Brancepeth, County Durham: Post Office Directory (1879)

 Enjoy a glimpse of history about Brancepeth in County Durham, England, UK.

The Post Office Directory of Durham and Northumberland

by Kelly and Company

Published in 1879

 

"BRANCEPETH is a village, township, and parish, and station on the Bishop Auckland and Durham (North Eastern) railway, is a polling place for the Southern division of the county, north-west division of Darlington ward, union and county court district of Durham, rural deanery of North Darlington, arch-deaconry and diocese of Durham, situated near the river Wear, 4 1/2 miles south-west from Durham, 6 1/2 north of Bishop Auckland, 10 from Wolsingham, and 254 from London ; part of the village is lighted with gas, supplied from Viscount Boyne's private gas works. The church of St. Brandon is a cruciform structure, in the Early English and Norman styles : the interior decorations are of wainscot, richly finished, which were restored and beautified by the late Viscount and the late Viscountess Boyne, in the year 1865 at a cost of £2,000 ; the church contains some beautiful memorial stained windows ; there are sittings for 300 persons. The living is a rectory ; the gross income is stated at £970, with permanent payments of £159, leaving a net sum of £811 (out of which £135 is paid to a curate) in the gift of Viscount Boyne, and held by the Rev. Arthur Duncombe Shafto, M.A. of Durham University. The rectory house is in a pleasant situation, adjoining the church. There are National schools in the village, erected at the expense of the late Lady Boyne. The Primitive Methodists have a place of worship at Page Bank ; there is also a British school for boys and girls. Brancepeth Castle, the residence of the Right Hon. Viscount Boyne, is a magnificent stone structure, and was formerly strongly fortified, and defended by towers and a moat ; it was almost rebuilt by the late Matthew Russell, esq. ; it stands in a park of 347 acres. The township of Brancepeth is the property of Viscount Boyne, who is also lord of the manor and proprietor of the mines and minerals. Brancepeth colliery is worked by Messrs. Strakers and Love, and is situated south-west of the village ; at Page Bank are the South Durham collieries worked by Messrs. Bell Brothers Limited. The soil consists of loam and strong soil ; subsoil, gravelly. The chief crops are grass. The area of the township is 4,515 acres ; rateable value, £21,472 ; and the population in 1871 was 1,558."

"STOCKLEY is a township 2 miles south. The area is 1,342 acres; rateable value, 11,099; and the population in 1871 was 712.

POST OFFICE (Railway Sub-office).—Robert Bird, receiver. Letters arrive at 6.35 a.m.; dispatched at 6.20 p.m. The nearest money order offices are at Willington & Brandon Colliery

Assistant Overseer, Thomas Nicholas Coulson, Brandon

SCHOOLS :— National (mixed), William Gardiner, master British, Page bank, Stockley, G. A. Hawkins, master ; Miss Anna Louisa Stout & Miss E. Wallett, assistant mistresses

Railway Station, George Gleghorn, station master

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Boyne Right Hon. Viscount, Brancepeth castle

Fawcett Rev. William, M.A. [curate]

Lawson Rev. Joseph, M.A. [vicar of Brandon]

Peirson Henry Thomas

Shafto Rev. Arthur Duncombe, M.A. J.P. [rector], Rectory

Stevenson Addison Longton, Hollywell hall

COMMERCIAL

Atkinson & Hall, farmers, Weather hill

Bell Brothers Limited, colliery proprietors & fire brick manufrs. (Wm. Harle, viewer), So. Brancepeth colliery

Bell Thomas, farmer, Middles

Bird John, blacksmith

Clough Robt. engr. to Bell Bros. Limited colliery proprs. Page bank, Stockley

Coward John, farmer, Nafferton farm

Dale James, gardener to the Right Hon. Viscount Boyne

Elliott Catherine Jane (Mrs.), farmer, Pringle house

Elliott Matthew, grocer, Oakenshaw

Franklin David, farm bailiff to the Rt. Hon. Viscount Boyne, Scripton farm

Green Abraham, head nurseryman to the Right Hon. Viscount Boyne

Hall James, farmer, Weather Hill farm

Harle Wm. mining engr. to Bell Bros. lim. colliery proprs. Page bank, Stockley

Hewitson John, farmer, Stockley farm

Hewitson Joseph, farmer, Lingey close

Hewitson Thomas, farmer, West Parks

Hird James, farmer, Milkup bank

Hull Rt. far. Bail hl. Brandon, Byshottles

Hutchinson George, farmer, Low field

Jones Richard, farmer, Morley farm

Kirton George, farmer, Ox close

Kirton Susannah (Mrs.), farmer, Hill House farm

Lamb Jno. Oakenshaw inn, Oakenshaw

Lawson Geo. Wooley inn & farmr. Wooley

Oates Anthony, farmer, Branwsden

Oates George, farmer, Park house

Parkinson Thomas, farmer, Stockley fell

Peirson Henry Thomas, land agent to the Right Hon. Viscount Boyne

Parkinson Wm. farmer, Tanner’s hall

Pickering William, butcher

Ramsay George, butcher & farmer, Page bank, Stockley

Reading Room (John Peacy, sec.), Page bank, Stockley

Robson William, farmer, Vackshivan

Sedgwick Thomas, farmer, High Wooley

Sharp David, gamekeeper to the Right Hon. Viscount Boyne

Shepherd Christopher, farmer, Holleywell farm

Smith Henry, grocer

Stevenson Addison Longton, agent to Bell Brothers Limited, colliery proprietors, Hollywell hall

Strakers & Love, coal owners & fire brick manufacturers, Brancepeth, Willington & Brandon collieries; head office, Quayside, Newcastle

Tindale John, cashier to the Right Hon. Viscount Boyne

Willis Thomas, farmer, Wooley close

Young Christopher, far. East Park’s farm

Young George, farmer, Littlewhite farm