North Petherton in the Uploaded Directories

People, places, trades, churches, schools, public offices and organisations extracted from the directory evidence

Primary source: Kelly’s Directory of Somerset 1897. Scammell & Co.’s Directory 1852 was checked and produced no direct North Petherton entry in the OCR text.

Sources and method

SourceHow it was used
Kelly’s Directory of Somerset 1897Primary source used for North Petherton, Moorland/North Moor Green, Huntworth, St Michael Church, people, trades, schools, churches, charities and public offices.
Scammell & Co.’s Directory 1852The uploaded OCR text was checked. No direct “North Petherton” entry was found; the only “Petherton” result identified was a South Petherton carrier route.

Note on transcription: directory spellings have generally been retained. Where OCR or print is uncertain, this document marks that uncertainty in the notes column. Addresses are directory locations and may be residences, farms, business premises or role locations depending on the entry.

Overview of North Petherton in 1897

  • North Petherton was described as a large village and parish three miles south-by-west from Bridgwater station, on the Bristol and Exeter section of the Great Western Railway main line.
  • It sat in the Bridgwater division of Somerset, the hundred of North Petherton, the Bridgwater petty sessional division, union and county court district, the rural deanery of Bridgwater, the archdeaconry of Taunton, and the diocese of Bath and Wells.
  • The River Parrett and the Taunton and Bridgwater Canal passed through the parish.
  • The village was described as one main street on the high road from Bridgwater to Taunton, with smaller streets on either side.
  • The soil was red marl, loam and sandy; the chief crops were wheat, oats, barley and green crops, with a good portion of pasture land.
  • The civil parish covered 10,431 acres of land, 53 acres of water, 17 acres of tidal water and 16 acres of foreshore. Its rateable value was listed as £27,585.
  • The 1891 population was listed as 3,552 in the civil parish and 2,041 in the ecclesiastical parish.
  • Moorland, also called North Moor Green, was an ecclesiastical parish formed from North Petherton, and Huntworth was a hamlet about one and a half miles north-east.

Source: Kelly’s Directory of Somerset 1897, North Petherton entry.

Churches, chapels, schools, charities and public bodies

Institution / organisationInformation extractedPeople or notes
St Mary’s Church, North PethertonRed sandstone church in the Later English style with chancel, nave of six bays, aisles, north and south porches, and embattled western tower. The tower had pinnacles, a clock and six bells. The bells were recast and rehung by Mears & Stainbank at a cost of £360. A new organ was erected in 1888 at a cost of over £600. The church had 700 sittings. The register dated from 1558.Rev. Percy Turner Michell M.A. was vicar in 1897; the living was a vicarage valued at £450, in the gift of S. V. P. Michell Esq. of Belmont, Taunton.
Portman chapel/memorial windowA memorial window was placed in the Portman chapel by the Hon. Mrs M. B. Portman to her late husband, the Hon. Maurice Portman.Connected to Ashfield and the Portman family.
Congregational chapel, North PethertonA stone building in the Lombardic style, erected in 1833.Rev. Benjamin Hurman and Rev. John Keen are listed as Congregational ministers/residents.
CemeteryFormed in 1856, later enlarged and re-consecrated, situated a quarter of a mile east of the church, with two mortuary chapels.Controlled by the Parish Council of 13 members. Samuel Collings Brown is named as clerk.
CharitiesThe directory lists a house and land gifted by Dorothy Cheeke for teaching six or more poor children; a £2 rent-charge by Thomas Bacon; and £500 given by Sir Thomas Wroth in 1721, the interest being used for money and prizes for children attending the Board schools.Important education-related charitable support.
Post OfficePost, money order and telegraph office, savings bank, express delivery, parcel, annuity and insurance office. Letters arrived from Bridgwater at 7 a.m. and 4.20 p.m.; dispatched at 11 a.m. and 6.55 p.m.William Burrows was sub-postmaster. Wall letter boxes are noted at Huntworth, Hedging and Shearston.
Public officersMedical officer/public vaccinator: Cresar Frederick Hawkins. Registrar of births and deaths, vaccination officer and relieving officer for North Petherton sub-district/No. 3 district: Thomas Hallett. Deputy registrar: Mrs Louisa Hallett.These connect North Petherton to Bridgwater Union administration.
School BoardA School Board of seven members was formed on 16 April 1875 for the united district of North Petherton and St Michael Church.Clerks: Paul O. H. Reed and T. M. Reed of Bridgwater. Cular and Lyng Drove were transferred from North Petherton to Lyng under the Divided Parishes Act 1882.
Board School, North PethertonErected in 1877 for 120 boys, 140 girls and 150 infants. Average attendance was listed as 125 boys, 120 girls and 120 infants.Harry Philip Apter, master; Mrs Harriet Day, mistress; Miss Kate Nation, infants’ mistress.
Carriers to BridgwaterJames Coram and Burrows are listed as daily carriers to Bridgwater.A Bridgwater carriers list also names Coram from the Three Crowns daily and Evans from the Three Crowns on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Private residents listed under North Petherton

NameAddress / placeWhat they did / statusNotes
Brown, Samuel CollingsHeathfieldPrivate resident; cemetery clerk noted in commercial entryKelly 1897, North Petherton
Chick, JosephBrae SidePrivate residentKelly 1897
Coles, Henry JamesOak CottagePrivate residentKelly 1897; OCR printed as “<Joles” in one extract
Gent, HenryCrossway CottagePrivate residentKelly 1897
Havill, MrsNot statedPrivate residentKelly 1897
Hawkins, Cresar FrederickAshway VillaSurgeon; medical officer and public vaccinator, 10th district, Bridgwater UnionName appears as “Cresar” in OCR/source
Hearne, GeorgeFair Lawn VillaPrivate residentKelly 1897
Herniman, JobHammeth StreetPrivate residentKelly 1897
Hodson, Rev. Grenville Heber Frodsham Elton B.A.Batt’s HouseRector of St Michael ChurchAlso connected with St Michael Church parish
Hurman, Rev. BenjaminCompass VillaCongregational ministerKelly 1897
James, Alfred B.Shovel HillPrivate residentKelly 1897
Keen, Rev. JohnNot statedCongregational ministerKelly 1897
Michell, Rev. Percy Turner M.A.The VicarageVicar of St Mary, North PethertonLiving held since 1894 in the 1897 directory
Monday, WilliamFore StreetPrivate residentKelly 1897
Nation, MrsMill CottagePrivate residentKelly 1897
Neat, GeorgeNot statedPrivate residentKelly 1897
Nicholls, EdgarWoolmersdon HousePrivate residentKelly 1897
Portman, Hon. Mrs Maurice BerkeleyAshfieldPrivate resident; associated with Portman chapel memorial contextKelly 1897
Townsend, MrsPound StreetPrivate residentKelly 1897
Walker, H. BanesVerriersPrivate residentSource spelling retained; possibly “Baines”
Warren, MrsFore StreetPrivate residentKelly 1897
Winslade, WalterShearstonPrivate residentKelly 1897
Yeandle, JamesFore StreetPrivate residentKelly 1897
Yeandle, ThomasTapper’s LanePrivate residentKelly 1897

Source: Kelly’s Directory of Somerset 1897, “Private Residents” list for North Petherton.

Commercial directory: shops, businesses, trades and occupations in North Petherton

The following table consolidates the commercial entries printed under North Petherton. Farming and market-gardening entries are included because they were central to the local economy and because the user requested what people did.

Name / businessAddress / locationWork / businessCategory / notes
Aish, CharlesNot statedWheelwrightTrade
Aish, JeremiahNot statedPig dealerAgricultural trade
Ames, ThomasRydon FarmFarmerAgriculture
Alpin, ThomasWheelstock FarmFarmerAgriculture
Avery, HenryStaffland FarmFarmerAgriculture; OCR appears as “Staffiand”
Bennett, Charlotte (Mrs)Not statedShoeing smithTrade
Bennett, JohnRydonMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Bennett, ThomasBanklandMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Bennett, WilliamNot statedTobacconist and jewellerShop/retail
Bond, JohnParkersfieldFarmerAgriculture
Bond, SamuelMoon LaneMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Bond, Thomas HellingsPetherton ParkFarmerAgriculture
Brewer, James HurfordNot statedPlumberTrade
Browning, SilasNot statedBlacksmithTrade
Bult, HenryRydonMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Burge, JamesRhodeFarmerAgriculture
Burrows, Frederick WilliamNot statedCarpenterTrade
Burrows, WilliamPost OfficeSaddler; post office/sub-postmaster connectionTrade/service
Burston, CharlesNot statedPig dealerAgricultural trade
Burston, FrederickMoorland CourtFarmerAgriculture
Burston, Frederick WilliamCoombesFarmerAgriculture
Burston, JohnNot statedSheep dealerAgricultural trade
Callow, DavidHeathfieldFarmerAgriculture
Callow, WilliamHaydon FarmFarmerAgriculture
Carkett, WilliamNot statedTailorTrade/retail
Cemetery (Samuel Collings Brown, clerk)East of churchCemetery administrationOrganisation/public service
Channing, FrederickNot statedBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Chick, DanielPound StreetMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Chidley, JosephNot statedBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Clark, WilliamClarence HotelHotel keeper/proprietorHotel/public house
Clatworthy, John & SonsFore Street offices and workshopsBuilders, joiners and contractors; plasterers, painters, plumbers, paperhangers, sand merchants, quarry owners, builders’ merchants, slaters and hauliersLarge local building business
Coate, HenryHadworthy FarmCattle dealerAgricultural trade
Coate, JamesSpitgroveCattle dealerAgricultural trade
Coate, JohnChapel HillFarmer; cattle and sheep dealer and breederAgriculture/agricultural trade
Coate, WilliamBrook FarmFarmerAgriculture
Collard, WilliamChadmeadMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Coram, FrancisWoolmersdonMachine proprietor and farmerAgriculture/machinery
Coram, JamesSwan InnInnkeeperInn/public house
Coram, SamuelWoolmersdonFarmerAgriculture
Courtenay, GeorgeGeorge HotelHotel keeper/proprietorHotel/public house
Culverwell, JasperClavelshayFarmerAgriculture
Dare, JohnAshesFarmerAgriculture
Davey, FrederickCompassBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Day BrothersNot statedFarmersAgriculture
Day, JamesDunwear FarmFarmerAgriculture
Day, SamuelDyer’s GreenFarmerAgriculture
Day, SamuelWhitestocksFarmerAgriculture
Drake, SamuelNot statedSmithTrade
Dunn, MarkChadmeadMasonTrade
Durman, Frederick JamesNot statedPlumberTrade
Durman, GeorgeMoorsherdMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Durman, HenrySpanish HillMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Edbrooke, WilliamRhodeFarmerAgriculture
Escott, IsaacNewton RoadMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Farthing, HerbertNot statedFarmerAgriculture
Fear, JosephWest YeoFarmerAgriculture
Fursland, SamuelMalt & Hops P.H.Public house keeperPublic house
Gardner [Gaedner], MatthewNot statedWatch makerTrade/retail; source OCR reads “Gaedner”
Gillard, JamesBall’s FarmFarmerAgriculture
Haines, WilliamNot statedBuilderTrade
Hallett, Louisa (Mrs)Not statedDeputy registrar of births and deaths, North Petherton districtPublic office
Hallett, ThomasNot statedVaccination officer; registrar of births and deaths for North Petherton sub-district; relieving officer for No. 3 district, Bridgwater UnionPublic office
Harden, Elizabeth (Mrs)Not statedWater millerMilling
Hawkins, Cresar Frederick H.R.C.S.Eng.Ashway VillaSurgeon; medical officer and public vaccinator, 10th district, Bridgwater UnionMedical/public office
Heal, RobertKings FarmFarmerAgriculture
Hopkins, GeorgeBrewery LaneMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Hutchings, ThomasDaws FarmFarmerAgriculture
Irish, CharlesNot statedBoot and shoe makerTrade/retail
Jeanes, HenryBanklandFarmerAgriculture
Jenkins, John F.Church Hill FarmFarmerAgriculture
Jones, Joseph HenryNot statedFarmerAgriculture
Merson, Frank JamesFarringdon FarmFarmerAgriculture
Milton, HenryBulkshay FarmFarmerAgriculture
Morris, AlbertGoodings FarmFarmerAgriculture
Nation, JamesNot statedMiller (water)Milling
Pearcy, Emily (Miss)ForestDress makerTrade
Phillips, TomLamb InnInnkeeperInn/public house
Pierce, WilliamNot statedShopkeeperShop/retail
Pocock, Charlotte (Mrs)Not statedBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Pocock, JeremiahNot statedSaddlerTrade
Pocock, RobertBaymeadHorse dealerAgricultural/horse trade
Properjohn, GeorgeNot statedBuilderTrade
Radford, FrancisShearstonFarmerAgriculture
Rainey, William H.DunwearFarmerAgriculture
Rayner, George StanleyNot statedGrocer and draperShop/retail
Rich, Anne (Mrs) & SonNot statedSaddlersTrade/retail
Rich, FrancisNot statedStone mason and sextonTrade/church role
Ridge, HenryNot statedWheelwright and carpenterTrade
Ridge, JamesNot statedBlacksmithTrade
Rogers, James EdwardNot statedButcherFood/retail
Rogers, JohnNot statedButcherFood/retail
Saunders, WilliamDye HouseHaulierTransport/trade
Scott, AlbertNot statedDraperShop/retail
Sellick, AnthonyMill StreetMasonTrade
Sellick, JosephSellick’s LaneMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Shepherd, HarryFore StreetTailor; family grocer and provision dealer; draper and general outfitter; ladies’ cycling and walking costumes; gents’ riding breeches specialityShop/retail and tailoring
Slocombe, John & WilliamNot statedBuildersTrade
Slocombe, JohnNorth Petherton and BridgwaterWholesale and retail basket-table and wicker-chair manufacturer; willow, cane and rush work; artistic wicker furniture; willow grower and dealer; importer of rush plait; cane-work manufacturerManufacturing/retail
Smith, AlfredCompassBasket makerTrade/manufacturing
Starkey, Knight & Ford LtdNorth Petherton Brewery; also Taunton and BridgwaterCider manufacturers and brewersBrewery/cider manufacturing
Townsend & SonNot statedGrocersShop/retail
Townsend & Co.Not statedBuildersTrade
Tozer, GeorgeNot statedBaker and grocerFood/retail
Tregaskis, ValentineNot statedHair dresserService
Tucker, John & SonFore Street and North Petherton Steam Mills (also water)Millers, bakers and corn dealersMilling/food trade
Warner, CharlesWhitestocksBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Warren, Emma J. (Miss)Not statedShopkeeperShop/retail
Warren, ThomasBaymeadMiller (water and steam)Milling
Warren, William RichardNot statedBakerFood trade
Watts, CharlesNot statedShoe makerTrade/retail
West [?], CharlesNot statedGreengrocerShop/retail; OCR unclear
White, SamuelBoomer FarmFarmerAgriculture
Wilkins, Charles WilliamNot statedShoe makerTrade/retail
Wilkins, E.Milestone FarmFarmerAgriculture
Weeks, John (late George Knight)The People’s Reliable StoresTailor, draper, outfitter and grocer; agent for W. & A. Gilbey Ltd wine and spirit merchants, Starkey Knight & Ford Ltd, Arnold & Co. ales and stout, Liverpool & London & Globe, and Railway Passengers Accidental Insurance Co.Shop/retail/agency
Williams, ThomasNot statedDairymanFood/agriculture
Williams, JamesHigh StreetCarpenterTrade
Williams, JamesHammett StreetShoe makerTrade/retail
Williams, JohnNot statedCarpenterTrade

Business and organisation summary

CategorySummary
Agriculture and market gardeningFarmers, market gardeners, cattle dealers, sheep dealer, pig dealers, horse dealer, dairyman, willow grower, cider and brewing interests. Key places include Rydon, Bankland, Petherton Park, Moorland Court, Coombes, Heathfield, Haydon Farm, Woolmersdon, Clavelshay, Dunwear, Dyer’s Green, Whitestocks, West Yeo, Church Hill Farm, Farringdon Farm, Bulkshay Farm, Goodings Farm, Shearston, Boomer Farm and Milestone Farm.
Shops and retailTobacconist and jeweller; grocers; drapers; general outfitters; provision dealers; shopkeepers; baker/grocers; greengrocer; dress maker; hair dresser; boot and shoe makers; saddlers; butchers; watch maker.
Inns, hotels and beer retailersClarence Hotel, Swan Inn, George Hotel, Malt & Hops P.H., Lamb Inn, beer retailers at Compass and Whitestocks, and several named beer retailers including Channing, Chidley, Pocock and Warner.
Building and practical tradesBuilders, joiners, contractors, plasterers, painters, plumbers, paperhangers, quarry owners, sand merchants, builders’ merchants, slaters, hauliers, masons, blacksmiths, wheelwrights, carpenters and smiths. Clatworthy John & Sons appears as a particularly broad building and contracting business.
Milling, baking and food productionWater millers, steam/water mills, bakers, corn dealers, butchers, dairyman, cider manufacturers and brewers. Tucker John & Son operated Fore Street and North Petherton steam mills (and water mills). Starkey, Knight & Ford Ltd operated North Petherton Brewery.
Manufacturing and specialist craftsSlocombe’s wicker, cane and rush furniture/basket work; basket making at Compass; saddlery; tailoring; watch making; blacksmithing; boot and shoe making.
Public services and administrationMedical officer, public vaccinator, registrar, relieving officer, deputy registrar, post office, school board, cemetery clerk, sexton and parish/cemetery administration.

Huntworth entries connected with North Petherton

Kelly’s Directory describes Huntworth as a hamlet about one and a half miles north-east of North Petherton. The following Huntworth names appear immediately after the North Petherton commercial list.

NameAddress / placeWhat they did / statusCategory / notes
Dawes MissesHuntworthPrivate residentsKelly 1897
Goldsmith, Harry St. BarbeHuntworth HousePrivate residentKelly 1897
Baker, Mary Ann (Mrs)HuntworthBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Milton, ThomasHuntworth Park FarmFarmerAgriculture
Moat, WilliamHuntworthFarmerAgriculture
Pocock, JosephHuntworthMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening
Priscott, AlfredHuntworthBlacksmithTrade
Wills, GeorgeHuntworthFarmerAgriculture
Winslade, Rebecca (Mrs)HuntworthMarket gardenerAgriculture/market gardening

Moorland / North Moor Green

  • Moorland, also called North Moor Green, was a separate ecclesiastical parish formed from North Petherton on 11 February 1845.
  • It included the hamlets of Fordgate, West Yeo and Somerset Bridge, plus a few houses in Huntworth.
  • The church of SS Peter and John was a stone building with nave, south porch and a turret containing one bell; it seated 300 and its register dated from 1835.
  • The living was a vicarage in the gift of the vicar of North Petherton, with yearly value listed as £110. Rev. James Hunt B.A. held the living but was non-resident; Rev. Henry John Frye was curate in charge from 1893.
  • A Congregational chapel at Fordgate was erected in 1863, and there was a Baptist chapel at Moorland.
  • The population in 1891 was 702.
  • The Post Office was run by James Hutchings; postal orders were issued but not paid, and North Petherton was the nearest money order and telegraph office, four miles away.
  • The Board School at North Moor Green was under North Petherton School Board, erected in 1857 for 140 children, with average attendance of 85. William Skinnard was master.
NameAddress / placeWhat they did / statusCategory / notes
Frye, Rev. Henry JohnVicarage, North Moor GreenCurate in chargeChurch/chapel
Ames, WilliamMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Brewer, JamesMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Haddon, CharlesMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Hutchings, HenryMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Hutchings, JamesPost Office, MoorlandFarmer; sub-postmaster in narrativeAgriculture/post office
Hutchings, JohnMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Hutchings, Thomas FrederickMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Lang, AlbertNorthmoorFarmerAgriculture
Wills, EdwinMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Wills, GeorgeMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Wills, JamesMoorlandFarmerAgriculture
Lake, BenjaminFordgateFarmerAgriculture
Moat, SamuelFordgateFarmerAgriculture
Peach, JamesWest YeoFarmerAgriculture
Slocombe, JamesFordgateBeer retailerPublic house/retail
Leakey, SamuelFordgateNo occupation statedDirectory listing
Collings, JamesFordgateFarmerAgriculture
Fear, CliffordFordgateFarmerAgriculture
Venn, Henry JamesFordgateBeer retailerPublic house/retail

St Michael Church

  • St Michael Church is described as a small parish, called “Michael-iscerce” in Domesday, in the hundred of North Petherton.
  • The church of St Michael was a small stone Perpendicular building, about 50 feet long, with chancel, nave, low north tower with pyramidal roof and one bell. It seated 50 and the register dated from 1695.
  • The living was a rectory with 22 acres of glebe, in the gift of Antony Gibbs of Tyntesfield. It had been held since 1856 by Rev. Grenville Heber Frodsham Elton Hodson M.A., who resided at North Petherton.
  • Sir Cuthbert Slade was lord of the manor and chief landowner. The population in 1891 was listed as 26.
  • The parish was included in the North Petherton School Board district, with children attending the Board School at North Newton.
NameAddress / placeWhat they did / statusCategory / notes
Hodson, Rev. Grenville Heber Frodsham Elton M.A.North Petherton / St Michael ChurchRector of St Michael Church; resident at North PethertonChurch
Warner, RobertSt Michael ChurchSextonChurch
Badcock, HenrySt Michael ChurchFarmerAgriculture
Parsons, CharlesSt Michael ChurchMiller (water)Milling

Transport, courts and wider administration

  • North Petherton was close to Bridgwater station, and the carriers listed daily links to Bridgwater.
  • The parish was part of Bridgwater Union, with North Petherton named in the union list alongside nearby places including St Michael Church.
  • The Bridgwater County Court jurisdiction included North Petherton, Huntworth, Moorland, North Moor Green, St Michael Church, Shearston and many neighbouring places.
  • The Hundred of North Petherton included Bawdrip, Bridgwater, Chedzoy, Durston, North Petherton, Pawlett, St Michael Church, Thurloxton and Wembdon.

Finding from Scammell & Co.’s Directory 1852

  • The uploaded Scammell & Co.’s Directory 1852 was checked for “North Petherton”. No direct North Petherton entry was found in the OCR text.
  • The only “Petherton” result identified in the Scammell OCR was “South Petherton”, appearing in a carrier route from Bristol to Sherborne and onward places. This does not provide evidence about North Petherton itself.
  • For that reason, the substantive North Petherton content in this document is drawn from Kelly’s Directory of Somerset 1897 rather than from Scammell’s 1852 directory.