Hamsterley, County Durham: People and Places of 1879

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

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The Post Office Directory of Durham and Northumberland

by Kelly and Company

Published in 1879

HAMSTERLEY is a township, village, and parochial chapelry 2½ miles from Witton-le-Wear station, 7 miles west-by-north from Bishop Auckland, situated on the summit of a steep hill: it is a polling place for the Southern division of the county, in the north-west division of Darlington ward, Auckland union and county court district, rural deanery of Brancepeth, and archdeaconry and diocese of Durham. The church of St. James is an old cruciform stone building, has chancel, nave, transept, belfry, 1 bell and porch. The register dates from the year 1588. The living is a perpetual curacy, yearly value £106, with residence, in the gift of Henry Chaytor, esq. and held by the Rev. James George Milner. The school for boys and girls was built by subscription; the day school is conducted under the voluntary system; a Sunday school is held at the school-room. Here is a Baptist church, founded in 1652, the Rev. J. P. Beel, minister; also a chapel for Primitive Methodists. The charities are of £5 yearly value. The Grove, a handsome shooting box beautifully situated in a valley about 3 miles from Hamsterley, is the property of Henry Edward Surtees, esq. J.P. of Redworth Hall, near Heighington. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor; H. E. Surtees and G. Ilderton Leaton Blenkinsopp, esqs. are chief landowners. The soil is of a gravelly character; subsoil, clay. The land produces every description of crop, grass and arable being remarkably productive. The area is 4,003 acres; rateable value, £2,665; the population in 1871 was 475.

MAYLAND is a hamlet near Bedburn, 1 mile from Hamsterley.

POST OFFICE.—Anthony Stephenson, postmaster. Letters arrive from Bishop Auckland at 10 a.m.; dispatched at 3 p.m. Toft Hill is the nearest money order office

INSURANCE AGENTS:—Sovereign Life, A. Stephenson; J. Smith

School, George Elliot, master; Mrs. Alice Elliot, mistress

South Bedburn is a township in the parish of and 1 mile north from Hamsterley. Here are the remains of a Roman encampment. Hoppyland Park is the seat of George I. Leaton Blenkinsopp, esq. J.P. The land is chiefly, if not all, freehold, and there is no lord of the manor. The principal landowners are George I. Leaton Blenkinsopp, Esq. H. E. Surtees, esq. J. B. Backhouse, esq. and John Fogg Elliot, esq. of Durham. The area is 6,765 acres; rateable value, £2,639; and the population in 1871 was 283.

Hamsterley.

Backhouse Alfred, Shull

Barclay Mrs. Shull

Blenkinsopp George Ilderton Leaton, J.P. Hoppyland park

Durant Rev. Thomas [Baptist]

Milner Rev. James George [incumbent]

Surtees Henry Edwd. D.L., J.P. The Grove

COMMERCIAL.

Armory John, farmer

Coatsworth John, farmer, Lower Rackwood

Coatsworth Robert, butcher

Coatsworth William, auctioneer

Coulthard John, blacksmith

Dixon Thos. Peter, miller, Podge hall

Henderson George, blacksmith

Henderson Michael, blacksmith

Hull John, farmer, Edge Knowle

Langstaff Frank, boot & shoe maker

Lindsey William, farmer, Beckside

Littlefair George, farmer, Mayland hall

Marquis John, grocer & draper

Medd Thos. miller, Witton Castle mill

Palister Joseph, Spinning Wheel Palister William, Joiners' Arms Raine George, farmer, East Mayland

Raine John Hy. farmer, Rackwood hill

Reed George, farmer, Emms hill

Robinson William, farmer, Diddridge

Robson Robert, farmer, Fitches

Snowball Thomas, Cross Keys Spence John & Mark, farmers, Ravensford

Spence George Thomas, joiner

Stephenson Anthony, grocer & draper

Stephenson Frank, farmer

Thompson Walter, farmer, Mayland

Todd James, farmer, Carr's Lea

Trotter John, farmer

Walton Thomas, tailor

Watson George, farmer

Wilkinson George, farmer, New row

Wilkinson William, farmer, Linburn

South Bedburn.

Angus Nichol, farmer, High Shipley

Blackhart Thomas & John, farmers, Lower Shipley

Dodds William, edge tool manufacturer

Gill John, farmer, Brekenhole

Greenwell Baker, frmr. High Burnlea rw

Hall John, farmer, Monkfield

Hall Joseph, farmer, Shipley

Haslope Matth. miller, Hart Hope mill

Hodgson John, farmer, High House

Lawson John, farmer

Stockdale Wm. farmer, Low Burnlea row

Stephenson Joseph, farmer

Townson John, frmr. High Stonechester

Walton John, farmer, Bedburn hall