History of West Thurrock & Purfleet in 1863 Whites Directory
West Thurrock & Purfleet 1863 Whites Directory
WEST THURROCK is a long straggling village, extending more than a mile along
the road and the marshes on the north side of the Thames, opposite
Greenhithe Pier, and between Grays Thurrock and Purfleet, 16 miles E. by S.
of London, and 9 miles S.E.
of Romford. Its parish includes Purfleet hamlet, and contains 2863 acres of
land, and had 835 inhabitants in 1851, of whom about 500 Were in Purfleet
village and barracks. Many of the inhabitants were, till a few years ago,
employed in the extensive lime and
ohalk pits, belonging to W. H. Whitbread, Esq., the lord of the manor, and
owner of most of the parish; but these works are now closed. W. D. Cooper,
Esq., and several smaller owners have estates in, the parish. West Hall, the
old manor house, was formerly named
Le Vineyard, from vines having been cultivated here in ancient times. It has
latterly been called High House, from its situation. on the side of a lofty
hill, commanding a delightful prospect over the marshes and the river
Thames. It is now the residence of J.
E. Joyner, Esq. The Church (St. Clement) is a very ancient stone building,
with a massive tower containing three bells. W. H. Whitbread, Esq., is
impropriator of the rectory, and patron of the vicarage, valued in KB. at
£15.13s. 4d., and in 1831 at £310, and
now held by the Rev. Frederick Heberden, M.A., at Wilmington, Kent. Here is
a neat Parsonage and 3A. of glebe, and the vicarial tithes were commuted in
1836 for £313 per annum.
PURFLEET is a village and military station on the north side of the river
Thames, at the mouth of a rivulet, and at the west end of West Thurrock, to
which parish it is a hamlet, though sometimes called a township. It is 16
miles E. by S. of London, and 8 miles
S.E. by S. of Romford, and has a pleasure fair on the 13th of June; and.a
station on the London, Tilbury,and Southend Railway. The harbour is only
used by small craft, and adjoining it is a large government
powder magazine, consisting of five detached bomb-proof and well-protected
store-houses, barracks for a company of artillery, a store keeper's mansion,
and a good quay. This magazine was built in 1781, and has room for the safe
keeping of 60,000 barrels of gunpowder.
The village is on rising ground, and in the vicinity numerous romantic
scenes are formed by the high projecting chalk rocks, interspersed with deep
and extensive caverns. Of these chalk hills, and those on the Kentish side
of the Thames, the lofty
Beacon Cliff, which overlooks, the village, commands an extensive prospect;
finely interspersed with woods, gentlemen's seats, farmhouses, villages, etc
Those marked * are in Purfleet, and the others in West Thurrock
There are POST OFFICES in both villages. Letters via Grays.
Anderson Geo. farmer, Tunnel House
*Barnes William, grocer, etc
*Blows James, butcher
Button William, beer retailer
*Cass John, waterman
Christmas Charles, bricklayer
Clark William, shopkeeper
*Cottle Charles L. station master
Cowland Mary, vict. Old Ship
Curtis George Joseph, Dove Farm
Curtis John Edward, farmer
*Dodd Thomas, carpenter
*Gunning Robert, gardener
*Gunpowder Magazine, Thos. A. G. Satchwell, storekeeper; Chas. E.
Ralph, and G. A. Jolley, clerks; and Dd. B. Masted, foreman
Greatrex George,parish clerk. Post Office
Hammond Wm. vict. Fox and Goose
*Harman Mr Benj.
Hodgson Wm
|
Ingleton Sarah, schoolmistress
*Ives Jas.Fras.&Wm Robt, butchers
Joyner John Eaton, Eaq, High House
Kennedy Thomas, schoolmaster
Lethbridge Rev. Elford C. curate
Maxted David Brice, Post Office
May William, farmer, Home Farm
* Newman George, carpenter
Nokes Charles, miller, Steam Mill
*Ponlton Thomas, shopkeeper _
Powell Stephen,wheelwright,builder, and undertaker
*Sanford Chas. Edward, baker, etc
* Satchwell Thos. A. G. storekeeper
*Simons James, shoemaker
*Whitbread William Henry, Esq.
*Wingrove Jno.G, vict.Purjleet Hotel
RAILWAY Trains from Purfleet Station to London,Southend,etc |
RAILWAY Trains to London and Southend, 9 times a day.