Parish of Manston

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 1895 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.

MANSTON is a parish on the river Stour, two miles north-east of Sturminster station, on the Midland and South Western Joint Railway, 8 miles north-west from Blandford, and 5 miles south-west from Shaftesbury, in the Northern division of the county, hundred of Redlane, county court district of Shaftesbury, petty sessional division and union of Sturminster Newton, rural deanery of Shaftesbury (Sturminster Newton portion), arch-deaconry of Dorset and diocese of Salisbury. The church of St Nicholas is an ancient structure of stone in the style of the 11th century, consisting of a chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle, south porch, with a square Perpendicular embattled western tower, with pinnacles which contains four bells; over the west door in the tower is the date 1534, which is the date of its erection; the church was thoroughly restored and re-seated in 1885; there are 200 sittings. The register dates from the year 1614. The living is a rectory; tithes commuted for £315; average, £239; net income £334, with glebe (£150) in the gift of and held since 1872 by the Rev. Peter Rollins Gorringe BA late of Brasenose College, Oxford. There is a Wesleyan Chapel. Manston House the property of John Castleman Swinburne-Hanham esq. JP is a handsome structure, built on the site of the old mansion which was destroyed by fire in 1857, and is at present the residence of Lord Magheramorne. Lord Stalbridge P.C. is lord of the manor and principal landowner. The soil is gravel, sand and loam; subsoil, clay. The land is chiefly pasture. The area is 1,323 acres; rateable value £2,803; the population in 1891 was 193.
Parish Clerk;  John Bartlett

Post Office:- Miss Mary Jane Sharp, sub-postmistress. Letters from Blandford arrive by messenger at 7.20.a.m. & are dispatched at 5.30.p.m. week days, & 12.30.p.m. Sundays. Postal orders are issued here, but not paid. The nearest money-order and telegraph office is at Sturminster Newton.

School:- (mixed) with residence for mistress attached, built in 1878 for 40 children; average attendance 41; & supported by Lord Stalbridge; Mrs Susan Rowe mistress.

1855     1862     1867     1875     1880     1895     1935

Kelly's Directory of Dorset 1855

Gentry

HUNHAM, Thos. Lieut. BRN (magistrt),

MILES, Henry Mr.

ST JOHN, George Frederick Rev. MA, rector

Commercial,

ANDREWS, Charles,  farmer

APPLIN, Harry,  carrier & farmer

APPLIN, Henry, farmer

BASTABLE, John, blacksmith

BENJAFIELD, Nathaniel, farmer

BRINE, Charles, farmer

DAY, Robert, farmer

HAINES, John, farmer

JEFFERY, Mary Mrs., miller

LIGHT, John, carpenter

OLIVER, John, farmer

SHARP, Eli, farmer

TUFFIN, Nehemiah, 'Plough'

WHITE, John, parish clerk

Harrod's Directory of Dorset 1862

FOSTER, Major, Manston House

HUNHAM, Thomas B Lieut. RN JP 

ST JOHN, George Frederick Rev. MA, Rector

Commercial

ANDREWS, Charles, farmer

APPLIN, Henry, farmer

BASTABLE, Daniel, blacksmith

BENJAFIELD, Nathaniel, farmer

BRETT, Miss, schoolmistress

BRINE, Charles, farmer

DAY, & Son, farmer

HAMES, John, farmer

JEFFERY, Mary Mrs., miller

LIGHT, John, carpenter

LIGHT, John, farmer

LOCK, George, dairyman

SHARP, Eli, farmer

TUFFIN, Nehemiah, Plough Inn

WHITE, John, , parish clerk

Kelly's Directory of Dorset 1867

HANHAM, Thomas B Capt. RN JP , Manston House

METCALF, Mr. MA

Commercial

ANDREWS, Charles, farmer

APPLIN, Henry, farmer

BASTABLE, Daniel, blacksmith

BENJAFIELD, Nathaniel, farmer

BRINE, Charles, farmer

BRINE, Thomas, farmer

DAY, Nathaniel, farmer

FISH , Stephen, shopkeeper

FOOT, John, cowkeeper

HAMES, John, farmer

JEANES, James, Plough Inn

LIGHT, John, carpenter

LIGHT, John, farmer

LOCK, George, dairyman

MECHARD, William, butcher

SHARP, Eli, miller

Kelly's Directory of Dorset 1875

GORRINGE, Peter Rollins Rev. MA, rector

HANHAM, Thomas B Capt. RN JP  Manston House

Commercial

APPLIN, Henry James, farmer

BARTLETT, John, shopkeeper

BASTABLE, Daniel, blacksmith

BENJAFIELD, Nathaniel, farmer

BRINE, Edwin, farmer

DAY, Eli, Plough Inn

DAY, Nathaniel, farmer

FOOT, John, cowkeeper

HAMES, James, dairyman 

HAMES, John, farmer

LIGHT, John, carpenter & farmer

MECHARD, William, farmer

SHARP, Eli, farmer

Kelly's Directory of Dorset 1880

GORRINGE, Peter Rollins Rev. MA, Rectory, Manston, rector

HANHAM, Thomas Barnabas Capt. RN DL JP, Manston House

Commercial

APPLIN, Henry James, farmer

BART, John, shopkeeper

BASTABLE, Daniel, blacksmith

BENJAFIELD, Nathaniel, farmer

BRINE, Edwin, farmer

DAY, Eli, Plough Inn

DAY, Nathaniel, farmer

FOOT, John, cowkeeper

HAMES, John, farmer

HUNT, Harry, farmer

LIGHT, John, farmer

MECHARD, William, farmer

SHARP, Mary Mrs., miller & farmer

Kelly's Directory of Dorset 1895

Private Residents

CHAPMAN, Mrs, Broad Oak, Manston

GORRINGE, Peter Rollins, Rev. BA, Rectory, Manston

MAGHERAMORNE, Lord, Manston House, (+ clubs mentioned)

Commercial

APPLIN, Hy. Miles, Low. Manston, farmer

BARTLETT, John, shopkeeper

BASTABLE, Daniel, blacksmith

BRINE, Edwin, farmer

DAY, Eli , Plough Inn, Manston

FOOT, Charles, cowkeeper

FOOT, Charles , jun., cowkeeper

FOOT, Edwin, cheese & butter dealer

FOOT, John, cowkeeper

HUNT, Cornelius Jas., Manor Farm, Manston, farmer

HUNT, Harry, farmer

LIGHT, John, Godwins Farm, Manston, farmer

MEATYARD, Wm., Northwood Farm, Manston, farmer

Kelly's Directory of Dorset 1935

Private Residents

BOWER, Claude Edward Syndercombe, Lt.-Col. DSO

MAUNSELL, Richard C, Broad Oak, Manston

PAYLER, Mrs Payler-Morgan, Manston House

PICKARD-CAMBRIDGE, Robert J. Rev. MA, Rectory, Manston, rector

Commercial

ATKINS, Bertram, Northwood Farm, Manston, farmer

BASTABLE, Henry Edward, , blacksmith

BEALE, Thos., Manston Farm, cycle agt

DUNNING, Frank, farmer

FOOT, Ambrose, cowkeeper

FOOT, Jesse, farmer

FRANCIS, Rd., gardener to Rev R J Pickard-Cambridge MA

HATCHER , Jn. Wm., Folly Farm, Manston, farmer

HUNT, Bros., Conegar Farm, Manston, farmers

HUNT, Cornelius Jas. Mrs., Manor Farm, Sturminster Newton, farmer

HUNT, Frank, Middle Ho. Manston, farmer

HUNT, Victor, Higher Farm, Manston, manager to Mrs C J Hunt, Higher Farm

SMITH, Leslie, Plough Inn, Manston

THOMPSON, Frederick Robert, Barns Hill, Manston, farmer

WILLS, Thos., gardener to Mrs Payler Morgan-Payler

MANSTON PAGE            OPC HOME PAGE