Hanbury Worcestershire Littleburys Directory 1879
Hanbury is a large agricultural parish, 2 miles S.E. of Stoke Works station, 5 S. of Bromsgrove, 4 E. of Droitwich, and 10½ N.E. of Worcester; is in the eastern division of the county and hundred of Upper Halfshire, highway district of Redditch, union, county court district, petty sessional division, and parliamentary borough of Droitwich; annual rateable value, £11,354; area of parish, 7,533 acres; population in 1861, 1,044; in 1871, 1,094, with 218 inhabited houses, and 249 families or separate occupiers. Harry Foley Vernon, Esq., D.L., is lord of the manor and principal landowner. The soil is loamy; subsoil, clay; chief crops, wheat, barley, and beans. Several Roman remains and coins have been discovered on Church hill. The Worcester and Birmingham canal, the Droitwich and Alcester road, and the Birmingham and Bristol branch of the Midland railway run through the parish. Statutes are held at the Vernon Arms Inn, on Lady-day and Michaelmas. Hanbury is in the diocese and archdeaconry of Worcester and rural deanery of Droitwich; living, a rectory, value £1,168, with handsome rectory-house, and 162 acres of glebe; patron, Harry Foley Vernon, Esq.; rector, Rev. Charles William Norman Ogilvy, M.A., Christ Church, Oxford, who was instituted in 1878. The church of St. Mary stands upon a wooded eminence, and commands a splendid view of the surrounding neighbourhood. It consists of chancel, nave, aisles, and tower, containing eight bells, and possesses Early English piers and arches, with some Decorated and Perpendicular portions. It was expensively restored in 1861, at the cost of H. F. Vernon, Esq., and the Hon. and Rev. Henry Douglas, M.A. (the former rector), when the chancel was rebuilt with the addition of north and south aisles. The south chancel aisle, called the “Vernon Chapel,” contains the monuments of the Vernon family; these are very elaborate and beautiful, including works of Chantrey and Roubiliac. The earliest register is dated 1577. At Woolmere green is a chapel-of-ease, erected in 1872, with accommodation for about 100 persons. There are two national schools; one near the parish church and the other at Broughton green; the latter was enlarged in 1872 and licensed for Divine service. A small endowment for a school now goes towards the expenses of the parochial schools. The Wesleyans and Baptists have places of worship here. A rifle corps, coal and clothing clubs, Sunday and night schools, parochial association for missions, lending library, &c., are supported in the parish, and a nursing institution for well-trained and experienced nurses has been established by Lady Georgina Vernon. There are numerous charities for the benefit of the poor, including £200 left in 1713, by Thomas Vernon, Esq., Middle Temple, to apprentice children of the parish, and £1,000 for the poor of Hanbury and Shrawley. Hanbury Hall, the seat of Harry Foley Vernon, Esq., J.P., D.L., and Lady Georgina Vernon, is a commodious mansion, situate in a finely-wooded park of 130 acres, from which the Malvern and Bredon hills are seen to advantage. The house was rebuilt in 1710 by Councillor Vernon; the hall and staircase were painted by Sir J. Thornhill, the subject chosen being the history of Achilles. H. F. Vernon, Esq., held the office of High-Sheriff of Worcestershire in 1873. Mere Hall, the seat of Edward Bearcroft, Esq., J.P., D.L., is one of the oldest timber-framed mansions in the county. The two large gables form a wing, and an octagon turret rises above the roof. A very fine avenue of elms leads to the house. Broughton Court is the residence of Miss Bearcroft, and The Mount that of Henry Bearcroft, Esq.
POSTAL REGULATIONS. – Benjamin Cooper, Sub-Postmaster. Letters arrive by messenger from Bromsgrove at 8.40 a.m.; despatched thereto at 5 p.m. on week-days, and at 9.50 a.m. on Sundays. Letters for Hanbury hall, Mere hall, Broughton, goose hill, Westfields, &c., are received through Droitwich. The nearest money-order and telegraph offices are at Feckenham, Bromsgrove, and Droitwich.
Parish Church (St. Mary’s). – Rev. Charles William Norman Ogilvy, M.A., Rector; Rev. F. W. Piercy, Curate; Messrs. Samuel Wilson and Thomas Jackson, Churchwardens; William Moore, Parish Clerk and Sexton; George M. Greenhill, Organist.
Chapel-of-Ease, Woolmere green.
National School (boys and girls), Hanbury village. – Mr. George Marshall Greenhill, Master; Mrs. Baylis, Sewing Mistress.
National School, Broughton green. – Mr. Richard Lord, master.
Droitwich Road Goods Station (Midland Railway). – Mr. William Pittaway, Station Master and Goods Agent.
Assistant Overseer. – Mr. James Stanton Cole.
Carrier to Worcester and Bromsgrove. – William Moore, to Plough Inn, Silver street, Worcester, on Wednesdays and Saturdays; to the George Inn, Worcester street, Bromsgrove, on Tuesdays.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Bearcroft Edward, Esq., D.L., Mere hall
Bearcroft Henry, Esq., The Mount
Bearcroft Miss, Broughton court
Cartwright Miss, White house
Handy Mr. George, Woolmere green
Ogilvy Rev. Charles William Norman, M.A., (rector), The Rectory
Piercy Rev. F. W. (curate)
Vernon Lady Georgina, Hanbury hall
Vernon Harry Foley, Esq., J.P., D.L. (colonel of second battalion of Worcestershire rifle volunteers), Hanbury hall
AGRICULTURAL & COMMERCIAL.
Allen William Ashwin, farm bailiff to Edward Bearcroft, Esq., D.L., Little Lodge farm
Aubrey George, frmr., Upper Goose hill
Ballinger Arthur, dairyman, Fish pools
Barber Thomas, cowkeeper, Park hill
Barley Armell, butcher
Bate George, blacksmith, &c., Old Bell
Bate Thos., blacksmith, Woolmere green
Baylis Alfred Edward and George, farmers, Hownings farm
Baylis Charles, boot and she maker, Dodderhill common
Baylis John, Vernon Arms inn
Baylis Stephen, foreman carpenter on the Hanbury estate, Becks
Beardsmore Thos., bricklayer, Broughton
Best William, woodman, Broughton
Bickley J., coal dlr., &c., Hanbury wharf
Burrow Mrs., farmer, Webb house
Caswell Thos., farmer, Ditchford bank
Clarke Samuel, Railway Tavern, and shopkeeper, Hanbury wharf
Cole Mrs. Emma, grocer, draper, &c.
Cole Jas. Stanton, assistant overseer, &c.
Cooper Benjn., painter & sub-postmstr.
Cope Mrs. Maria, shopkeeper and beer retailer (New Inn)
Corbett Messrs., farmers, Hollow fields
Cowley Thomas, farmer, Goose Hill grn.
Cross James, farmer, Goose Hill green
Drew Alfred, boot & shoe ma., Woodrow
Ford Charles, farmer, Hill farm
Ford Geo., farmer, Temple Broughton
Gardner Henry, gamekeeper for Edwd. Bearcroft, Esq., D.L., Goose Hill grn.
Gibbs John, farmer, Hollow fields
Gore George P., blacksmith, Mere grn.
Green Wm., farmer, Pump House farm
Greenhill George Marshall, master of national school and organist, Village
Guise William, beer retailer, Broughton
Haden John, farmer, Wall House farm
Harber John, tailor, Pump House lane
Jackson Thomas, farmer, Hollow fields
Jones William, bricklayer
Ladbury Frederick George, bricklayer
Lord Richard, schoolmaster, Broughton
Martin Fredk., head gamekeeper for H. F. Vernon, Esq., D.L., of Hanbury hall
Martin John, brewer, maltster, and farmer, The Valley
Mence Robert, farmer, Astwood
Moore Wm., parish clk., tailor, & carrier
Newman Mrs. Ann, farmer, Goose hill
Newman William, farmer, Skirgins
Oliver Geo., head gardener to H. F. Vernon, Esq., D.L., Hanbury Hall gards.
Penrice George, farmer, Walmer farm
Penrice Wm., Joseph, farmer, Park fm.
Phillips Mrs. Mary, laundress
Pinfield Elijah, fairy farmer, Old House cottage, Dodderhill common
Pittaway W., goods agent, Droitwich rd.
Preece Richard, wheelwright, Woodrow
Price Mrs. M., dairy farmer, The Elms
Seager James, farmer, park hall
Small William, farmer, Earl’s common
Smith William, boot and shoe maker
Steele Abel, grocer, &c., Dodderhill com.
Taylor Joseph, farmer, Foster’s green
Taylor Richard, dairy farmer, Woodrow
Taylor James, police constable, Police sta.
Terrett Geo. Patrick, frmr., The Forest
Tombs George, farmer, Hollow fields
Toovey Charles, carpenter and builder, Square and Compass Inn, Woodrow
Turner Alfred, cowkeeper, Old Bell
Weaver Daniel, farmer, Old house
Weaver John, butcher, &c., The Valley
Weaver Thomas, brick manufacturer & builder; and at Stoke Prior
Wells John, farmer, Goose Hill green
Weston Mrs. Mary, shopkeeper
White Reuben, carpenter, Woodrow
Whitehouse Geo., farmer, Ward’s farm
Willis John, farm steward to H. F. Vernon, Esq., D.L., Beck’s farm
Wilson John, farmer, The Woodrow
Wilson Samuel, farmer, &c., Mere green
Wilson Wm., farmer, Lower Westfield
Wyatt Thos., farmer, Upper Westfield
Source: Littlebury, Littlebury’s Directory and Gazetteer of Worcester & District, Third Edition. Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co. 1879.
Table of Contents