Parish of Hammoon

POSTAL and COMMERCIAL DIRECTORY'S

From the early 19th century, until well into the 20th century, the publication of postal, street and commercial directories was a common occurrence. From the mid 19th century these publications gave a description of each parish as well as listing all the farmers, tradesmen and nobility/gentlemen of the parish. It was Kelly's Directory that came to dominate the market and this one continued to just beyond 1950. The parish description below is taken from the 1880 Kelly's.

Directories for 1895 and 1935 are transcribed from original books in my possession. Other directories are transcribed  from a photocopy of the directory kindly provided by the Dorchester Reference Library. 
Lynda Small, January 2003.

HAMMOON is a parish and small village, in the petty sessional division of North Blandford, union of Sturminster Newton, Shaftesbury County Court district, diocese of Salisbury, archdeaconry of Dorset and rural deanery of Shaftesbury fourth portion, 8 miles north-west from Blandford, 6 south-west from Shaftesbury and 3 east from Sturminster Newton station; the river Stour runs through the parish. The Church of St Mary is a plain old building and consists of nave only. The register dates from the year 1656. The living is a rectory, yearly value £133, with residence, in the gift of Rev. Duncombe Herbert Sawyer M.A. and held by the Rev. William Fletcher Roe M.A. of St Mary Hall, Oxford. Viscount Portman is lord of the manor and chief landowner. The soil is clay. The crops are wheat, barley, oats, beans and grass. The area is 677 acres; rateable value £1760; the population in 1871 was89.

Parish Clerk: Henry White

Letters from Blandford arrive 8.50. a.m. dispatched 5.15. p.n. The nearest money order office is at Shillingstone.

Additional information from the 1895 Kelly's

The church of St Mary was a plain old building consisting of a chancel, nave and south porch; in 1885 the church was thoroughly restored, the interior reseated, new chancel roof and new west wall and  new western turret containing 2 bells added: the nave is separated from the chancel upon which some ancient inscriptions were found and restored: the south door is of oak and very ancient: the hour glass still remains by the pulpit: the east window is in the Early English style and the other portions of the church Decorated: the cost of the restoration was £900, defrayed by Viscount Portman and the present rector: there are 80 sittings.  The living is a rectory, average tithe rent-charge £133, gross yearly value £188, net £158, with 23 acres of glebe and residence.

Rateable value £1630; the population in 1991 was 83
Parish Clerk; Robert Douch
The children attend school at Manston

Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire & Wiltshire 1855
MEECH Rev. J. W. Hammoon rector
COATE John Hammoon farmer
COATE William Hammoon farmer
OSMOND John Hammoon farmer
OSMOND Richard Hammoon farmer
WHITE Henry Hammoon parish clerk
WHITE John Manston carpenter & parish clerk
YEATMAN Frederick Hammoon shopkeeper
Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire & Wiltshire 1867
ROWE Rev . William F. Hammoon Rector B.A.
COATE John Manor House, Hammoon Farmer
COATE William Hammoon Farmer
OSMOND Maria Mrs Hammoon Farmer
YEATMAN William F Hammoon Shopkeeper
Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1875
SAWYER Rev. Durcombe Herbert M.A. Hammoon Curate
COATE John Hammoon Farmer
COATE William Hammoon Farmer
OSMOND Henry Hammoon Farmer
OSMOND Maria (Mrs)  Hammoon Farmer
YETMAN Frederick Hammoon Shopkeeper
Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1880
SAWYER Rev Duncombe Herbert Hammoon Rectory (curate) MA
COATE John Hammoon Farmer
COATE William Hammoon Farmer
OSMOND Henry Hammoon Farmer
OSMOND Maria (Mrs) Hammoon Farmer
WHITE James Hammoon carpenter
YETMAN Frederick Hammoon Shopkeeper
Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1895
SAWYER Rev Duncombe Herbert Hammoon Rectory (curate) MA
COATE John Manor Farm Farmer
HOPKINS Charles Edwin Hammoon Farmer
OSMOND Henry Hammoon Farmer
WHITE George Hammoon carpenter
YETMAN Frederick Hammoon carpenter
Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire 1935
BREYSIA Maj. Percy Leonard Degama, Hammoon M. A. (rector)
GOULD Rev. Cecil Hunt Hammoon Rectory Farmer
BOATSWAIN A G & T O *East Farm, Child Okeford Farmer
FRANCIS Herbt. Wm. *Manor Farm, Hammoon Farmer
GALE Ernest Hammoon Farmer
ROSS Ada Mabel (Mrs) Downs Farm Hammoon Farmer
* denotes has 150 acres or more

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