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Post Office Directory of 1865. & residents & commercial traders
WOODBRIDGE.
WOODBRIDGE is a parish, polling place for East Suffolk, market town, port and
railway station, on the banks of the river Deben, in the hundred of Loes,
Woodbridge union, East Suffolk, 77 miles from London, 8 north-east from Ipswich
12 from Saxmundham 26 from Colchester, and 46 from Yarmouth. It is pleasantly
situated on the slope of a hill, commanding a fine view of the river to its
confluence with the sea, at a distance of 12 miles. It is regularly built,
lighted with gas, and supplied with water, and consists principally of four
streets, forming the roads to Ipswich, Saxmundham, and Debenham. It was formerly
connected with Yarmouth, but is now a port, with Aldborough and Orford, and has
an extensive coasting trade. Large quantities of malt and corn and bricks of a
beautiful white quality are shipped from Woodbridge, and the imports are coal,
timber, seeds, oilcake, wine, spirits and other goods. The vessels connected
with the port are mostly of about 120 tons. There are extensive bonded
warehouses, also a yard for building ships, with commodious wharves and quays;
corn mills, maltings, iron foundry, whiting factory, rope-walks, brick-field,
&c. Corn and cattle markets are held on Thursdays, and the town being
advantageously situated in an extensive corn and grazing district, the
markets-are abundantly supplied and well attended. Fairs are held on the first
Tuesday in April and Michaelmas-day and day following: the Lady fair, held in
April, is celebrated for its annual show of entire horses. A public room or
lecture hall was erected in 1851, 65 feet in length, 33 in breadth, and 22 in
height; also reading rooms adjoining, in which the library of the mechanics'
institution is kept, and the meetings of the members held. A county court is
held here, which comprises within its districts the following places�Alderton,
Bawdsey, Bealings Parva, Bealings Magna, Blaxhall, Boulge, Boyton, Bredfield,
Brightwell, Bromswell, Bucklesham, Burgh, Butley, Campsey Ashe, Capel Saint
Andrew, Charsfield, Chillesford, Clopton, Culpho, Dallinghoo, Debach, Eyke,
Felixton, Foxhall, Grundisburgh, Hacheston, Hasketon, Hemley, Hollesley, Iken,
Kesgrave, Kirton, Languard Fort, Levington, Martlesford, Marlesham, Melton,
Newbourne, Orford, Orford-with-Gedgrave, Otley, Pettistree, Playford, Ramsholt,
Rendlesham, Shottisham, Sudbourne, Sutton, Trimley Saint Martin, Trimley Saint
Mary, Tunstall, Ufford, Waldringfield,Walton, Wantisden.Wickham Market, and
Woodbridge. Petty sessions are held every Thursday.
The church of the Virgin Mary is a fine specimen of Perpendicular architecture,
with a noble flint tower 108 feet high. The living is a perpetual curacy, annual
value �320, In the gift of, and held by, the Rev. Thomas William Meller, M.A.
St. John's is a handsome modern Gothic building; the Rev. Joseph Moss Rowley,
M.A., of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, is incumbent.
There is a large chapel for the Independents, and chapels for the New
Congregationalists, Wesleyans, and Society of Friends.
The revenues of the Sekforde Charity, derived from an estate in Clerkenwell,
London (comprising Sekforde street, Woodbridge street, Suffolk street, part of
Aylesbury and St. John's streets), left by Thomas Sekforde in 1587, until 1861
were administered by the minister and churchwardens of Woodbridge, under the
trustees (the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and the Master of the
Rolls), and were applied towards the maintenance of 26 aged single men (with
nurses) in the Sekforde almshouse in Woodbridge, but in 1861 the income of this
estate being �3,173 2s., and the trustees having a sum of �20,500 invested in
the Three per Cent. Consols, a new scheme for the management of the charity was
settled by the Court of Chancery: by this scheme a local board was established
to take the local management of the charity: the present trustees are the
minister and two churchwardens of Woodbridge, the Rev. J. M. Rowley, minister of
St. John's, F. G. Doughty, Rolla Rouse, of Melton. T. Alexander and H. Edwards,
Esqrs., and the Rev. H.Taylor,of Woodbridge, J. G. Sheppard, Esq., of Campsey
Ashe, and Lieut.-Colonel Schreiber and Charles Walford, Esq., of Melton: the
objects of the charity were by this scheme extended to 13 aged single women or
married couples to reside in the old almshouses, so called, because existing
before the erection of the noble pile of buildings completed in 1840: provision
was made in the above named scheme for a dispensary, for the purpose of
affording medical advice and medicine to the inmates of the almshouses, and to
such of the inhabitants of Woodbridge and the neighbourhood as shall be unable
to pay for such advice and medicine, and shall not be in the receipt of
parochial relief: the charity contributes �200 a year for the support of this
institution: Mr. J. S. Gissing is consulting surgeon, and Mr. C. G. Marshall
surgeon in ordinary and dispenser: the charity grants �200 per annum,
apportioned by the governors, amongst the National, the Infants, and the British
and Foreign schools in Woodbridge.
WOODBRIDGE GRAMMAR SCHOOL. � This school was founded in 1662 by Robert Marryott,
of Bredfield, Francis Burwell, of Sutton, Esqrs., and Dorothy Sekforde, of
Sekforde Hall, in Great Bealings, widow, for the teaching of 10 poor boys, and
the sons of all inhabitants of Woodbridge "not tyed to pay above 20s. per annum
a piece:" the original endowment for head master was �25 per annum; afterwards a
piece of meadow land was added to the endowment, known as Willard's Meadow; and
in 1806 the capitation fee for town scholars, by order of the Court of Chancery,
was made 15s. per quarter: from 1670 to 1688, under the mastership of the Rev.
Philip Candler, the Woodbridge Grammar school stood the first school in the
county of Suffolk, including amongst its scholars lads from the best families of
the county: the school-house was beautifully situated, commanding a prospect of
five miles' extent, including the river Deben : in 1861 the revenues of the
school were but �38 per annum, with capitation fees, and the school-house in a
dilapidated state; it was, therefore, proposed to incorporate the charity of
Thomas Sekford with the charity of the Free Grammar school, and this was done by
the scheme of 1861: the local trustees were empowered to rebuild upon the old
site, or, deeming that insufficient, to select a new site for the erection of a
school-room, with residence for the head master, and accommodation for 25
boarders: the new buildings have been raised upon a plot of ground nearly
abutting upon the Bredfield road, and adjoining Willard's Meadow, the whole
containing nearly five acres: the cost of erection, fittings, and laying out
grounds amounted to nearly �5,000: the scheme directs that there shall always be
a head and second master of the new school, who shall respectively be members of
the Church of England, the head master a graduate of one of the English
universities; the head master may receive �250 per annum from the funds of the
charity, the second master �120: the instruction to be afforded "shall he in the
principles of the Christian religion; the Latin, Greek, French, and German
languages and literature; the principles of natural philosophy, and surveying,
drawing, and designing; mathematics, algebra, arithmetic, general English
literature and composition; sacred and profane history; geography, bookkeeping,
and writing; and in such other subjects of instruction as to the local trustees
may from time to time seem expedient, and so as to give the boys a sound,
religious, moral, and liberal education:" the local trustees are to appoint from
" the children of the deserving poor " 20 free scholars, who shall be taught
free of expense, "but in common with the other boys at the school;" and all boys
of the age of five years and upwards, being of good character (unless unfitted
by infectious disorder or other sufficient cause), shall, to the extent and
capacity of the school, be capable of admission thereto, and entitled to partake
of all the benefits and advantages thereof, on payment of�boys under 10 years of
age, 15s. per quarter; and of 10 years and upwards, 20s. per quarter: provision
is further made, when the funds of the charity will permit, for four exhibitions
of �50 each, to be held for four years, by youths who have been educated at the
school, and these not restricted to the universities or colleges, but applicable
fur the maintenance of the youths in any trade or calling. The present head
master is the Rev. William Tate, M.A., late master of the Aldborough Grammar
school, who was elected in 1865; the second master has not been appointed.
There are a Mechanics' Institution, Savings Bank, and Custom House, and a
Freemasons' Lodge, a lodge of Odd Fellows, and a Foresters' Court. Woodbridge
gives name to the union in which it is situated, which comprises the following
parishes:�Alderton, Alnesbourn Priory, Bawdsey, Boulge, Boyton, Bredfield,
Brightwell, Bromeswell, Bucklesham, Burgh, CapelSt.Andrew, Charlsfield, Clopton,
Culpho, Dallinghoo, Debach, Falkenham, Felixstow, Foxhall, Great Bealings,
Grundisburgh, Hasketon, Hemley, Hollesley, Kesgrave, Kirton, Levington, Little
Bealings, Martlesham, Melton, Nacton, Newbourn, Otley, Pettistree, Playford,
Purdis Farm, Ramsholt, Rushmere, Shottisham, Stratton Hall Farm, Sutton, Trimley
St. Martin, Trimley St. Mary, Tuddenham, Ufford, Waldringfield, Walton,
Witnesham, and Woodbridge. Bernard Barton, the poet, resided here, and lies
buried in the graveyard of the Friends' meeting house.
The Cemetery, containing about 5 acres, situated on the south-west part of the
town, was consecrated in 1856: it is tastefully laid out with shrubs and flowers
and geometrical walks, and is an ornament to the town: there are two mortuary
chapels erected in the Norman style, one for Dissenters, the other for
Episcopalians: William Pattisson, Esq., was the architect.
Woodbridge enjoys the comfort and benefits of railway communication with London
through the medium of the Great Eastern line from Ipswich, and is united with
the East Suffolk line from Halesworth on the Quay, where are a commodious
station and goods warehouse, with other appropriate appurtenances.
The population in 1861 was 4,513; the area is 1,059 acres.
Parish Clerk, William George Chappell.
Official Establishments, Local Instititions etc
POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE & POST OFFICE SAVINGS BANK.
Postmaster�John Donald Munro.
Letters arrive at 7 a.m. & 1 p.m.; dispatched to Ipswich, Colchester, London,
Scole, Norwich, Saxmundham & Yarmouth at 12.15 & 10 p.m
INSURANCE AGENTS.
Accidental Death, William John Andrews, Church street; William W. Welton, Market
hill; Reason Goodwyn,
Thoroughfare
Alliance Fire, George Moor, Cumberland street
Atlas, R. A. Reeve, Thoroughfare
Caledonian Fire & Life, George Booth, Church street
Clerical, Medical & General Life, John Betts, Thoroughfare; Richard D. Minter
County Fire, I. J. Webster, Thoroughfare
Counties' Hailstorm, Reason Goodwyn, Thoroughfare
Crown Assurance, G. Moor, Cumberland street
Eagle, John Loder, Thoroughfare
General Life & Fire, John D. Munro, Church street
Great Britain Mutual Life, William Arnott, Seckford street
Liverpool & London 4/ Globe, Reason Goodwyn,Thoroughfare; J. Collins, New
street; J. D. Jackson, St. John street
London Assurance, William Causton, Cumberland street
Mancliester Fire, Henry Pizey, Cumberland street
Midland Counties, R. Goodwyn, Thoroughfare (bail only)
North British & Mercantile, Benj. D. Gall, Thoroughfare
Norwich Accidental, John Collins, New street
Norwich Union, William W. Welton, Market hill; George P. Freeman, Market hill
Pelican Life, J. W. Rouse, Church street
Phoenix fire, Horace Neale, Thoroughfare
Provident Life, I. J. Webster, Thoroughfare
Queen, J. J. Brown, Thoroughfare
Railway Passengers', F. Whisstock, Market hill
Reliance Mutual Life, J. Wright, Church street
Rock Life, C. C. Brooke, Chapel lane
Royal, William J. Andrews, Church street
Royal Exchange, G. E. Manby, Water Mill quay
Royal Farmers' & General Fire, Life & Hail, H. Edwards, Thoroughfare
Scottish National, J. Wright, Church street
Scottish Union, Frederick Whisstock, Market bill
Scottish Widows' Life, Henry Edwards, Thoroughfare
Sovereign Life, William George Chappeli, Church street
Standard, William W. Welton, Market hill
Suffolk Alliance, George Moor, Cumberland street
Sun Fire & Life, Benjamin Moulton, Thoroughfare
United Kingdom Provident Institution Life, Frederick Whisstock, Market hill
PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS.
County Court, John Worlledge, esq. Ipswich, Robert Ashby Reeve, Thoroughfare,
registrar; Goodwyn, assistant registrar; Edward Muskett, esq. South Lopham, high
bailiff; Alfred Taylor, New street, sub-bailiff & broker
WOODBRIDGE UNION.
Weekly meetings every thursday morning, at 11 o'clock, at the board room, New
street
Guardians & Chairmen, F. G. Doughty, esq.; Rev. H Taylor; H. Cobbold, esq
Clerk to the Board, Benjamin Moulton
Governor & Matron of the Workhouse at Nacton, Mr. k Mrs. Parker
Chaplain, Rev. H. Canham
Treasurers, Messrs. Alexanders' & Co
Medical Officers, W. N. Walker, Alderton; R. Jones, Woodbridge; G. F. Meadows,
Otley; John Rand, Walton;
W. Mumford, Ipswich; W. H. Moore, Woodbridge; G. W. Toiler, Bucklesham; George
Keer, Wickham Market,
esqs
Relieving Officers, Wilford district, Mr. William Arnott; Carlford district, Mr.
Henry Wright; Colneis district,
Mr. William Seagon
Registrars of Births & Deaths:�
Superintendent Registrar, Benjamin Moulton
Deputy Superintendent Registrar, H. W. Collins
Registrar of Marriages for the Union, W. J. Andrews, Woodbridge; Woodbridge &
Wilford Town District,
William Arnott, Woodbridge; Woodbridge Out District, Isaac Kent, Dallinghoo;
Carlford District, H.
Wright, Little Bealings; Colneis District, William Seagon
Custom House, Quay lane, Thomas Meredith Johnstone, esq. collector; Henry
Fisher, examining officer etc
Gas Works, Quay, Benjamin David Gall, secretary & manager; Frederick Whisstock,
collecting agent
Inland Revenue Office, Bull inn, Market place, Joseph Bolton, supervisor; Alfred
Springer Peckham & John
Price, officers
Mechanics' Institute, Stephen Gravely, treasurer; Philip Braham, secretary
Police Station, Edward Fitzgerald, chief superintendent
PUBLIC OFFICERS.
Billet Matter, Alfred Taylor
Clerks to the County Magistrates, to the Commissioners of Taxes, & to the Burial
Board, John Richard Wood & George Moor, esqrs
Commissioners for Taking Affidavits, George Moor, John R. Wood & Robert Ashby
Reeve, esqrs
Clerk to the Suffolk Asylum, & Secretary to the Mutual Benefit Society, Henry
Pizey
Commissioners for Taking Acknowledgments of Married Women, George Moor, John
Richard Wood & Robert Ashby Reeve
Coroner for the Liberty of St. Etheldreda, Cooper Charles Brooke, esq
Distributor of Stamps for the Eastern Division of the County, & Granting
Hawkers' Licenses, George Gall Inspector of Corn Returns, George Moor
Inspector of Weights & Measures, Clerk of the Market, & Chief Superintendent of
Police, Edward FitzGerald Relieving Officer, William Arnott
Shipwrecked Seamen's Benevolent Society, H. Edwards, jun. & John Loder,
stewards, & William Keeble, secretary
Surveyor of Highways, William George Brydges
Treasurer for the County Rate, George Moor, esq
Vice Consul for Sweden & Norway, William Dowsing
SCHOOLS.
Free Grammar, Rev. William Tate, M.A. head master
British, William G. Bannister, master; Mrs. Emma Abbott, mistress
National, Anthony Tacchi, master; Miss Hannah Allured, mistress
RAILWAY STATION. William Morris, station master
CONVEYANCE.
FELIXSTOW & WALTON�Fulcher's omnibus on thursdays, from Swan inn
CARRIERS.
ALDERTON and BAWDSEY�Wright, daily, with letters; Girling, from ' Lion,' monday,
Wednesday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day
BAWDSEY and ALDERTON�Ransby, from ' King's Arms,' tuesday, thursday, friday &
Saturday, returning same day
BEALINQS�Cotton, from ' Angel,' thursday 4c Saturday, returning same day
BLAXIIALL� Knights, from ' Royal Oak,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning
same day
BOYTON�Disbrey, from ' Royal Oak,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same
day
BRANDESTON�Pratt, from 'Anchor,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day
CAPEL ST. ANDREW�Walker.from ' King's Arms,'tuesday, thursday & friday,
returning same day
CHARSFIELD�Crawford, from 'Sun,' Saturday & Wednesday, returning same dav;
Leach, from ' Cock & Pie,' tuesday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day ;
Beck, from 'Royal Oak,' tuesday & friday, returning same day; Wright, from
'Anchor,' monday & thursday, returning same day
DALLINGHOO�Grayston, from ' Anchor,' monday & thursday, returning same day
EASTON�Pratt, from �Anchor,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day
FRAMSDEN�Flick, from ' Boat,' wed. returning same day
GRUNDISRURGH�Cook, from 'Angel,' monday, Wednesday, thursday, friday, &
Saturday, returning same day
HAI.ESWORTH�Contes, from ' King's Arms,' monday & friday, returning tuesday &
Saturday
HOLLESI.EV�Broome, from �Boat,' thursday, returning same day; Birch, from
'Lion,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day; Kemp.from ' Royal Oak,'
thursday, returning same day
HOLTESLEY- Clarke, from 'Lion,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day
IPSWICH�Harris, daily, thursday excepted; Rice, from 'Royal Oak,' daily;
Grayston, daily
KIRTON�Dunnett, from 'White Horse,' thursday, returning same day
LEISTON�Jordan, from ' Bell,' thurs. returning same day
MARLESPORD�Matten, from 'Sun,' Saturday, returning same day
ORFORD�Fisk, from ' Royal Oak,' monday, Wednesday, thursday & Saturday,
returning same day; Pend, from 'Lion,' monday, Wednesday, thursday & Saturday,
returning same day; Allerton, from ' Lion,'monday, thursday & Saturday,
returning same day
SAXMUNDHAM�Rouse, from ' King's Arms,' tuesday & friday, returning Wednesday &
Saturday
SIIOTTISHAM�Kemp, from'' Royal Oak,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same
day
SNAPE�Knights, from ' Royal Oak,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same
day
STRADBROKE�Meen, from ' Lion,' monday 4c friday, returning tuesday 4c Saturday
TUNSTALL�King, from 'Lion,' monday, thursday & Saturday, returning same day
WICKHAM MARKET�Mayhew, from 'Lion,' daily, returning same day