NEWNHAM
is a parish, town,
station on the Gloucester and South Wales railway, head of a county court
district, and polling place for the Western division of the county, 114 miles
by road from London, 11 south-west from Gloucester, 16 north-east from
Chepstow, and 14 east of Monmouth, in Westbury hundred, Westbury-On-Severn
Union, rural deanery of North Forest, Gloucester archdeaconry and Gloucester
and Bristol diocese, beautifully situated on the western bank of the navigable
river Severn, over which is a ferry at high and low water, and on the high road
from Gloucester to Chepstow.
Newnham was, many
centuries ago, a borough town, and returned one member to Parliament; on petition
to be exempted from this privilege, on account of the expense, it was
excused. King John presented to
the corporation of Newnham, then under a bailiff, a sword of office, which is
still in existence, and in perfect preservation excepting that the handle is
now a wooden one. Strongbow, Earl
of Pembroke, about 1771, met Henry II here, whence the King and Earl set sail
and landed near Waterford.
The church of St.
Peter, which stands on an eminence at the south end of the town, is an old
stone building in the Pointed style, and consists of a chancel, nave, south
aisle, organ chamber and vestry, and a square embattled tower containing 6
bells: in the church is a very curious Anglo-Norman font, with carved figures
of the Twelve Apostles: the church was entirely restored and enlarged in 1875;
a south aisle was added, which is separated from the nave by four arches
resting on pillars of polished granite with Bath stone capitals: the nave is
divided from the chancel by a lofty moulded arch with polished granite shafts
resting upon trusses and carved capitals: the tower was raised 30 feet and a
campanile added: the restoration was carried out under the superintendence of
Messrs. Waller of Gloucester, at a cost of £4,200: the east window is stained,
representing our Lord as the Good Shepherd. The register dates from the year
1547.
The living is a
vicarage, yearly value £220, with residence, in the gift of Maurice Frederic
Carter, esq. and held by the Rev. Edward Cowell Brice, B.A. of St. JohnÕs
College, Cambridge. There is a
Congregational chapel. The
following sums have been bequeathed for the benefit of the poor, viz.:-John
Matthews, gentleman, a native of Bath and an attorney of this town, £15 yearly;
Samuel Hawkins, esq. of Leman street, London, £200 in Government securities:
John Harvey Olney, esq. late of Cheltenham, £300 Three per Cents.: Mr James
Jocham, late of Bristol, the annual sum of £1 11s. 6d. ; he also gave the
interest of £1,000 towards the clothing of 15 poor boys yearly, and the remainder
to poor lying-in women. Here are
charities to the value of £38 distributed to the poor.
The Town Hall is a
brick building, in which county courts are held, and the tax commissionersÕ
meetings at the Victoria Hotel: a clock tower has been erected here, consisting
of a Bath stone shaft 4 feet 6 inches square, raised on a weather tabled base 6
feet square, and carries at a height of 30 feet a corbelled and battlemented
erection, containing a clock by Benson; the whole is surmounted by a short
stone spire with metal vane; the total height is 60 feet.
Here is a branch of
the Gloucestershire Banking Company, and a large tannery; and a considerable
trade is carried on in bark, timber, slate and coal, at the wharfs, viz. Bullo
Pill and Broad Oak. A branch line
of rail runs to the former, and mineral lines from the coal and iron mines in
the Forest of Dean. Near the church is a long raised fossway, an ancient
defence, now converted into an agreeable promenade.
Fairs are held on the
11th of June and October 18th for cattle.
The Haie, the
residence of Russell James Kerr esq. J.P. is pleasantly situated on the banks
of the Severn, and commands an extensive and panoramic view for some miles on
the other side of the river. From here may be counted 32 churches, including the
cathedral of Gloucester, the Cotswold and Stinchcomb hills may also be seen;
the gardens are of great repute since the improvements made by the late and
present proprietors, and are visited by numbers. The manor is in the hands of the trustees of the late Tom
Goold, esq. A portion of the manor
of Rodley, of which Sir William Vernon Guise, bart. is lord, is in this
parish. Russell James Kerr, esq.
J.P. of the Haie, is chief landowner, and lord of the manor of Ruddle. The area is 1,890 acres land, 215 of
water; rateable value, £11,031 13s.; the population in 1871 was 1,483
Parish Clerk,
Henry Vale.
POST, MONEY ORDER
& TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Savings Bank & Government Annuity & Insurance
Office, John Henry Morse, postmaster.
Letters from London & all parts arrive at 1.30 & 9.40 a.m. &
at 2.25 p.m.; dispatched at 7.15 & 9.40 p.m. Box closes at 9.35, but letters can be posted till 9.40 with
an extra stamp affixed. North mail
arrives at 6.30 a.m.; dispatched at 7 p.m. Messengers are dispatched to
Blakeney, Awre, Littledean, Cinderford, Flaxley & Popes Hill
COUNTY MAGISTRATES
FOR THE NEWNHAM PETTY SESSIONAL DIVISION
Sir Thomas Hyde
Crawley-Boevey, bart. Flaxley
Henry Crawshay, esq.
Oaklands
Edwin Crawshay esq.
Blaisdon
William Crawshay,
esq. Riverdale
Russell James Kerr,
esq. The Haie
Edmund Probyn, esq.
D.L. Huntley
Maynard Willoughby
Wemyss-Colchester, esq. The Wilderness
Clerk, Maurice Frederic Carter
Petty Sessions are
held at the Petty Sessional Court, Littledean every alternate Monday. The following places are included in
the Petty Sessional Division: - Abinghall, Awre, Blaisdon, Churcham, East Dean,
Flaxley, Huntley, Littledean, Micheldean, Newnham, Ruardean &
Westbury-on-Severn.
URBAN SANITARY
AUTHORITY
Clerk,
Maurice Frederic Carter
Medical Officer, Francis Thomas Bond M.D.
Surveyor, John George Carefield
Inspector,
John Harris
Collector, George
Thorne
INSURANCE AGENTS
Norwich Union Fire & Life, W Barling
Provident Life,
A.Parker; S.W. Woods, The Bank
Scottish Commercial, J.G. Carefield
Staffordshire Fire, S.W. Hadingham, The Bank
Sun Fire, W.E. Hall
Westminster & General Life, W.W.Ware
PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS
County Court,
Town Hall, Charles Sumner, esq. judge; John Wakefield Burrup, registrar, John
Davenport Barrett, high bailiff. Andrew Parker, clerk. Court held monthly, on a Wednesday; the
following parishes are in its jurisdiction, viz.:- Abinghall, Arlingham,
Awre, Blaisdon, East Dean, Flaxley,
Littledean, Longhope, Micheldean, Newnham, & Westbury –on-Severn.
Town Hall,
Charles Carlisle, hall keeper
Stamp Office & Inland Revenue Office, William Sidney
Fryer, distributor
Police Station,
Henry Swatton, sergeant
PUBLIC OFFICERS
Clerk to the dean Forest Turnpike Trustees, Trustee of the
Huntley Roads, Steward to the Verderers of Her MajestyÕs Forest of Dean, &
Steward to the Manor of Rodley,
James Wintle
Steward to the Manor
of Ashleworth A.H. Maule
Coroner for the Forest Division of the County of Gloucester,
Clerk to the Justices of Newnham and Coleford & to the Guardians of the Westbury-on-Severn
Union, Liberal Agent for West Gloucestershire & Clerk to the Commisioners
of Taxes for Newnham & Coleford Division, Maurice F Carter.
Surveyor of Highways, John George Carefield
Superintendent Registrar, Maurice Frederic Carter
Registrar of Marriages for Westbury-on Severn District, Frederic Asgill Carter
Registrar of Births & Deaths for Newnam District, Edward Teague, Steam mill, East Dean
Registrar of Births & Deaths & Relieving Officer
(Westbury-on-Severn District) Edwin
Mitchell
Assistant Overseer, John George Carefield
Town Crier & Bailiff to County Court, Thomas Clarke
Ferryman,
Samuel Hayward
There is a National
School in the Elizabethan style, built in 1867 & enlarged in 1875; Wm.
Jones master; Mrs. Jones, mistress
Railway Station (Gloucester & South Wales). Thomas Harding, station master
PRIVATE RESIDENTS
Brice Rev. Edwd
Cowell B.A. Vicarage
Carleton John Shaw
Carter Maurice
Frederic [Captain 3rd Gloucestershire Artillery]
Collins John
Stratford, Severn bank
Crawley Mrs. Belair
Crawshay William
J.P., Riverdale
Gilbert Edwin Philip
Goold Mrs. Manor
house
Holmes Miss
Kerr Russell James,
J.P., The Haie
Maule Augustus Henry,
Blythe court
Parker Andres, The
Cliff
Shiles John, Bulls
villa
Smith James Knight,
The Beeches
Smith William Knight,
The Beeches
Terrell Rev. Thomas
Joseph, M.A. [curate]
Trotter Mrs
Ward William Walker,
Underhill
Weight Rev. Thomas
Joseph, M.A. [curate]
Wildey Mrs
Wintle James, Hill
House
COMMERCIAL
Bailey Charles,
shopkeeper, coal merchant & railway agent
Baker Elizabeth
(Mrs.), dress maker
Barling William
Charles, farrier, blacksmith & farmer
Beard Hannah (Mrs.),
shopkeeper
Beard James, boot
& shoe maker
Birks Emma (Mrs.), Railway inn, & blacksmith, Bullo
Blanton Albert,
stationer & toy dealer
Blanton John, Plumber
& Glazier
Boucher Jsph. Railway
waggon builder, Bullo Pill
Bowyer John, beer
retailer
Brace Thomas, Tailor
Breen Louisa (Mrs.), Union inn
Burrup John Wakefield
solicitor & registrar of county court
Camm William, tallow
chandler
Carefield John
George, agent to Watts & Co. Brewers & spirit merchants, Stroud, &
assistant overseer.
Carleton John Shaw,
Surgeon (firm, Collins & Carleton)
Carter Maurice
Frederic, solicitor, commissioner for taking acknowledgments of married women
& for taking affidavits & superintendent registrar
Charles Josiah, beer
retailer
Clifford Elizabeth (Miss),
rope maker
Collins &
Carleton, surgeons
Collins John
Stratford (firm Collins &
Carleton), surgeon & medical officer to district No. 2 of Westbury Union.
Crocker Elizh. (Mrs.),shopkeeper,
Bullo pill
Dee Tom, beer
retailer
Elton, Elijah, boot
& shoe maker
Evans William, coal
agent
Fryer Wm. Sidney,
bookseller & stationer
Gas Light & Coke Co, (John Hankins Morse, sec)
Gilbert Edwin Philip,
solicitor (firm, Gould & Gilbert)
Gloucestershire Banking Co. (branch of) (Samuel Wilkinson Woods, man[ager]); draw on
Union Bank of London
Gould & Gilbert,
solicitors
Great Western Coal ConsumersÕ Co Limited, colliery proprtrs. (Stephen Wallace Hardingham, sec.)
Green Joseph, beer
retailer & shoe ma
Hardeman Bros., who.
Chemists & drggsts
Harris John,
carpenter.
Hayward Samuel,
ferryman
Headdon William,
baker, confectioner & farmer
Highmeadow Iron Co. Limited, iron masters
(Stephen Wallace Hardingham, sec.)
Hobbs Henry, Lower George
Hobbs Selina (Mrs.),
shopkeeper
Hoyle John, coal
agent
Hyett Thomas, farmer,
Ruddle
Jones Fred.k beer
retlr. & master mariner
Jones Joseph
Chamberlain, hair dresser
Karn James,
auctioneer, Severn Villa
King William Henry, Victoria hotel & posting house
Lane George, railway
inspector
Leverton William,
tailor
Long Edwin,
shopkeeper & haulier
Mailes John, Ship inn, & butcher
Maule Augustus Henry,
solicitor (firm, Wintle, Son & Maule)
Mayo Joseph, timber,
bark & slate merchant, Broad Oak
Merrick Charles,
carpenter
Morgan Sarah (Mrs.),
teacher of music
Morgan William,
shorthand writer & accountant
Morris John, grocer
& draper, & agent for W. & A. Gilbey, wine & spirit merchants
Morse John Hankins,
secretary to Newnham Gas Company
Palmer John, tailor
Parker Andrew, solicitor
Phillips John,
painter, plumber & glazier
Philpotts James
Richard, chemist & druggist
Playsted John, grocer
& draper
Preece Henry, draper
& ironmonger
Price Edwin, butcher
Probert Ambrose,
mason
Rees Jane Ann (Mrs.),
dress maker
Roberts William, tin
plate worker
Robins Edwin, saddler
Shortman Samuel,
baker & shopkeeper
Shortman Wm. Watch
& clock maker
Simmons Ann (Mrs.),
builder
Smith & Son,
solicitors, The Beeches
Smith James Knight,
solicitor (firm, Smith & Son)
Smith William Knight,
solicitor (firm, Smith & Son)
Smithyman William
Kendrick & Co., wholesale & retail wine & spirit mers
Thomas Allen, coach
builder
Ware & Shiles,
tanners & bark & timber merchants, Underhill
Weaving George, Upper George
Wellington Henry,
leather seller & boot & shoe maker
Wintle, Son &
Maule, colicitors, commissioners for taking acknowledgements of married women,
& for affi-davits, clerks to Dean Forest turn-pike trust
Wintle James,
solicitor (firm Wintle, Son & Maule)
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