Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1895

Transcription from a copy of the original book, kindly donated to the OPC Project by Alan Bartlett, 2003

BRIDPORT is a seaport, municipal borough and market and union town, head of a county court district, and railway station, in the Western division of the county, hundred of Sturminster, though locally in the hundred of Whitchurch Canonicorum, rural deanery of Bridport (Bridport portion), archdeaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury, 15 miles west from Dorchester, 34 from Taunton, 6 south from Beaminster, 9 east from Lyme Regis, 21 north-west from Weymouth, 135 by road and 163 by railway from London; the Great Western railway has a branch from Maiden Newton to this town and the West bay, which gives access to Dorchester on the London and South Western railway and Yeovil on the Great Western, thus giving two distinct lines of communication with the metropolis and other parts of the kingdom: there are three stations, viz.  Bridport, the East Street station and one at the harbour called West bay.

            This place takes its name from the river Brit, on the bank of which it stands.  This was a place of some importance in the time of Edward the Confessor, and is mentioned in Domesday Book as having a mint and ecclesiastical establishment:  it was made a borough in the reign of Henry III.: its charter underwent various alterations during subsequent reigns.  The governing charter, prior to the Municipal Act, was that granted by Charles II.: it now comprises, in addition to the ancient borough, portions of the parishes of Allington, Bradpole, Walditch, Bothenhampton, Burton-Bradstock and Symondsbury.  The town is situated in a fertile vale, surrounded by hills, having on the west the river Bride or Brit, and on the eat the river Asker, over which are several bridges; these rivers unite a little below the town, which chiefly consists of three spacious street, containing handsome modern houses, lighted with gas by a company and well paved.  Wather is supplied to the inhabitants by a company from works situated at Litton Cheney.

             The church of St. Mary, enlarged and thoroughly restored in 1859-60, is a spacious cruciform structure of stone, chiefly in the very Early Perpendicular style of architecture, consisting of chancel, nave with north and south transepts partly Early English, aisles, and a south chapel with  square embattled tower rising from the center and crowned with pinnacles, and containing 8 bells; within are some interesting monuments; one a cross-legged effigy of  a knight, supposed to represent one of the De Chideock family; there is a small mural tablet in memory of Lieut. Coker, of Mappowder, killed at the Bull hotel by one Venner, an officer of the Duke of Monmouth, in the Monmouth rebellion, 1685;  the church contains 1017 seats, which all become free at the final ringing of the bell.  The register dates from the year 1600.  The living is a discharged rectory, gross yearly value £250, net £220, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Salisbury, and held since 1895 by the Rev. Geo. Francis Hooper M. A. of Brasenose College, Oxford. 

            Christ Church is and iron structure, in the East road, and is served from Walditch, erected in 1880, and has 400 seats.

There is a Catholic church in Victoria street, dedicated to SS. Mary and Catherine, which seats 150.

 The meeting house for the Society of Friends, South street, erected in 1700, will hold 200 persons; the Congregational chapel, East street, erected in 1859, has 200 seats; the Baptist chapel, Victoria street, built 1841, has sittings for 350; the Unitarian chapel, East street, erected in 1790, will seat 500 persons;  the Wesleyans have a chapel in West bay, built in 1849, with 70 seats, and one in South street, erected in 1839, seating 800 persons.

 The Cemetary, of 4 acres, 1 mile from the center of the town, on he road to Dorchester, was formed in 1856, at a cost of £2,500, with the usual mortuary chapels, and is governed by a Burial Board of nine members.

 The Town Hall is a handsome brick building, faced with Portland stone:  it was erected in 1786, on the site of the ancient chapel of St. Andrew, in the center of the town, containing in the upper story a court for the borough sessions, a room for the grand jury, and a council chamber, underneath which is held the general market for butcher’s meat.  The market days are Wednesday and Saturday.  The fairs are held on the 11^th of October and the 6^th of April, for cattle and cheese: the former date bing the festival day of St. Michael old style, to whom a church, which formerly stood at the corner of St. Michaels’s lane, was dedicated; the latter date is the festival of St. Mary the Virgin, to whom the parish church was originally dedicated.

 The headquarters of A Company, 1^st Volunteer Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment, are situated at the Volunteer Hall, St. Michael’s lane.

 The trade of the town consists principally in the importation of hemp and flax chiefly from Riga and Archangel.  There was formerly a considerable coasting trade, by which the adjacent towns were supplied with coal from Wales and the collieries in the North of England, and with other articles of general consumption, but the extension of railways has almost destroyed this trade.  The harbour, which is connected with the town by a short laine of rail, and will take vessels of 250 tons, is situated in the bay which is formed by the headlands near Portland on the east and Tor Point on the west.  The principal manufactures are those of fishing-nets, twines, shoethread and sail cloth, made largely both for home and foreign consumption; formerly much flax was grown in the adjacent parishes, but little is now produced.  On the river Brit there are three large flax mills.

Here is a Literary and Scientific Institute, a handsome building situated in the East Street.

The Workhouse, a building of stone, is situated on the Bradpole road.

Bridport has the following charities: the eight-acre tenement, partly bought with the proceeds of money collected in 1649 towards the repairs of Bridport Harbour, but being quite inadequate for the purpose, was added to some other money given by Henry Hody, and a small estate purchased a Broad Oak; a portion of the rent is given to the general school and the remainder to the National schools.  The fourteen-acre tenement given in 1633 by different persons consists of four closes and two orchards at Broad Oak;  the proceeds are annually given to the poor.  The malthouse and brewhouse: -- In 1650 the corporation of Bridport laid out £180 in the purchase of certain premises comprising a malthouse and brewhouse; a portion of this money was the gift of Mrs. Jane Napper: in 1865 these premises were sold, the purchase money invested in Consols and the proceeds are annually given in Christmas donations to the poor.  The higher and lower almshouses are under the control of nine trustees.  Jessope”s gift is a small annuity left in the time of James I.  Pitfields’s charity was given in 1675 by Charles Pitfield, and consists of a parcel of land called Thorncombe: from the proceeds of this charity a number of penny loaves are distributed every Sunday in Bridport Church;  a sermon is annually preached on March 2^nd, and a number of petticoats given to old womenand coats to old men at that time; the total income is £15 a year, as the estate was sold in 1763 subject to that rent-charge.  A charity of £100 invested in Consols is the proceeds of the sale of a house left in the time of James I. For a widower and widow, and the dividend is dispensed by the churchwardens and overseers.  Daniel Taylor, in the time of Charles II. Left the Bull Inn, in East street, for the purpose of providing an efficient schoolmaster for the poor children of the town;  in 1859 the inn was sold, with the consent of the Charity Commissioners, for £2,450, and the net produce, £2,083 13s. 3d. now invested in Consols, the annual dividends of which, £65 12s. 4d. are devoted to the use of the general school in the town.  Daniel Taylor’s almshouses opposite the church in South street, are occupied by deserving persons appointed by the trustee.  The Magdalen charity consists of almshouses in Allington; eight deserving women are here found a dwelling, and some trifling charity derived from a third portion of the proceeds of the Cattlebarrow estate at Whitchurch, Bull’s charity, Bishop Hall’s charity, Bernard Michel’s charity, and Napper’s charity are very trifling.  The Sunday school charity was a gift of a Sunday school for the parish of Bridport, for the instruction of children belonging to the established curch, by the late Henry Charles Stuart, father of the present Lord Alington:  the original school and land have been sold and the proceeds devoted towards the erection of the capacious and convenient new schools erected on the glebe land opposite the former school.

 The population withing he municipal limits, in 1891, was 6611, as follows: --Allington (part of) 1,400; Bothenhampton (part of) 121; Bradpole (part of) 864; Bridport 3,768; Burton Bradstock (part of) 163; Symondsbury (part of)  136; and Walditch (part of) 67.  The population of Bridport parish was 3768 and the area is 62 acres; rateable value of Bridport, £12,500; and Allington, £7,049.  The population of the wards in 1891 was:  North 3,142; south 3,469.

 Allington parish forms part of the borough, and under the “Local Government Act of 1894” those portions of the surrounding parishes with in borough are also now included in the civil parish of Bridport.

 The parish church of St Swithin, erected in 1827, is a plain rectangular building of stone in the Greek style, consisting of chancel (at the west end of the church), nave, aisles and east gallery; it contains 800 seats, of which 400 are free.  The register dates from the year 1600 and earlier, but the earliest are mainly illegible.  The living is a vicarage, gross yearly value £210. with house, in the gift of the Bishop of Salisbury, and held since 1879 by the Rev. Samuel Shering Keddle M. A. of Corpus Christi college, Oxford.

 At North Allington is a Dispensary and Cottage Hospital, with beds for nine patients, supported by subscription; the site and former house were given by the late Thomas Hannan.

 There are some endowed almshouses here, which were partly rebuilt in 1877 by public subscription.

 St Andrew’s a chapel of ease to Bradpole, was erected in the year 1860 in the Early English style, and consists of chancel, nave and north aisle, with a western bell turret containing 3 bells;  the vicar of Bradpole or his curate officiates; it contains 320 seats, all of which are free.  The area is 594 acres; the population in 1891 was 1771.

 By a local Government Order dated March 25, 1884, a detached part of Loders, known as Loders West End, was amalgamated with Allington.

 Parish Clerk, St Mary, Bridport, Samuel Keech

Sexton, St Swithin, Allington, William Woodland

OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS, LOCAL INSTITUTIONS

Post, M. O. & T. O., S. B., Express Delivery & Annuity & Insurance Office, East street , Miss M. Prince, postmistress.

 Dispatch of Letters     Letters &c can be posted  Parcel Post      

Bridport Town Deliveries include all letters posted in head office half and hour before commencing next delivery

On Sundays the 7:35 a.m. delivery is only made

Post & Telegraph Office, West Bay. ---sub-postmaster.  Letters arrive at 8 a.m. & 5 p.m.: dispatched at 9 a.m. & 6 p.m.   Postal orders are issued here, but not paid.  Wall & Pillar Boxes in various parts of town.

COUNTY MAGISTRATES

(note added in transcription – official’s names are to be found in the directory listings)

For Bridport Petty Sessional Division, sitting alternately at Bridport & Beaminster, & at Thorncombe every two months

The senior magistrate present acts as chairman.

Petty sessions are held every alternate month on ?day at the Town Hall, at 11 a.m.  The following places are included in this Petty Sessional Division:  Allington, Askerswell, Beaminster, Bradpole, Burstock, Broadwindsor, Bettiscombe, Bothenhampton, Barton Bradstock, Beerhall, Cleddington, Chardstock, Corscombe, Chelborough East & West, Chilcombe, Chideock, Charmouth, Catherston, Leweston, Hook, Halstock, Hawkchurch, Loders, Lyme Regis, Mapperton, Mosterton, Marshwood, Netherbury, Poorton North, Perrott South, Pilsdon, Poorstock, Stoke Abbott, Stanton St. Gabriel, Symondsbury,  Shipton Gorge, Thorncombe, Wimbrook, Walditch, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Wootten, Fitzpaine, Wraxall.

BOROUGH MAGISTRATES

(note added in transcription – official’s names are to be found in the directory listings)

Borough Petty Sessions are held at th Town Hall every three weeks on Tuesday, at 11 a.m.

PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS

Cemetary, East road,

County Court Office, 36 East street.  The court is held at the Town hall every month.  The district comprises the following places viz: Allington, Askerswell, Beaminster, Bradpole, Burstock, Broadwindsor, Bettiscombe, Bothenhampton, Barton Bradstock, Beerhall, Cleddington, Chardstock, Corscombe, Chelborough East & West, Chilcombe, Chideock, Charmouth, Catherston, Leweston, Hook, Halstock, Hawkchurch, Loders, Lyme Regis, Mapperton, Mosterton, Marshwood, Netherbury, Poorton North, Perrott South, Pilsdon, Poorstock, Stoke Abbott, Stanton St. Gabriel, Symondsbury,  Shipton Gorge, Thorncombe, Wimbrook, Walditch, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Wootten, Fitzpaine, Wraxall.

For Bankruptcy purposes this Court is included in that of Dorchester.

Coast Gard Station, West bay

Custom House, West bay

Dispensary & Cottage Hospital, North Allington

Fire Brigade, Municipal Offices, superintendent and 12 men

Harbour Master’s Office, West bay

Inland Revenue Office, 17 Downes street

Literary & Scientific Institution, East street

Police Station (County), South street, sergeant and 4 men

Public baths,  Downes street

Post Office and Stamp office, East street

VOLUNTEER

1^st  Dorsetshire Voluunteer Artillery, Southern Division, Royal Artillery (No. 4 Battery)

1^st Volunteer Battalion Dorsetshire Regiment (A Co.), Drill Hall, St. Michael’s lane; Hon. Maj. William Townley Whetham, commandant

BRIDPORT UNION

Board day, Wednesday (fortnightly), at the Workhouse, at 11 a.m.

The following parishes are within the union:

Allington, Askerswell, Bothenhampton, Bradpole, Bridport, Burton Bradstock, Catherstone-Leweston, Chideock, Chilcombe, Litton Cheney, Loders, Puncknowle, Shipton Gorge, Stanton St. Gabriel, Swyre, Symondsbury, Walditch, Whitchurch Canonicorum, Wooton Fitzpaine.  The population of the union in 1891 was 14,038; area 33,103 acres; rateable vlue in 1894 £73999.

Workhouse, Bradpole, a building of stone, built in 1836, for 250 inmates.

SCHOOLS

There is a school attendance committee for the borough, who meet the 1^st Thursday in each quarter at the Surveyor’s office.

A School of Art was established in 1865; it is well supported by the inhabitants.  Government assisted in the formation, but the current expenses are defrayed by subscription.

Church, Gundry lane, built in 1876, at a cost of £2,000, for 360 children; average attendance, 98 boys, 100 girls & 118 infants.

Infant (Miss Gundry’s), West street, originally pawn stores, afterwards weaving shops & now transformed into an infant school, with residence for the mistress close to the school, for 130 children; average attendance 90.

National, North allington, built in 1873, for 276 children; average attendance, 120 boys, 90 girls & 110 infants.

SS. Mary & Catherine, Catholic (mixed), built in 1882, for 40 children; average attendance 15.

General, King Street, built 1855, with residence, for 670 children; average attendance, 270 boys, 148 girles & 170 infants.

NEWSPAPER

Bridport, News & Dorset, Devon & Somerset Advertiser (published every Friday; William & E. Frost,  proprietors & publishers), West Street.

CONVEYANC

Omnibus to Lyme Regis, through Charmouth, leaves the Bull hotel daily (Sunday excepted) at 4 p.m.; returns from the Cups hotel, Lyme, 10 a.m.

Coach to Beaminster & Crewkerne, leaves the Bull hotel at 8:40 a.m.; returns to Bridport at 2:45 p.m.

Van to Lyme Regis, on wed. & sat. from the Star inn at 3 p.m.

Omnibus from the Greyhound hotel to meet all trains.

Omnibus from the Bull hotel to meet all trains.

CARRIERS

 Beaminster – Woodbury, daily from ‘Globe’ East street

Burton Bradstock – Symes, from ‘Cross Keys,’ mon. wed. & sat.

Chideock – Paull, wed. & sat.

Fishpond Botton – A. Powell, ‘Cross Keys,’ wed & sat.

Litton Cheney – Gale, Bligdon & Pitcher & Webber, ‘ Cross Keys,’ wed. & sat.

Loders Burbage – Star, wed & sat.

Lyme & Charmouth – Hodder, ‘Star,’ West st. wed. & sat.

Marshwood – Fowler, ‘Pachorse,’ wed. & sat.

Morecombe Lake – Pitman, ‘South Mills,’ wed. & sat.

Puncknowle – Thomas Churchill, ‘Cross Keys,’ wed. & sat.

Shipton Gorge – Saunders, South St.  wed. & sat.; Hankins & Gale, ‘Parkhourse,’ wed. & sat.

Swyre –Manuel

Whitchurch Canonicorum – Powell & Giffard, ‘Cross Keys,’ wed. & sat.

The principal seats in the vicinity of Bridport are, Sir William Oglander’s, Bart. At Parnham---Rev. Dr. Sherive’s at Hyde---Thomas Rose Drewe’s, Esq. At Wootton---And P. Battiscombe’s, Esq. at Vears.