Newnham
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. John’s 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 commissioners’ 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 Majesty’s 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 Consumers’ 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)