Withington, Herefordshire - Trade Directory, 1905

Extract from Trade [Kelly's?] Directory of Herefordshire, 1905

Transcription by Richard Lane © 2003

WITHINGTON.

WITHINGTON is a parish and village, on the road leading from Hereford to Bromyard, with a station on the Great Western Railway from Hereford to Worcester, 4½ miles north-east from Hereford, 11 south-east from Leominster, and 147½ from London, in the southern division of the county, in Broxash Hundred, Hereford Union, county court district and petty Sessional division, and in the rural deanery of Weston, archdeaconry, and diocese of Hereford. The church of St. Peter is an ancient edifice of stone in the Norman and Early English styles, consisting of chancel, nave and south porch and a western tower with octagonal stone spire containing a clock, erected in 1884, and 6 bells the ancient rood screen of wood, elaborately carved remains, there are memorial windows to H. Higgins esq., of Thinghill, William Havard, and to John and Thomas, sons of John Havard Apperley, of this parish, and also to four former rectors, including one placed in 1903 to the Rev. Richard Powell M.A. rector 1882-1902: The church was thoroughly in 1858 at a cost of £800, under the direction of Mr. Pownall, architect, of London: in 1890 new heating apparatus was provided at the cost of Mrs. Higgins, and in 1899 a new organ was erected at a cost of £336: there are sittings for 250 persons. The register dates from 1573. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £240, including 132 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Hereford, and held by the Rev. Henry Hunter Phelps, M.A. of St. John's College, Cambridge. There is a Baptist chapel, erected in 1821. Thing Hill, the residence of William F. Abbott esq., is a large mansion, standing in tastefully laid out grounds of about 60 acres, and commanding an extensive views of the surrounding country. Withington Court, prettily situated near the church, is an ancient mansion of stone, in the Domestic Gothic style, and is now occupied as a farmhouse. Here are the extensive works of Messrs. W. Godwin and Son, encaustic tile manufacturers, where a great number of hands are employed. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor, and the W. F. Abbott esq., H. W. Apperley, esq., G. Child esq., Mrs. Myer of London, Rev. G. H. P. Glossop M.A. of Romeland House, St. Albans, J. W. Smith esq., and the rector are chief landowners. The soil is clayey and loamy; subsoil is block stone. The chief crops are wheat, oats, beans, hops, and apples; a considerable quantity of strawberries are grown in the parish. The area is 2,195 acres; rateable value £6,718; the population in 1901 was 757.

   NUNNINGTON is 1 mile west.

   Sexton.- George Rock

   POST & M.O., S.B. & A.&I. Office. - George Carey, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Hereford at 6.50 a.m.; dispatched at 6.00 p.m. No delivery on Sunday. The nearest telegraph office is at Whitestone, 1 mile distant.

   WALL LETTER BOXES. - Whitestone, cleared at 5.45 p.m. week days only; Nunnington, cleared at 6.15 p.m. week days only.

   WALL BOX. - Old Cross Keys P.H. cleared at 5.25 p.m. week days only.

   PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. - (mixed) built with residence for master & mistress, in 1872, for 200 children; average attendance 170; endowed with £5 16s, yearly; William Mauvin, master; Mrs. Louise Mauvin, mistress. The children of Westhide parish also attend here.

   Railway Station.- Edwin Noble, station master.

PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Abbott William F., Thing Hill	Peters Leonard, Barnamore House
Bridgewater Mrs., Style House	Phelps Rev. Henry Hunter M.A. (rector), The Rectory
Child George, The Lawns	Smith John William, Thing Hill Court
Elliott Mrs., The Green	Watkins John, J.P. Pomona Farm
Godwin James, Mayfields	Yeomans John Hayes, Stone House
Henderson Thomas, The Laurels
COMMERCIAL
Bunn George, farmer, Marsh farm	Moreton & Wallace, coal merchants, Railway Station
Carey George, grocer & post office	Morgan Hy. Sandford, farmer & hop grower, Nunnington Court
Child George, landowner, farmer & hop grower, The Lawns	Perkins Frederick, wheelwright
Cole George, coal merchant	Porter William, farmer, fruit & hop grower, Withington Court
Cole James, haulier & farmer	Powell Arthur, shopkpr, Telegraph off
Collett Jane (Mrs.), grocer, Marsh Cottage	Price John, farmer & hop & fruit grower, West Lydiatt & Withies
Cotterill William, farmer, Lottery house	Pugh Meredith Watson, farmer
Farmer William, Old Cross Keys P.H.	Reynolds James, farmer
Ford Edwin John & William, farmers & hop growers, Eau Withington Court	Rogers William, farmer, Veldo
Fox Charles, farm bailiff to J. W. Smith esq., Thinghill Grange	Sirrell Charlotte (Mrs.), farmer
Godsall John, farmer & hop grower, Weston Court	Smith John William, farmer & hop & fruit grower & estate agent, Thinghill Court
Godwin W & Son, encaustic tile manufacturers, Lugwardine Works	South Wales Coal Co. (James Jenner, salesman), Railway Station, Head Office, Hereford
Harris John, farmer, Veldo	Stonyer William, Edward, assistant oversear, Withington Corner
Haskings Joseph, boot ma. The Withies	Watkins John, farmer & nurseryman, Pomona Farm
Lawrence William, basket maker	Watkins' Pomona Cider Co. cider & perry makers (E. W. Langford, proprietor)
Mason Hy., grocer, market gardener & plant grower	Yeomans Jn. Hayes, farmer, Stone House.

[Transcribed by Richard Lane in January 2003
from a copy of Kelly's Directory of Herefordshire, 1905 in Hereford Central Library]