Poachers

During the early 1800s, deer theft was prevalent with many local residents possessing greyhounds or lurchers, breeds commonly associated with poaching. In addition to deer theft, there were also illegal removals of timber, topsoil, sand, and gravel. With the forest largely unregulated and unprotected, the Government viewed the 4,300-acre Hainault Forest as wasteland and contemplated converting it into farmland.