West Stour

EXTRACTS FROM DIRECTORIES

1865                1880               1895

J G  Harrods & Co's Postal & Commercial Directory 1865

 WEST STOWER is a parish and village, in the hundred of Red Lane, and union of Shaftesbury, and division of Sturminster, distant 5 miles W. from Shaftesbury, and 4 from Gillingham south-west. The church (St Mary) is an ancient edifice, and the living is a curacy, annexed, with Motcomb and East Stower, to the vicarage of Gillingham. The population in 1861 was 215; acreage, 1,015.

Postal Regulations.-Letters are received from Blandford, which is the postal town.

Nearest money-order office is at Gillingham.

BENJAFIELD Mr. Silas

COMMERCIAL

AYLES Thomas, farmer

AYLES Stephen, farmer, Stour hill Farm

DENNIS John, Ship commercial Inn and brewer

GODWIN Robert, postmaster

HARDING Henry, farmer

HERSENT James, shopkeeper

HISCOCK Arthur, farmer

HOSKINS George, shoemaker

JASPER George, cheese factor

JUKES John, farmer

MOORE Thomas, farmer

MURRISH Christopher, shopkeeper

 Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1880

WEST STOWER (or Stour) is a small parish pleasantly situated on the high road from Shaftesbury to Sherborne and Yeovil, in the union, country court district and petty sessional division of Shaftesbury, hundred of Redlane, diocese of Salisbury, archdeaconry of Dorset and rural deanery of Shaftesbury first portion, 5 1/2 miles west from Shaftesbury and 4 south-west from Gillingham railway station. The river Stour passes through this parish. The church of St. Mary is an ancient stone structure, principally Early English, having chancel and nave, with square embattle tower containing 3 bells : It has an organ and a gallery at the west end. The register dates from the year 1654. The living is a vicarage, annexed with Motocombe and East Stower to the vicarage of Gillingham, joint  yearly valve £1,313, in the gift of the Bishop of Salisbury, and held by the Rev. Henry DEANE B.C.L. of New College, Oxford; curate, the Rev. Sidney Coleridge SMITH. Here are small chapels for Baptists and Primitive Methodists. G.D. Wingfield DIGBY esq. is the principal landowner. The soil is sand and clay; subsoil, stone and gravel. The land is chiefly in pasture; the area is 1,016 acres; rateable value £2,096. The population in 1871 was 197.

Parish Clerk, Thomas HOSKINS.

Letters through Bath. Gillingham is the nearest money order office. Wall Letter Box cleared at 4:30 p.m. week days only

National School, Miss E. SHADDOCK, mistress

BENJAFIELD Mrs

HAYTER Charles    Commercial

AYLES Stephen, farmer & cowkeeper

AYLES George & Thomas, farmers

DINNES John, Ship Commercial inn, & farmer

HARSENT James, shopkeeper

HISCOCK Arthur, farmer

HISCOCK Edwin, farmer

HISCOCK William, farmer

HOSKINS Thomas, shoe maker

JUKES Ann (Mrs.), farmer

MORRISH Christopher, shopkeeper

RABBITS Edward. farmer

 

Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1895

 

WEST STOWER (or Stour) is a small parish, pleasantly situated on the river Stour and high road from Shaftesbury to Sherborne and Yeovil, 4 miles south-west from Gillingham station on the London and South Western railway, and 5 1/2 west from Shaftesbury,  in the Northern division of the country, hundred of Redlane, petty sessional division, union and county court district of Shaftesbury, rural deanery of Shaftesbury (Shaftesbury portion), archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St. Mary is a stone structure, having an ancient Decorated chancel, a modern nave, south porch and a square embattled tower of Perpendicular date, containing 3 bells; it has an organ and a gallery at the west end. The register dates from the year 1654.  The living is a chapelry, annexed with East Stower to the vicarage of Gillingham, average tithe rent-charge £1,146, joint gross yearly value £1,152, net £318, in the gift of the Bishop of Salisbury, and held since 1891 by the Rev. Sidney Edmund DAVIES, M.A. of Worcester College, Oxford, rural dean of Shaftesbury, and surrogate, who reside at Gillingham. Here are small chapels for Baptists and Primitive Methodists. J.K.D. WINGFIELD-DIGBY esq. M.P. of Sherborne Castle is the principal landowner.  The soil is sand and clay : subsoil, stone and gravel. The land is chiefly in pasture. The area is 998 acres ; rateable value, £1,854 ; the population in 1891 was 158.

Parish Clerk, Thomas HOSKINS

Letters through Bath, arrive at 8:30 a.m. Gillingham is the nearest money order office ; Sandley, Buckhorn Weston, is the nearest telegraph office.

Wall Letter Box, cleared at 5:15 p.m. week days only

National School (mixed), built in 1870, for 50 children; average attendance, 30; Mrs. Constance M. BOWN, mistress

Carrier to Wincanton,--Henry HELLIER, wed. & sat

Russell EDWARD, Laburnam villa

COMMERCIAL

AYLES Jn. Harry, farmer, Stower Hill fm

AYLES Stephen, frmr. Lit. Kington fm

BROCKWAY Jn. Farmer, Townsend farm

BUTLER George, farmer, Woodhouse fm

DENNETT Alfd. Ship commercial inn

HARSENT James, shopkeeper

HELLIER Hy. Markt, gardnr. & carrier

HISCOCK Albert, farmer, Manor farm

HISCOCK William, farmer, Church Fm

HOPKINS Geo. Farmer, Cocking farm

HOSKINS James George, teacher of music & poor's rate collector for Kingston Magna

HOSKINS Thos. Shoe ma. & parish clrk

HUTCHINGS J. Hy. Carpenter & wheelwt

SHIPP Edward, butcher & farmer

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