1845. Excellent weather had crowds flocking to the Fair in thousands. Strict regulations were still in force to prevent it lasting more than the one day. William Peacock was taken into custody by a constable acting on behalf of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In his defence the prisoner explained that his reason for beating the donkey was because his gentleman passenger had given instructions to go faster. Magistrate, William Cotton, replied: "Then you ought to have beat him and not the donkey." Peacock, unable to pay the ten shilling fine, was sentenced to one week doing hard labour. Samuel Lee, was also charged for mistreating a donkey. P.C. David Watson saw the prisoner and another man beating four donkeys with thick sticks. When he tried to arrest both men they ran away but Lee was caught. An elderly gypsy paid the fine of ten shillings.
1846. Magistrates at the Angel Inn issued instructions to restrict the fair to two days. William Cotton, Chairman of the Ilford Bench, wrote requesting a correction because the Fair was still restricted to one day. Many thousands proceeded by railway to Ilford, and thence to the fair; visitors who went by the old roads were still more numerous. A woman died when a horse in a gig took fright. The boats attracted thousands of spectators. Masts of The Maggot and Unity had to be lowered while passing under railway arches.
1847. Glorious weather made crowds return. The Essex Standard told how visitor numbers equalled former years with many now coming by train making the roads less busy.
1848. A third boat built by Mr. Everest cost £230 and took part for the first time. It carried 29 passengers from the Wapping Club of Waterside Men. Rigged out like a man-of-war brig it followed the Maggot and the Union to the fair. At least 5,000 people travelled to the fair by train, thousands of others lined roads to cheer the crews in their wheeled-vessels. People still visited Fairlop Plain on Sunday even though restrictions were in place but numbers were down significantly.Boats were illuminated and large quantities of pyrotechnics were set off at various points on the journey home.
1849. P.C. Mark Jarvis K312 arrested John Woodward for gambling with thimbles at Fairlop Fair. At the Ilford Petty Sessions the prisoner was sent to gaol for five days.
1850. When police arrested Edward Smith and Joseph Rowland for playing 'Prick the Garter' they resisted and an additional charge of using violence against the police was added. Both men were sent to prison. The game involved a piece of string with loops. A gullible person(mark) would be asked to put a stick in one of the loops that he thought would hold fast, if the loop came loose then the gambler lost. The string could be laid in such a way that the operator always had full control to win or lose at will. A sidekick(shill) would encourage others to play and make it seem possible to win.
Charles Holmes was brought up before magistrates at Ilford's Petty Session. He claimed that two silk handkerchiefs had been stolen from him at Fairlop Fair. When the items were later found in his possession he was arrested for giving a false account and after a trial was imprisoned for 14 days.
Fireworks were set off in large numbers as the boats returned along Whitechapel Road after midnight. A rocket entered a storeroom at the Royal Pavilion Theatre and started a fire. The building was insured by the County and Monarch Fire Office, but the contents were not. A lot of damage was caused by water putting out the flames. The following year pyrotechnics were banned on Fair Day to prevent accidental fires.
1851. Many thought disafforestation of Hainault Forest would make this the Fair's last year. A strong police presence made sure the Fair stopped at eleven o'clock.
Inspector Proctor was called to Frazer's Circus by Mr. Ward to prevent a breach of the peace. Frazer refused to pay ground fees so Mr. Ward's assistant confiscated one of the horses as payment. A large number of circus folk took the horses back. When the police arrived two of the circus performers, George Christopher and William Elcey, were charged with obstruction and both received fines.
Joseph Stone from Barking and Edward Guirer from Romford were convicted of selling beer without a license. Both were fined 25 shillings and expenses.
P.C. Benson working in plain clothes at Stratford arrested William Harding and Joseph Carter who were attempting to pick pockets of people returning from Fairlop Fair in the evening. Both men appeared before Ilford Bench.
Romford labourer, John Conway, assaulted P.C. Poole at Fairlop Fair. A 10 shilling fine went unpaid so Conway was gaoled for 14 days.