul Ince who were both born in Ilford
- former football manager Glenn Roeder was born in Woodford.
A few ex-Eastenders performers were also born in Redbridge:
- Actress Tamzin Outhwaite
- Perry Fenwick
- Louise Jameson
- Tom Watt - Wanstead
- Nick Berry - Woodford.
Former great Prime Ministers Clement Attlee and Sir Winston
Churchill also used to reside in Redbridge.