1852. Inspector Proctor gave evidence at Ilford Petty Sessions against John Stevens, proprietor of the Crown and Anchor booth. Stevens was fined ten shillings and expenses for not removing his booth before Sunday.
The Act of Disafforestation caused the destruction of 100,000 in Hainault Forest in little over a year. Men worked day and night converting land for farming with much of the timber sold for shipbuilding. Predictions that the previous year would be Fairlop Fair's last proved untrue although the event did move from the original site. Fortune Tellers turned up as usual to charm members of the fairer sex that crossed their palms with silver. Excellent weather attracted crowds, but the Lord of the Manor found tolls collected for setting up booths considerably less than the £300 normally gathered. The Fair was described as 'Cockayne' - an imaginary land of luxury and idleness.
1853. Ploughs replaced booths on Fairlop Plain. The Chelmsford Chronicle wrote: "the stroke of twelve to night will be the passing knell of Fairlop." However, entertainment continued on a different spot. Rain fell virtually non-stop on Friday but this was not enough to dampen spirits of many that turned up to participate in the festivities. Two boats attended, but were less attractive than former occasions.
1854. Constable Joseph Benton on plain clothes duty in Stratford Broadway arrested William Waylett for operating a gaming table as people returned from Fairlop Fair. At the Ilford Petty Sessions Waylett was sent to the House of Correction for two months. Also at Stratford, about 10 o'clock in the evening, Mrs. Hardy watching a Fairlop Boat pass felt a hand in her pocket. Her husband immediately grabbed 12-year-old, Joseph Offley, who had three pence in his hand which had been stolen. The boy was sentence for 14 days and also received a whipping.
1855. While removing a tree root on Fairlop Plain, William Kemp, from Chigwell Row, discovered over 60 King George shillings dated 1817. He rushed to Romford to buy new clothes, only to be told that the coins were counterfeit and made of spurious metal. The coins were surrendered to the police and may have originally been made to pass on to unfortunate visitors at the Fair. Charles Stanton, landlord of the Coach and Horses at Mile End, received a summons for letting off fireworks. Nobody had ever been charged with this offence before at the Fair so public interest was high. Stanton defended himself by saying that he hadn't been the one lighting the fuses. Magistrate, Mr. Yardley, ordered Stanton to pay a fine of 2 shillings (the cost of the summons) for sanctioning the fireworks - warning that next time the penalty would be far more severe.
1856. A young boy named Smith was charged at West Ham Lane police station for stealing a cotton handkerchief at Fairlop Fair. The Ilford Bench had him confined for two months.
1857. In an attempt to cash in the landlord of the Maypole, Barkingside, rented out his field to booth keepers and showmen. Thousands still travelled from London. One account states that the number present very nearly equalled the palmy days of Fairlop. According to The Morning Chronicle, fireworks were released from cars in the procession on the way home. Rockets and candles also shot out from house windows on either side of the road. No mention can be found of any legal consequences as a result. Two brightly decorated boats went to the Fair where 7,000 people waited. When daylight started to fade the boats commenced the journey back to Wapping.